Glossary term
Secretagogue
A substance that prompts the body to release (secrete) one of its own hormones.
Why it matters
Many growth-hormone peptides are secretagogues. Instead of supplying a hormone directly, they nudge the body to make more of its own, which is a different approach with a different safety profile.
A secretagogue works upstream of a hormone. For example, a growth-hormone secretagogue signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, rather than introducing growth hormone into the body from outside.