Ipamorelin + CJC-1295 · GH-secretagogue stack
The default growth-hormone secretagogue stack. CJC-1295 primes pituitary somatotrophs via GHRH; ipamorelin triggers the pulse via the ghrelin axis. Combination produces larger GH bursts than either alone.
Mechanism rationale
Two independently-regulated pathways drive GH release. CJC-1295 is a GHRH analog (with or without DAC for half-life extension) that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs. Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor agonist that binds GHSR. Stacking them produces synergistic GH release because the somatotrophs are primed (by CJC) and triggered (by ipamorelin) on different receptor systems simultaneously. Older GHRPs (GHRP-6, GHRP-2) work similarly but bump cortisol + appetite; ipamorelin's selectivity is why it became the default ghrelin-side component in modern stacks.
Standard dose schedule
100 to 300 mcg ipamorelin combined with 100 to 200 mcg CJC-1295 (no DAC) per dose, sub-q. No-DAC version is dosed 1 to 3 times per day (morning fasted, post-workout, before bed are common slots). With-DAC version: 1 to 2 mg CJC-1295 once or twice per week + ipamorelin daily. Cycles run 8 to 16 weeks continuous, then 4-week break. Reconstitution: 5 mg vials of each in 2 to 5 mL bacteriostatic water.
Not medical advice. Reconstitution math at /tools/reconstitution-calculator.
The honest read
Both compounds individually have small-trial data showing measurable GH + IGF-1 elevation. Combined-stack data in formal trials is essentially absent; the synergy claim rests on mechanism + community reports. The lean-mass / fat-loss claims downstream of GH elevation are real but modest in adults compared to direct HGH administration. The 'safer than HGH' framing is fair on a per-dose basis (preserves natural pulsatile pattern + somatostatin feedback) but doesn't translate to 'risk-free at multi-month duration'.
What both compounds share
Sustained IGF-1 elevation has theoretical cancer-promotion concerns; the literature is mixed but anyone with active or recent cancer should avoid GH-axis manipulation. Insulin sensitivity can decrease at higher doses. Carpal tunnel + edema from fluid retention is reported at the upper end of dose ranges. Long-term safety beyond 12 to 18 months is uncharacterised. Pregnancy + breastfeeding off-limits.
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Last reviewed 2026-04-29. Stack pages refresh when literature, supply, or community practice shifts materially. Email partner@panya.health if you spot something we have wrong.