NNC 26-0161
Cleanest GH secretagogue — minimal cortisol, strong pulse.
FDA
Reclassified '26
WADA
Banned
HALF-LIFE
~2 hours
ROUTE
SubQ injection
SCHEDULE
1–3× daily
In Plain English
Cleanest GH secretagogue — minimal cortisol, strong pulse.
Status & Legality
NATTY?
Not NattyWADA banned substance. Tested athletes will fail.
FDA
Reclassified '26Compounding pharmacies may prepare under physician oversight.
WADA
BannedOn WADA prohibited list. Use disqualifies in tested sports.
COMPOUNDING
Category 1Compounding pharmacies may prepare post-2026 reclassification.
PRESCRIBED
Off-label compoundsNot prescribed in conventional medicine.
ROUTE
SubQ injectionAdministration via subq injection.
GH release
Anti-aging
Sleep quality
Recovery
Ipamorelin is a selective growth hormone secretagogue that stimulates the pituitary to release GH with minimal side effects. Unlike GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, it produces negligible cortisol and prolactin elevation, making it the most tolerable GHRP. It's the preferred starting GHRP for most users.
Mild headache
Flushing
Tingling/numbness
Water retention (minimal)
Injecting within 2 hours of eating — food blunts the GH response significantly; fasted injection is non-negotiable
Not pairing with a GHRH — Ipamorelin + CJC is 2–5× more potent than either compound alone
Using it without exercising expecting body composition changes — GH peptides amplify recovery and fat loss; training is required for meaningful results
Insulin and diabetes medications — modest GH elevation can reduce insulin sensitivity; monitor glucose
Corticosteroids — directly blunt the pituitary GH response
SSRIs — may modestly reduce somatotroph responsiveness at high doses
Ipamorelin is the cleanest GHRP available — minimal cortisol and prolactin elevation compared to GHRP-2 or GHRP-6. For most users, 200 mcg Ipamorelin + 200 mcg CJC-1295 (no DAC) injected together before sleep is the ideal starting protocol. Sleep quality improvements are typically noticed first; body composition changes follow at weeks 6–8.
Stats
Sources & Studies
Raun K. et al., Eur J Endocrinol, 1998