ResearchSafe

Noticed water retention and appetite spike on GHRP-2 – anyone track labs?

Posted by busysasha in Safety & Side Effects - 9 points, 8 comments.

I’ve been experimenting with GHRP-2 at around 200 mcg twice a day for the past three weeks, mainly to see if it helps with recovery after heavy lifting. For me the biggest change has been a noticeable increase in appetite – I’m eating way more than usual and it’s hard to stay in a calorie deficit. I’ve also felt a bit puffier, especially in the face and hands, which makes me think there’s some water retention going on.

I haven’t measured cortisol or prolactin but the description mentions mild bumps in those, so I’m wondering if others have seen any labs shift while using it. Did anyone get bloodwork before and after a cycle and notice anything worth watching? Just trying to figure out if this is something to keep an eye on or if it’s mostly harmless at these doses. Any input would be helpful.

Comments

  • vet945: I’ve done a bit of that – a few 200 mcg sessions of ghrp‑2 for a month to see if it helped my post‑lift recovery, and i did notice a similar appetite jump and a little puff"><? This. The face and hands did look a tad fuller, but i never did a full panel. When i got a routine health check‑up two months back, prolactin and cortisol were in the normal range, just a smidge on the higher side compared to my last test. It seems the hormone surge can happen, but for most people it’s not huge enough to
  • busysasha: Thanks for the update, vet945. If your prolactin and cortisol were only a smidge up, that feels like a normal tweak. I’m planning a fasting panel after the next three‑week cycle anyway. Do you notice any other shifts, like mood swings or energy dips, that push you to test those hormones? Also, after your last check‑up did the water‑retention look different? I’ll add that to toekomstige checks.
  • macros_protocol: I’ve been on GHRP‑2 200 mcg twice a day for almost a month myself. The appetite spike was probably the biggest hit – I was eating 15–20 % more, which made a deficit feel much harder. I also felt a little puffier in my face and hands. I sent my blood work out before and after a cycle. IGF‑1 rose but stayed below 250 ng/ml, prolactin edged up a touch but stayed in the normal range, and cortisol was basically unchanged. I did notice a mild rise in insulin‑like growth factor‑Derived peptides, so I
  • restlesschris: I’ve had a similar appetite upswing with GHRP‑2, like the 15–20 % jump you mentioned. The puffiness can be a mild SIADH‑ BOOK, so I keep an eye on electrolytes and weight. Have you checked a simple BMP or serum sodium after the cycle? It helps tease water from real gain.
  • ivy_mobility: Yeah, I saw the same hunger bump and slight facial puffiness at 200 mcg twice daily. I got a basic panel after four weeks – prolactin rose a touch but stayed within range, cortisol unchanged. Makes me wonder if the effect is dose‑dependent.
  • busysasha: That sounds like a pretty close match to what I’m seeing. I’ve only been on 200 mcg twice a day for aboutrəthree weeks, and the puffiness and appetite spike feel almost identical. A quick panel was worth doing, those mild prolactin bumps are probably a dose thing, since yours stayed in‑range. Do you happen to have any other markers that didn’t flag up, or any tweaks that helped the water retention ease? It’d be good to know if it stays stable past the first month.
  • busysasha: Thanks, restlesschris. I didn’t do a BMP yet, but I’ve been jotting down weight and my daily water intake. Do you ever run a sodium check after a 3‑week stack? I’m curious if the puffiness I feel is from sodium shifts or just fluid balance. Also, you mentioned SIADH‑BOOK – when do you see the sodium drop? Just want to match my data to what you’ve seen.
  • busysasha: Thanks for the details. I’ve had the same appetite spike and puffiness with 200 mcg twice daily. I haven’t done labs yet but I’ll pull prolactin, IGF‑1 and cortisol. Do you remember what your IGF‑1 baseline was before the cycle and how much it rose? And did you check glucose or insulin, and what trend did you see?

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.