This comprehensive review covers GH pharmacology from pituitary regulation to clinical applications of GH and secretagogues (GHRP, MK-677) for GH deficiency, aging, obesity, and critical illness.
Comprehensive referenceCovers all GH secretagogues (GHRP, hexarelin, ipamorelin, MK-677) across all clinical applications — the complete clinical pharmacology guide
What the researchers found
GH secretagogues (GHRP-6, hexarelin, MK-677) offer clinical advantages over GH injections: oral availability, physiological pulsatile release patterns, and multiple applications from GH deficiency to aging, obesity, and critical illness.
Why it matters
This serves as the definitive clinical pharmacology reference for practitioners and researchers working with GH and GH secretagogues across all therapeutic applications.
How the study worked
Comprehensive clinical pharmacology review covering GH biology, regulation, GH secretagogue pharmacology, and clinical applications across multiple indications.
What this study cannot tell us
Review from 2002. Some clinical applications were still in development. Long-term safety data for chronic GH secretagogue use was limited.
How to read the evidence
Strong evidence from a comprehensive clinical pharmacology review integrating basic science with clinical trial data.
When this study was published
Published in 2002. Remains a valuable reference though the GH secretagogue field has continued to develop.
The bigger picture
The clinical landscape for GH therapy is evolving from daily injections to oral secretagogues. This review maps the complete pharmacology guiding this transition.
Questions still open
- Will oral GH secretagogues be approved for GH deficiency?
- Which clinical application offers the best risk-benefit profile?
- How should chronic GH secretagogue therapy be monitored?
Common questions
What GH secretagogues are available?
Are GH secretagogues better than GH injections?
Read the original research
Clinical pharmacology of human growth hormone and its secretagogues.
Current drug targets. Immune, endocrine and metabolic disorders, 2(1), 27-52
Citation
Root, Allen W; Root, Michael J. (2002). Clinical pharmacology of human growth hormone and its secretagogues.. Current drug targets. Immune, endocrine and metabolic disorders, 2(1), 27-52.