What CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin is and what it is studied for
CJC-1295 without DAC is a growth-hormone-releasing-hormone (GHRH) analogue — it tells the pituitary it is time to release GH. Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-mimetic (a GHRP) that triggers the pulse CJC-1295 primed, without meaningfully raising cortisol or prolactin the way older GHRPs do. Given together at bedtime, fasted, they produce a pulsatile release that supports the body's own rhythm rather than overriding it; the "no DAC" version specifically is what keeps the release pulsatile instead of constant.
The research interest is sleep depth, recovery between training sessions, and body-composition support over a full cycle — not rapid change, and not a substitute for training or sleep hygiene. It is a steady-rhythm protocol: one step up in week 3, then the same dose to the end.
Who it suits — and who should not run it
Written for adult women and men who already train with intent and want the recovery and sleep side of the GH axis supported, and who can keep a two-hour fasted window before bed five nights a week. It is nightly and cumulative — not something to start mid-week to try out. The house exclusions:
Not for
- Active cancer, or a cancer history within the last 5 years — GH secretagogues are growth signals.
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy — GH pulses can worsen active retinal disease.
- Pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy.
- Under 18.
- Uncontrolled diabetes — GH is insulin-antagonistic; this needs settling first, with the prescriber.
The house protocol
Two pens: CJC-1295 (no DAC) 5 mg at 16.7 mcg per click, and Ipamorelin 10 mg at 33.3 mcg per click — one pen = 300 clicks in each case. Both are injected subcutaneously at bedtime in the abdomen or outer thigh, rotating sites, back to back in the same area or up to 10 minutes apart. Five nights a week, every week: choose Sunday–Thursday or Monday–Friday and keep the same five nights for the whole cycle so the two off-nights give the pituitary a consistent rest.
Fasted matters more here than with almost any other compound: nothing but water for 2 hours before the shot, and no carbohydrate or fat afterwards. Food — especially carbs — blunts the very pulse you are injecting for.
| Pen | Dose per injection | Clicks | Frequency | Timing | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJC-1295 (no DAC) 5 mg (16.7 mcg/click) | 100 mcg | 6 | 5 nights a week | Bedtime, fasted 2 h | Weeks 1–12 — constant |
| Ipamorelin 10 mg (33.3 mcg/click) | 100 mcg | 3 | 5 nights a week | Bedtime, with the CJC-1295 | Weeks 1–2 — ramp-in |
| Ipamorelin 10 mg | 200 mcg | 6 | 5 nights a week | Bedtime, with the CJC-1295 | Weeks 3–12 — hold |
Pens per cycle: 2 CJC-1295 pens (240 clicks left at the end) and 2 Ipamorelin pens (270 clicks left) — the leftovers cover most of a second cycle's start. Hold the Ipamorelin ramp-in dose for the full two weeks even if it feels comfortable early; this is about the routine, not the ceiling.
If tingling hands, water retention or a mild carpal-tunnel feeling shows up in weeks 1–3, drop Ipamorelin back to 3 clicks (keep CJC-1295 at 6) until it settles and try the step-up in week 4 instead. Keep both pens in the fridge between uses.
Week by week — what people typically notice and when
| When | What is typically reported |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | The routine settles. Sleep depth is usually the first thing noticed — often within the first one to two weeks. A head rush or warmth right after the shot, and hunger after the Ipamorelin dose, are expected effects of a fast subcutaneous pulse. |
| Weeks 2–4 | Recovery between sessions starts to improve — less next-day soreness, faster readiness to train hard again. |
| Weeks 6–12 | Skin quality and body-composition changes, where they occur, show up in this window — slower and more gradual than sleep and recovery, and best judged against the week-6 and week-12 labs rather than the mirror. |
Resistance training three to four times a week, matched to the dosing nights so recovery from each session lands on a dosing night. Keep the same load and progression you would use without the pen. Sleep hygiene multiplies the effect: a dark, cool room and the phone off well before bed — a late, lit-up bedtime blunts the same natural pulse the protocol is built around.
Labs we ask for before and during
| Marker | When | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|
| IGF-1 | Baseline · week 6 · week 12 | Direct readout of the GH pulse; the target stays within the age reference range — above it means reduce, not "more is better" |
| Fasting glucose + HbA1c | Baseline · week 12 | GH release is insulin-antagonistic; the check that matters most alongside IGF-1 |
| Lipid panel | Baseline · week 12 | General metabolic context over the cycle |
| Cystatin C (never creatinine alone) | Baseline · week 12 | Kidney measure not distorted by muscle or creatine |
| TSH | Baseline | Thyroid context before a hormone-adjacent protocol |
| Prolactin, cortisol | Baseline | Ipamorelin is selective for GH; a baseline confirms both stay where they should |
Draw fasting, same time of day, before a dosing night rather than the morning after one. Unusual thirst or fatigue between draws is a reason to get a fasting glucose checked sooner rather than waiting. Protein 1.6–2.0 g per kg across the day's earlier meals; carbohydrate earlier in the evening rather than cut from the day.
Stacking: what it pairs with
This pairing is the usual recovery and lean-mass partner to a fat-loss cycle on retatrutide or tirzepatide, because it works on a different axis and does not touch the gut. It is not combined with tesamorelin — both are GHRH analogues asking the same pituitary for the same pulse; pick one. Tesamorelin is the choice when visceral fat is the specific target; CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin when sleep and recovery are.
For repair, the Wolverine pen runs alongside without interaction. Any stack keeps IGF-1 and the glucose markers on the calendar, which is why GH-axis stacks belong in a personalised protocol.
Common mistakes
- Eating before the shot. Carbohydrate or fat within two hours of the injection flattens the pulse. Water only.
- Eating after it. The hunger spike after Ipamorelin is the point of a ghrelin-mimetic; sleep through it and it is gone by morning.
- Using the DAC version. CJC-1295 with DAC gives a constant elevation, not a pulse. The house protocol is no-DAC only.
- Shifting the dosing nights around. Pick Sunday–Thursday or Monday–Friday and keep it for 12 weeks.
- Chasing a higher IGF-1. The target is inside the age reference range. Above it is a reason to reduce.
- Stepping Ipamorelin up early. Week 3, not week 2 — and later if tingling or water retention showed up.
Frequently asked questions
How many clicks of CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin per night?
CJC-1295 (no DAC) is 6 clicks (100 mcg) every dosing night for the whole cycle. Ipamorelin is 3 clicks (100 mcg) in weeks 1–2, then 6 clicks (200 mcg) from week 3 to week 12.
Why does the protocol use CJC-1295 without DAC?
The no-DAC version is short-acting, so the GH release stays pulsatile and timed to the pre-sleep pulse. The DAC version produces a constant elevation, which is the opposite of what this pairing is designed around.
How long before bed should I inject, and do I need to be fasted?
At bedtime, with nothing but water for 2 hours beforehand and no carbohydrate or fat afterwards. The fasted window is the single biggest lever on whether the pulse looks like the one the protocol is built for.
How many pens does a 12-week CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin cycle take?
Two CJC-1295 pens and two Ipamorelin pens. About 240 clicks of CJC-1295 and 270 clicks of Ipamorelin are left at the end, enough to start a second cycle.
Which labs matter most on a CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin protocol?
IGF-1 at baseline, week 6 and week 12, kept within the age reference range, and fasting glucose with HbA1c at baseline and week 12. Cystatin C, a lipid panel, TSH, prolactin and cortisol complete the baseline.
Want this written for your body, not the average one?
The personal research protocol (€399, follow-up included) takes your intake, puts it through human review, and returns a short results version plus the full clinical document — then a free coach call on WhatsApp to walk it through and read your labs against the plan.
Build my protocol Book a 15-minute call