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Peptide blendNo published researchNot FDA approved

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin

CJC-1295 and ipamorelin peptide blend

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 25 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

This blend pairs CJC-1295, a lab made copy of the brain hormone GHRH, with ipamorelin, a lab made mimic of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Each one raised growth hormone in small human studies, but no study of any kind has tested the two together, so the claim that they work better as a pair is untested. Neither is FDA approved, both are banned in sport, and FDA records list several recalls of compounded vials because sterility could not be assured.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

CJC-1295 and ipamorelin is not one drug. The name is used for vials that combine two separate lab made peptides. FDA's 2024 review of CJC-1295 found many websites selling it together with ipamorelin and claiming the two work in synergy, meaning better together, and it listed several blend powders on sale.[1] A doctor interviewed for a 2020 FDA funded academic report called the pair a trending combination.[2] A 2026 review written for sports medicine doctors also discussed CJC-1295 with ipamorelin as a pair.[3]

CJC-1295 copies the active part of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), the brain signal that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. It comes in a short acting form without DAC and a long acting form with DAC, an added chemical hook that grips albumin, a blood protein. FDA treats these as different drugs and noted that online blends usually do not say which form is inside.[1] One FDA recall record lists a mix of ipamorelin with modified GRF 1-29, a common name for the short form.[4]

Ipamorelin is a small five piece peptide that acts on the receptor for ghrelin, a natural hormone, and signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone through a different receptor than CJC-1295.[2][5] So the blend presses two different switches on the same gland.

Blend contents are not standardized. The CJC-1295 form, the ratio of the two peptides and their purity can differ from vial to vial. A product seized by Norwegian police and customs in 2009 contained the short form of CJC-1295, not the long acting one that was tested in people.[6][1]

We searched for any study of the combination itself and found none. FDA's 2024 review and the 2020 report also found no study of the pair.[1][2] Nobody has tested whether the two ingredients interact, add up, or cancel each other out when mixed.

Name
CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin (CJC-1295 and ipamorelin peptide blend)
Other names
CJC-1295/ipamorelin, ipamorelin with modified GRF 1-29
Type
Peptide blend

What it does in the body

Neither ingredient occurs in nature. CJC-1295 is built to mimic GHRH, the brain hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, and ipamorelin switches on the receptor for ghrelin, another natural hormone that triggers growth hormone release.[1][2][5] No study has measured what the two do together in the body, so everything below comes from each ingredient tested alone.

This is the biology, area by area. A change measured in the body, like a higher blood level, does not always mean a person feels a benefit. The claims check below covers that.

Hormones

Measured in people

Each ingredient raised growth hormone in small human studies of that ingredient alone. The long acting CJC-1295 raised it 2 to 10 times for days, while IV ipamorelin gave one burst that peaked in about 40 minutes, and the drug itself had a half life of about 2 hours.[7][8] Nobody has measured growth hormone after the mixed vial.

Hormones working together

Measured in people

In 18 healthy men, natural GHRH given with a ghrelin type peptide called GHRP released growth hormone in synergy, meaning more than the two would give separately.[9] That study used different drugs, given by IV. Whether CJC-1295 and ipamorelin behave the same way has never been tested.

Liver and growth factors

Measured in people

With the long acting CJC-1295 alone, IGF-1 rose 1.5 to 3 times and stayed up for 9 to 11 days after one shot, and it was about 45% higher one week later in a second study.[7][10] No study has measured IGF-1 after the blend or after the short form of CJC-1295.

Fat and appetite

Seen in animals

In mice, ipamorelin alone raised body weight about 15% within 2 weeks and increased body fat, even in mice unable to make growth hormone, and in mice with normal growth hormone it also raised food intake and leptin, a hormone made by fat.[11] This points away from the fat loss often claimed for the blend.

Muscle and bones

Seen in animals

In adult female rats given steroid drugs for 3 months, adding ipamorelin alone kept calf muscle strength higher and raised bone formation on the bone surface about four times compared with steroids alone.[12] No human muscle or bone study exists for either ingredient.

Pituitary gland

Seen in animals

In mice given the long acting CJC-1295 for 8 weeks, the pituitary gland weighed 47% more than in untreated mice and its cells showed more DNA damage.[13] Whether this happens in people is unknown.

How it works

The idea behind the blend is to press two different switches that both make the pituitary gland release growth hormone.[1]

  • CJC-1295 is built to act on the GHRH receptor. In healthy adults, the long acting form with DAC raised growth hormone 2 to 10 times for 6 days or more after one shot.[7]
  • Ipamorelin acts on the ghrelin receptor. In healthy men given it by IV, it caused one short burst of growth hormone that peaked about 40 minutes later.[8]
  • In a 1990 study of 18 healthy men, natural GHRH given with a different ghrelin type peptide released more growth hormone together than either alone would predict.[9] This is where the synergy idea comes from, but it has never been measured for CJC-1295 with ipamorelin.
  • Growth hormone then tells the liver to make IGF-1, a growth factor behind many of its effects.[7]

The synergy idea comes from older studies of related drugs. It has not been tested with this pair.

What the research shows

We keep animal and human evidence apart. A result in animals is a reason to study something in people, not proof that it works in people.

Animal and lab studies

No animal studies of the blend

  • We found no animal study that gave CJC-1295 and ipamorelin together, and neither did FDA's review or the 2020 report.[1][2]
  • Long acting CJC-1295 alone: in mice treated for 8 weeks, pituitary glands weighed 47% more and showed more DNA damage than in untreated mice.[13]
  • Ipamorelin alone: in mice it raised body weight about 15% within 2 weeks and increased body fat and food intake.[11]
  • Ipamorelin alone: in adult female rats on steroid drugs for 3 months, it protected calf muscle strength and raised bone formation about four times.[12]
  • Ipamorelin alone: in rats and pigs it raised growth hormone, and in pigs it did not raise the stress hormones ACTH and cortisol beyond what GHRH does.[5]

Limit: Each ingredient was tested alone, mostly decades ago, so none of these results show how the mix behaves.

Human studies

No human studies of the blend

  • We found no published human study of CJC-1295 and ipamorelin together. FDA's 2024 review and a 2020 FDA funded report both found none.[1][2]
  • CJC-1295 with DAC alone: two placebo controlled trials in healthy adults aged 21 to 61 lasted 28 and 49 days. One shot under the skin raised growth hormone 2 to 10 times and IGF-1 1.5 to 3 times for days, and no serious side effects were reported.[7]
  • CJC-1295 with DAC alone: in healthy men aged 20 to 40, growth hormone between pulses rose about 7.5 times and IGF-1 rose 45% a week after one shot, while natural pulses continued.[10]
  • CJC-1295 with DAC alone: a placebo controlled trial in 192 people with HIV related belly fat was stopped in July 2006 after a participant in Argentina died.[14]
  • CJC-1295 without DAC alone: FDA found no human studies of any kind.[1]
  • Ipamorelin alone: in healthy men given IV doses, eight men per dose level, each dose caused one burst of growth hormone that faded within hours.[8]
  • Ipamorelin alone: in 114 adults after bowel surgery, IV ipamorelin did not meaningfully speed the return of eating compared with placebo, and side effects were about as common as on placebo, 87.5% versus 94.8%.[18]
  • Doctors interviewed for the 2020 report described using the pair and tracking IGF-1 blood levels. This is reported practice, not a study, and it gives no evidence of benefit or safety.[2]

Limit: Every human result comes from one ingredient given alone, mostly the long acting CJC-1295 or IV ipamorelin, so none of it shows what the mixed vial does.

Claims check

The most common claims about this compound, and what studies actually found. Verdicts rate the evidence, not whether you should use it.

Works better than either peptide alone

Not tested

No study has compared the blend with CJC-1295 or ipamorelin alone, in people or in animals. FDA's 2024 review found no study of the pair, and a 2020 FDA funded report on ipamorelin cited none, mentioning the pair only as a trending combination described by an expert.[1][2] The synergy idea comes from a 1990 study in 18 men that gave natural GHRH with a different ghrelin type peptide.[9]

Raises growth hormone and IGF-1

Not tested

The blend itself has never been measured. Separately, the long acting CJC-1295 raised growth hormone 2 to 10 times and IGF-1 1.5 to 3 times for days in small placebo controlled trials, and IV ipamorelin caused short growth hormone bursts in healthy men.[7][8] Neither result tells us what the mixed vial does.

Builds muscle

Not tested

No study has tested the blend for muscle. A 2026 review of the pair for sports doctors found no human evidence at all, only rodent findings on muscle strength.[3] The review described it as a finding for the pair, but the only matching rodent study we found gave ipamorelin alone, which helped preserve calf muscle strength in rats on steroid drugs.[12]

Burns fat

Not tested

No study has tested the blend for fat loss. A trial of the long acting CJC-1295 for belly fat in 192 people with HIV was stopped in 2006 after a participant died, so the question was never answered.[14] In mice, ipamorelin alone increased body fat rather than lowering it.[11]

Improves sleep

Not tested

We found no study of sleep with the blend or with either ingredient alone. Women on bodybuilding forums reported using CJC-1295 hoping for better sleep, but these are personal posts, not measured results.[15]

Speeds recovery and healing

Not tested

No study has tested the blend for injury healing or exercise recovery. A 2026 primer for orthopedic and sports doctors found no human evidence for the pair and said safe use is unknown.[3]

Safe, with few side effects

Not tested

The blend has no safety studies. FDA reports serious events tied to CJC-1295, including a faster heart rate and a body wide reaction in which blood vessels widen, and lists ipamorelin acetate as a significant safety risk for outsourcing facilities.[16] A 2026 review lists raised prolactin and cortisol, blood sugar changes, fluid retention, muscle and joint aches, and injection site reactions among side effects reported with this group of peptides.[17]

Known risks and side effects

  • Never tested as a mix. Because no one has studied the blend, its side effects, how the two ingredients interact and its long term safety are all unknown.[1][2]
  • Sterility recalls. FDA recall records list 18 Class II recalls from 2018 to 2022 of compounded products containing ipamorelin, including mixes with CJC-1295 or modified GRF 1-29, all because sterility could not be assured.[4] Another CJC-1295 injectable was recalled for the same reason in 2025.[19]
  • FDA safety concerns. FDA reports serious events with CJC-1295, including a faster heart rate and a body wide reaction in which blood vessels widen, and warns that both peptides may trigger immune reactions. It also cites a published report of serious events, including a death, after IV ipamorelin.[16]
  • Hormone side effects. Reviews of growth hormone peptides list raised prolactin and cortisol, blood sugar problems, fluid retention, muscle and joint aches, and injection site reactions.[17] In mice, the long acting CJC-1295 enlarged the pituitary gland and damaged DNA in its cells.[13]
  • Unregulated products. Vials sold online are not approved drugs, and the CJC-1295 form, the ratio and the purity vary. A 2026 patient safety warning said tested gray market peptides ranged from 5% to 75% purity, and some had arsenic or lead above safe limits for injectable drugs.[20] WADA bans both ingredients in sport at all times.[21]

Regulatory status

Today: No CJC-1295 and ipamorelin product is FDA approved. An FDA advisory committee voted against compounding all five CJC-1295 forms in December 2024, and FDA now lists CJC-1295 among withdrawn compounding nominations.[22][16] Ipamorelin acetate stays in Category 2, meaning significant safety risks, for outsourcing facilities, and neither peptide appears in any category of FDA's May 2026 list for regular pharmacies.[16][23] The July 2026 advisory committee, which backed BPC-157, TB-500, KPV and three other peptides, did not review either one.[24] WADA's 2027 list, taking effect in January 2027, still bans both.[25]

  1. FDA recall records list a compounded mix of ipamorelin and modified GRF 1-29 recalled for lack of sterility assurance.[4]
  2. An FDA funded academic report on ipamorelin quoted an expert calling its pairing with CJC-1295 a trending combination, but it did not review any study of the pair.[2]
  3. FDA placed ipamorelin acetate in Category 2 for outsourcing facilities.[16]
  4. FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted against all five CJC-1295 substances.[22]
  5. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said about 14 peptides, with CJC-1295 and ipamorelin among those named in reports, would move back to Category 1.[24]
  6. FDA's updated safety page listed CJC-1295 and ipamorelin acetate among withdrawn nominations rather than in Category 1.[16]
  7. FDA's advisers recommended six of seven peptides they reviewed, including BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV. CJC-1295 and ipamorelin were not on the agenda.[24]
  8. WADA published its 2027 list, which still names CJC-1295 and ipamorelin as banned.[25]

Sources

  1. Tu M, Albuquerque E, Benedict A, San Antonio M, Kasim S, Mattingly A, Rupp T. FDA Evaluation of CJC-1295 Related Bulk Drug Substances. Briefing document for the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting of December 4, 2024. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; November 15, 2024. FDA briefing document
  2. University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (M-CERSI). Summary Report: Ipamorelin Acetate. Prepared for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under grant 5U01FD005946. December 2020. M-CERSI report
  3. Mayfield CK, Bolia IK, Feingold CL, Lin EH, Liu JN, Hatch GFR, et al. Injectable Peptide Therapy: A Primer for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physicians. Am J Sports Med. 2026;54(1):223-229. PMID 41476424
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. openFDA Drug Enforcement Reports: recalls of products listing ipamorelin (18 Class II recalls initiated 2018 to 2022). Accessed October 29, 2026. openFDA recalls
  5. Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thogersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, Andersen PH. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552-561. PMID 9849822
  6. Henninge J, Pepaj M, Hullstein I, Hemmersbach P. Identification of CJC-1295, a growth-hormone-releasing peptide, in an unknown pharmaceutical preparation. Drug Test Anal. 2010;2(11-12):647-650. PMID 21204297
  7. Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. 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;91(3):799-805. PMID 16352683
  8. Gobburu JV, Agersø H, Jusko WJ, Ynddal L. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res. 1999;16(9):1412-1416. PMID 10496658
  9. Bowers CY, Reynolds GA, Durham D, Barrera CM, Pezzoli SS, Thorner MO, Forloni F, Pinchera A, Faglia G. Growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide stimulates GH release in normal men and acts synergistically with GH-releasing hormone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990;70(4):975-982. DOI 10.1210/jcem-70-4-975
  10. 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;91(12):4792-4797. PMID 17018654
  11. Lall S, Tung LY, Ohlsson C, Jansson JO, Dickson SL. Growth hormone (GH)-independent stimulation of adiposity by GH secretagogues. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001;280(1):132-138. PMID 11162489
  12. Andersen NB, Malmlöf K, Johansen PB, Andreassen TT, Ørtoft G, Oxlund H. The growth hormone secretagogue ipamorelin counteracts glucocorticoid-induced decrease in bone formation of adult rats. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2001;11(5):266-272. PMID 11735244
  13. Ben-Shlomo A, Deng N, Ding E, Yamamoto M, Mamelak A, Chesnokova V, Labadzhyan A, Melmed S. DNA damage and growth hormone hypersecretion in pituitary somatotroph adenomas. J Clin Invest. 2020;130(11):5738-5755. DOI 10.1172/JCI138540
  14. aidsmap. Lipodystrophy study halted after patient death. July 2006. aidsmap news
  15. Van Hout MC, Hearne E. Netnography of Female Use of the Synthetic Growth Hormone CJC-1295: Pulses and Potions. Subst Use Misuse. 2016;51(1):73-84. PMID 26771670
  16. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. Content current as of April 22, 2026. FDA
  17. Dominikowski A, Rękoś Z, Olejarz M, Szczepanek-Parulska E, Domin R, Ruchała M. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2026;17:1822475. PMID 42395176
  18. Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD. 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;29(12):1527-1534. PMID 25331030
  19. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. openFDA Drug Enforcement Reports: recalls of products listing CJC-1295 (four Class II recalls initiated 2019 to 2025). Accessed October 29, 2026. openFDA recalls
  20. ECRI and Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Patients Using Wellness Peptides Have No Reliable Information About Whether They Are Safe or Effective, ECRI and ISMP Warn. May 5, 2026. ECRI news
  21. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, section S2.2.4 Growth hormone releasing factors. In force January 1, 2026. WADA 2026
  22. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Final Summary Minutes of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting, December 4, 2024. Approved February 21, 2025. FDA PCAC minutes
  23. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (categories list). Updated May 14, 2026. FDA 503A categories
  24. Atta H. 5 Things to Know About the FDA's Peptide Reversal. American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC). August 21, 2026. AJMC news
  25. World Anti-Doping Agency. International Standard: The 2027 Prohibited List, section S2.2.4 Growth hormone releasing factors. Takes effect January 1, 2027. WADA 2027
Medical disclaimer

This page is educational information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from a licensed medical provider. Do not use this page to decide whether to take any substance. Talk to a licensed medical provider first.

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