MK-677
An orally active ghrelin mimetic that nudges your own pituitary to release more growth hormone. People run it for lean mass, recovery, and sleep, usually as a once-daily capsule taken before bed.
Where to buy MK-677, cheapest first.
The one vetted vendor we found currently listing MK-677. We link straight to its product page and grade it on public lab data. As more vendors list it, they’ll show up here, cheapest first.
MK-677
What MK-677 actually does.
The simple version first, then a little more for the curious. No biochem degree required.
It mimics ghrelin, your hunger hormone, to tell your pituitary to release more of its own growth hormone, which in turn raises IGF-1, the signal tied to muscle, recovery, and tissue repair.
How it works
MK-677 (Ibutamoren) binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) in the brain and pituitary. That mimics ghrelin, boosting GH-releasing hormone and dialing down somatostatin, so your body releases more of its own growth hormone in natural pulses.
Where it acts
It works on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, the control center for GH. Because it raises your own GH and IGF-1 rather than injecting hormone directly, the rise tends to track the body's natural nighttime rhythm.
What people notice
People report better sleep depth, a sharp jump in appetite, fuller-looking muscle, and improved recovery. Effects build over weeks. IGF-1 climbs early, but visible body composition change is slow.
Honest caveat: the human evidence is thinner than the marketing suggests. The clearest trial data shows MK-677 reliably raises GH and IGF-1 and adds fat-free mass, but a large frailty trial also flagged higher rates of congestive heart failure and worsened insulin sensitivity. It is not an approved medicine and is sold strictly for research use only. None of this is medical advice, talk to a licensed provider before starting anything.
How to take it.
MK-677 is taken orally, as a capsule or oral liquid, so there is no reconstitution and no needles. The routine is simple: one dose a day, usually before bed. The steps are below; for cycling and timing, see the full guide.
Take your dose
A common range is 10–25 mg once daily. Many people start at 10 mg for a week or two to gauge appetite and water retention, then move up. Swallow the capsule with water.
Time it for sleep
Most people dose before bed, since it can deepen sleep and the GH pulse lines up with the body's natural nighttime release. If it disrupts your sleep, a morning dose works too because the half-life is around 24 hours.
Stay consistent
Take it at the same time every day. IGF-1 rises within weeks, but visible changes in muscle and recovery build slowly over a longer run.
Store it
Keep capsules or liquid cool, dry, and out of direct light. No refrigeration or mixing required.
Typical MK-677 dose: 10–25 mg once daily, often before bed. People commonly run it in blocks of 8 to 16 weeks with breaks, rather than continuously, since long-term human safety data is limited.
How to cycle MK-677.
How long people run MK-677, when to take a break, and the honest reasoning behind it.
Cycled rather than continuous given limited long-term data.
A cycle just means a defined run of time on the compound, followed by a break. For MK-677 the common pattern is a block of roughly 8 to 16 weeks, then time off, rather than running it indefinitely.
Why not just run it forever? Mostly because the long-term human safety data is limited, and because MK-677 nudges blood sugar and insulin sensitivity in the wrong direction. The cautious and widely followed approach is to run a focused block, then stop and let things normalize.
- Hold a steady daily dose through your block, at the same time each day.
- Watch your blood sugar if you can, since MK-677 can raise fasting glucose and reduce insulin sensitivity over time.
- Take a real break after a cycle before considering another. Water retention and appetite usually settle within a couple of weeks off.
Want the full picture, on and off periods, the washout, stacking, and keeping your results? Read how peptide cycling works →
What's actually in the vial.
We haven't yet found a vendor publishing a lab certificate for MK-677 that we can link to directly. We don't post purity numbers we can't source. When a vendor publishes a real MK-677 COA, it'll show up here.
What people pair it with.
MK-677 is often run alongside other growth-hormone peptides or a SARM cycle. These are the combinations the community reaches for when lean mass and recovery are the goal.
GH amplification
The most common GH pairing. Ipamorelin gives a clean, sharp GH pulse on its own receptor pathway, while MK-677 raises baseline GH and IGF-1 around the clock. Different mechanisms, theoretically additive, though no controlled trial has tested the combo.
View stack →Around-the-clock GH
An advanced GH-axis stack. CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin drive pulses through the GHRH and ghrelin receptors, and MK-677 holds a higher 24-hour baseline. Layered for maximum GH activation, but it stacks the side-effect risks too.
View stack →Lean mass & recovery
A recovery-leaning pairing. MK-677 supports lean mass and sleep while BPC-157 works on soft-tissue and gut repair. Popular with people running a hard training block who want to recover faster between sessions.
View stack →In the same corner.
Other growth-hormone peptides people compare against MK-677.
Questions, answered straight.
Is MK-677 legal?
MK-677 is not an approved drug and is not sold for human use. The vendors we compare offer it strictly for research use only. It is also on the WADA prohibited list, so competing athletes should steer clear. Rules vary by country, so check what applies where you are.
What does research use only actually mean?
It means the product is sold for laboratory and research purposes, not as a supplement or medicine for people. It has not been reviewed or approved for human use by the FDA. We aggregate prices and public lab data so you can see the landscape; what you do with that is between you and a licensed provider.
When should I take it, morning or night?
Most people dose before bed, since MK-677 can deepen sleep and the GH pulse lines up with the body's natural nighttime release. The half-life is around 24 hours, so once-daily timing is flexible. If it disrupts your sleep, a morning dose is a common fix.
Why am I so hungry and puffy on it?
Both are expected. MK-677 mimics ghrelin, your hunger hormone, so a big jump in appetite is the most common effect. The puffy, bloated look comes from GH-driven water retention. Both usually settle over a cycle, but the appetite is worth planning your diet around.
Do I need to inject it or mix anything?
No. MK-677 is orally active, so it is taken as a capsule or oral liquid with no reconstitution and no needles. That is part of why people choose it over injectable GH peptides like Ipamorelin or CJC-1295.