Compare · Growth factor
IGF-1 DES vs MGF
Both are growth factor compounds. Here's how they line up on the evidence — graded the same way.
| IGF-1 DES | MGF | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Class | Growth factor | Growth factor |
| Summary | A naturally occurring, shorter and more potent variant of IGF-1 with anabolic effects in rodents and cell culture, but no human trials for its marketed uses; not approved anywhere and banned in sport. | MGF is a muscle-derived splice variant of IGF-1 with a plausible repair-signaling mechanism, but no human drug trials exist — the evidence is animal and cell-culture only, and it is banned in sport. |
| Full profile → | Full profile → |
IGF-1 DES
IGF-1 DES is a real, well-studied cousin of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, a natural growth hormone the body makes). It is a little shorter than the natural hormone and packs more of a punch in the lab. You'll see it sold "for research use only" and pitched for building muscle and losing fat…
MGF
MGF (mechano growth factor) is a muscle-made cousin of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The biology behind it is genuinely interesting, and there's a believable story for how it could help muscles repair. But it's sold as a research chemical — often in a tweaked form called…