Peptides Academy
MGF (Mechano Growth Factor)
Research-Grade
The IGF-1 gene is spliced into several mRNA variants. One of them — IGF-1Eb in rodents, IGF-1Ec in humans — is up-regulated in skeletal muscle after mechanical stress or injury and was named mechano growth factor (MGF). In humans, MGF mRNA in muscle peaked about 24 hours after damaging lengthening contractions, in step with markers of satellite cell activation, while other IGF-1 variants rose later. The product sold as 'MGF' is a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 24 most C-terminal residues of IGF-1Eb. Early cell-culture work reported that this E-domain peptide increased myoblast proliferation and delayed differentiation through a receptor other than the IGF-1 receptor, and that it extended the proliferative life span of human satellite cells from young but not old donors. However, a 2010 review in Endocrinology noted that no such peptide had ever been isolated from cells, tissues or body fluids, and a 2014 study by two pharmaceutical companies could not reproduce any effect of MGF peptide on mouse or human myoblasts, primary muscle stem cells or cardiac myocytes, while mature IGF-1 worked in every assay. No human clinical trials have been published, so dose, pharmacokinetics and safety in people are unknown. MGF is not an approved medicine, and the World Anti-Doping Agency lists mechano growth factors as prohibited growth factors.
Specifications
| Origin / Manufacturer | Synthetic |
| Active Components | Synthetic 24-amino-acid MGF E-domain peptide |
| Form Factor | Synthetic peptide (unapproved research chemical) |
Clinical Evidence
Clinical report reference
Clinical report reference
Clinical report reference
Clinical report reference
Clinical report reference
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
Every clinical claim on this page traces to a primary peer-reviewed source.
- 1Matheny RW Jr, Nindl BC, Adamo ML. Minireview: Mechano-growth factor: a putative product of IGF-I gene expression involved in tissue repair and regeneration. Endocrinology. 2010;151(3):865-75. doi:10.1210/en.2009-1217 PMID:20130113
- 2Yang SY, Goldspink G. Different roles of the IGF-I Ec peptide (MGF) and mature IGF-I in myoblast proliferation and differentiation. FEBS letters. 2002;522(1-3):156-60. doi:10.1016/s0014-5793(02)02918-6 PMID:12095637
- 3Kandalla PK, Goldspink G, Butler-Browne G, et al.. Mechano Growth Factor E peptide (MGF-E), derived from an isoform of IGF-1, activates human muscle progenitor cells and induces an increase in their fusion potential at different ages. Mechanisms of ageing and development. 2011;132(4):154-62. doi:10.1016/j.mad.2011.02.007 PMID:21354439
- 4Fornaro M, Hinken AC, Needle S, et al.. Mechano-growth factor peptide, the COOH terminus of unprocessed insulin-like growth factor 1, has no apparent effect on myoblasts or primary muscle stem cells. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2014;306(2):E150-6. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00408.2013 PMID:24253050
- 5McKay BR, O'Reilly CE, Phillips SM, et al.. Co-expression of IGF-1 family members with myogenic regulatory factors following acute damaging muscle-lengthening contractions in humans. The Journal of physiology. 2008;586(22):5549-60. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2008.160176 PMID:18818249
- 6U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2026.
- 7World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026.
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