CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin vs HGH

CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin is a pair of growth hormone secretagogues, a GHRH analogue and a ghrelin-receptor agonist, that signal the pituitary to release its own growth hormone through two different receptors; HGH (somatropin) is the 191-amino-acid growth hormone protein itself, delivered directly. The pair depends on a working pituitary and leaves its pulse pattern in charge; HGH replaces the gland’s output. Here is how they differ, what each component’s human research shows, and one detail about CJC-1295 that changes how its studies should be read.

Findings

• CJC-1295 is a modified GRF(1-29), the active first 29 amino acids of growth hormone releasing hormone. The version with DAC raised growth hormone 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more after a single injection in healthy adults (2006).
• With CJC-1295 (DAC), growth hormone pulses kept their normal frequency and size while basal levels rose 7.5-fold and IGF-1 rose 45% (2006).
• Ipamorelin was the first selective growth hormone secretagogue: in swine it did not raise ACTH or cortisol even at more than 200 times its effective dose (1998). In healthy men it produced a single growth hormone peak at about 40 minutes, with a 2-hour half-life (1999).
• HGH is identical in sequence to pituitary growth hormone and is an approved medicine for growth hormone deficiency in children and adults.

What is CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin?

The blend combines two peptides that reach the same cell, the pituitary somatotroph, through separate doors. CJC-1295 acts on the GHRH receptor; ipamorelin acts on the growth hormone secretagogue (ghrelin) receptor. No published human trial of the pair as a combination was found, so the evidence below is for each component.

CJC-1295, and why DAC matters

CJC-1295 was built as a tetrasubstituted form of human GRF(1-29) with an added reactive lysine group, called DAC (drug affinity complex), that binds to albumin in the blood. In rats, that binding kept it in circulation beyond 72 hours (Jetté et al., Endocrinology, 2005). In two placebo-controlled human trials, a single injection of the DAC form raised mean growth hormone 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days, with an estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days and no serious adverse reactions (Teichman et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006).

A follow-up sampled blood every 20 minutes overnight in healthy men before and a week after one injection. Growth hormone secretion rose with pulsatility preserved: pulse frequency and size were unchanged, trough levels rose 7.5-fold, mean growth hormone rose 46% and IGF-1 45% (Ionescu and Frohman, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006). The authors concluded long-acting GHRH analogues may suit patients whose pituitary can still secrete growth hormone.

The CJC-1295 in our blend is the No DAC form: the same modified GRF(1-29) without the albumin-binding group, so it does not share the multi-day half-life measured in those trials. The difference is explained in CJC-1295 With or Without DAC.

Ipamorelin

Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) developed from the growth hormone releasing peptide family. It released growth hormone with potency similar to GHRP-6 in rat and swine models, but unlike GHRP-6 and GHRP-2 it did not raise ACTH or cortisol, even at doses more than 200-fold above its effective dose, and it left FSH, LH, prolactin and TSH unchanged (Raun et al., Eur J Endocrinol, 1998).

In healthy men, infused at five dose levels with eight participants each, ipamorelin showed dose-proportional kinetics, a terminal half-life of 2 hours, and a single episode of growth hormone release peaking at 0.67 hours before falling back to negligible levels (Gobburu et al., Pharm Res, 1999). A later phase 2 trial in 114 bowel-surgery patients found it well tolerated, with no significant difference from placebo on recovery of gut function (Beck et al., Int J Colorectal Dis, 2014). More is in CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin: The Research.

What is HGH?

HGH, or recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin), is a single-chain protein of 191 amino acids with two internal disulfide bonds, made in bacteria and identical in structure to pituitary growth hormone. Canadian product monographs list it for growth failure from growth hormone inadequacy, chronic renal insufficiency and Turner syndrome in children, and for replacement in adults with confirmed growth hormone deficiency (Canadian somatropin product monograph, 2012). Because it acts directly on growth hormone receptors, it works whether or not the pituitary can respond.

What the HGH research shows

In 12 healthy men aged 61 to 81, six months of HGH raised lean body mass 8.8%, cut fat mass 14.4% and raised lumbar bone density 1.6% (Rudman et al., N Engl J Med, 1990). A 2007 systematic review of 220 treated older adults found fat mass down 2.1 kg and lean mass up 2.1 kg, alongside higher rates of soft-tissue swelling, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome (Liu et al., Ann Intern Med, 2007). In adults with HIV and excess trunk fat, 12 weeks of HGH cut visceral fat by 32.6 cm² against a 0.5 cm² rise on placebo (Grunfeld et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2007).

How do CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin and HGH compare side by side?

Question	CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin	HGH (somatropin)
What is it?	GHRH analogue plus ghrelin-receptor agonist	Recombinant growth hormone
Size	Modified GRF(1-29) and a 5-amino-acid peptide	191 amino acids
Where it acts	Two pituitary receptors	Growth hormone receptors in tissues
Needs a working pituitary?	Yes	No
Growth hormone pattern	Pulses preserved (CJC-1295 DAC study); single peak after each ipamorelin infusion	Set by the administered amount
Human evidence	Phase 1 studies of each component; no trial of the pair	Approved medicine with long clinical record
Forms we supply	10 mg vial and ready-mixed nasal spray	Not supplied

Which fits which research question?

• Pituitary signalling and pulse dynamics: the secretagogues, since their output depends on the gland and its feedback, and the CJC-1295 sampling study tracked pulse frequency and size directly.
• Receptor selectivity: ipamorelin, which isolates growth hormone release from the ACTH and cortisol effects of older GHRPs in the original pharmacology.
• Growth hormone action itself, or a non-responsive pituitary: HGH, the direct variable, and the only approved option in deficiency.

No head-to-head trial of the blend against HGH was found, so this is a comparison of mechanisms and separate literatures, not of outcomes. A related comparison is Tesamorelin vs HGH, and the two components are compared with each other in CJC-1295 vs Ipamorelin.

How is CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin supplied?

Vistara Labs supplies CJC-1295 (No DAC) + Ipamorelin as a 10 mg lyophilised vial and as a ready-mixed nasal spray delivering 0.175 mL per press; it is also part of the GH Axis stack. The human studies above used injection or infusion, not the nasal route. Vials are reconstituted with bacteriostatic water (see the CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin reconstitution guide and how long it lasts). Certificates of analysis are on the lab reports page, buying details are in Buy CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin in Canada, and every order ships from within Canada. Vistara Labs does not supply HGH.

Frequently asked questions

Is CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin the same as HGH?

No. CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are peptides that prompt the pituitary to release its own growth hormone through the GHRH and ghrelin receptors. HGH is the 191-amino-acid growth hormone protein itself and acts on tissues directly.

Is CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin stronger than HGH?

They have not been compared in a head-to-head trial, so there is no direct answer. The secretagogues raise growth hormone within the limits of the pituitary’s own capacity; HGH supplies the hormone directly regardless of pituitary function.

What is the difference between CJC-1295 with and without DAC?

DAC is an albumin-binding group. With it, CJC-1295 had a half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days in healthy adults. The No DAC form is the same modified GRF(1-29) without that group, so it does not have that multi-day half-life.

Does ipamorelin raise cortisol?

Not in its original pharmacology study, where ipamorelin did not raise ACTH or cortisol in swine even at more than 200 times its effective dose, unlike GHRP-6 and GHRP-2.

Where can I buy CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin in Canada?

Vistara Labs supplies CJC-1295 (No DAC) + Ipamorelin as a 10 mg lyophilised vial and a ready-mixed nasal spray for laboratory research, shipped from within Canada by Canada Post Xpresspost.

Product details from vistaralabs.ca, October 2026. Sources: Jetté 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. 2005. PMID 15817669. 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. 2006. PMID 16352683. 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. 2006. PMID 17018654. Raun K et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998. PMID 9849822. Gobburu JV et al. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res. 1999. PMID 10496658. Beck DE 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. PMID 25331030. Rudman D et al. Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old. N Engl J Med. 1990. PMID 2355952. Liu H et al. Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly. Ann Intern Med. 2007. PMID 17227934. Grunfeld C et al. Recombinant human growth hormone to treat HIV-associated adipose redistribution syndrome. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2007. PMID 17592343. Canadian product monograph for somatropin (Hoffmann-La Roche Limited), authorised December 2012.

More on this: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin: The Research.