Dr. Mike Jansen
Dr. Mike JansenCurious about how to cycle MK-677?
Do you wonder if it’s actually necessary to cycle MK-677, and if so, what the best MK-677 cycle is?
Then you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we detail everything you need to know about how to cycle this “legal growth hormone alternative.”
We also answer your most important questions, including:
- How do I take MK-677?
- Do I need a PCT for MK-677?
- Is MK-677 dangerous?
…And much more!
Our team has reviewed all of the recent studies on MK-677 to give you a science-based guide on how to properly cycle this growth hormone alternative.
After reading this in-depth guide, you will have all the information you need on how to cycle MK-677 for optimal results, including how to minimize any negative side effects.
Now let’s get started!
Disclaimer: The contents of Testosterone.org are for informational and educational purposes. We do not provide legal advice. Likewise, we do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician prior to consuming any over-the-counter supplements, like a natural testosterone booster, and/or getting a prescription for a pharmaceutical medication. Your access to Testosterone.org is subject to our full disclaimer and terms of use.
What is MK-677?
In order to fully understand MK-677, it’s crucial that you are familiar with some background knowledge regarding growth hormone (GH) and insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which are two key hormones in the human body that MK-677 causes to rise.
Growth hormone was first synthesized in 1985, and has been used medically to help patients faced with problems such as GH deficiency, bone fractures, muscle catabolism, and also as an anti-ageing treatment [1].
However, there are some stark disadvantages to GH, not to mention that it can be an expensive and uncomfortable method of treatment, since exogenous GH must be injected into the body.
In an effort to develop a more cost-effective and accessible treatment, in 1995, MK-677 was finally synthesized and produced by the Pharmaceutical Company “Reverse Pharmacology” under the trade name “Nutrobol”.
Other names for MK-677 include ibutamoren and MK-0677 [2].
MK-677 Vs Growth Hormone
There is some confusion about MK-677. You might be wondering – ‘is MK-677 the same as growth hormone?’ The truth is, although MK-677 is often marketed as ‘legal growth hormone’, a bottle of MK-677 doesn’t contain even a single drop of GH or IGF-1.
GH is directly injected into the bloodstream, while MK-677 has a different mechanism of action, since it’s actually a growth hormone secretagogue and ghrelin receptor agonist.
Firstly, this means that MK-677 sends signals to the pituitary gland – a small, pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. These signals spur the pituitary gland to increase the endogenous secretion of GH through several pulses on a daily basis.
GH then enters the bloodstream, causing the liver to produce insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), another crucial hormone in our bodies which facilitates several metabolic effects.
Secondly, MK-677 is also an oral ghrelin mimetic and ghrelin receptor agonist.
Ghrelin is a hormone excreted by the stomach in order to regulate your appetite. This is another reason why MK-677 has become so popular with bodybuilders, as it can drastically increase appetite so that it becomes easier to eat the amount of food necessary to hit certain macronutrient goals [3].
MK-677 And Bodybuilding
There are a number of reasons for why bodybuilders and athletes are starting to prefer MK-677 over GH. Firstly, GH can be costly to administer over an extended period of time.
Also, it’s much more convenient to ingest MK-677 orally, rather than having to take routine injections. Additionally, MK-677 doesn’t require any special sort of storage, whereas GH must be maintained at low temperatures.
How to Cycle MK-677
While anabolic steroids and SARMs typically have a tried and true method of proper cycling, MK-677 is a little different.
Like GH, the length of your cycle will depend on what outcome you are looking to achieve in your bodybuilding pursuits.
While data regarding optimal cycle length for MK-677 is limited, we can refer to data regarding cycling of GH. In general, GH is not fast acting substance, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results quickly.
Some people, however, see results in just one week. The speed with which elevated levels of GH will begin to affect the body are typically dependent on a number of factors, like your age, your current health, dosage of GH or MK-677, and your exercise routine.
In the first month of having elevated GH levels, one can typically expect to notice enhanced endurance, strength, vitality, mood, and even cognitive abilities, like being able to concentrate longer.
Restored hair growth also tends to be an additional benefit seen in individuals taking MK-677, giving it a better texture, making it thicker, and even restoring its natural color.
Anecdotal accounts exist of people who have consumed MK 677 for years with minor side effects, although the long term effects are still unclear. Our recommendation either way would be to keep an eye on blood glucose levels, since they will rise with the increase in IGF-1.
As of right now, in early 2023, MK-677 is only commercially available in the form of capsules and liquid.
This means it can be conveniently taken along with a meal, or even mixed into a beverage.
The fact that MK-677 doesn’t disrupt the endocrine system in humans or mammals is another major advantage over steroids.
The main takeaway from this, is that cycling MK-677 will not cause testosterone levels to plummet once a cycle is over. This essentially removes the need for a post-cycle therapy, or PCT [4].
This is a massive benefit to athletes and bodybuilders, as the PCT stage is often not only expensive and emotionally unpleasant, but also tends to result in some size and strength being lost.
Is MK-677 Safe?
A common misconception about MK-677 is that it is a SARM or a steroid, most likely due to the fact that these products are regularly featured alongside each other on supplement vendor websites.
Here are the facts: MK-677 is not a SARM nor a steroid at all.
Moreover, MK-677 has been shown to not produce the side effects normally seen from GH use with the same frequency. In fact, MK-677 does not impact your hormones in any way, since it does not cause suppression of testosterone or an elevation in estrogen levels [5].
One of the most frequently seen side effect from MK-677, and higher levels of GH and IGF-1 in general, is water retention. Some muscle pain may also come about as an indirect side effect caused by intracellular water retention, since there can be more tension on joints and muscles.
Lethargy also tends to be a one of the often-seen side effects from MK-677, although any substance that causes a rise in IGF-1 can lead to this.
One way to mitigate these effects is by taking MK-677 before bed, instead of at the beginning of the day.
One of the most serious potential side effects from increased levels of GH and IGF-1 in general is elevated blood sugar.
GH causes blood sugar levels to go up, which then causes the pancreas release insulin in order to restore blood sugar levels back to normal. However, overall, several trials with MK-677 have shown almost no serious side effects in participants, both young and elderly.
In general, MK-677 is safe to take as long as it is dosed in accordance with the guidelines.
We would suggest starting with a low dose to evaluate how your body reacts to it, and then steadily move up from there [6].
Best MK-677 Supplements | 2023 Edition
The last thing you’d want as a consumer, is to place an order for a supplement like MK-677, wait a few weeks for it to arrive, start using it… and then come to the realization that your product is illegitimate or stuffed with filler material.
In order to do our readers a service, our team has searched high and low for reputable online supplement vendors.
In the end, we can confidently say that one of the top vendors for MK-677 in 2023 is definitely Chemyo. Here’s why:
- Certified ingredients. With Chemyo, you can view a number of up-to-date lab reports certifying the purity of Chemyo’s products, such as Chemyo MK-677. They provide full documentation for each product and batch, including IR, GC-MS, LC-MS and HLPC, as opposed to other companies that only provide a certificate of authenticity. ‘
- Regulated facilities. Chemyo’s products are all produced in accordance with high standards of quality in an FDA-approved facility in the United States.
- Customer reviews. At the time this article was written, in early 2023, Chemyo MK-677 already has amassed over 45 positive reviews from verified customers – a strong indication that their supplement is indeed effective.
- Free shipping. They also offer free shipping on domestic orders over $100, and free international shipping on orders exceeding $275. Take note that Chemyo may not provide shipping to your country, so be sure to double check before placing your order.
We strongly suggest purchasing two bottles of Chemyo MK-677, so that you’ll have enough to run a proper 3 month cycle.
You can visit them here to learn more and purchase Chemyo MK-677:
What are the Benefits of MK-677?
Before we jump into all the muscle-building and health benefits you can expect to see while cycling MK-677, it’s also important to take a peek at the benefits you’ll get from the increased levels of GH and IGF-1 that come as a result of MK-677.
The benefits of GH and IGF-1 are numerous when taken in appropriate quantities.
GH promotes and increases protein synthesis, which allows more muscle to be built. Higher GH levels also lead to higher levels of fat metabolization, which lowers bodyfat levels.
It can also produce an improvement in one’s complexion by tightening up loose skin, accelerate hair growth, improve sleeping patterns, and increase bone density, which can prevent fractures [7].
One of the most eye-catching benefits about higher IGF-1 levels in terms of bodybuilding, is that it supports cellular division (hyperplasia). This is extremely unique in that IGF-1 is the only hormone with the ability to induce brand new muscle cell growth via muscular cell division.
In any case, having proper levels of GH and IGF-1 is absolutely crucial for ensuring regular development in humans.
Just as GH can help a child grow into an adolescent, it can also provide tons of benefits even to those who are over the age of 40, which is when natural GH levels begin to dip. In turn, IGF-1 levels in the body start to drop as well.
The result is pronounced lean muscle catabolism and increased mortality [3].
MK-677 builds further upon these benefits.
For starters, MK-677 can increase nitrogen retention even when the body is experiencing a calorie deficit, due to its anti-catabolic properties. This is great news for bodybuilders or athletes who are dieting hard in an effort to slim down, as well as for those suffering from chronic disease and muscle wasting [8].
MK-677 can also reverse nitrogen wasting.
Another powerful benefit from MK-677 that would particularly interest bodybuilders who consume highly androgenic substances is hair loss prevention. This is because IGF-1 has been shown to affect the sprouting of hair from the scalp and the entire the hair growth cycle.
Anecdotally, several users of synthetic GH injections and Ibutamoren have reported a faster growth rate of their hair, as well as improved overall hair density.
MK-677 can have positive effects on sleep, which in turn causes an elevated sense of well-being across the board. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 8 subjects between the ages of 18-30 was conducted to test this idea.
Doses were 5 and 25 milligrams of MK-677 and matching placebo.
The high-dose MK-677 treatment resulted in an approximately 50% increase in the duration of stage IV and in a more than 20% increase in REM sleep as compared to placebo.
Researchers also found that interruptions to normal sleep decreased from 42% under placebo to 8% under high-dose MK-677. Ultimately, the participants in this study experienced much more restful sleep, as well as deep states of sleep for longer periods without interruptions [9].
Of course, since MK-677 increases GH and IGF-1 levels in the body, increases in muscular size and strength will be optimized in those who already have a solid exercise routine and diet in place.
It’s not unusual for gains of 5-10 pounds of fat-free mass within the first few weeks of MK-677 use are commonly reported – an effect on par with the weight gain commonly seen with the oral steroid, Dianabol.
MK-677 Cycle | Verdict
In conclusion…
The idea cycle for a growth hormone secretagogue like MK-677 is about 8-12 weeks, although it is possible to run slightly longer cycles if you really know what you’re doing.
This is mainly due to the information available from both anecdotal evidence as well as from numerous trials involving animal and human subjects which suggests that GH and GH secretagogues in general ought to be used in the long-term in order to maximize the benefits.
Overall, MK-677 is a powerful and accessible alternative to traditional GH.
It’s completely legal to buy and use, although it is banned from being used in professional sports.
If you have been considering conducting your own research on growth hormone secretagogues like MK-677, then we recommend picking up a few bottles of Chemyo MK-677.
Out of the many supplement vendors we found online, Chemyo stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of customer support, shipping, pricing, and most importantly, their transparency, since they provide a number of current documentation regarding the purity of their products.
So what are you waiting for?
Pick up a bottle of Chemyo MK-677 today and watch your gains shoot through the roof!