Appetite & recovery stack: MK-677
Nightly oral GH secretagogue for lean-bulk appetite, sleep depth and recovery.
MK-677 (ibutamoren) is the no-needle entry to this category: 10–25 mg taken orally once a day, usually before bed, for 8–12 weeks followed by at least four weeks off. It is not a peptide — it is an orally active ghrelin-receptor agonist that raises growth hormone and IGF-1 continuously rather than in a pulse. That continuous elevation is both its appeal for a lean-bulk and its main drawback: appetite, water retention and fasting glucose all move with it.
Educational only
This page summarizes published research and community protocols. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to use these compounds. Get baseline bloodwork and work with a licensed clinician first. See our medical disclaimer.
The protocol
| Compound | Typical dose | Frequency | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK-677 (ibutamoren) | 10–25 mg | Once daily, oral, usually pre-bed | Orally active ghrelin-receptor agonist; sustained rise in GH and IGF-1. |
- Cycle
- 8–12 weeks on, 4+ weeks off
- Timing
- Pre-bed is standard — it uses the appetite and drowsiness rather than fighting them
- Route
- Oral; no reconstitution, no injection
- Dose choice
- 10 mg is enough for most people; 25 mg mainly buys more appetite and more water
- Diet
- Pair with a real surplus and heavy training or it is just water weight
Who this stack suits
Best for
- Lifters in a lean-bulk who genuinely struggle to eat enough
- People who want GH support without injections
- Anyone prioritising sleep depth and recovery over peak leanness for a block
Not for
- Anyone cutting or watching water weight — this is the wrong tool for a shred
- People with prediabetes, insulin resistance or a strong family history of type 2 diabetes
- Anyone with congestive heart failure; fluid retention is a documented effect
What the evidence says
This one has actual human trials
MK-677 is the best-studied compound in this whole category because it went through real pharmaceutical development. Trials in older adults showed sustained increases in GH and IGF-1 and gains in fat-free mass over 12 months. Crucially, those trials did not show equivalent gains in strength or function — mass went up, performance did not follow automatically.
The fasting-glucose signal is consistent
The same long-term trial data showed increases in fasting blood glucose and reductions in insulin sensitivity. This is not a fringe side effect; it is the reliable trade-off of holding GH elevated for months, and it is the reason the cycle has an end date and bloodwork has a role.
Sustained, not pulsatile
Injectable secretagogues mimic the body's pulse pattern; MK-677 raises GH around the clock. That difference explains both why the water retention and appetite are more noticeable and why some people prefer the injectable stack despite the needles.
Risks and side effects
- None of these compounds are FDA-approved for muscle building, all are WADA-banned in competition, and research-chemical sourcing means purity is never guaranteed.
- Increased appetite is the effect people underestimate most — in a cut it is miserable, in a bulk it is the point.
- Water retention, puffiness and a few pounds of scale weight in the first fortnight are expected.
- Fasting glucose rises and insulin sensitivity falls over a long cycle.
- Lethargy the morning after dosing is common; moving the dose earlier sometimes helps.
Monitoring
Bloodwork to run
- Fasting glucose, HbA1c and fasting insulin before starting
- Repeat at week 6 and at the end of the cycle — this is the parameter that actually drifts
- IGF-1 at baseline and end of cycle
What to track in DoseRoutine
- Dose and time taken, nightly
- Morning weight — separate the first two weeks of water from real tissue
- Hunger and morning grogginess on a simple 1–5 scale
Frequently asked
- Is MK-677 a peptide or a SARM?
- Neither, strictly. It is an orally active non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist. It gets grouped with SARMs by retailers because it is sold in the same places, but it does not act on the androgen receptor at all — its effects come through growth hormone and IGF-1.
- What is the right MK-677 dose?
- Most people use 10–25 mg once daily, taken before bed. Ten milligrams is enough to raise IGF-1 meaningfully for the majority; going to 25 mg mostly increases appetite, water retention and morning grogginess rather than results. Cycles run 8–12 weeks with at least four weeks off.
- Does MK-677 cause weight gain?
- Yes, and some of it is not muscle. Expect several pounds of water in the first two weeks from the GH-driven fluid shift, plus real gains from the increase in appetite and food intake. Weighing daily and looking at the weekly average is the only way to tell the two apart.
- Does MK-677 affect blood sugar?
- It does. Long-term human trial data show higher fasting glucose and reduced insulin sensitivity while on it. That is the main reason for the cycle limit and for checking fasting glucose and HbA1c before and during a run, particularly if type 2 diabetes runs in your family.
Compounds in this stack
Full monographs with doses, evidence quality, interactions and sources.
Other stacks
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Last reviewed 2026-09-22.