MK-677 (Ibutamoren)
NOT FDA APPROVEDGrowth-hormone secretagogue (non-peptide)
Also known as: Ibutamoren, MK-0677
Not FDA approved. A non-peptide oral GH secretagogue (grouped with peptides in practice). Merck completed Phase 2 trials but never sought approval.
Early evidence, mostly unproven in humans
- Regulatory standing. Sold as a research chemical, not approved
- Limited human data. Some human data exists, not conclusive
- Registered human trials. 8 registered studies on ClinicalTrials.gov, most advanced Phase 3
- 1 cited source. Cited references provided
A read on the weight of evidence and regulatory standing behind this compound. It is not a safety score, not a purity or quality rating, and not medical advice. It is not a claim that this compound treats, cures, or prevents any condition, and not an endorsement or a recommendation to buy or use it. A low score means the evidence is thin — not that a product is unsafe; a high score means the evidence is strong — not that anyone should take it. PLOBT is independent and takes no money from any vendor; no company can pay to change this score.
Proven: it reliably and durably raises GH and IGF-1, increases appetite, and boosts deep (slow-wave) sleep in humans. NOT proven: real strength, fat-loss or anti-aging benefit. It can worsen insulin resistance and cause fluid retention.
What it is
A non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist that produces sustained (non-pulsatile) GH and IGF-1 elevation across 24 hours.
What the research says
Robust human evidence for sustained elevation of GH and IGF-1.
Consistently reported in trials.
Not demonstrated; raising GH/IGF-1 did not translate into proven functional outcomes.
Published literature
Live from Europe PMC. Peer-reviewed papers discussing MK-677 (Ibutamoren) in their title or abstract, most-cited first. This is how much has been published — not how much is proven in humans. It counts landmark trials, animal studies and reviews alike.
Growth hormone secretagogue MK-677: no clinical effect on AD progression in a randomized trial.
Peptide Supplements and Their Therapeutic Applications in Sports Medicine.
Spontaneous Splenic Rupture in a Patient With Recent Use of Performance-Enhancing Compounds: A Case Report and Literature Review.
Registered human trials
Live from ClinicalTrials.gov, the US NIH registry of human studies, refreshed daily. Counts studies where MK-677 (Ibutamoren) is the intervention being tested.
Treatment of Sarcopenia in Post-Hip Fracture Patients (0677-032)
The Impact of Ibutamoren on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Effects of an Oral GH Secretagogue (MK-677) on Body Composition and Functional Ability of Older Adults
Growth Hormone Secretagogue MK-0677 Effect on IGF-1 Levels in ESRD Patients
FDA recalls & enforcement
MK-677 (Ibutamoren) has no FDA recall or drug record at all — because it is not an FDA-regulated drug. That absence is not a safety signal. It means this compound is sold outside the system that inspects, tracks and recalls unsafe products in the first place.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement.
What people log it for
Descriptive, based on what users track. Not an endorsement or a suggested use.
Risks & unknowns
- Can increase insulin resistance and blood sugar.
- Fluid retention and increased appetite are common.
- Supraphysiological IGF-1 elevation carries theoretical growth-signalling risk.
Doses reported in studies & protocols
Trial and community doses cluster around the low tens of milligrams per day. No approved dose. This is not a recommendation.
Purity reality
Sold as an oral 'research chemical'; content and purity are unverified.
None yet. PLOBT does not publish invented purity numbers. Real third-party COA data, mapped to vendor and batch, is in development — and it is the one thing we refuse to fake.
Sources
We cite peer-reviewed journals, PubMed/PMC, FDA and university sources, not vendor marketing.