Hexarelin
examorelin, EP-23905
REC PPT-HEXARELIN // REV 2026-10-04 // assessment changes are logged, never silent
The GH-releasing peptide whose most distinctive human finding is cardiac rather than muscular — and it is an acute, small-n pharmacology finding.
What it is
A synthetic hexapeptide growth-hormone secretagogue, listed by WADA under its international name examorelin. Besides the ghrelin receptor it binds CD36, a scavenger receptor expressed on heart muscle cells.
What it does
Studied in humans as a growth-hormone and adrenal-axis probe, and in animal models of myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion, where a CD36-mediated cardioprotective effect independent of growth hormone has been reported.
Does it work?
Europe PMC returns 566 records and the human component is genuine rather than a naming collision: dose-response growth-hormone studies, adrenal-axis studies, and small acute studies reporting a rise in left-ventricular ejection fraction after a single intravenous administration in healthy men, in hypopituitary adults and in patients undergoing bypass surgery. All of that is acute, small-n pharmacology from the 1990s and 2000s, and the cardioprotection literature proper is animal. No interventional study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, and attenuation of the growth-hormone response with repeated administration has been reported.
Claims vs data
Each marketing claim, tagged by what the evidence actually supports.
| Raises circulating growth hormone in humans | supported |
| Acutely increases left-ventricular ejection fraction after a single intravenous administration | partially true |
| Protects heart muscle from ischaemic injury through CD36 | animal data only |
| Is a treatment for heart failure or heart disease | overreach |
Reference figures
Quoted from published reference material. These are not Peptuity recommendations.
molecular data — PubChem CID 6918297
The evidence, counted
Live counts from Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov.
569 publications indexed, including 29 randomised controlled trials. 0 interventional studies registered. This is a well-tested compound.
SRC // EUROPE PMC + CTGOV // "Hexarelin" // FETCHED 2026-10-04 // 569 RECORDS
Most-cited literature
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[01]
Ghrelin
Müller TD, Nogueiras R, Andermann ML, Andrews ZB, Anker SD, Argente J, · Mol Metab 2015 · 806 citations · DOI 10.1016/j.molmet.2015.03.005
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[02]
Ghrelin inhibits leptin- and activation-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression by human monocytes and T cells
Dixit VD, Schaffer EM, Pyle RS, Collins GD, Sakthivel SK, Palaniappan · J Clin Invest 2004 · 636 citations · DOI 10.1172/jci21134
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[03]
Ghrelin and des-acyl ghrelin inhibit cell death in cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells through ERK1/2 and PI 3-kinase/AKT
Baldanzi G, Filigheddu N, Cutrupi S, Catapano F, Bonissoni S, Fubini A · J Cell Biol 2002 · 525 citations · DOI 10.1083/jcb.200207165
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[04]
Structure-function of CD36 and importance of fatty acid signal transduction in fat metabolism
Pepino MY, Kuda O, Samovski D, Abumrad NA. · Annu Rev Nutr 2014 · 513 citations · DOI 10.1146/annurev-nutr-071812-161220
Regulatory status
Formal, dated regulatory actions.
WADA — Prohibited List 2026
Prohibited in sport — WADA S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors and related substances)
Common questions
Is hexarelin an approved medicine?
No approval by a major medicines regulator has been identified. It is not approved by the US FDA, the EMA or the Saudi FDA. It reached human study in the 1990s and 2000s as an investigational endocrine agent and was not carried through to registration.
What does the CD36 research actually show?
In animal models of myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion, hexarelin was associated with reduced infarct size, and that protection was absent in animals lacking CD36 — which is what links the effect to that receptor rather than to growth hormone. This is animal evidence. No equivalent controlled outcome study exists in people.
Why does the WADA list call it examorelin?
Examorelin is its international non-proprietary name, the standardised generic name. The WADA 2026 Prohibited List writes it as examorelin (hexarelin) so that both names resolve to the same substance.
Does the growth-hormone response hold up with continued administration?
Attenuation has been reported. Studies of repeated administration describe a diminished growth-hormone response over time compared with a first exposure, so the acute pharmacology should not be read as a steady-state effect.
Related compounds
GHRP-2
The only GH-releasing peptide holding a real regulatory approval — a single-injection diagnostic test in Japan, not a therapy, and not an FDA approval.
GHRP-6
That it releases growth hormone in humans is established. Everything downstream of that is where the evidence stops.
Ipamorelin
Selective growth-hormone secretagogue. Raises GH; downstream benefits less proven.
Tesamorelin
Approved GHRH analogue for HIV-associated lipodystrophy — a narrow, real indication.