What did @justgasio actually say?
The creator opens with sarcasm, playing the role of an irresponsible influencer telling a 15-year-old to take MK-677 and ignore their parents and doctors. Then they pivot: "you should not be taking MK677 at 15." The actual recommendation they land on is to wait until 16. The disclaimer calls it a joke, but the punchline is a specific age suggestion, and 1.6 million people heard it.
To be clear about what was said: the creator did not recommend a dose, did not describe MK-677 as a treatment for any condition, and did not claim it cures anything. The core claim is that 16 is an acceptable minimum age. That claim, even delivered as dark humor, is the one worth examining.
Does the science back this up?
No. There is no published research supporting 16 as a safe starting age for MK-677 in adolescents. The science actually points in the opposite direction for anyone whose growth plates have not closed.
MK-677 (ibutamoren) is a ghrelin receptor agonist that stimulates endogenous growth hormone and IGF-1 secretion. In adults, elevated IGF-1 from compounds like MK-677 has been studied for muscle preservation and metabolic effects, with mixed results. Nass et al. (2008, Annals of Internal Medicine) found modest body composition changes in older adults but also flagged insulin resistance and increased fasting glucose as consistent adverse effects.
In adolescents, chronically elevated IGF-1 is not a neutral event. Growth hormone signaling during puberty is already highly active. Artificially amplifying it with a secretagogue introduces risks around disproportionate bone growth, altered pubertal hormone dynamics, and potential long-term IGF-1 pathway dysregulation. No clinical trials on MK-677 have been conducted in minors. The absence of data is not permission. It is a red flag.
What did they get wrong (or right)?
Credit where it is due: the creator correctly said a 15-year-old should not take MK-677. That part is right, and saying it plainly to a bodybuilding audience is worth something. The hashtags include "trentwins," suggesting this video is likely responding to or parodying content that may have encouraged young people to use performance compounds. Pushback against that, even in comedic form, is not worthless.
What they got wrong is the implication that 16 changes anything meaningful. It does not. The physiological concerns about MK-677 in adolescents do not evaporate at 16. Most 16-year-olds are still in active puberty. Growth plates in the long bones typically close between ages 18 and 25, depending on the individual and the specific bone (Gilsanz and Ratib, 2005, Pediatric Radiology). Using a GH secretagogue before skeletal maturity is complete introduces unpredictable variables that no responsible clinician would endorse.
The joke format also creates a real problem. Sarcasm does not carry well across 1.6 million viewers of varying ages and media literacy. Some portion of that audience heard "wait until 16" as genuine advice.
What should you actually know?
MK-677 is not approved by the FDA for any indication. It is available through compounding pharmacies and research chemical suppliers, which means quality control, dosing accuracy, and purity vary significantly. Adults using it under medical supervision for specific clinical reasons, such as age-related GH decline or recovery support, are operating in a different context than teenagers using it for gym aesthetics.
For anyone under 18, and realistically under 21, the risk-to-benefit calculation for MK-677 does not favor use. You are not GH-deficient. Your body is already producing growth hormone at the highest levels it ever will. Adding a secretagogue does not optimize that process. It disrupts it in ways that current research cannot fully characterize.
If a teenager is seeing MK-677 recommended on social media, the right response is not to find the right age to start. It is to understand that the platform has a financial or social incentive to move product or content, and the people recommending it are not liable for what happens to your endocrine system at 17.
Anyone considering peptide therapy, at any age, should consult a licensed clinician who can review their individual health profile, not calibrate their decisions based on a punchline.