Research Comparison

IGF-1 vs MK-677

IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) is a growth factor involved in various physiological processes, with studies in our corpus exploring its potential in preventing severe retinopathy in premature infants and as a treatment for Rett Syndrome. MK-677, an oral growth hormone secretagogue and ghrelin receptor agonist, primarily functions by stimulating the body's own growth hormone release, which in turn can increase IGF-1 levels. Evidence suggests MK-677 may enhance recovery in elderly hip fracture patients, boost lean body mass in healthy older adults, and increase IGF-1 levels in hemodialysis patients. Both peptides show promise in areas related to growth, metabolism, and age-related decline, often through modulation of the GH/IGF-1 axis.

19 head-to-head · 109 on IGF-1 · 96 on MK-677 · synthesis via gemini-2.5-flash

At a glance

  IGF-1 MK-677
Drug class growth factor n/a
Studies in corpus 109 96
Highest evidence tier meta analysis rct
Evidence tier mix cohort · 5 rct · 22 other · 27 case series · 1 meta analysis · 2 case report · 2 review · 12 preclinical animal · 27 in vitro · 6 case report · 4 rct · 10 other · 20 preclinical animal · 29 in vitro · 15 review · 15
Studies with explicit sample size 10 2
Head-to-head studies in corpus 19

Lab evidence, head to head

Beyond the literature: here's what third-party Certificate-of-Analysis records (Janoshik, BCC, Auxlabs) say about real IGF-1 and MK-677 batches we've tested. Aggregate, public data — cross-reference against the studies below.

IGF-1

We tested 13 IGF-1 batches across 9 manufacturers, 99.16% avg purity.

13
Batches tested
9
Manufacturers
99.16%
Avg purity
All IGF-1 COA records →

MK-677

We tested 29 MK-677 batches across 24 manufacturers, 98.15% avg purity.

29
Batches tested
24
Manufacturers
98.15%
Avg purity
1
Underdosed >10%
All MK-677 COA records →

We hold deeper lab coverage on MK-677 (29 batches tested). IGF-1 edges ahead on average measured purity (99.16% vs 98.15%) — a narrow gap; weigh it against failed-batch and underdose counts above.

Head-to-head studies

Studies in our corpus that mention both IGF-1 and MK-677 — the gold-standard direct comparison evidence.

Where they differ

Direct head-to-head trials comparing IGF-1 and MK-677 are present in our corpus, with 19 such studies. While IGF-1 is a direct growth factor, MK-677 acts as a secretagogue, stimulating the body's endogenous production of growth hormone, which then leads to increased IGF-1 levels. For instance, one RCT demonstrated that MK-0677 effectively increased IGF-1 levels in hemodialysis patients. IGF-1 has been investigated as a potential treatment for Rett Syndrome in a Phase 2 trial and for preventing severe retinopathy in premature infants in meta-analyses. MK-677, being an oral compound, offers a potential advantage in terms of administration, with studies exploring its use in fibromyalgia, improving recovery in elderly hip fracture patients, and boosting lean mass in healthy older adults. Reviews also highlight GHSs like MK-677 as a non-invasive, orally active alternative to recombinant GH for conditions associated with GH deficiency or catabolic states, and for their impact on bone health.

Synthesized from corpus by gemini-2.5-flash · 2026-05-22 · Not a substitute for direct clinical advice.

Top studies per peptide

Vendor data

Looking for vendor-level purity, endotoxin, and HPLC data on IGF-1 or MK-677? TitrateLab tracks Certificate-of-Analysis records from the major peptide labs (Janoshik, BCC, Auxlabs) alongside the research above. Cross-reference vendor batches against the studies on this page.

Explore each peptide