Educational, research-use-only content. This article summarizes published scientific literature for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The compounds discussed are supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and are not approved for human or veterinary use.
What is hexarelin?
Hexarelin is a synthetic growth-hormone-releasing peptide (a GHRP) that binds and activates the growth-hormone-secretagogue receptor (GHSR), similar to the natural hormone ghrelin. Compared with ghrelin, it is described as more chemically stable and more potent (Mao et al., 2014).
What the research examined
Beyond stimulating growth-hormone release, researchers have been interested in hexarelin’s potential direct cardiovascular actions, because GHSR is also present in the heart and blood vessels. A review notes that a separate cardiac receptor (CD36) has been implicated in mediating cardioprotective effects of hexarelin in experimental models (Mao et al., 2014).
How it is thought to work
Two pathways are discussed in the literature: the classic GHSR pathway (GH release and neuroendocrine effects) and a non-GHSR, CD36-mediated pathway proposed to underlie direct effects on cardiac tissue (Mao et al., 2014).
The limits of the current evidence
- The cardiovascular findings are largely from experimental/animal models and remain investigational.
- Hexarelin is not an approved medicine and GH secretagogues are prohibited in sport by WADA.
References
According to PubMed:
- Mao Y, Tokudome T, Kishimoto I. The cardiovascular action of hexarelin. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2014. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2014.03.007
