Claimed effect · MK-677 (ibutamoren)

Does MK-677 (ibutamoren) help with alzheimer's disease progression?

A
Grade A — established in humans1 RCT (n=563, 12 months) — negative · effect size: not measurable
Short answerEstablished in humans. 1 RCT (n=563, 12 months) — negative point the same way: no measurable effect, or none yet shown. A year of 25 mg daily in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's raised IGF-1 substantially and changed none of the four clinical measures. A clean negative: the target was engaged, and it made no difference.

What the studies show

A year of 25 mg daily in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's raised IGF-1 substantially and changed none of the four clinical measures. A clean negative: the target was engaged, and it made no difference.

“Despite evidence of target engagement as indicated by an increase in serum insulin-like growth factor-1, the human growth hormone secretagogue MK-677 25 mg was ineffective at slowing the rate of progression of Alzheimer disease.”

Verbatim, from the abstractSevigny JJ, Ryan JM, Van Dyck CH, et al. Growth hormone secretagogue MK-677: no clinical effect on AD progression in a randomized trial. Neurology, 2008

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

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In context

MK-677 is a small molecule, not a peptide, that mimics the hunger hormone ghrelin and raises growth hormone and IGF-1 when taken by mouth. Unusually for a grey-market compound, it has been through proper trials. In 65 healthy older adults over a year it raised fat-free mass by about 1.1 kg against a 0.5 kg loss on placebo, with no change in total or visceral fat. In 563 people with Alzheimer's disease it raised IGF-1 by 73% and did nothing for the disease. It has never been approved anywhere and is prohibited in sport.

MK-677 (ibutamoren) is not approved. Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is MK-677 (ibutamoren) proven to help with alzheimer's disease progression?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: 1 RCT (n=563, 12 months) — negative. LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
A year of 25 mg daily in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's raised IGF-1 substantially and changed none of the four clinical measures. A clean negative: the target was engaged, and it made no difference.
Is MK-677 (ibutamoren) approved for this?
No. MK-677 (ibutamoren) is not approved; it is not an approved medicine for any indication in the jurisdictions LYO covers.

Other outcomes for MK-677 (ibutamoren)

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 10 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →