Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 (without DAC) are almost always run together rather than alone. They act on two different receptors in the pituitary, and firing both at the same moment produces a growth hormone pulse several times larger than either peptide can generate on its own. This guide covers the mechanism, the exact reconstitution math, injection timing, and the fasting rules that make or break the protocol.
Why the Two Peptides Are Stacked
CJC-1295 without DAC (also sold as Modified GRF 1-29) is a growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) analog. It binds GHRH receptors on somatotroph cells in the anterior pituitary and tells them to synthesize and release growth hormone. Its half-life is roughly 30 minutes, close to natural GHRH, so the signal is a discrete pulse rather than a sustained elevation.
Ipamorelin is a growth hormone releasing peptide (GHRP), a selective pentapeptide agonist at the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a). It amplifies pituitary GH output and simultaneously suppresses somatostatin, the hormone that brakes GH release. Because ipamorelin is highly selective, it raises GH with minimal effect on cortisol, prolactin, or ACTH, which is what separates it from older GHRPs like GHRP-2 and GHRP-6.
Running both together means you are pushing the accelerator (GHRH signal) while releasing the brake (somatostatin suppression) in the same window. Published work on GHRH analogs combined with a GHRP shows the combined pulse substantially exceeds the sum of each agent given separately.
Standard Doses and Cadence
- CJC-1295 without DAC: 100 mcg per injection, 1 to 2 times daily
- Ipamorelin: 100 to 300 mcg per injection, most commonly 200 mcg, matched to each CJC-1295 injection
- Most common cadence: once daily, 30 to 60 minutes before sleep
- Two-a-day option: pre-bed plus pre-workout, both in a fasted state
- Cycle length: 8 to 16 weeks on, followed by a 4-week break to limit pituitary desensitization
A useful rule of thumb from research protocols is roughly 1 mcg per kg of bodyweight per injection for each peptide, which lands most adults between 70 and 100 mcg of CJC-1295 and 100 to 200 mcg of ipamorelin. Going far above 300 mcg of ipamorelin does not reliably produce a larger pulse, because the pituitary pool of releasable GH is finite in any single pulse.
Reconstitution: Exact Volumes and Unit Math
Both peptides ship as lyophilized powder and are reconstituted with bacteriostatic water. The most practical approach is to reconstitute each to 1 mg/mL (1,000 mcg/mL), because at that concentration 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe equals 10 mcg, and no conversion arithmetic is needed at injection time.
- CJC-1295 2 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water = 1 mg/mL, so a 100 mcg dose is 10 units
- Ipamorelin 5 mg vial + 5 mL BAC water = 1 mg/mL, so a 200 mcg dose is 20 units
- Ipamorelin 5 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water = 2.5 mg/mL, so a 200 mcg dose is 8 units
- Ipamorelin 10 mg vial + 5 mL BAC water = 2 mg/mL, so a 200 mcg dose is 10 units
Note that a 2 mL fill on a 5 mg ipamorelin vial produces a more concentrated solution and smaller draw volumes, which some researchers prefer to reduce injection volume. The tradeoff is less margin for error: at 2.5 mg/mL, a 1-unit misread is 25 mcg instead of 10 mcg. If you are new to the protocol, use the 1 mg/mL fill.
Rather than doing this arithmetic by hand, enter your vial size, BAC water volume, and target dose into the PeptiTools reconstitution calculator. It renders the exact draw on a live syringe diagram, which removes the most common source of dosing error.
Step-by-Step Injection Protocol
- Reconstitute each peptide separately. Inject BAC water slowly down the inner glass wall of the vial, never directly onto the powder, and swirl gently until clear. Do not shake.
- Label both vials with the reconstitution date. Refrigerate at 2 to 8 degrees C.
- Confirm you are at least 2 hours past your last meal.
- Swab both vial stoppers with alcohol and let them air dry.
- Draw the ipamorelin dose first, then draw the CJC-1295 dose into the same syringe. Mixing in the barrel immediately before injection is standard practice.
- Inject subcutaneously into abdominal fat, at least 2 inches from the navel, using a 29 to 31 gauge insulin syringe.
- Rotate injection sites between doses to avoid local lipohypertrophy.
- Wait 20 to 30 minutes before eating anything.
Timing: Why Pre-Bed Wins
Growth hormone is released in pulses across the day, and the single largest natural pulse occurs shortly after the onset of slow-wave sleep. Injecting 30 to 60 minutes before bed stacks the peptide-driven pulse on top of that natural pulse rather than competing with it. This is also why users commonly report deeper sleep in the first 2 weeks, GH and slow-wave sleep are bidirectionally linked.
If you run twice daily, the second injection is typically pre-workout, 30 minutes before training and still fasted. Avoid injecting within 2 hours of a large meal at any time of day, since insulin will neutralize the pulse regardless of how much peptide is in the syringe.
What to Expect and What to Monitor
Effects are gradual and cumulative, not acute. Sleep quality typically shifts within 1 to 2 weeks. Recovery and joint comfort commonly change between weeks 4 and 8. Body composition changes (lean mass retention, gradual fat reduction) generally take 8 to 12 weeks to be subjectively obvious. Anyone expecting the acute effects of exogenous HGH will be disappointed, this protocol amplifies endogenous production and is correspondingly slower.
Serum IGF-1 is the standard biomarker for confirming the protocol is working, since IGF-1 is produced by the liver in response to GH and has a much more stable serum level than GH itself. Baseline IGF-1 before starting and a repeat draw at week 8 gives a usable signal. Fasting glucose and HbA1c are worth watching as well, because sustained GH elevation can mildly reduce insulin sensitivity.
Side Effects and Common Mistakes
- Transient tingling or flushing in hands and face during the first few days, usually self-resolving
- Mild headache in week 1
- Water retention and morning hand stiffness, typically dose-dependent and a signal to reduce ipamorelin toward 100 mcg
- Injecting after a meal, the single most common reason a protocol produces no perceptible effect
- Confusing CJC-1295 with DAC for the without-DAC form: the DAC version has a roughly 7-day half-life and produces continuous GH elevation rather than pulses, which is a different protocol entirely
- Running continuously past 16 weeks without a break, which risks reduced pituitary responsiveness
If you are still building confidence in reading draw volumes, work through the insulin syringe reading guide before your first injection. Misreading a U-100 scale is far more common than any pharmacological problem with these peptides.
Legal and Research Status
Neither ipamorelin nor CJC-1295 without DAC is FDA-approved. Both are sold for research purposes only. Both are prohibited in competition and out of competition by WADA under the peptide hormones and growth factors category, and both are detectable by mass spectrometry for days to weeks after last use. Anyone subject to drug testing should treat this stack as disqualifying.