From the Guidelines
Dihexa peptide should not be used for growth hormone deficiency treatment due to its experimental nature and lack of FDA approval for this purpose. The most recent and highest quality study, 1, published in 2019 in Nature Reviews Nephrology, provides clinical practice recommendations for growth hormone treatment in children with chronic kidney disease, but does not mention Dihexa peptide as a treatment option. Instead, it recommends the use of recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin) for children with stage 3-5 CKD or on dialysis who have persistent growth failure.
Key Points to Consider
- Dihexa peptide is an experimental peptide that affects nerve growth and has been studied primarily for potential neurological applications, not for growth hormone stimulation.
- Hexarelin, a different compound, is a growth hormone secretagogue that has been studied for growth hormone deficiency, but it is not FDA-approved for clinical use.
- Growth hormone deficiency should be treated with FDA-approved recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin) under medical supervision, typically administered as daily subcutaneous injections with dosing based on body weight, age, and clinical response, as recommended by 1 and 1.
- Self-administration of unregulated peptides like Dihexa or Hexarelin carries significant risks, including unknown purity, unpredictable side effects, and potential long-term health consequences.
Recommendations for Growth Hormone Deficiency Treatment
- Patients with suspected growth hormone deficiency should consult an endocrinologist for proper testing, diagnosis, and treatment with established medications.
- Recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin) should be administered at a dose of 0.045-0.05 mg/kg body weight per day by subcutaneous injections in the evening, as recommended by 1.
- Clinic visits should be scheduled every 3-6 months or more frequently for young patients and those with advanced CKD to monitor stature, height velocity, pubertal development, skeletal maturation, renal function, thyroid hormone levels, serum glucose, calcium, phosphate, bicarbonate, and parathyroid hormone levels, as recommended by 1.
From the Research
Guidelines for Using DIHEXA PEPTIDE (Hexarelin) for Growth Hormone Deficiency Treatment
- There are no specific guidelines provided in the given studies for using DIHEXA PEPTIDE (Hexarelin) for growth hormone deficiency treatment.
- However, study 2 discusses the use of growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) analogues, which stimulate growth hormone release and may be used for growth-promoting therapy.
- The study 2 also mentions that growth hormone-releasing peptide was discovered in 1981 and that orally active GHRP mimetics have been developed, such as MK-677, which stimulates pulsatile GH secretion.
- Study 3 mentions that growth hormone-releasing peptide analogues are one of the growth-promoting therapies other than growth hormone that have made great progress in recent years.
Alternative Treatments for Growth Hormone Deficiency
- Study 4 discusses the use of sermorelin, a 29 amino acid analogue of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), for the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency.
- Study 5 discusses the treatment of growth hormone deficiency in adults with growth hormone replacement therapy, including its benefits and risks.
- Study 6 evaluates the long-term metabolic effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in GH-deficient adults.
Important Considerations
- Study 2 notes that the GH axis may be stimulated by either GHRH or by growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) and related compounds.
- Study 3 mentions that recombinant human insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 is the main treatment for primary IGF-1 deficiency, and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) offers a therapeutic option for children with short stature due to chondrodysplasia.