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Comparison

CJC-1295 with DAC vs Ipamorelin

CJC-1295 with DAC is GHRH analogs; Ipamorelin is gHRPs & ghrelin mimetics. They are compared here because they are frequently considered against each other, not because they act alike.

CJC-1295 with DAC Ipamorelin
Class GHRH analogs GHRPs & ghrelin mimetics
Evidence Preliminary human Preliminary human
Human trials ~3 ~5
Half-life ~6-8 days ~2 hours
Reported range 1-2 mg 200-300 mcg
Frequency Once or twice weekly 1-3x daily, on an empty stomach
Routes Subcutaneous Subcutaneous
FDA approved No No
Research use only Yes Yes
Banned in sport Yes Yes
Studied for Sustained GH elevation, Body composition, Research into long-acting secretagogues Growth hormone elevation, Recovery, Sleep quality, Body composition
Reported side effects Water retention, Carpal-tunnel-type paraesthesia, Lethargy, Injection-site reactions Head rush on injection, Transient hunger, Water retention, Lethargy

CJC-1295 with DAC

The Drug Affinity Complex is a reactive linker that forms a covalent bond with cysteine-34 on circulating albumin, shielding the peptide from renal clearance and proteolysis. The consequence is a sustained elevation of growth hormone and IGF-1 lasting several days from a single dose, often described as a bleed rather than a pulse. That loss of pulsatility is the main pharmacological criticism of the DAC version, since physiologic GH signalling is normally episodic.

Ipamorelin

Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide agonist at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, the same receptor targeted by endogenous ghrelin. Unlike the earlier GHRPs it produces a GH pulse without meaningful elevation of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol or prolactin, which is the basis of its reputation as the cleanest compound in the class. It is short-acting and is typically dosed alongside a GHRH analog to exploit the synergy between the two receptor pathways.

CJC-1295 with DAC vs Ipamorelin: common questions

What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and Ipamorelin?

CJC-1295 with DAC is GHRH analogs and Ipamorelin is gHRPs & ghrelin mimetics, so they act on different pathways. CJC-1295 with DAC: CJC-1295 carrying a maleimidoproprionic acid linker that binds serum albumin, extending the half-life from minutes to days. Ipamorelin: The most receptor-selective of the growth-hormone-releasing peptides, notable for leaving cortisol and prolactin essentially unchanged.

Which has stronger evidence, CJC-1295 with DAC or Ipamorelin?

They sit at the same evidence level: preliminary human. CJC-1295 with DAC has about 3 human studies and Ipamorelin about 5.

Are CJC-1295 with DAC and Ipamorelin FDA approved?

Neither is FDA approved for any indication.

References

Regulatory and primary sources

  1. WADA Prohibited List ↗ · current year
  2. FDA: Unapproved drugs and "research use only" products ↗ · regulatory status of non-approved products
  3. PubChem compound record (CID 9831659) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  4. CAS Registry Number 170851-70-4 ↗ · chemical identity

Published literature

  1. Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, et al.. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006.PubMed 16352683 · doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1536
  2. Mayfield CK, Bolia IK, Feingold CL, et al.. Injectable Peptide Therapy: A Primer for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physicians.Am J Sports Med 2026.PubMed 41476424 · doi:10.1177/03635465251357593
  3. Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev 2026.PubMed 41490200 · doi:10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-25-00236
  4. Mendias CL, Awan TM. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance.Sports Med 2026.PubMed 41966639 · doi:10.1007/s40279-026-02437-0
  5. Renke G, Chinellato L. Therapeutic Peptides in Aesthetic, Metabolic and Endocrine Conditions: Effects, Safety, Clinical Applications, and Future Perspectives.Int J Mol Sci 2026.PubMed 42123471 · doi:10.3390/ijms27093890
  6. Coutinho LFD, DE Oliveira Neves LF, Camilo RP. A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review.J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2026.PubMed 41880199 · doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.26.17773-1
  7. Van Hout MC, Hearne E. Netnography of Female Use of the Synthetic Growth Hormone CJC-1295: Pulses and Potions.Subst Use Misuse 2016.PubMed 26771670 · doi:10.3109/10826084.2015.1082595
  8. Thomas A, Schänzer W, Delahaut P, et al.. Immunoaffinity purification of peptide hormones prior to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in doping controls.Methods 2012.PubMed 21871962 · doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2011.08.009
  9. Gobburu JV, Agersø H, Jusko WJ, et al.. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers.Pharm Res 1999.PubMed 10496658 · doi:10.1023/a:1018955126402
  10. Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD, et al.. Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients.Int J Colorectal Dis 2014.PubMed 25331030 · doi:10.1007/s00384-014-2030-8
  11. Villegas Meza AD, Nocek M, Mitchell BC, et al.. Injectable Peptides in Sports Medicine: A Structured Narrative Review of Evidence, Safety, and Antidoping Implications.JBJS Rev 2026.PubMed 42160466 · doi:10.2106/JBJS.RVW.26.00027

Literature retrieved from PubMed on October 16, 2026, favouring human studies and reviews. Numbered markers in the text show which paper supports which statement; uncited entries are background reading.

Read this first This page compares published reference data. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use either compound. Several compounds documented on this site are not approved for human use.