Most people, when they hear the word “peptides” think of physical fitness right away, such as muscle gain, fat loss, joint health, bone density, and especially fast recovery from exercise or injury.
And that is not a wrong thing to think of. It is true that many athletes, bodybuilders, and gym enthusiasts use peptides and other proteins to facilitate training.
But peptides are not all about muscle and performance. New research has begun to illustrate the wider potential of these compounds, and that’s provoked growing interest in newer peptides with multiple applications.
One such is Hexarelin-a synthetic peptide that has shown interesting effects not just in the gym, but also in areas like cardiovascular health. Early research, particularly on animal models, has opened the door for further study.
In this post, we will share personal take on Hexarelin, based on what we’ve learned through our own research into peptides. We’ve also included feedback from others who’ve used it, to provide a more well-rounded and honest perspective. Let’s get into it.
What is Hexarelin?
Hexarelin is one of the growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) that mimics the effect of ghrelin, a natural hormone in the body. Ghrelin is a strong appetite stimulant, but it also has the purpose of inducing the release of the growth hormone.
Hexarelin acts on ghrelin receptors, namely, growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHS-R)-within the brain. This triggers the release of growth hormone by the pituitary gland in pulses.
What differentiates Hexarelin from the rest of the GHRPs is its potency and duration of activity. It is more structurally stable and binds with ghrelin receptors in high affinity, and therefore it is the favored option for those seeking its therapeutic use or its performance-enhancing qualities.
How Does Hexarelin Work?
Hexarelin acts primarily by activating the release of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland. But it doesn’t act through a single pathway-there are several pathways by which it produces this effect.
Firstly, Hexarelin acts in much the same manner as ghrelin is a natural hormone secreted mostly in the stomach. Ghrelin travels through the blood and binds to specific receptors in the brain, growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHS-R1a), found specifically in areas like the hippocampus.
This interaction sets off a variety of physiological responses-not just the release of growth hormone but also functions like the stimulation of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), body weight regulation, and the formation of muscles and bones.
Hexarelin also acts on the same GHS-R1a receptors and triggers a protein signaling cascade made up of phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC). It does this to boost the natural production of GH within the body through the harmonious collaboration of the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus.
Interestingly, Hexarelin is able to reduce the secretion of somatostatin, one of the hormones used in regulating to suppress growth hormone. By preventing such suppression, it acts to sustain high blood levels of GH.
What’s most exciting about this peptide is that it doesn’t just affect the brain. GHS-R1a receptors are found in other organs as well, such as the heart, bones, adrenal glands, and digestive tract. That means Hexarelin may have localized effects, too. For example, scientists are now exploring how it affects cardiac receptors like CD36, a potentially important area of future research.
Ultimately, Hexarelin also has an impact on other hormone systems. It stimulates the adrenal axis, which in turn causes hormone levels such as prolactin and cortisol to rise.
Benefits of Hexarelin Peptide
Hexarelin is a growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) and has the basic function of stimulating the natural release of growth hormone (GH) from the body.
According to the research conducted on animal models, muscle gain is one of the primary benefits. Hexarelin triggers the creation of fresh muscle tissue, which assists in the build-up of lean muscle mass. This can add to increased strength and healthier body composition overall when talking about long-term benefits.
The other significant advantage of Hexarelin is its impact on cardiovascular health. It can help with normal cardiovascular function by its action on CD36 receptors on blood cell membranes. During experiments on animals, it was shown to have the potential to maintain heart parameters within normal levels, such as stroke volume, cardiac output, and left ventricle ejection (LVEF), and help with reducing peripheral vascular resistance.
It was found in murine models that this peptide also supports fat loss. By raising the body’s levels of growth hormone, the body burns fat more effectively, and when coupled with proper diet and exercise, this can lead to slow weight loss.
Another place where Hexarelin is proved to be beneficial is in the health of tendons and joints. It can make one more flexible and support tendon and ligament health. Not just can this increase mobility, but it can also help protect against injury when exercising at high levels.
The increase in the growth hormone caused by Hexarelin is seen to improve the healing ability of the body in test subjects. When it comes to muscle pull or any other kind of injury, Hexarelin is able to heal the same faster and healthier by promoting cell growth and tissue repair at the point of injury.
Research in animals also mentions that there is an improvement in the quality of sleep. Although research is ongoing. It’s thought that Hexarelin is able to stabilize the natural sleeping rhythm, resulting in better and more rejuvenating sleep.
Hexarelin vs Other Peptides
Hexarelin and Ipamorelin
While Hexarelin and Ipamorelin are quite similar, they show differences in secondary benefits. For instance, Ipamorelin can improve bone density, Hexarelin could boost cardiovascular health. Another difference we should mention is the form available. Ipamorelin is available in injectable form only, on the other hand, Hexarelin can be found in tablets as well.
Based on animal-search models, we can conclude that synergistic effects of both peptides will be better.
Hexarelin vs GHRP-6
Both of these peptides work in the same way. But we need to mention that GHRP-6 doesn’t stimulate as easily neuroendocrine processes as Hexarelin does. When it comes to strength, GHRP-6 has slightly shorter shelf-life, while Hexarelin works longer in the body.
Is Hexarelin Legit?
This is a question that is asked often, and we understand why
Based on research to date, specifically in animal models, Hexarelin appears to have true, quantifiable advantages. Not only is it showing promise for muscle and recovery support, but also for cardiac protection and tissue healing.
While a lot of the information is from non-human trials, the results are promising. If further research places more focus on human use, Hexarelin can quite readily become one of the more beneficial peptides out there.
Briefly: Yes, Hexarelin is promising-and definitely worth monitoring as things develop.
There’s often confusion about whether peptides fall into the same category as anabolic substances. Our detailed write-up on are peptides steroids or something entirely different clears up the misconceptions with evidence-backed explanations.
References:
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- Torsello, A., Grilli, R., Luoni, M., Guidi, M., Ghigo, M. C., Wehrenberg, W. B., Deghenghi, R., Müller, E. E., & Locatelli, V. (1996). Mechanism of action of Hexarelin. I. Growth hormone-releasing activity in the rat. European Journal of Endocrinology, 135(4), 481–488. https://doi.org/10.1530/eje.0.1350481
- Zhang, X., Yang, J.‑K., & Chen, C. (2018). Enhanced Pulsatile Growth Hormone Secretion and Altered Metabolic Hormones by in Vivo Hexarelin Treatment in Streptozotocin‑Induced Diabetic Rats. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(10), 3067. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19103067
- Conley, L. K., Teik, J. A., Deghenghi, R., Imbimbo, B. P., Giustina, A., Locatelli, V., & Wehrenberg, W. B. (1995). Mechanism of action of hexarelin and GHRP‑6: analysis of the involvement of GHRH and somatostatin in the rat. Neuroendocrinology, 61(1), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.1159/000126826
- Xu, X. et al. (2012). Chronic administration of hexarelin attenuates cardiac fibrosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats. American Journal of Physiology—Heart and Circulatory Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00257.2011
- Mao, Y., Tokudome, T., & Kishimoto, I. (2014). The cardiovascular action of hexarelin. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology. 11(3), 253–258. https://doi.org/10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2014.03.007
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