CJC-1295 vs Ipamorelin: What the Research Shows

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · 3 Oct 2026 · DisclosureUpdated 3 Oct 2026

GHRH analogNot FDA approved · research chemicalCJC-1295CJC-1295, a GHRH analog; in healthy adults a single injection produced dose-dependent rises in mean plasma GH of 2- to 10-fold and in IGF-I of 1.5- to 3-fold.^[5]Growth hormone+49% searchesGHRP (ghrelin receptor agonist)Not FDA approved · research chemicalIpamorelinGhrelin-receptor agonist peptide, not FDA-approved; in a randomized trial after bowel resection, median time to first tolerated meal was 25.3 versus 32.6 hours with placebo.^[13]Growth hormone+70% searches

Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider CJC-1295 if…

you want randomized human hormone data (hormone levels, not a clinical benefit): a single injection raised mean plasma GH 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more^[5]

Consider Ipamorelin if…

you want the option with a randomized human trial, though it found no significant difference from placebo (postoperative ileus): median time to first tolerated meal was 25.3 h vs 32.6 h^[13]

What they have in common

WADA prohibits GHRH and its analogues at all times; its list names CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin^[2]
WADA prohibits growth hormone secretagogues at all times; its list names ibutamoren (MK-677) and ipamorelin^[2]

Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.

Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 8 of 14 fields where the two differ. Category, FDA status, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, WADA, Evidence strength, Vial sizes sold are the same or both unknown.

Field	CJC-1295	Ipamorelin
Class	GHRH analog	GHRP (ghrelin receptor agonist)
Also called	CJC, mod GRF, GRF 1-29	ipa, ipam
Category	Growth hormone	Growth hormone
FDA status	Not FDA approved · research chemical	Not FDA approved · research chemical
PCAC vote, Jul 2026	Not on the Jul 2026 agenda	Not on the Jul 2026 agenda
WADA	Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.4)CJC-1295 is named as a GHRH analogue in S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors), prohibited at all times.	Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.4)Ipamorelin is named as a growth hormone secretagogue in S2.2.4, prohibited at all times.
Anti-doping detection	A urine assay detects CJC-1295 and other GHRH analogues at very low concentrations.PMID 35298973 Labs expect GHRH analogues like CJC-1295 to be hard to find because of tiny urine concentrations; the study reports no detections in routine anti-doping samples.PMID 34665524	After nasal dosing, ipamorelin metabolites were still found in urine after the parent drug was gone (samples were collected for 2 days).PMID 25869809 A direct-urine screen includes ipamorelin among the peptides it can detect, at 50 to 500 pg/mL.PMID 26578461
Half-life	No published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 2026	2 hours terminal half-lifeintravenous infusion (15 min) · Pharmaceutical research 1999, PMID 10496658
Evidence strength	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2006, PMID 16352683	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: International journal of colorectal disease 2014, PMID 25331030
Human studies we summarised	4 human (1 randomized or controlled) of 7 summarised	2 human (2 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses	Four ascending single doses (first study); two or three weekly or biweekly doses (second study), single, weekly or biweeklyThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2006, PMID 16352683 60 or 90 microg/kg CJC-1295 (single injection), singleThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2006, PMID 17018654 2 microg CJC-1295, every 24, 48 or 72 hAnimal · mouse · American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2006, PMID 16822960	0.03 mg/kg ipamorelin, twice dailyInternational journal of colorectal disease 2014, PMID 25331030 4.21, 14.02, 42.13, 84.27 and 140.45 nmol/kg, singlePharmaceutical research 1999, PMID 10496658 1-3 mg/kg, every 24 hAnimal · ferret · Physiology & behavior 2024, PMID 39043357
Vial sizes sold	2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg	2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg
US searches per month	60,500 · +49% searches	49,500 · +70% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026	Not in the letters we track	Yes (24 Aug 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

Sold mixed: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin

These blends put both in one vial. The blend calculator works out the dose of each component per draw. Evidence for the combination: No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 10 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Blend calculator

CJC-1295 + IpamorelinCJC-1295 (no DAC) + IpamorelinBlend math

Sources

1FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
3An antibody-free, ultrafiltration-based assay for the detection of growth hormone-releasing hormones in urine at low pg/mL concentrations using nanoLC-HRMS/MS.Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2022PMID 35298973Accessed 2 Oct 2026
4Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs.Drug testing and analysis · 2021PMID 34665524Accessed 2 Oct 2026
5Prolonged 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.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2006PMID 16352683Accessed 2 Oct 2026
6Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2006PMID 17018654Accessed 2 Oct 2026
7Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse.American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism · 2006PMID 16822960Accessed 2 Oct 2026
8PubMed search: ("CJC-1295"[tiab] OR CJC1295[tiab]) (33 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
9PubMed search: ("CJC-1295"[tiab] OR CJC1295[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (7 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
10Determination of growth hormone releasing peptides metabolites in human urine after nasal administration of GHRP-1, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, and Ipamorelin.Drug testing and analysis · 2015PMID 25869809Accessed 2 Oct 2026
11Simplifying and expanding the screening for peptides <2 kDa by direct urine injection, liquid chromatography, and ion mobility mass spectrometry.Journal of separation science · 2016PMID 26578461Accessed 2 Oct 2026
12Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers.Pharmaceutical research · 1999PMID 10496658Accessed 2 Oct 2026
13Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients.International journal of colorectal disease · 2014PMID 25331030Accessed 2 Oct 2026
14The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a agonists, anamorelin and ipamorelin, inhibit cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets: Anamorelin also exhibits anti-emetic effects via a central mechanism.Physiology & behavior · 2024PMID 39043357Accessed 2 Oct 2026
15PubMed search: ("CJC-1295"[tiab] OR CJC1295[tiab]) AND (ipamorelin[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026

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