Ghrelin
Also known as: hunger hormone · GH-secretagogue receptor ligand
The "hunger hormone" whose receptor is the target of GHRPs, linking appetite signalling to growth-hormone release.
Ghrelin is a hormone produced mainly in the stomach, best known for stimulating appetite. It also binds the GH-secretagogue receptor in the pituitary, where it triggers growth-hormone release.
That receptor is the target of the GHRP class of research peptides: Ipamorelin and Hexarelin act on the ghrelin / GH-secretagogue receptor to prompt GH release — a different pathway from the GHRH analogs.
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RELATED TERMS
GHRP
Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide — a class acting on the ghrelin receptor to trigger pulsatile GH release.
Secretagogue
A substance that prompts a gland to secrete a hormone — e.g. a GH secretagogue triggers the pituitary to release growth hormone.
Ipamorelin
A selective growth-hormone secretagogue (a pentapeptide) studied for pulsatile GH release with minimal effect on other hormones.
Hexarelin
A potent growth-hormone-releasing hexapeptide (GHRP) studied for strong pituitary GH release via the ghrelin receptor.
Receptor / Agonist
A receptor is a cell’s signal-receiving protein; an agonist binds it and activates it, an antagonist blocks it.
Educational content, not medical advice. All products supplied for research purposes only — not for human consumption.