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Peptides

CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin

A marketed growth-hormone peptide stack with no controlled combination trial, ambiguous product identity, and major compounded-injection evidence gaps.

Insufficient
Evidence rating
Evidence review

What the evidence says

No controlled human trial establishes that CJC-1295 plus ipamorelin improves body composition, recovery, sleep, cognition, strength, or healthy aging. Combining two growth-hormone-axis mechanisms does not turn separate pharmacology studies into evidence for the stack.[3][4]

Two short dose-escalation studies of CJC-1295 with a drug-affinity complex in healthy adults showed sustained increases in growth hormone and IGF-1. They measured hormone exposure, not health or performance benefit.[1]

Ipamorelin's principal phase 2 randomized trial involved postoperative bowel-resection patients and intravenous treatment. It did not significantly improve its primary or secondary efficacy outcomes and does not support subcutaneous use for healthy aging.[2]

The ingredient names are themselves unstable. FDA identified multiple CJC-1295 free-base, salt, drug-affinity-complex, and trifluoroacetate forms, while marketed blends may omit the form. FDA reviews also flag aggregation, peptide impurities, immunogenicity, incomplete characterization, and a lack of subcutaneous ipamorelin safety or effectiveness data.[3][4][5]

FDA has identified serious cardiovascular and vasodilatory events associated with CJC-1295 and serious events, including deaths of unclear causality, in an intravenous ipamorelin study. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved for safety, effectiveness, or quality, and both peptides are prohibited at all times by WADA.[5][6][7]

Potential benefits

  • CJC-1295 can raise growth hormone and IGF-1 for several days, establishing pharmacological activity rather than clinical benefit.[1]
  • No reliable benefit of the marketed combination can currently be listed as established.[3][4]

Side effects and cautions

  • Possible growth-hormone-axis risks include glucose intolerance, edema, joint symptoms, and elevated IGF-1, while combination-specific incidence is unknown.[4]
  • Grey-market or compounded injection adds identity, potency, impurity, immunogenicity, endotoxin, and sterility uncertainty as well as anti-doping consequences.[5][6][7]
How we scored it

Evidence breakdown

Human studies show short-term hormone changes for CJC-1295 and no relevant efficacy for ipamorelin, but none establish benefits of the consumer combination.

Clinical relevanceLow

No controlled human study establishes body composition, recovery, sleep, cognition, or aging benefit.

Study qualityLow

Available human work is short pharmacology or an unrelated postoperative trial.

Safety dataLow

Subcutaneous combination safety, long-term exposure, and compounded-product quality are unresolved.

References

Full source list

  1. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295 in healthy adults

    The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · 2006

  2. Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus

    International Journal of Colorectal Disease · 2014

  3. CJC-1295-Related Bulk Drug Substances: Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee briefing

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2024

  4. Ipamorelin-Related Bulk Drug Substances: Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee briefing

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2024

  5. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026

  6. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026

  7. 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods

    World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026