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Head to head

CJC-1295 vs Ipamorelin

Two different receptors, one routinely sold combination.

CJC-1295 is a long-acting GHRH analog; ipamorelin is a short-acting ghrelin-receptor agonist. They are often paired on the theory that two inputs to the pituitary add up, but that combination has never been tested in a controlled human trial. Each has a small human evidence base of its own.

MeasureCJC-1295Long-acting GHRH analogIpamorelinGhrelin-receptor / GH secretagogue
Best evidenceClinicalClinical
Human-tested claims1 of 12 of 4
StatusResearch-onlyResearch-only
Cited sources23

Where the evidence lands

The pairing makes mechanistic sense, and nothing more than that. CJC-1295 has one human PK study showing days of elevated GH and IGF-1. Ipamorelin has a PK study and a Phase 2 trial that found it safe but ineffective for its tested indication. Neither has long-term human safety data, and the combination has none at all. Anyone describing the stack's effects is describing theory.

Where they differ

Each row cites a fixed record. Numbers from different trials are not directly comparable, and the rows say so where that applies.

AspectCJC-1295Ipamorelin
Receptor[1]GHRH receptor (a GHRH(1-29) analog).Ghrelin receptor, GHS-R1a.
Duration of action[2]Days. The albumin-binding DAC group gives a half-life of roughly a week.Hours. Terminal half-life about two hours, with a single GH pulse.
Human evidence[3]One PK/PD study in healthy adults.A PK study in volunteers plus a placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in post-operative ileus (no benefit, well tolerated).
Hormonal selectivity[4]Sustained GH and IGF-1 elevation; pulsatility preserved in the one study that looked.GH release without a matching cortisol or prolactin rise, shown preclinically.
The combination[5]Never tested with ipamorelin in a controlled human trial.Never tested with CJC-1295 in a controlled human trial.

What each is studied for

The efficacy claims from each monograph, with their tiers. Follow the entry for sources and safety.

CJC-1295

  • Clinical
    Raised GH 2–10× (for ≥6 days) and IGF-1 1.5–3× (for 9–11 days) after a single dose in healthy adults; half-life ~6–8 days.

Ipamorelin

  • Preclinical
    Selective GH release with little effect on ACTH, cortisol, or prolactin in preclinical models.
  • Preclinical
    Acts as a ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist – a different mechanism from the GHRH analogs.
  • Clinical
    Produced a single, dose-dependent GH pulse in healthy volunteers, with a terminal half-life of about two hours.
  • Clinical
    Did not shorten time to first tolerated meal versus placebo in a Phase 2 trial of postoperative ileus after bowel resection (n=114).

Frequently asked

Why are they sold together?

Because GHRH analogs and ghrelin mimetics act on different receptors and, in older physiology work on their natural counterparts, the two signals were additive on GH release. That is a reasonable hypothesis. It has not been tested as a product in people.

References

  1. [1]Raun et al., 1998 (Eur J Endocrinol) (opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]Gobburu et al., 1999 (Pharm Res) (opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]Beck et al., 2014 (Int J Colorectal Dis) (opens in a new tab)
  4. [4]Ionescu & Frohman, 2006 (J Clin Endocrinol Metab) (opens in a new tab)
  5. [5]Teichman et al., 2006 (J Clin Endocrinol Metab) (opens in a new tab)

The monographs

Written by Twenty Residues editorial. Medical review: pending; a named reviewer is being assigned.

Last updated October 1, 2026.

Tiers are explained in the Standard. Spot an error? Report a correction.