Muscle
The GH Stack
CJC-1295 plus ipamorelin. One GHRH analogue and one ghrelin-receptor agonist, hitting two separate receptors on the same axis. The community simply calls it "the GH stack".
At a glance
- Sold as
- Separate vials
- The evidence
- This is the one combination multiple sources call mechanistically sound rather than merely non-conflicting, and that reasoning is legitimate. The human data for the pair is still zero. Every dose figure below is vendor-tier with no human trial source. CJC-1295 sits on FDA's withdrawn table and is described by the Banned Substances Control Group as continuing to be classified as a developmental drug without approved medical use; ipamorelin remains 503B Category 2, with FDA citing literature reports of serious adverse events including death when it was given intravenously for gastric motility.Combination-specific research is limited. Treat each compound’s evidence as separate unless a study of the combination itself is named here, and review the complete plan with a qualified clinician.
Running this stack, with the schedule, the vials it takes and a log of what you took, happens in the app: Claritide for iPhone.
Why people explore it
Common reasons for exploring it
- People who have run one GH-axis compound solo and understand their own response
- Anyone whose goal is body composition rather than a felt effect
- People willing to run IGF-1 and fasting glucose at baseline and mid-cycle
Where clinician input matters
- Anyone with active cancer or a cancer history
- Pituitary pathology, prior pituitary surgery or irradiation
- Diabetics and anyone on insulin or a sulfonylurea, without prescriber involvement
- Drug-tested athletes
- Pregnant or nursing, under 25
The science
Read the compound mechanisms
CJC-1295 binds the same GHRH receptors on the anterior pituitary that tesamorelin does, but with different pharmacokinetics. Without the Drug Affinity Complex, its action is short, a GH pulse of roughly 30 to 60 minutes rather than a prolonged elevation. That short window is deliberate: it is meant to be paired with a ghrelin-receptor agonist that suppresses somatostatin, so one compound presses the accelerator while the other releases the brake.
Ipamorelin activates the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R) on the pituitary. Ghrelin is the hunger hormone, and its receptor also sits on the GH release pathway, which is why this class works at all. The functional effect is suppression of somatostatin, the hormone that normally brakes GH release. Pairing it with a GHRH analog produces a larger pulse than either alone, because one compound is signalling for release while the other removes the restraint. Ipamorelin's distinguishing feature is selectivity: it hits the GH pathway without the cortisol, prolactin and appetite effects that older ghrelin mimetics produce.
Commonly researched ranges
- CJC-1295 (no DAC)100–300 mcg
- Ipamorelin200–300 mcg
| Compound | Amount | Frequency | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| CJC-1295 (no DAC) | 100–300 mcg | Per dose, AM and/or PM | Empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before food |
| Ipamorelin | 200–300 mcg | Per dose, AM and/or PM | Same window as the CJC-1295 dose, empty stomach |
- CJC-1295 (no DAC): Vendor-tier. No human trial supports this figure. The no-DAC form is what community protocols mean when they write "CJC-1295" in this pairing.
- Ipamorelin: Vendor-tier. No human trial supports this figure.
- Duration
- Community practice runs 8–12 weeks with a break. No trial defines a duration because no trial of the combination exists.
Mixing each compound
Not established in available literature. Use the figures printed on your own vial.
Not established in available literature. Use the figures printed on your own vial.
Week by week
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
- Early weeks
Sleep improvement is the most consistently reported first benefit of the CJC-1295/ipamorelin stack in our sources.
- Week 8–12
The standard cycle length at which our sources describe reassessment for body composition and recovery.
Ipamorelin
- Early weeks
Improved sleep and recovery are the first effects our sources describe, driven by amplified GH pulses during deep sleep.
- Week 4–8
Our tesamorelin page describes stack users reporting significant fat reduction beginning in this window.
What it costs
Not established in available literature for any compound in this stack. Claritide’s cost engine will track what you actually pay once you log a vial.
Cautions
- The marketing language attached to this stack is unfalsifiable. "The gold standard", "the most-researched combination in sports science literature" and "the most prescribed GH peptide combination in US telehealth" all circulate; no prescription-volume data exists publicly and none of those claims can be checked. They are not reproduced here.
- Growth-hormone-induced fluid retention is on the tesamorelin label for the class: oedema, arthralgia and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Active cancer or a cancer history is a contraindication for any GH-axis compound.
- GH raises blood glucose and reduces insulin sensitivity. Baseline and mid-cycle fasting glucose, HbA1c and IGF-1 are the minimum monitoring set.
- Increased mortality has been reported with GH-axis compounds in acute critical illness.
- Both compounds are on the WADA prohibited list under S2.2.4: GHRH analogues and GH secretagogues.
- Neither compound is lawfully compoundable in the US today.
Absence from this list does NOT mean safety. It means lack of research.
Every stack here is free to read, and it stays free. Your own schedule, vials and log live in the app: Claritide for iPhone.