Is Ghrelin FDA approved?

Ghrelin is not evaluated or approved by the FDA. It is discussed for research and educational purposes only, not as medical guidance.

Is IGF-1 FDA approved?

IGF-1 is FDA approved (FDA status current as of 2005-08-30). This regulatory status is provided for research and educational context only.

How is Ghrelin administered in research settings?

In research settings, Ghrelin is typically administered via the subcutaneous or intravenous routes. PeptideBase does not provide dosing or administration instructions.

How is IGF-1 administered in research settings?

In research settings, IGF-1 is typically administered via the subcutaneous or intramuscular routes. PeptideBase does not provide dosing or administration instructions.

Home›Research›Compare›Ghrelin vs IGF-1

Peptide Comparison

Ghrelin vs IGF-1

Q: What is the difference between Ghrelin and IGF-1?

Ghrelin: Must be acylated at Ser3 (by GOAT enzyme) for GHSR-1a binding. Receptor activation in the pituitary stimulates GH release; hypothalamic action via NPY/AgRP neurons increases appetite and reduces energy expenditure. IGF-1: Binds IGF-1R with high affinity, activating PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways promoting protein synthesis, satellite cell activation, and glucose uptake.

Both are GH / IGF Axis peptides.

Ghrelin

acyl ghrelin

PerformanceNot EvaluatedResearch Only

Half-life: ~24 min (initial), ~146 min (terminal)

3 providers listed

Full Ghrelin profile →

IGF-1

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1

PerformanceFDA ApprovedResearch Only

21 providers listed

Full IGF-1 profile →

Bottom line

IGF-1 is FDA-approved, while Ghrelin is not evaluated — the clearest structural difference between them.

Quick Verdict

Ghrelin

Evidence

Established Clinical

Half-life

~24 min (initial), ~146 min (terminal)

IGF-1

Evidence

Emerging Clinical

Half-life

—

Which One Should You Choose?

Your goal	Better option
Stronger clinical evidence	Ghrelin
Further along in FDA review	IGF-1
More provider options (3 vs 21)	IGF-1

Research summary only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified provider before making any decisions.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Ghrelin

IGF-1

Mechanism Family

GH / IGF Axis

Half-life

~24 min (initial), ~146 min (terminal)

—

FDA Status

not evaluated

approved

Admin Routes

subcutaneous, intravenous

subcutaneous, intramuscular

Availability

Research Only

Providers

3 listed

21 listed

FDA Update

—

Aug 2005

Avail. Notes

—

FDA-approved: Increlex (mecasermin, recombinant human IGF-1), Drugs@FDA application 021839.

Research Evidence

Ghrelin

Established ClinicalRCT · 9 key studies · most recent 2026

IGF-1

Emerging ClinicalCohort study · 6 key studies · most recent 2026

Research Citations

Ghrelin

RCT2026 · J Neuroendocrinol

Associations of PYY, GLP-1 and LEAP2 with changes in feeding-related cognition, body weight and glucose homeo…

RCT2026 · Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken)

A Secondary, Subgroup Analysis of Alcohol Cue-Exposure Craving in Response to Pharmacological Inhibition of t…

Cohort2007 · Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab

Constant intravenous ghrelin infusion in healthy young men: clinical pharmacokinetics and metabolic effects

Cohort2026 · Acta Trop

Metabolomic and proteomic analysis of ghrelin administration in mice infected with Echinococcus granulosus.

+5 more

IGF-1

Cohort2007 · Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Long-term treatment with recombinant insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in children with severe IGF-I deficie…

Cohort2026 · World J Microbiol Biotechnol

Efficient in vivo removal of solubility tag to improve the bacterial production of soluble, bioactive human I…

Cohort2026 · World J Microbiol Biotechnol

Efficient in vivo removal of solubility tag to improve the bacterial production of soluble, bioactive human I…

Cohort2026 · Pituitary

Speckle-tracking echocardiography reveals the synergistic impact of GH/IGF-1 excess and metabolic dysregulati…

+2 more

About Ghrelin

Must be acylated at Ser3 (by GOAT enzyme) for GHSR-1a binding. Receptor activation in the pituitary stimulates GH release; hypothalamic action via NPY/AgRP neurons increases appetite and reduces energy expenditure.

Research Areas

GH stimulationappetite stimulationmetabolic regulationmuscle preservation

About IGF-1

Binds IGF-1R with high affinity, activating PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways promoting protein synthesis, satellite cell activation, and glucose uptake. Much shorter half-life (~15 min) than the LR3 analog (~20-30 hr) due to binding protein interactions.

Research Areas

muscle growthrecoveryfat metabolismtissue repairGH axis

Safety Profile

Information below reflects published research data only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified provider before use.

Ghrelin

Absolute Contraindications

Under clinical review

Being verified by our medical team before we display contraindications for this peptide.

IGF-1

Absolute Contraindications

Under clinical review

Being verified by our medical team before we display contraindications for this peptide.

Suggested Monitoring

Under clinical review

Being verified by our medical team before we display monitoring guidance for this peptide.

Find Providers

Where to source these peptides

Providers offering

Ghrelin

3 listed

Browse directory →

Providers offering

IGF-1

21 listed

Browse directory →

PeptideBase lists providers for educational research purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before obtaining or using any peptide.

More GH / IGF Axis Comparisons

Browse all peptides →

Educational research tools — not medical advice.