Capromorelin dosing & administration
An oral ghrelin agonist originally developed by Pfizer that stimulates growth hormone and appetite. FDA-approved for veterinary use (Entyce and Elura) and investigated in human trials for age-related muscle wasting and appetite support.
Written by Michael Carroll — Owner, Director of Research · Reviewed by the Peptide Initiative Research Team · Editorial standards
Dosing
How much Capromorelin do I take?
Oral: Taken by mouth as a capsule, tablet, or liquid.
Bioavailability Varies by compound — many peptides are largely broken down in the gut, so little reaches the blood intact; some small molecules absorb well.
3 documented dose levels — separate regimens, not a titration schedule
3 mg
Frequency
Twice daily
Duration
Initial weeks
One of the lower doses tested in the year-long study in older adults; raised growth hormone and IGF-1 [1].
10 mg
Frequency
Once daily at bedtime
Duration
Ongoing
A simple once-daily bedtime dose used in the human trial that improved lean body mass [1].
10 mg
Frequency
Twice daily
Duration
Up to 12 months in the trial
The highest daily amount studied in older adults (20 mg/day). The trial reported results for the pooled treatment groups, not the largest gains for this dose [1].
Timing
Best time to take
Morning or evening, taken consistently at the same time each day
With food?
Can be taken with or without food; taking with a light meal may reduce nausea
If stacking
If combining with other GH-supporting supplements, space doses by at least 1-2 hours
Adjusting your dose
Increase if
- No noticeable appetite improvement after 1-2 weeks at starting dose
- GH/IGF-1 blood levels remain unchanged from baseline
Decrease if
- Excessive appetite interfering with weight management goals
- Persistent nausea, dizziness, or fluid retention
Signs of right dose
- Healthy appetite improvement without excessive hunger
- Improved energy and recovery after exercise
- Measurable IGF-1 elevation on blood work
Administration
How do I use Capromorelin?
Reconstitution
What you need
Injection
Route
Not applicable — Capromorelin is administered orally only
Best sites
Storage
Before reconstitution
The FDA-approved veterinary oral solutions are stored at or below 86°F (30°C). [4][5] There is no approved human product.
After reconstitution
Not applicable — oral formulation does not require reconstitution. If liquid form, follow manufacturer storage instructions after opening.
Signs of degradation — discard the vial
Sample daily schedule
Morning
3-10 mg injection
Site: Oral
Take with or without food. Start at lower dose for first 1-2 weeks.
Bedtime (standard phase)
10 mg injection
Site: Oral
10 mg each night was one of the regimens in the human phase 2 trial. [1]
Morning (advanced)
10 mg twice daily injection
Site: Oral
The highest daily amount studied in humans (20 mg/day). [1] Use only under medical supervision.
Safety
Is Capromorelin safe?
Side effects
Commonly reported: Appetite stimulation, Fluid retention and weight gain
Less common: Joint and muscle aches, Fatigue or lethargy, Peripheral edema (swelling)
Stop and seek help if
- Severe allergic reaction (rash, swelling, difficulty breathing)
- Significant blood glucose elevation that doesn't normalize
- Persistent nausea, vomiting, or GI distress not relieved by dose adjustment
- Unwanted excessive appetite or weight gain
- Development of peripheral edema or fluid retention
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting or stopping any peptide or research compound. This information is for educational purposes only.
Flagged pairings
- Other ghrelin agonists (MK-677, GHRP-6) — Redundant mechanism — may not add benefit and could increase side effects
- Insulin / Oral hypoglycemics — Capromorelin may elevate blood glucose; monitor closely and adjust diabetes medications as needed
- Corticosteroids — Both affect glucose metabolism; increased hyperglycemia risk when combined
Published research
What the studies show
White HK, Petrie CD, Landschulz W, et al. · 2009
In 395 older adults, oral capromorelin increased body weight (+1.4 kg) and lean body mass (+1.4 kg) and improved tandem-walk performance at 6 months versus placebo.
Rathore M, Das N, Ghosh N, et al. · 2024
Cats with kidney disease that got capromorelin gained weight and kept eating well for 56 days, while placebo cats didn't improve. The study proved that capromorelin's oral form works beautifully in mammals and has a solid safety record, leading to FDA approval of the product Elura for helping cats with failing kidneys.
Xu H, Liu M, Jia X, et al. · 2025
Researchers designed a capromorelin derivative that's 100 times more powerful than the older version and works at oral doses as tiny as 0.1 mg/kg, making it remarkably potent. Even at these tiny doses, the new compound boosted growth hormone and helped young rats grow heavier and longer, proving capromorelin-based drugs have huge potential as oral growth hormone replacements.
Elanco US Inc. / U.S. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (DailyMed) · 2025
Selective ghrelin receptor agonist for appetite stimulation in dogs, 3 mg/kg orally once daily; not for use in humans. Contraindicated with hypersensitivity; caution in hepatic dysfunction (CYP3A4/3A5), renal insufficiency, cardiac disease or dehydration (transient falls in heart rate and blood pressure) and diabetes (hyperglycemia reported). Field study: diarrhea 7.0%, vomiting 6.4%, hypersalivation, polydipsia, raised BUN. In dogs, half-life about 1.2 h and oral bioavailability 44%. Store at or below 30 C.
Elanco US Inc. / U.S. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (DailyMed) · 2025
For management of weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease, 2 mg/kg orally once daily; not for use in humans. Transient decreases in heart rate and blood pressure up to 4 hours after dosing; hyperglycemia reported in 6.8% vs 3.4% on placebo. In cats, feeding lowered Cmax by 55% and AUC by 43%. Store at or below 30 C.
Carpino PA, Lefker BA, Toler SM, et al. · 2003
Pfizer Global Research and Development discovered capromorelin (CP-424391): GHS-R1a Ki 7 nM, oral bioavailability 65% in rats and 44% in dogs. It was selected as a development candidate for musculoskeletal frailty in elderly adults.
Head to head
Capromorelin compared
Want the full picture?
The complete Capromorelin research profile: mechanism of action, clinical studies, effectiveness timeline, and FAQ.