CJC-1295 without DAC and ipamorelin are two lab-made peptides that are often injected together to raise growth hormone. CJC-1295 mimics the hormone GHRH, and ipamorelin mimics ghrelin, so each signals the pituitary gland through a different pathway.[1][4] Neither is FDA-approved, and no published human study has tested the combination.[7][12]
This guide covers what each peptide is, how the pair is meant to work, what the research actually shows, side effects, doses that have been studied and the regulatory picture. For other compounds in this family, see our growth hormone peptides hub.
What are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin?
CJC-1295 is a modified version of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), with four amino acids swapped to make it more stable.[7] It comes in two forms:
- With DAC: the original drug, built with a “Drug Affinity Complex” that attaches to albumin in the blood so it lasts for days.[1]
- Without DAC: the same 29-amino-acid peptide minus that attachment, also sold as “modified GRF (1-29)” or “mod GRF 1-29”. FDA notes the naming is inconsistent across sellers, which it treats as a safety risk.[7][16]
Ipamorelin is a five-amino-acid peptide that activates the ghrelin (growth hormone secretagogue) receptor. When it was first described in 1998, it was called the first “selective” growth hormone secretagogue.[4]
How the combination is supposed to work
The pituitary gland releases growth hormone in response to two main signals: GHRH, and ghrelin acting on its own receptor. CJC-1295 copies the first signal and ipamorelin copies the second.[1][4] Sellers claim that using both together releases more growth hormone than either alone; FDA’s review describes this as a marketing claim found on websites, not a finding from human trials.[7]
There is real human science behind the general idea. In the 1990s, researchers gave volunteers a GHRH plus a ghrelin-type peptide (older relatives of CJC-1295 and ipamorelin) by IV:
- USA: in 18 healthy men, the two together released more growth hormone than expected from either alone, a synergistic effect.[18]
- Spain: in 19 people with obesity, the combination produced a peak about six times higher than GHRH alone.[19]
- Italy: a low dose of the ghrelin-type peptide hexarelin strongly boosted the GHRH response in men.[21]
- Russia and the UK: a Moscow-London study in 8 men found the combination raised growth hormone more than either alone, but could not show true synergy.[20]
None of these studies used CJC-1295 without DAC or ipamorelin, and all were short IV tests, not weeks of injections.
In animal studies, ipamorelin raised growth hormone without raising the stress hormones ACTH and cortisol, unlike older peptides such as GHRP-6.[4] That selectivity is a key reason for its popularity, but it was shown in pigs and rats, not people.
CJC-1295 with DAC vs without DAC
| CJC-1295 with DAC | CJC-1295 without DAC | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-life in humans | 5.8 to 8.1 days[2] | Unknown: never measured in humans[12] |
| Published human studies | Three small studies in healthy adults[7] | None[12] |
| How it is used | Weekly or less often, in studies | Usually daily or more often, per user reports |
Because the no-DAC form is short-acting, it is promoted as producing a more natural “pulse” of growth hormone. That idea has not been tested in a published human study.[12]
Benefits: what the research shows
Sellers and users credit the pair with better sleep, faster recovery, fat loss and lean muscle. Here is what has actually been measured in people:
- CJC-1295 with DAC raises growth hormone and IGF-1. In healthy adults, one injection raised average growth hormone 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more, and IGF-1 (the hormone that carries out many of growth hormone’s effects) 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days.[2] Growth hormone kept its natural pulsing pattern.[3]
- Ipamorelin triggers a single, short burst of growth hormone that peaks about 40 minutes after an infusion, with a half-life of about 2 hours.[5]
- Ipamorelin did not beat placebo for its one tested medical use. In a phase 2 trial in 114 people recovering from bowel surgery, it did not speed recovery of gut function compared with placebo.[6]
What users report
Side effects and safety
There is no human safety data for CJC-1295 without DAC.[12] The closest evidence comes from studies of the DAC version and of ipamorelin given by IV.
CJC-1295 with DAC (healthy adults):[7]
- Injection-site reactions in about 70%, including short-lived hive-like rashes in almost 30%
- Headache in 63%, versus 14% on placebo
- Flushing, warmth and a temporary drop in blood pressure in 30%; in a second study, flushing in up to 100% at higher doses
- Diarrhea, nausea or abdominal pain, and a faster heart rate that rose with dose
A death in the phase 2 trial. In 2006, a participant in a CJC-1295 trial for HIV-related belly fat had a fatal heart attack about two hours after his 11th weekly dose. The treating physician thought undiagnosed coronary artery disease was the most likely cause, and no link to the drug was established, but the company stopped the trial and the results were never published.[13][14]
Ipamorelin (IV, after bowel surgery): in FDA’s reading of the phase 2 trial, low potassium, insomnia and high blood sugar were more common on ipamorelin than placebo, and two patients on ipamorelin died after complications of their surgery. FDA said it is unclear whether the deaths were related to the drug.[8]
Product quality. FDA’s main concerns for both peptides include immune reactions caused by impurities or clumped peptide, and the difficulty of confirming what is in the vial.[9]
CJC-1295 + ipamorelin dosage: what has been studied
No dose of CJC-1295 without DAC, or of the combination, has been tested in a published human study.[12] These are the doses that have been studied for each peptide on its own:
| Peptide | Doses studied in humans | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CJC-1295 with DAC | 30 to 250 mcg per kg of body weight, as single or repeated injections[7] | Best tolerated at 30 or 60 mcg/kg[2] |
| Ipamorelin | 0.03 mg per kg by IV, twice daily, after surgery[6] | Short IV infusions in a separate study of healthy men[5] |
A 2026 review reported that bodybuilding forums commonly cite 100 to 200 mcg of CJC-1295 without DAC once or twice daily, and 200 to 300 mcg of ipamorelin two or three times daily.[12] Those amounts come from online communities, not from clinical trials. If you are converting milligrams to syringe units, our peptide calculator does the math.
Is CJC-1295 + ipamorelin FDA approved or legal?
- Not FDA-approved. Neither peptide is approved for any medical use in the United States.[7][8]
- Not for compounding. In 2024, FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 0 to 12 against adding ipamorelin to the list of substances compounding pharmacies may use, and 0 to 13 against the main forms of CJC-1295, citing a lack of safety and effectiveness data.[10][11] FDA lists both among substances that may present significant safety risks.[9]
- Banned in sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits both at all times, in and out of competition.[15]
The FDA-approved drug in this class is tesamorelin (Egrifta), a GHRH analog approved in 2010 to reduce excess belly fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.[17]
This is general information, not legal advice; rules differ by country and change over time.