+50%
Stage IV deep sleep
REM sleep +20% in the same trial. Recorded with polysomnography in healthy young adults.
Copinschi et al., Neuroendocrinology, 1997
The science, read before buying
Growth, explained.
MK-677, ibutamoren, is an oral ghrelin-receptor agonist: a growth hormone secretagogue studied in 25+ human trials since 1995. It does not add a synthetic hormone. In research, it signals the pituitary to amplify the GH pulses the body already produces. The mechanism, the numbers, and every citation are below.
Class
GH secretagogue
Ghrelin-receptor agonist (GHS-R1a)
Route
Oral
No injections, no reconstitution
Half-life
~24 h
One serving covers the full day
Human trials
25+
1995 to present, incl. a 2-year RCT
The mechanism
It doesn't add GH. It asks for more.
No synthetic hormone enters the body. In research, MK-677 works upstream, on the release signal itself. Four steps, all inside the natural feedback loop.
- 1
Binds the ghrelin receptor
MK-677 is an oral ghrelin mimetic. It docks into the GHS-R1a receptor, the same switch the body uses to trigger growth hormone release.
- 2
The pituitary amplifies its GH pulses
The pituitary responds with stronger, natural GH pulses. No synthetic hormone enters the body: its own output is simply turned up.
- 3
IGF-1 climbs for 24 hours
The liver converts elevated GH into IGF-1, the primary growth and repair signal. A ~24-hour half-life means one serving covers the full day.
- 4
The natural axis stays intact
Signaling stays inside the body's own feedback loop. Research shows MK-677 does not act on the testosterone axis, so there is nothing to restore afterward.
The numbers
Measured, not promised.
Every figure below comes from a published human trial, polysomnography, blood panels, whole-body composition analysis. The citation is on the card.
+88%
IGF-1 at 4 weeks
+55% within the first 2 weeks at 25 mg daily. IGF-1 is the primary growth signal GH produces.
Chapman et al., JCEM, 1996
+3 kg
Fat-free mass in 8 weeks
Versus placebo, without a training program. Recorded by whole-body composition analysis.
Murphy et al., JCEM, 1998
2 yrs
Sustained elevation
GH and IGF-1 restored to young-adult range and held there. No desensitization observed.
Nass et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2008
Reference index
Don't take our word. Take the journals'.
The four trials behind the numbers above. We didn't write these results, the journals did.
- Ref 01chapman-1996
IGF-1 +55% in 2 weeks, +88% at 4 weeks (25 mg daily)
Chapman IM, et al. Stimulation of the growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor I axis by daily oral administration of a GH secretagogue (MK-677) in healthy elderly adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1996.
- Ref 02murphy-1998
+3 kg fat-free mass in 8 weeks vs placebo
Murphy MG, et al. MK-677, an orally active growth hormone secretagogue, reverses diet-induced catabolism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1998.
- Ref 03copinschi-1997
Stage IV deep sleep +50%, REM sleep +20%
Copinschi G, et al. Prolonged oral treatment with MK-677, a novel growth hormone secretagogue, improves sleep quality in man. Neuroendocrinology, 1997.
- Ref 04nass-2008
GH & IGF-1 restored to young-adult range, sustained 2 years, no desensitization
Nass R, et al. Effects of an oral ghrelin mimetic on body composition and clinical outcomes in healthy older adults: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2008.
4 of 25+ human trials selected · Full texts indexed on PubMed, journal and year in every citation.
Full disclosure
What we won't hide from you
Most product pages stop at the good news. Ours doesn't, the candor is deliberate. If we're straight about the downsides, the purity number means more.
What we won't hide
Appetite increase is real, especially weeks 1-2. It's the mechanism, not a flaw.
Expect 2-5 lbs of transient water retention in the first month.
Fasting glucose can drift up. If you manage blood-sugar or insulin issues, talk to your physician first.
No Phase III trials exist. Long-term safety beyond 2 years hasn't been established.
Effects reverse 2-4 weeks after stopping. Training and food are still required.
Disclosed up front, the same standard we apply to the purity number.
Expectations
An honest timeline
What trial data and buyer reports actually show, phase by phase. Trials ran 8 weeks and longer, that's why the guarantee is 60 days, not 14.
- Days 1-5
Appetite arrives first
It's a ghrelin mimetic: hunger is the mechanism working. Peaks in the first two weeks, then normalizes. Bulkers call this a feature.
- Weeks 1-2
Sleep depth changes
The most consistently reported early effect: heavier, fuller sleep as nocturnal GH pulses amplify. Trials recorded +50% stage-IV sleep.
- Weeks 2-4
Water retention (transient)
2-5 lbs of temporary water is common in research and community reports as IGF-1 rises. It settles. We tell you because nobody else does.
- Weeks 6-8
Fullness & recovery
Improved nitrogen retention and glycogen storage read as fuller muscles, better pumps, and faster bounce-back between sessions.
- Months 3-6
Body-composition changes
Where trials recorded fat-free mass differences vs placebo. Training and food are still required. This amplifies work, it doesn't replace it.
Next step
The research is public. So is our lab report.
120 capsules, 60 days, $34.95, $0.58/day. Batch #1213681 verified at 99.635% purity, and every order is covered by the 60-day empty-bottle guarantee.