GHRP-6 vs Follistatin
Side-by-side comparison of key properties, dosing, and research.
Growth Hormone Peptides
GHRP-6Anabolic & IGF
Follistatin- Summary
- GHRP-6 is the original synthetic GH-releasing peptide and a potent ghrelin receptor agonist. It produces strong GH pulses but is notorious for a significant hunger surge 30–45 minutes post-injection. This hunger side effect makes it less preferred than Ipamorelin or GHRP-2 for most protocols but can be useful in patients with appetite deficiency.
- Follistatin is an endogenous glycoprotein that acts as a potent inhibitor of myostatin and activin, two proteins that limit muscle growth. By binding and neutralizing myostatin, follistatin removes the primary brake on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, enabling significant muscle growth beyond normal physiological limits. It is distinct from its isoforms Follistatin 315 and Follistatin 344 in tissue distribution and binding affinity.
- Half-Life
- 15–60 minutes
- ~3–5 hours (endogenous form)
- Admin Route
- SubQ, Intranasal
- IM, SubQ
- Research
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- Typical Dose
- 100–300 mcg
- 50–100 mcg per injection site
- Frequency
- 2–3 times daily
- Every other day or 2–3x per week
- Key Benefits
- Strong GH stimulation
- Elevated IGF-1
- Muscle growth and recovery support
- Potential anti-inflammatory effects at GI level
- Useful for patients with appetite deficiency or cachexia
- Enhanced recovery from training
- Potent myostatin inhibition enabling supraphysiological muscle growth
- Increases skeletal muscle mass and fiber size
- May accelerate recovery from muscle injury
- Potential benefits in muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia
- Synergistic with IGF-1 and growth hormone in anabolic protocols
- Animal studies show dramatic increases in muscle mass
- Reduces muscle fibrosis in dystrophic models
- Side Effects
- Intense hunger surge (30–45 min post-injection)
- Water retention
- Elevated cortisol (modest)
- Elevated prolactin (modest)
- +2 more
- Potential for excessive muscle growth if doses are not controlled
- FSH suppression with implications for fertility in women
- Theoretical risk of cardiac hypertrophy with prolonged high-dose use
- Limited human safety data available
- +1 more
- Stacks With
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