Muscle & growth hormone — what actually works, by evidence

Approved drug 2

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29HGHAnti-aging clinics sell it for body composition. That story began with 12 men in a 1990 study.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29TesamorelinApproved for HIV-related belly fat; clinics use it off-label. Its 412-patient trial cut belly fat 15–18%.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved

Human trials 3

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29GHRP-2Clinic users inject it 2–3 times a day. Its only approval: a one-shot growth-hormone test in Japan, 2004.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29MK-677Taken nightly for growth hormone and sleep. A year-long trial: +1.1 kg lean mass, no strength gain.Trial halted over heart failureEvidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29SermorelinThe first FDA-approved growth-hormone releaser, now compounded for adults. The approval was for kids, 1997.Evidence · Human trialsCompounding pharmacy

Human pilots 4

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29CJC-1295Anti-aging clinics pair it with ipamorelin for growth hormone. Human data: 57 people in two Phase 1 trials.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29GHRP-6The 1984 original, now taken mostly for its hunger kick. Four decades of human data: dozens of small studies.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29HexarelinKnown for the biggest growth-hormone pulse of its family. The catch: it fades within 2–4 weeks of daily use.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29IpamorelinSold as the polite growth-hormone releaser that spares cortisol. That claim traces to a 1998 study in pigs.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only

Animal only 5

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29Follistatin-344Bodybuilders buy vials to lift the body's muscle brake. Controlled human trials of vial follistatin: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29IGF-1 DESBodybuilders inject it into a muscle for 'spot growth'. Human studies of it: zero; it lasts 20–30 minutes.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29IGF-1 LR3Taken by advanced lifters as an all-day muscle signal. Randomized human trials of this version: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29MGFLifters inject it into a muscle right after training. Human trials: zero; it lasts 5–7 minutes.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29PEG-MGFLonger-lasting MGF, taken with BPC-157 or TB-500 by strength crowds. Human trials: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyNot legal yet

No data 1

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29FLGR-242A codenamed follistatin, sold by the company its promoter co-founded. Published studies of it: zero.Evidence · No dataResearch only

Also used for muscle and growth hormone 2

Here for a second use. Each meter rates the compound’s main use, the tag on its card.

• Hormones & libidoUpdated Sep 29TestosteronePrescribed for low testosterone; also the original anabolic steroid. Normal is 300–1,000 ng/dL.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29BimagrumabPitched as fat loss that keeps muscle. Alone, it took off less weight than semaglutide in a 507-adult trial.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only