Ipamorelin
Selective ghrelin receptor (GHSR) agonist · GHRP
- Class
- GHRP
- Half-life
- ~2 hours
- Route
- Subcutaneous (SubQ)
- Cadence
- Daily
- Evidence
- Mixed / early human
Overview
Ipamorelin is a small peptide that asks your pituitary gland to release a brief burst of growth hormone — basically nudging your body to do what it already does naturally during deep sleep. It's a cleaner version of older drugs (GHRP-6, GHRP-2) that did the same thing but came with cortisol and prolactin spikes; ipamorelin skips those side effects.
Almost always stacked with CJC-1295 (the no-DAC version) because the two work on different receptors and amplify each other — you get a bigger, cleaner GH pulse than either alone. The GH pulse itself is brief (60-90 minutes) which is closer to natural physiology than the sustained GH elevation you get from injected HGH.
Real-world use is mostly off-label, for body composition, recovery, and sleep quality. Most evidence is small studies plus animal pharmacology — there's no big randomised trial that says "take this for fat loss." Veterinary use (capromorelin, a related molecule) is approved for stimulating appetite in dogs.
Safety considerations
A few of the safety signals worth knowing — the full list, with dosing context and what to monitor, is inside AIx Core.
- Not approved for human use. The PK and long-term safety data is much thinner than for approved drugs.
- Hits the ghrelin receptor, so it can cause transient hunger and some water retention — usually mild.
- Sustained GH/IGF-1 elevation has theoretical risks: insulin resistance over months, and possible growth of pre-existing tumours. Bloodwork at baseline + every 3-6 months is sensible.
+ 3 more safety notes inside AIx Core →
Commonly monitored
Markers and signals people track when researching Ipamorelin.
- IGF-1 (best single marker of whether the dose is doing anything)
- Fasting glucose / HbA1c — GH elevations push insulin resistance up over time
- Body composition — DEXA or consistent measurements over months
- Sleep quality (most people report deeper sleep with bedtime dosing)
- Carpal tunnel / wrist or finger tingling (a known side effect at higher doses)
Frequently asked questions
What is Ipamorelin?
Selective ghrelin receptor (GHSR) agonist · GHRP. Ipamorelin is a small peptide that asks your pituitary gland to release a brief burst of growth hormone — basically nudging your body to do what it already does naturally during deep sleep. It's a cleaner version of older drugs (GHRP-6, GHRP-2) that did the same thing but came with cortisol and prolactin spikes; ipamorelin skips those side effects.
How is Ipamorelin administered?
Subcutaneous (SubQ), typically daily.
What is the half-life of Ipamorelin?
~2 hours — Short blood half-life; GH pulse peaks at ~30-60 min and returns to baseline within 2-3 hours.
Is Ipamorelin approved for human use?
Ipamorelin is investigational — not approved by the FDA, EMA, or MHRA for human use at the time of writing.
What does the evidence show for Ipamorelin?
Evidence tier: Mixed / early human. Raun 1998 (the original pharmacology paper) established selective GHSR-1a binding with minimal prolactin/cortisol/ACTH release — that's the cleanliness selling point compared to GHRP-6.
What is commonly monitored when researching Ipamorelin?
Commonly tracked markers + signals: IGF-1 (best single marker of whether the dose is doing anything), Fasting glucose / HbA1c — GH elevations push insulin resistance up over time, Body composition — DEXA or consistent measurements over months, Sleep quality (most people report deeper sleep with bedtime dosing), Carpal tunnel / wrist or finger tingling (a known side effect at higher doses).
Related compounds
Open this in AIx Core for the full picture
Mechanism breakdown, receptor pathway diagram, full safety list, monitored items, source citations, and one-tap add-to-protocol. Free with any account.