Investigational / not FDA-approved

MGF

IGF-1 Ec / MGF E-peptide — ≠ DES ≠ LR3 ≠ PEG-MGF; endogenous expression ≠ vial RCTs.

Editorial review:

What evidence says

Evidence snapshot

This drawer marks papers. It is not a plan, a dose, or a source. A paper is a bounded report. It is not a protocol. Grades name the object. They are not a safety rating.

Identity lock — not IGF DES, not IGF-1 LR3, not PEG-MGF. MGF names the IGF-1 Ec splice variant (and/or its E-domain peptide) induced by mechanical loading/damage in muscle — Goldspink-line “mechano growth factor.” It is an IGF1 splice-isoform / E-peptide biology object, not Long-R3-IGF-I and not Des(1-3)IGF-1. PEG-MGF (PEGylated MGF E-peptide) is a different chemical object reserved for a later batch — do not merge grades. PubChem lacks a clean monomer CID for “MGF” in this pass → To be confirmed. No approved human therapeutic indication. This drawer marks papers. It is not use advice.

Bottom line

Human and rodent muscle studies show IGF-1 splice-variant (including MGF/IGF-1 Ec) expression changes with loading, age, and GH/resistance-training contexts. Cell papers separate MGF E-peptide effects on myoblast proliferation from mature IGF-1 differentiation roles. Controlled human clinical efficacy trials of administered MGF peptide are not established here. Analytic/doping commentary exists at review level. Quarantine PEG-MGF.

Papers

Splice-variant / E-peptide identity

PMID 12095637 — Yang 2002

Tested: different roles of the IGF-I Ec peptide (MGF) and mature IGF-I in myoblast proliferation and differentiation.

Does not show: human injected-MGF efficacy, or PEG-MGF equivalence.

PMID 24146828 — Schlegel 2013

Tested: IGF-1 Ec / mechano growth factor splice-variant expression within the growth plate.

Does not show: adult human performance outcomes for exogenous MGF.

PMID 12892408 — Hill 2003

Tested: muscle satellite-cell activation during local tissue injury/repair (MGF-line injury biology context).

Does not show: a pharmaceutical MGF product.

Human muscle expression (endogenous splice variants — not vial proof)

PMID 12562960 — Hameed 2003

Tested: expression of IGF-I splice variants in young and old human skeletal muscle after high-resistance exercise.

Does not show: that exogenous MGF peptide administration reproduces training adaptations.

PMID 14565994 — Hameed 2004

Tested: rhGH and resistance training effects on IGF-I mRNA expression (including splice-variant framing) in elderly men.

Does not show: an MGF drug trial.

PMID 18067523 — Hameed 2008

Tested: eccentric cycling effects on IGF-I splice-variant expression in young and elderly muscle.

Does not show: exogenous MGF peptide clinical efficacy.

PMID 11566187 — Owino 2001

Tested: age-related inability to express the autocrine IGF-1 form (MGF) after mechanical overload in rats.

Does not show: human therapeutic replacement proof.

Reviews / doping-context commentary

PMID 18353722 — Goldspink 2008

Tested: review of growth factors, muscle function, and doping (includes MGF discussion as a gene/splice-factor concern).

Does not show: approved therapeutic use; flags misuse context without providing protocols.

PMID 22506111 — Goldspink 2012

Tested: review of age-related loss of muscle mass and strength (MGF/IGF splice biology framing).

Does not show: that reviews equal RCTs of injected MGF.

PMID 17581790 — Carpenter 2008

Tested: mechano-growth factor reducing loss of cardiac function in acute myocardial infarction (preclinical/translational cardiac model).

Does not show: human cardiology approval for MGF peptide.

What is not established

Human clinical efficacy of administered MGF / IGF-1 Ec peptide. Equivalence to IGF DES, IGF-1 LR3, or PEG-MGF (separate future drawer). That endogenous exercise-induced splice-variant expression grades gray-market “MGF vials.” Product identity for unregulated preparations. This drawer does not provide use advice, schedules, or sourcing.

Selected sources

12095637 24146828 12892408 12562960 14565994 18067523 11566187 18353722 22506111 17581790

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