Ibutamoren

Research

Ibutamoren (MK-677)

Category
Growth Hormone
Aliases
MK-677, Nutrobal
Administration
Oral

Overview

Ibutamoren is an orally active, non-peptide ghrelin receptor agonist that raises growth hormone and IGF-1 levels around the clock, engineered specifically to survive oral administration unlike growth hormone-releasing peptides, which must be injected. Despite chemically being a small molecule rather than a true peptide, it's marketed and discussed alongside peptides due to its similar growth hormone-stimulating effect.

Treatments studied

Treatment categories

Growth hormone deficiency

Raises growth hormone and IGF-1 through oral ghrelin receptor activation, though development for this indication was discontinued.

Age-related frailty (studied, discontinued)

Trials aimed to translate elevated IGF-1 into functional strength gains in older adults, without success.

Muscle wasting (research interest)

Sustained IGF-1 elevation is of interest for supporting muscle mass in wasting conditions.