Weight Management12 min read·Published September 8, 2026

MK-677: Evidence, Safety, Dosing Studied, and Access Questions

What human studies show about ibutamoren, growth hormone, IGF-1, body composition, and safety limits.

MK-677: Evidence, Safety, Dosing Studied, and Access Questions

MK-677, also called ibutamoren or ibutamoren mesylate, is an orally active growth hormone secretagogue studied in multiple human randomized trials. Research shows effects on growth hormone and IGF-1 markers in some groups, but clinical benefits vary by condition, and MK-677 is not an FDA-approved medication. Safety, eligibility, and access questions require clinician review.

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What it is

MK-677 is an orally active small molecule and growth hormone secretagogue, meaning it is designed to stimulate growth hormone signaling. It is also called ibutamoren, ibutamoren mesylate, and MK-0677 in human studies 10.

In plain English: MK-677 tries to turn up a hormone pathway that affects growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1, body composition, bone turnover, and sleep-related biology. Human studies have looked at 7-day hormone profiles, two-month body-composition outcomes, sleep quality, bone markers, hip-fracture recovery, Alzheimer’s disease, and hemodialysis-related IGF-1 changes 3 4 5 6 9 12.

Names: MK-677, ibutamoren, and ibutamoren mesylate

  • MK-677: the common research name used in many papers.
  • Ibutamoren: another name used in clinical and supplement-marketing discussions.
  • Ibutamoren mesylate: a salt form named in a phase IIb hip-fracture recovery trial 10.
  • MK-0677: a closely related spelling used in several studies and trial records 3 5 10.

Evidence grade for MK-677

The assigned evidence grade for MK-677 is A because multiple human randomized controlled trials are indexed in PubMed, including trials in normal young men, obese subjects, postmenopausal osteoporotic women, hip-fracture recovery, Alzheimer’s disease, hemodialysis patients, and other groups 2 3 6 9 10 12.

Mechanism of action

MK-677 is described in human research as an oral ghrelin receptor agonist and growth hormone secretagogue. That means it acts on a pathway linked to ghrelin, growth hormone release, and downstream IGF-1 signaling 3 7.

Ghrelin-receptor agonism and growth hormone secretion

Ghrelin is a hormone involved in hunger and growth hormone signaling. MK-677 has been studied as an orally active compound that stimulates growth hormone secretion, including a human study that measured 24-hour GH profiles in normal young men after 7 days 9.

Mechanism does not equal outcome. A drug can change growth hormone or IGF-1 markers and still fail to improve a clinical endpoint, which is what makes the Alzheimer’s disease trial important: MK-677 was studied in a randomized trial and reported no clinical effect on Alzheimer’s disease progression 2.

Growth hormone, IGF-1, and downstream markers

Several studies focused on growth hormone, GH isoforms, insulin-like growth factor 1, bone turnover markers, fat-free mass, or energy expenditure. For example, one randomized blinded study in hemodialysis patients reported increased serum IGF-1 with MK-0677, while another study in obese subjects reported increased GH secretion, fat-free mass, and energy expenditure after two months 3 8 12.

Those findings are biologically interesting, but they are not proof that MK-677 improves lifespan, athletic performance, or long-term metabolic health. At Chia, we use this same standard when we discuss related growth-hormone-axis topics like sermorelin: mechanism is a starting point, not a guarantee.

Evidence

MK-677 has an evidence grade of A under the supplied rubric because two or more human randomized controlled trials exist. This grade describes the design and quantity of the literature, not whether MK-677 is effective for a given goal or safe for self-directed use.

A — two or more human randomised controlled trials. B — one human randomised trial, or two or more human clinical trials. C — human research exists, none of it randomised. D — animal or in-vitro research only; no human studies indexed. E — no trial evidence indexed in PubMed. The grade describes the quantity and design of published evidence, not whether the substance works, and not whether it is safe.

What human trials can and cannot prove

The human literature is broader than many online summaries suggest. Trials have studied MK-677 in diet-induced catabolism, obesity-related body composition, postmenopausal osteoporosis, hip-fracture recovery, Alzheimer’s disease, hemodialysis, sleep quality, and GH isoforms 1 2 3 4 6 8 10 12.

The hard part is that these endpoints are not the same. A change in IGF-1, fat-free mass, or bone turnover markers may not translate into better strength, fewer falls, slower disease progression, or longer life. Individual results vary, and the evidence does not support using MK-677 as a shortcut for bodybuilding or longevity claims.

Why biomarker changes are not the same as proven clinical benefit

One example is Alzheimer’s disease. Even though MK-677 acts on a hormone pathway, a randomized Alzheimer’s disease trial reported no clinical effect on disease progression 2.

Another example is bone research. MK-677 has been studied for markers of bone formation, bone resorption, and bone mineral density, but marker changes are not the same as showing fewer fractures or better long-term function 6 11.

Human outcomes studied so far

Research areaWhat was studiedWhat the evidence can supportKey caution
Hormone signaling24-hour GH profiles, IGF-1, adrenocortical function, and GH isoformsMK-677 has human evidence for changing GH/IGF-1-related markers 8 9.Markers do not prove clinical benefit.
Body compositionFat-free mass and energy expenditure in obese subjectsA two-month study reported increased GH secretion, fat-free mass, and energy expenditure 12.This is not proof of safe bodybuilding use.
BoneBone turnover markers and bone mineral densityStudies exist in obese young males and postmenopausal osteoporotic women 6 11.Bone markers are not the same as fracture reduction.
Hip-fracture recoveryPatients recovering from hip fractureRandomized trials have studied MK-0677 in this setting 5 10.Functional recovery is harder to prove than lab change.
SleepSleep quality in humansA human clinical trial studied prolonged oral treatment and sleep quality 4.This does not establish treatment for sleep disorders.
Alzheimer’s diseaseClinical progressionA randomized trial reported no clinical effect on Alzheimer’s disease progression 2.A negative clinical trial matters.
HemodialysisSerum IGF-1 in hemodialysis patientsA randomized blinded study reported increased serum IGF-1 3.Kidney disease needs specialist-level risk review.

What studies exist

YearDesignStudyJournalRecord
1998Randomised controlled trialMK-677, an orally active growth hormone secretagogue, reverses diet-induced catabolismThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismPMID 9467534
2008Randomised controlled trialGrowth hormone secretagogue MK-677: no clinical effect on AD progression in a randomized trialNeurologyPMID 19015485
2018Randomised controlled trialOral ghrelin receptor agonist MK-0677 increases serum insulin-like growth factor 1 in hemodialysis patients: a randomized blinded studyNephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal AssociationPMID 28340044
1997Clinical trialProlonged oral treatment with MK-677, a novel growth hormone secretagogue, improves sleep quality in manNeuroendocrinologyPMID 9349662
2004Randomised controlled trialThe effects of MK-0677, an oral growth hormone secretagogue, in patients with hip fractureJournal of the American Geriatrics SocietyPMID 15066065
2001Randomised controlled trialEffect of alendronate and MK-677 (a growth hormone secretagogue), individually and in combination, on markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporotThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismPMID 11238495
1998Randomised controlled trialGrowth hormone secretagogues: mechanism of action and use in agingGrowth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research SocietyPMID 10990440
2003Randomised controlled trialThe effect of treatment with the oral growth hormone (GH) secretagogue MK-677 on GH isoformsGrowth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research SocietyPMID 12550076
1996Randomised controlled trialEffects of a 7-day treatment with a novel, orally active, growth hormone (GH) secretagogue, MK-677, on 24-hour GH profiles, insulin-like growth factor I, and adrenocortical functioThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismPMID 8768828
2011Randomised controlled trialMK-0677 (ibutamoren mesylate) for the treatment of patients recovering from hip fracture: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIb studyArchives of gerontology and geriatricsPMID 21067829
1998Randomised controlled trialTreatment with the oral growth hormone secretagogue MK-677 increases markers of bone formation and bone resorption in obese young malesJournal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral ResearchPMID 9661080
1998Randomised controlled trialTwo-month treatment of obese subjects with the oral growth hormone (GH) secretagogue MK-677 increases GH secretion, fat-free mass, and energy expenditureThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismPMID 9467542
Indexed studies for MK-677. PubMed holds 138 records overall, 91 of them human studies and 18 randomised controlled trials. Each row links to its record. The grade above comes from the PubMed search ("MK-677" OR "Ibutamoren" OR "Ibutamoren mesylate") — a short name can pull unrelated records, so the query is printed here for you to check rather than taken on trust.
RegistrationPhaseStatusEnrolmentTitle
NCT00074529PHASE2COMPLETED512Study of MK0677 for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease (0677-030)(COMPLETED)
NCT01343641PHASE2WITHDRAWNGrowth Hormone Secretagogue MK-0677's Effect on Lean Body Mass in Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4/5 Subjects
NCT00128115PHASE2TERMINATED83Treatment of Sarcopenia in Post-Hip Fracture Patients (0677-032)
NCT00116129PHASE2COMPLETED64Efficacy and Safety of an Oral Growth Hormone Drug in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia
NCT00395291NACOMPLETED49Growth Hormone Secretagogue MK-0677 Effect on IGF-1 Levels in ESRD Patients
NCT00474279PHASE1, PHASE2COMPLETED72Effects of an Oral GH Secretagogue (MK-677) on Body Composition and Functional Ability of Older Adults
NCT05364684PHASE2COMPLETED12The Impact of Ibutamoren on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
NCT06948214PHASE3RECRUITING150Phase 3 Study of LUM-201 in Children With Growth Hormone Deficiency
Registered interventional trials of MK-677 on ClinicalTrials.gov, including those that have not published results.

This table is retrieved from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov rather than assembled by hand, so it shows what is indexed — including the absences. Last retrieved 2026-09-08.

Reported dosing ranges

MK-677 dosing should not be copied from the internet. The retrieved PubMed records confirm human study settings and durations, but they do not provide enough dose-detail text in the citation records to build a patient dosing plan.

The table below reports what can be stated from the retrieved human-study records. It is a study map, not a dosing guide. Doses used in published studies are not instructions for personal use; eligibility and monitoring require clinician evaluation.

SourcePopulation or study settingDose amount available from retrieved record?Duration or timing available from retrieved recordHow to read this
Copinschi et al. 1996 9Normal young menNot available in the retrieved citation text7-day treatment; 24-hour GH profiles measuredShows a short human hormone-profile study, not personal dosing guidance.
Svensson et al. 1998 12Obese subjectsNot available in the retrieved citation textTwo-month treatmentStudied GH secretion, fat-free mass, and energy expenditure.
Murphy et al. 1998 1Diet-induced catabolismNot available in the retrieved citation textNot available in the retrieved citation textStudied catabolism-related outcomes.
Copinschi et al. 1997 4Human sleep-quality studyNot available in the retrieved citation textProlonged oral treatmentStudied sleep quality; not a sleep-disorder dosing guide.
Murphy et al. 2001 6Postmenopausal osteoporotic womenNot available in the retrieved citation textNot available in the retrieved citation textStudied bone turnover and bone mineral density, alone and with alendronate.
Adunsky et al. 2011 10Patients recovering from hip fractureNot available in the retrieved citation textPhase IIb studyA clinical-trial setting, not a general recovery protocol.
Campbell et al. 2018 3Hemodialysis patientsNot available in the retrieved citation textNot available in the retrieved citation textStudied serum IGF-1 in a medically complex group.

Why studied doses are not personal dosing instructions

Study dosing is chosen for a protocol, a population, and a safety-monitoring plan. A person reading online cannot know whether a study protocol fits their age, labs, glucose control, kidney function, cancer history, medications, or goals.

This is especially important for growth-hormone-axis compounds. Even for Chia-offered options such as sermorelin, our providers use an online health review, medical history, and ongoing messaging rather than one-size-fits-all dosing.

Our regulatory log holds no confirmed federal action for MK-677. That means we have not found one with a primary source — not that none exists.

This section is generated from a dated log of federal actions rather than written by hand, and it is re-checked daily against the Federal Register and FDA sources. Last checked 2026-09-08. See the full legal-status tracker for every compound we follow.

Safety

MK-677 safety cannot be reduced to “it raises IGF-1, so it is fine.” Human trials exist, but the retrieved records include varied populations, endpoints, and study designs, including older adults, postmenopausal women, hemodialysis patients, hip-fracture recovery, and Alzheimer’s disease research 2 3 5 6 10.

The retrieved citation records do not provide a full adverse-event table. That means this article should not claim a complete side-effect rate. It also means readers should not treat online side-effect lists as a substitute for clinician review.

Adverse events reported in human trials

The available PubMed records show that MK-677 has been studied in randomized and clinical trials, including medically complex groups such as hemodialysis patients and hip-fracture recovery patients 3 5 10. But the retrieved records supplied here do not include enough adverse-event detail to quote rates or rank side effects.

For a patient, the practical safety question is not “did any trial exist?” It is “would this hormone-axis intervention be reasonable for my health history, labs, medications, and goals?” That answer needs a licensed clinician.

Glucose, fluid retention, appetite, and related monitoring questions

Because MK-677 is studied through the growth hormone and IGF-1 pathway, a clinician would typically want to understand glucose-control history, swelling or fluid-retention symptoms, appetite and weight goals, kidney function, and other hormone-related treatments before making any risk judgment. The retrieved human studies support that MK-677 affects GH and IGF-1-related biology, but they do not supply a complete monitoring rule for patients 3 8 9 12.

Why bodybuilding use changes the risk discussion

Bodybuilding use often aims for muscle gain, fat-free mass, or performance. MK-677 has been studied for fat-free mass and energy expenditure in obese subjects, but that is not the same as proving safe muscle-building use in healthy lifters 12.

Stacking MK-677 with other research chemicals can add unknown risks because combination-specific human trials are not established in the retrieved evidence. If your goal is muscle or recovery education, our evidence-focused review of peptides for muscle growth explains why mechanism and marketing often get ahead of human outcomes.

Supply-chain risks

A separate safety issue is product quality. Material sold as “research use only” is not medical care and may not follow the same identity, impurity, sterility, storage, documentation, or pharmacist-review standards expected in a licensed pharmacy process.

This is why we steer readers away from self-sourcing and group-buy behavior. If you are comparing online peptide sources, our guide to peptide group buys explains the practical risks of identity, purity, and no-prescription supply chains.

Interactions

MK-677 interaction studies are not well defined in the retrieved records. The safer statement is that no clear interaction map can be built from the supplied PubMed records, not that interactions are absent.

Glucose-lowering medications

The retrieved evidence shows MK-677 has been studied for GH and IGF-1-related effects, including in hemodialysis patients and obese subjects 3 12. It does not provide a clear medication-interaction rule for people using insulin, GLP-1 medicines, metformin, sulfonylureas, or other glucose-lowering drugs.

If a person has diabetes, prediabetes, changing weight, or uses glucose-lowering medication, a clinician review is important before considering any hormone-axis compound. This is a risk-review point, not a dosing instruction.

Hormone-related therapies and growth-hormone-axis treatments

MK-677 is in the growth-hormone-axis conversation, but it is not the same as sermorelin or growth hormone. Sermorelin is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog, while MK-677 is described as a ghrelin receptor agonist and growth hormone secretagogue 3 7.

At Chia, sermorelin is offered as injections, nasal spray, and tablets, with plans currently starting at $179/mo for injections. That does not make it interchangeable with MK-677; it means related hormone-axis questions should be handled through a clinician-guided review.

Other supplements or research chemicals marketed for muscle growth

The retrieved studies do not establish safety for combining MK-677 with bodybuilding peptides, selective androgen receptor modulators, hormone products, or multiple research chemicals. Combination use changes the risk picture because a person may not know the true identity, dose, impurity profile, or additive biologic effects of each product.

How to obtain it legally

MK-677 is education-only at Chia and is not offered by Chia. We do not prescribe, compound, sell, ship, or provide MK-677.

Start with a clinician evaluation rather than self-sourcing

The right process starts with a health history, medication list, goals, and risk review by a licensed clinician. A prescription, when appropriate for a treatment, requires a medical evaluation and is never guaranteed.

For treatments Chia does offer, our model is 100% online: a short health questionnaire, licensed US provider review, provider-guided dosing, pharmacy dispensing when prescribed, and home delivery. Chia medications are compounded in the US by state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacies; compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.

What a licensed pharmacy process is supposed to include

A licensed pharmacy process should include a valid prescription when required, pharmacist oversight, labeling, lot documentation, storage instructions, and a way to contact the care team. It should not depend on anonymous vials, group buys, or “research use only” material marketed directly to consumers.

Why research-chemical vendors are not medical care

Research-chemical vendors are not a substitute for a medical visit. They do not evaluate your glucose control, kidney history, cancer history, hormone-related risks, medication list, or whether a claimed compound matches what is actually in the container.

Chia note: MK-677 is education-only and is not offered by Chia

We publish pages like this because patients deserve clear evidence even when a compound is not in our catalog. If your actual goal is clinician-guided support for weight management, energy, or growth-hormone-axis questions, Chia offers separate treatments and protocols such as semaglutide, tirzepatide, sermorelin, and Weight + Muscle, depending on eligibility.

How does MK-677 compare with related growth-hormone-axis topics?

MK-677 sits in the same broad hormone-axis conversation as sermorelin and growth hormone, but it is not the same compound. The main difference is the target pathway: MK-677 is described as a ghrelin receptor agonist, while sermorelin acts through growth hormone-releasing hormone signaling.

TopicWhat it isHuman evidence in this articlePractical caution
MK-677 / ibutamorenOral small molecule; ghrelin receptor agonist; growth hormone secretagogueMultiple human trials in GH/IGF-1, body composition, bone markers, sleep, hip fracture, Alzheimer’s disease, and hemodialysis research 2 3 4 6 10 12.Biomarker changes do not prove longevity or bodybuilding outcomes.
SermorelinGrowth hormone-releasing hormone analogNot reviewed in this MK-677 evidence pool.Related pathway, different compound; learn more in our guide to buying sermorelin online safely.
Growth hormoneHormone in the GH/IGF-1 pathwayMK-677 studies measured GH secretion, GH isoforms, or downstream IGF-1 markers 8 9 12.Changing GH biology is not the same as proving broad clinical benefit.
Bodybuilding peptides sold onlineOften marketed for muscle, fat loss, or recoveryCombination-specific human evidence is not established in the retrieved MK-677 records.Identity, purity, dose accuracy, and medical oversight may be unclear.

If you are comparing growth-hormone-axis options, it helps to separate three questions: what pathway is being targeted, what human endpoints were studied, and what safety monitoring is needed. Our articles on oral sermorelin and sermorelin versus tesamorelin side effects go deeper on related but different compounds.

References

  1. 1.PMID 9467534 [randomised controlled trial] Murphy MG, Plunkett LM, Gertz BJ, et al. MK-677, an orally active growth hormone secretagogue, reverses diet-induced catabolism. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1998.
  2. 2.PMID 19015485 [randomised controlled trial] Sevigny JJ, Ryan JM, van Dyck CH, et al. Growth hormone secretagogue MK-677: no clinical effect on AD progression in a randomized trial. Neurology. 2008.
  3. 3.PMID 28340044 [randomised controlled trial] Campbell GA, Patrie JT, Gaylinn BD, et al. Oral ghrelin receptor agonist MK-0677 increases serum insulin-like growth factor 1 in hemodialysis patients: a randomized blinded study. Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association. 2018.
  4. 4.PMID 9349662 [clinical trial] Copinschi G, Leproult R, Van Onderbergen A, et al. Prolonged oral treatment with MK-677, a novel growth hormone secretagogue, improves sleep quality in man. Neuroendocrinology. 1997.
  5. 5.PMID 15066065 [randomised controlled trial] Bach MA, Rockwood K, Zetterberg C, et al. The effects of MK-0677, an oral growth hormone secretagogue, in patients with hip fracture. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2004.
  6. 6.PMID 11238495 [randomised controlled trial] Murphy MG, Weiss S, McClung M, et al. Effect of alendronate and MK-677 (a growth hormone secretagogue), individually and in combination, on markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2001.
  7. 7.PMID 10990440 [randomised controlled trial] Fuh VL, Bach MA. Growth hormone secretagogues: mechanism of action and use in aging. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society. 1998.
  8. 8.PMID 12550076 [randomised controlled trial] Svensson J, Boguszewski CL, Shibata F, et al. The effect of treatment with the oral growth hormone (GH) secretagogue MK-677 on GH isoforms. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society. 2003.
  9. 9.PMID 8768828 [randomised controlled trial] Copinschi G, Van Onderbergen A, L'Hermite-Balériaux M, et al. Effects of a 7-day treatment with a novel, orally active, growth hormone (GH) secretagogue, MK-677, on 24-hour GH profiles, insulin-like growth factor I, and adrenocortical function in normal young men. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1996.
  10. 10.PMID 21067829 [randomised controlled trial] Adunsky A, Chandler J, Heyden N, et al. MK-0677 (ibutamoren mesylate) for the treatment of patients recovering from hip fracture: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIb study. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. 2011.
  11. 11.PMID 9661080 [randomised controlled trial] Svensson J, Ohlsson C, Jansson JO, et al. Treatment with the oral growth hormone secretagogue MK-677 increases markers of bone formation and bone resorption in obese young males. Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 1998.
  12. 12.PMID 9467542 [randomised controlled trial] Svensson J, Lönn L, Jansson JO, et al. Two-month treatment of obese subjects with the oral growth hormone (GH) secretagogue MK-677 increases GH secretion, fat-free mass, and energy expenditure. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1998.
  13. 13.PubMed search results for ("MK-677" OR "Ibutamoren" OR "Ibutamoren mesylate"), with result counts and filters retrieved 2026-09-08.

About this article

Chia Health Editorial TeamEvidence-reviewed health education

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any prescription.

AI tools may assist with research and drafting. Chia's editorial team reviews source use, clarity, treatment information, and safety framing before publication. A clinician is named only after explicit sign-off. Read our editorial standards.

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