# Ipamorelin — dosage, half-life & reference guide | PepVault

Source: https://pepvault.app/peptides/ipamorelin

Last updated: 2026-10-12

[Library](https://pepvault.app/peptides) [Growth hormone](https://pepvault.app/peptides#growth-hormone) reviewed October 2026

# Ipamorelin Dosage, half-life & reference guide

Also known as IPAM

Considered the 'cleanest' growth hormone stimulator: in animal studies it triggers the pituitary to release GH without raising cortisol, a side effect common with other GH peptides.

- **Studied range:** 200–300 mcg starting dose 200 mcg
- **How often:** 2–3× daily
- **Half-life:** ~2 hours
- **Evidence:** Moderate
- **Routes:** SubQ, IM

Studied in research — not a recommendation.

[Ipamorelin dose guide](https://pepvault.app/lab/dosage/ipamorelin)

## How it works.

Selective growth hormone secretagogue and ghrelin receptor agonist. In animal studies it released GH without raising cortisol or ACTH, and users report milder hunger than with GHRP-6. Considered one of the cleanest GH pulses available.

**Commonly reported:** Deeper sleep and vivid dreams first, then better recovery, skin quality and gradual body-composition changes, with milder hunger than GHRP-6. Its human data are a small GH study and phase 2 trials in surgical patients; it was never approved.

### Half-life & active level

The half-life of Ipamorelin is ~2 hours (measured in healthy men, given IV).

Here's how a typical Ipamorelin schedule plays out over 48 hours (one-compartment estimate).

An estimate from the half-life above, not a measurement. See your own curve build live in [the half-life calculator](https://pepvault.app/tools/peptide-half-life-calculator).

## Where Ipamorelin works.

- ### Brain, nerves & sleep

  **Reported by users.** Commonly reported first: deeper sleep, with vivid dreams this week, especially with a bedtime dose.
- ### Appetite & metabolism

  **Reported by users.** Some report measurable fat loss and easier joints.
- ### Muscle

  **Reported by users.** Commonly reported now: faster recovery from training, a shorter soreness window and less stiffness after hard sessions.

An area lights for what a peptide is used for and what people report, with the evidence beside it. It isn’t a promise that it works there.

## Week by week.

What to expect in the first 8 weeks

- **Onset:** 1–2 weeks
- **Peak effect:** 8–12 weeks
- **Duration:** 8–16 weeks

1. Day 1–14 Community

   ### Sleep is deepening

   Commonly reported first: deeper sleep, with vivid dreams this week, especially with a bedtime dose. It's usually the earliest sign users notice.

   The science

   Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist that released GH without raising cortisol or ACTH in animal studies (Raun 1998). Bedtime dosing aims at the natural GH peak during slow-wave sleep. No sleep study has tested ipamorelin; the sleep effect is what users report first.

   Sources

   - Raun et al. (1998)

   Updated Sep 2026
2. Day 14–28 Community

   ### Recovery is noticeably faster

   Commonly reported now: faster recovery from training, a shorter soreness window and less stiffness after hard sessions.

   The science

   No human IGF-1 data exist for ipamorelin; the goal users describe is pulsatile GH, not a large IGF-1 rise. Mild water retention or hand and joint stiffness are the commonly reported signs of too much.

   Updated Sep 2026
3. Day 28–56 Community

   ### Body composition shifts showing up

   Commonly reported in weeks 4 to 8: visible body-composition changes and better skin, a subtle but real shift that friends often start noticing.

   The science

   No controlled human body-composition trial of ipamorelin exists; this timing comes from community reports.

   Updated Sep 2026
4. Day 56–84 Community

   ### Cycle-end + planned break

   Many users cycle here, taking 4–8 weeks off before the next run — the convention is conservative rather than data-driven. Ipamorelin's selective signature means desensitization risk is theoretical, not documented in humans. Hold, taper to maintenance, or break — all defensible given how thin the long-term data is. Many find gains hold when sleep, training and nutrition stay in place.

   The science

   Receptor desensitization concerns are theoretical — no published human data confirms it — but the break convention exists because continuous ghrelin-receptor stimulation has been shown to desensitize in other contexts. Conservative approach is worth it to preserve future responsiveness.

   Sources

   - Ishida et al. (2020)

   Updated Apr 2026
5. Any day Clinical

   ### What Ipamorelin is built on

   Ipamorelin has phase 1 human data on GH release and phase 2 safety data from surgical trials. Its clean signature, with no cortisol rise in animal studies, is what makes it the go-to selective GH secretagogue. Body-composition effects are community-reported.

   The science

   A phase 1 study in healthy men showed GH release at every IV dose tested (Gobburu 1999). Helsinn's phase 2 trial for postoperative ileus missed its key endpoint (Beck 2014) and development stopped; no reason was published. FDA lists ipamorelin acetate in compounding category 2, citing a published report of serious adverse events, including a death, with IV use for gut motility. Remains investigational/research-use-only in the US.

   Sources

   - Gobburu et al. (1999)
   - Beck et al. (2014)
   - Raun et al. (1998)

   Updated Sep 2026
6. With CJC-1295 no DAC Community

   ### The core GH stack

   The classic GH stack: CJC-1295 amplifies each GH pulse and ipamorelin triggers it, so together they give a larger pulse than either alone, without the cortisol rise of other GHRPs. Commonly reported: deeper sleep and better recovery than either alone.

   The science

   Mechanism: a GHRH (CJC) plus a GHRP (Ipa) releases more GH than the sum of each alone, a synergy well established for the drug classes in general. CJC-1295 with DAC raised GH 2- to 10-fold for 6+ days after one injection (Teichman 2006); the no-DAC form used in this stack hasn't been studied in humans, and no trial has tested this specific combination.

   Sources

   - Teichman et al. (2006)
   - Ishida et al. (2020)

   Updated Sep 2026
7. Any day Clinical

   ### Where Ipamorelin sits in the GH family

   Ipamorelin is the GHRP — the trigger that fires a GH pulse — and it's the cleanest one in the family: in animal studies it released GH without the cortisol rise that GHRP-6 and GHRP-2 cause. That selectivity is why it's the default partner for a GHRH like CJC-1295 rather than the stronger-but-messier secretagogues. You trade some peak output for a much tidier hormonal profile.

   The science

   Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist that released GH without raising ACTH or cortisol in swine (Raun et al. 1998) — distinguishing it from GHRP-2, GHRP-6 (appetite + cortisol) and hexarelin (potent, on par with GHRP-2 in humans, with partial, reversible tolerance on chronic use). Paired with a GHRH analog it amplifies pulse amplitude.

   Sources

   - Raun et al. (1998)

   Updated Sep 2026

Day 1 is the day you start it.

Phase 1 data on GH release (Gobburu 1999). Sleep, recovery and body-composition timelines are community-reported.

Moderate evidence

## Mixing and a typical run.

Example numbers

### Reconstitution example

Reconstitute a 5 mg vial of Ipamorelin with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water and a 200 mcg dose is 8 units on a U-100 syringe, about 25 doses per vial.

- **Vial:** 5 mg
- **Water:** 2 mL
- **Amount:** 200 mcg

Draw to **8 units**

0.3 mL insulin syringe · 30 units

[Mix it in the Reconstitution Lab](https://pepvault.app/lab) [Open the calculator](https://pepvault.app/tools/reconstitution-calculator)

### Run notes

- **Cycle:** Commonly 8–12 weeks on, 4 weeks off to avoid receptor desensitisation. Some run longer with breaks. Community practice — opinions vary. Not a clinical recommendation.
- **Timing:** Best fasted or 2h post-meal. Pre-sleep dose popular for GH pulse timing.
- **Routes:** SubQ injection, IM injection
- **Stacks:** CJC-1295 no DAC, BPC-157, Sermorelin

## Safety.

### Common side effects

- Headache
- Flushing
- Nausea
- Water retention
- Numbness/tingling

#### Interactions

No formal human drug-interaction studies exist. The main mechanism-based consideration is glucose: because GH can reduce insulin sensitivity, combining with insulin or antidiabetic agents is worth clinician-guided glucose monitoring. It is classically stacked with a GHRH analog (CJC-1295) for amplified GH release — no combination-specific human interaction data exists. No documented interaction with SSRIs, anticoagulants, or thyroid medication; raise all medications with your clinician.

### Safety notes

Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor / GH-secretagogue pentapeptide; published pharmacology emphasizes its selectivity — unlike GHRP-2/GHRP-6 it did not raise ACTH or cortisol in animal studies (none of the three changed FSH, LH, prolactin or TSH there); human data cover GH only. FDA lists ipamorelin acetate in compounding category 2, citing a possible risk of immune reactions and a published report of serious adverse events, including a death, when it was given intravenously for gut motility. Reported/observed effects relate to GH/IGF-1 elevation: transient water retention, headache, flushing, and — because GH affects insulin sensitivity — possible glucose changes, plus carpal-tunnel-like symptoms or joint discomfort with sustained GH exposure. Human data remain limited and long-term safety is not established; most effects are described as reversible on cessation. Discuss glucose-relevant monitoring with your clinician.

## Goes with.

- [CJC-1295 no DAC](https://pepvault.app/peptides/cjc-1295-no-dac)
- [BPC-157](https://pepvault.app/peptides/bpc-157)
- [Sermorelin](https://pepvault.app/peptides/sermorelin)

- ### In the GH Pulse + Repair stack

  Body composition, GH optimization & recovery

  With [CJC-1295 no DAC](https://pepvault.app/peptides/cjc-1295-no-dac) and [BPC-157](https://pepvault.app/peptides/bpc-157)
- ### In the CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin stack

  Classic GH pulse stack — CJC-1295 no DAC + Ipamorelin

  With [CJC-1295 no DAC](https://pepvault.app/peptides/cjc-1295-no-dac)

## Compared with.

- [CJC-1295 no DAC vs Ipamorelin](https://pepvault.app/peptides/compare/cjc-1295-no-dac-vs-ipamorelin)
- [Ipamorelin vs Sermorelin](https://pepvault.app/peptides/compare/ipamorelin-vs-sermorelin)
- [Ipamorelin vs MK-677](https://pepvault.app/peptides/compare/ipamorelin-vs-mk-677)

## Questions people ask.

### What is Ipamorelin?

Considered the 'cleanest' growth hormone stimulator: in animal studies it triggers the pituitary to release GH without raising cortisol, a side effect common with other GH peptides.

### How is Ipamorelin dosed in research?

The research range for Ipamorelin is 200–300 mcg, with a 200 mcg starting dose. 2–3x daily, best fasted or before bed. Studied in research — not a recommendation.

### How long does Ipamorelin last?

The half-life of Ipamorelin is ~2 hours (measured in healthy men, given IV).

### What do people report on Ipamorelin?

Commonly reported on Ipamorelin: deeper sleep and vivid dreams first, then better recovery, skin quality and gradual body-composition changes, with milder hunger than GHRP-6. Its human data are a small GH study and phase 2 trials in surgical patients; it was never approved.

### Is Ipamorelin safe?

The research basis for Ipamorelin is moderate: animal studies + some human data. Common side effects in the library: headache, flushing, nausea, water retention and numbness/tingling.

### What does Ipamorelin stack with?

Common stacks for Ipamorelin: CJC-1295 no DAC, BPC-157 and Sermorelin. Curated stacks with Ipamorelin: GH Pulse + Repair and CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin.

## Research.

The literature

### Search the latest research

[PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Ipamorelin) [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Ipamorelin)

Guide

### [What to take alongside each peptide](https://pepvault.app/guides/what-to-take-with-peptides)

Read the guide

## Reference.

- **Cadence:** 2–3× daily 2–3x daily, best fasted or before bed
- **Half-life:** ~2 hours ~2 hours (measured in healthy men, given IV)
- **Research basis:** Moderate Animal studies + some human data

## More growth hormone peptides

- [CJC-1295 with DAC 1–2 mg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/cjc-1295-with-dac)
- [Tesamorelin 1–2 mg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/tesamorelin)
- [GHRP-2 100–300 mcg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/ghrp-2)
- [GHRP-6 100–300 mcg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/ghrp-6)
- [Hexarelin 100–200 mcg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/hexarelin)
- [MK-677 10–25 mg](https://pepvault.app/peptides/mk-677)

## Free tools

- [Ipamorelin dose guide](https://pepvault.app/lab/dosage/ipamorelin)
- [Reconstitution Lab (3D)](https://pepvault.app/lab)
- [Injection guide (3D)](https://pepvault.app/lab/injection)
- [Peptide Sky (3D)](https://pepvault.app/lab/sky)
- [Peptide tier list](https://pepvault.app/lab/tiers)
- [Reconstitution calculator](https://pepvault.app/tools/reconstitution-calculator)
- [Half-life & active level](https://pepvault.app/tools/peptide-half-life-calculator)

PepVault for iPhone

## Track Ipamorelin in PepVault

Log every dose, keep your vial and the doses left in it and watch its estimated active level. 7 days free on the yearly plan for new subscribers.

[Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6779318649?pt=129020030&ct=peptides-cta&mt=8)

[Open the calculator](https://pepvault.app/tools/reconstitution-calculator) [How the vial count works](https://pepvault.app/peptide-vial-tracker-app) [Explore the live demo](https://pepvault.app/login)

Reviewed October 2026 [How we check the library](https://pepvault.app/about#library)

PepVault is a research and tracking resource, not medical advice. Ranges are what studies used, never a dose for you. Brand names are trademarks of their owners; PepVault is independent of them.

PepVault is a private research and tracking tool, not medical advice. The information here is reference material from published literature and community use — always verify it and discuss any protocol with a qualified clinician before changing it.

© 2026 PepVault