Ipamorelin

The clean ghrelin mimetic. It releases a pulse of growth hormone without the hunger, cortisol or prolactin of older peptides.

Evidence: DCommunity use what's this?
Grade B for the GH release itself. Grade D for the recovery and body-composition outcomes people want.
Also known as: NNC 26-0161 · selective GH secretagogue
Class: Synthetic pentapeptide; selective ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist

The 30-second version

WhatA five-amino-acid peptide from Novo Nordisk that triggers the "release GH" side of the ghrelin receptor.

Why people use itRecovery, sleep and body composition, almost always paired with CJC-1295.

The honest catchHuman data confirm the GH pulse and tolerability, but no trial has measured the outcomes.

What it is

Ghrelin is best known as the hunger hormone, but it also tells the pituitary to release growth hormone. Ipamorelin was designed in the 1990s to activate the GH-release side while barely touching the hunger side. Older secretagogues such as GHRP-6 and GHRP-2 also release cortisol and prolactin, and GHRP-6 causes intense hunger. Ipamorelin largely doesn’t. That selectivity is why it’s considered the cleanest peptide in its class.

How it works

Injected under the skin. Blood levels peak at about 25 minutes.

GHS-R1a on pituitary somatotrophs is activated.

GH pulse peaks at about 40 minutes and is back to baseline within about 3 hours.

IGF-1 released by the liver to carry out growth and repair.

Synergy. GHRH primes the pituitary and Ipamorelin amplifies the release, so combined they give a bigger pulse.

What the research shows

In people. Pharmacokinetic studies and a Phase II trial confirmed that Ipamorelin raises GH in humans and is well tolerated, without the cortisol and prolactin rises of older secretagogues¹. It was investigated for restoring gut function after surgery, but development stopped before approval. The human data show that it releases GH, not that it improves body composition or ageing.

In animals. Dose-dependent GH release, weight gain and longitudinal bone growth, all consistent with a genuine GH effect¹.

It’s the best-tolerated peptide in its class, but not risk-free.

Evidence at a glance

Use	Grade	Best evidence	Main gap	Read
Raises GH	BHuman trials	Confirmed release, well tolerated¹	Small, never approved	Real, clean
Selectivity	BHuman trials	No meaningful cortisol, prolactin or hunger¹	—	Key advantage
Recovery, body composition	DCommunity use	Community reports	No outcome trial	Plausible
Bone growth, weight	ELab & animal	Seen in animals¹	Animal only	Supportive

Dosing: what has been reported

Not a recommendation. These figures describe what was studied or what circulates in practice, kept separate so you can see how solid each one is. Speak with a qualified clinician before acting on any of it.

Setting	Figure	Route	Grade
Published human	IV and SC research doses used to map the GH response; no maintenance schedule¹	IV / SC	B
Clinic off-label	200–300 mcg per injection, 1–2 times daily, with CJC-1295	Subcutaneous	C
Community	100–300 mcg, 1–3 times daily, on an empty stomach; bedtime or after training; 8–12-week cycles	Subcutaneous	D
Community stack	100 mcg + 100 mcg CJC-1295 (no DAC) in one syringe	Subcutaneous	D

About 100 mcg per pulse is roughly saturating. Avoid food for around 30 minutes on either side of the injection, because carbohydrates and fat blunt the release.

Preparing & storing

Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water and refrigerate. It mixes and stores well with CJC-1295, and the two are often drawn into the same syringe.

Reported side effects

Brief head flush or head rush
Occasional mild headache or light-headedness
Injection-site redness; drowsiness at bedtime
Mild water retention, less than with injected GH

Worth tracking: IGF-1 and fasting glucose at baseline and after 6–12 weeks.

Who should avoid it

Active or past cancer (IGF-1 is a growth signal)
Diabetes or insulin resistance: monitor glucose
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, pituitary disorders
Tested athletes: WADA prohibited, detectable

Regulatory status checked Oct 2026

Body	Status	Detail
FDA (US)	Not approved	Placed on the restricted Category 2 compounding list in 2023.
EMA (EU)	Not approved	No marketing authorisation.
CDSCO (India)	Not approved	No approval identified.
WADA	Prohibited	GH secretagogues and ghrelin mimetics, at all times.

The NexGen read

A confirmed, clean GH pulse

Ipamorelin reliably triggers your own GH without the baggage of older secretagogues, and human data back that up. Whether that pulse becomes better recovery or body composition hasn’t been measured. Since US pharmacies can no longer compound it, batch testing matters.

References

Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552–561. PMID 9849822