Source comparison
CJC-1295 No DAC & Ipamorelin vs GHRP-2 Acetate: Research Compound Comparison
Mechanism GHRH analog. Amplifies endogenous GH pulse by binding to GHRH receptors on pituitary somatotrophs Selective ghrelin receptor agonist. Triggers GH release without activating hunger or stress pathways Non-selective ghrelin receptor agonist. Triggers GH
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- Mechanism
- GHRH analog. Amplifies endogenous GH pulse by binding to GHRH receptors on pituitary somatotrophs
- Selective ghrelin receptor agonist. Triggers GH release without activating hunger or stress pathways
- Non-selective ghrelin receptor agonist. Triggers GH release plus ACTH, cortisol, and prolactin elevation
- CJC-1295/Ipamorelin combination targets GH pathways selectively; GHRP-2 produces broader hormonal activation with more side effects
- Dosing Frequency
- 100–200 mcg once weekly (extended half-life sustains effect 6–8 days)
- 100–200 mcg 1–2× daily (short half-life requires frequent dosing for sustained effect)
- 100–300 mcg 2–3× daily (short half-life demands multiple daily doses)
- CJC-1295 requires far fewer injections; Ipamorelin and GHRP-2 both demand daily dosing
- Cortisol Impact
- No measurable cortisol elevation (works through GHRH pathway, not ghrelin)
- No measurable cortisol elevation at research doses up to 200 mcg
- 15–25% cortisol elevation above baseline per dose. Cumulative catabolic stress across multi-week protocols
- GHRP-2's cortisol spikes are dose-dependent and unavoidable; CJC-1295/Ipamorelin avoids this pathway entirely
- Prolactin Impact
- No prolactin activation
- No prolactin activation at standard doses
- 10–20% prolactin elevation per dose. Chronic elevation suppresses dopamine and can reduce libido, mood, and motivation
- Prolactin dysregulation is a primary reason for GHRP-2 discontinuation; Ipamorelin engineered specifically to avoid this
- GH Pulse Amplitude
- Moderate (amplifies natural pulse without initiating it)
- Moderate to strong (initiates pulse but weaker than GHRP-2 alone)
- Very strong (produces 5–10× baseline GH within 30 minutes)
- GHRP-2 produces highest single-dose GH spike; CJC-1295/Ipamorelin combination produces more sustained elevation when dosed together
- Appetite Effects
- None (no ghrelin pathway activation)
- None (selective agonism avoids hunger signaling)
- Strong appetite increase within 60–90 minutes post-injection (ghrelin receptor activation drives hunger)
- GHRP-2's ghrelin activity makes it unsuitable for fat-loss-focused protocols; CJC-1295/Ipamorelin stack has no appetite disruption
- Best Research Application
- Long-term GH amplification protocols where dosing simplicity and clean hormonal profile matter
- Pulsatile GH initiation without cortisol or appetite side effects. Ideal for stacking with CJC-1295 no DAC
- Acute GH response studies or short-term protocols where maximum single-dose GH spike is the priority
- CJC-1295/Ipamorelin wins for 8–12 week sustained-use protocols; GHRP-2 suited for acute measurement studies