GHRP-2 vs DS5
Side-by-side comparison of key properties, dosing, and research.
- Summary
- GHRP-2 is a potent synthetic hexapeptide that stimulates growth hormone release by activating ghrelin receptors in the pituitary and hypothalamus. It produces one of the strongest GH pulses among GHRPs, though unlike Ipamorelin it does cause modest increases in cortisol and prolactin.
- DS5 is a synthetic variant of the delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP), a nonapeptide originally isolated from rabbit cerebrospinal fluid during slow-wave sleep. Like DSIP, DS5 is explored for sleep optimization, stress modulation, and circadian rhythm normalization, with proposed improvements in potency or stability over the parent molecule.
- Half-Life
- 15–60 minutes
- Estimated 30-60 minutes (peptide degradation)
- Admin Route
- SubQ, Intranasal
- Subcutaneous, Intranasal (research)
- Research
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- Typical Dose
- 100–300 mcg
- 200-500 mcg per dose
- Frequency
- 2–3 times daily
- Once nightly
- Key Benefits
- Strong GH pulse stimulation
- Increased IGF-1 levels
- Enhanced muscle growth and recovery
- Improved fat metabolism
- Better sleep quality
- Increased bone density
- Enhanced appetite (less pronounced than GHRP-6)
- Anti-aging effects via GH axis optimization
- Promotes delta-wave (deep) sleep and improves sleep quality
- May reduce sleep onset latency
- HPA axis modulation for stress reduction
- Non-addictive sleep support without tolerance development
- Potential circadian rhythm normalization
- Explored for insomnia, chronic stress, and PTSD-related sleep disturbance
- Side Effects
- Increased appetite
- Water retention
- Elevated cortisol (modest)
- Elevated prolactin (modest)
- +2 more
- Generally well-tolerated in research subjects
- Possible morning grogginess at higher doses
- Mild blood pressure fluctuations reported with DSIP
- Limited human safety data for DS5 specifically
- Stacks With
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