Which is better, CJC-1295 or ipamorelin?
CJC-1295 is graded human_rct because randomized, placebo controlled pharmacology trials showed sustained GH and IGF-1 increases, while ipamorelin is graded animal_only for its marketed uses. The win is narrow: CJC-1295's trials measured hormones, not any clinical benefit, FDA cited increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction among its serious adverse events, and both share the same no-lawful-compounding status. No trial has tested either drug, or the popular blend, for body composition. [1] [2] [4] [5] [6] [9]
How do CJC-1295 and ipamorelin compare?
| Dimension | CJC-1295Favored | Ipamorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism [3] [5] | GHRH(1-29) analog with four stabilizing substitutions and a drug affinity complex that binds albumin; acts on the pituitary GHRH receptor. | Pentapeptide ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist; releases GH through a pathway separate from GHRH. |
| Duration of action [1] [5] | Half life 5.8 to 8.1 days after subcutaneous injection; one dose raised IGF-1 for 9 to 11 days. | Short acting; no human pharmacokinetic publication for subcutaneous use. Animal ED50 studies used intravenous dosing. |
| Note: The product sold as CJC-1295 without DAC (modified GRF 1-29) lacks the albumin linker, has a half life of about 30 minutes, and has no published human trials. | ||
| Human evidence [1] [2] [4] | Two randomized, placebo controlled ascending dose trials (28 and 49 days) in healthy adults: GH up 2 to 10 fold and IGF-1 up 1.5 to 3 fold. A separate study showed trough GH up 7.5 fold with pulsatility preserved. | One randomized trial (117 adults after bowel resection, intravenous): time to first tolerated meal 25.3 versus 32.6 hours on placebo, not significant (p = 0.15). No human GH or IGF-1 outcomes published. |
| Evidence grade [1] [4] [5] | Human RCT (hormonal endpoints only, small trials, no clinical outcomes). | Animal only for GH related uses; the human ileus trial is for a different indication and route. |
| Safety signals [1] [4] [6] | Injection site reactions, flushing, headache; FDA's Category 2 evaluation cited increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. Sustained IGF-1 elevation is untested long term. | No safety signal versus placebo in the 7 day ileus trial (adverse events 87.5% versus 94.8%); FDA cited immunogenicity from aggregation and impurities. |
| Literature dosing [1] [4] | Pharmacology trials only: single or repeated weekly or biweekly subcutaneous doses, with 30 or 60 ug/kg best tolerated. | Not established; the only human trial used 0.03 mg/kg intravenously twice daily for up to 7 days. |
| Regulatory status [6] [7] [8] | Never approved; development for HIV lipodystrophy and GH deficiency discontinued. 503A Category 2 in September 2023, now a withdrawn nomination. | Never approved; development stopped after the ileus trial. 503A Category 2 in September 2023, nominations withdrawn in 2024; ipamorelin acetate also remains in 503B Category 2. |
| Note: Neither was among the peptides reviewed by the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee in July 2026. Both are prohibited under WADA section S2. | ||
Evidence grade and regulatory status
Pulled from each peptide’s own record, so it stays in step with the peptide pages.
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | Ipamorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Synthetic 29 amino acid GHRH(1-29) analog with four stabilizing amino acid substitutions and a drug affinity complex (maleimidoproprionic acid) that binds covalently to circulating albumin | Synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue; selective agonist at the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) |
| What it is | Long acting lab-made growth hormone releasing hormone: small randomized trials raised GH 2 to 10 fold and IGF-1 1.5 to 3 fold per dose; no lawful compounding. | Growth hormone releaser acting on the hunger hormone (ghrelin) receptor; raised GH in animals and one small study in men; its only randomized trial failed. |
| Evidence | Evidence: Human RCT evidence | Evidence: Animal-only evidence |
| FDA status | Regulatory: Removed from Category 2 (Apr 2026) | Regulatory: Removed from Category 2 (Apr 2026) |
| Compounding | Not FDA approved for any use and never approved anywhere; the developer's programs in HIV lipodystrophy and GH deficiency were discontinued in the late 2000s. FDA placed CJC-1295 on the 503A Category 2 list on September 29, 2023, citing limited clinical data, peptide related impurities, and serious adverse events including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. The nomination was later withdrawn and FDA's April 2026 update lists CJC-1295 under nominated but withdrawn substances rather than Category 1 or the bulks list. It was not among the peptides the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviewed in July 2026. With no active nomination, no bulks list entry, and no approved product, licensed 503A pharmacies and 503B facilities have no lawful basis to compound it. Products sold as CJC-1295 without DAC are a different molecule (modified GRF 1-29) with the same non-status. | Not FDA approved for any use and never approved anywhere. FDA placed ipamorelin (free base and acetate) on the 503A Category 2 list on September 29, 2023, citing immunogenicity risk, peptide related impurities, and lack of safety data for the compounded routes. The nominators withdrew the 503A nominations in September 2024 and FDA's April 2026 update moved it to the list of nominated but withdrawn substances rather than Category 1 or the bulks list. Ipamorelin acetate also remains in 503B Category 2 (added September 29, 2023) on the FDA page current as of April 22, 2026. It was not among the peptides the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviewed in July 2026. Because it has no active nomination, is not on the 503A bulks list, and is not a component of an approved drug, licensed 503A pharmacies and 503B outsourcing facilities have no lawful basis to compound it. |
| WADA | WADA: WADA prohibited | WADA: WADA prohibited |
| Routes | Subcutaneous injection (human trials and as sold) | Subcutaneous injection (as sold, no human pharmacokinetic publication), Intravenous infusion (human ileus trial), Intranasal (anti-doping metabolite study only) |
| Typical cost | Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity. | Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity. |
| Last verified |
Has CJC-1295 been tested directly against ipamorelin?
No published trial has compared CJC-1295 and ipamorelin directly. The dimensions above come from separate studies and labels, and cross-trial comparisons are less reliable than a direct trial.
What do CJC-1295 and ipamorelin cost?
| Dimension | CJC-1295 | Ipamorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity. | Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity. |
| Price detail | CJC-1295 price by channel | Ipamorelin price by channel |
Where a price index exists, the range is the cash price per month across branded, compounded, and telehealth channels, without insurance. The cost pages give each channel separately with its sources. Otherwise the typical cost from the peptide record is shown. Legal access depends on your state: see peptide legality by state.
Are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin combined?
CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are sold together in the premixed blend below. No study has tested the combination, and a mix is only as lawful as its least lawful ingredient. The blend page covers what is in each product, the evidence for each ingredient, and legal status.
- CJC-1295 and ipamorelin: No lawful path.
Frequently asked questions
Which raises growth hormone more, CJC-1295 or ipamorelin?
Only CJC-1295 has been measured in humans: one injection raised mean GH 2 to 10 fold for 6 or more days and IGF-1 1.5 to 3 fold for 9 to 11 days. Ipamorelin's GH effect is documented in rats and pigs, not in published human studies. [1] [5]
Is the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin blend proven?
No. No published trial has tested the combination. The rationale is that they act on different receptors (GHRH versus ghrelin), but efficacy and safety of the blend in humans are unknown. [1] [5]
Can a compounding pharmacy make either one legally?
No. FDA placed both on the 503A Category 2 list in September 2023; the nominations were later withdrawn, and neither is on the bulks list or a component of an approved drug, so licensed pharmacies have no lawful basis to compound them. [6]
Is CJC-1295 without DAC the same drug?
No. The version sold as CJC-1295 without DAC (modified GRF 1-29) lacks the albumin binding group, lasts about 30 minutes instead of about a week, and has no published human trials under that name. [1] [3]
Are they allowed in sport?
No. Both are named in WADA section S2 and are prohibited at all times. [8]
Conditions studied
From the blog
- CJC-1295 side effects: what the human studies reported
CJC-1295 side effects in small human studies included injection site reactions, headache, flushing, diarrhea, and a faster heart rate. It has no FDA approval and no lawful compounding path.
- Peptide stacks: what each common component has shown alone
No trial has tested a multi-peptide stack for muscle growth or fat loss. Nine common stack components ranked by their own human evidence, legal status, and WADA status. No protocols.
- Peptides for muscle growth, ranked by human evidence
MK-677, sermorelin, tesamorelin, CJC-1295, IGF-1 LR3, and more ranked by human evidence. None is approved for muscle growth, and all ten are banned in tested sport.
Sources
Numbered citations above point to these primary sources. PubMed entries link to the indexed abstract.
- [1]Teichman SL 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 2006PubMed 16352683, 2006
- [2]Ionescu M, Frohman LA. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006PubMed 17018654, 2006
- [3]Jette L et al. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog. Endocrinology 2005PubMed 15817669, 2005
- [4]Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD; Ipamorelin 201 Study Group. 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 2014PubMed 25331030, 2014
- [5]Raun K et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol 1998PubMed 9849822, 1998
- [6]FDA: Bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A of the FD&C Act (503A bulks list, Category 1, 2, and 3 lists, and withdrawn nominations)FDA
- [7]FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meetings (July 2026 meeting on peptide nominations)FDA
- [8]WADA Prohibited List, section S2 (GHRH analogues and growth hormone secretagogues, including CJC-1295 and ipamorelin)WADA
- [9]Gobburu JV et al. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res 1999PubMed 10496658, 1999
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PeptideAgent. (2026, September 22). CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin: evidence, cost, and legality. https://peptideagent.ai/compare/cjc-1295-vs-ipamorelin- HTML link
<a href="https://peptideagent.ai/compare/cjc-1295-vs-ipamorelin">CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin: evidence, cost, and legality</a>, PeptideAgent, updated September 22, 2026.