MK-677 vs Ipamorelin
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
A pill that makes the body release growth hormone and is not a peptide, against a peptide given as a shot.
- MK-677 people
- 65
- MK-677 nulls
- 1
- Ipamorelin people
- 157
- Ipamorelin nulls
- 0
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page. None of them is a personal dose.
2 completed trials, 65 people given it
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that circulate in forums and on vendor pages are not a human dose. Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page.
Commonly reported amounts, in mcg. Ipamorelin has no approved label.
Amounts commonly reported by people buying Ipamorelin, recorded for this archive's reconstitution calculator, are 100, 200 and 300 mcg. They are self-reports rather than trial doses, and this archive does not recommend any of them. No human dose has been established for Ipamorelin.
| Reported amount | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|
| 100 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
| 200 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
| 300 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
First-hand reports are counted on each profile and never added together. This page sets two published records side by side. It does not pick a winner.
Column A
MK-677Ibutamoren (oral ghrelin receptor agonist)
A daily pill that raises growth hormone and IGF-1. It is not a peptide. It was tested in people for years but was never approved.
Column B
IpamorelinIpamorelin Acetate
A peptide that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone in natural bursts. It barely touches cortisol, the stress hormone, or prolactin.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| What we compare | MK-677 | Ipamorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Growth Hormone | Growth Hormone |
| FDA status | Not FDA-approved (it failed to win approval after final-stage studies) | Not FDA-approved |
| Half-life | ~24 hours | ~2 hours |
| Molecular weight | 624.8 Da | 711.85 Da |
| How it works | It switches on the ghrelin receptor, the same switch the hunger hormone uses. That raises growth hormone and IGF-1. It also makes you hungry. | It switches on the ghrelin receptor on the pituitary gland, also called GHS-R1a. Ghrelin is the body's hunger hormone. Switching on this receptor makes the gland release growth hormone in bursts. |
| Studies in people | 3 | 3 |
| Evidence | Limited: 2 completed trials, 65 people given it | Moderate: 2 completed trials, 157 people given it |
| Legal status, US | Not approved; research use only | Not approved; research use only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MK-677 and Ipamorelin?
MK-677: A daily pill that raises growth hormone and IGF-1. It is not a peptide. It was tested in people for years but was never approved. Ipamorelin: A peptide that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone in natural bursts. It barely touches cortisol, the stress hormone, or prolactin.
Which has stronger research evidence, MK-677 or Ipamorelin?
Each compound gets a band worked out from facts we counted, with the math shown. MK-677 is Limited (2 completed trials, 65 people given it). Ipamorelin is Moderate (2 completed trials, 157 people given it). That counts how much has been done in people. It does not rate whether either one works, and neither one is called the winner.
Are MK-677 and Ipamorelin FDA-approved?
MK-677: Not FDA-approved (it failed to win approval after final-stage studies). Ipamorelin: Not FDA-approved.
Related posts
Blog articles that cover MK-677 or Ipamorelin, newest first.
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page puts two published records side by side. It is for learning, and it is not medical advice. When this site shows a dose, it is the dose a trial or a clinic actually used, or what people say they did, with the source attached. None of it tells you what to take.