Growth-Hormone-Releasing Peptides: Sermorelin, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin and Tesamorelin

Quick summary

These four peptides all aim to raise the body's own growth hormone (GH). Tesamorelin is an approved medicine (FDA) for one specific use. Sermorelin was approved in the past and is no longer marketed as an approved product. CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are investigational compounds with small studies. Evidence labels used here: approved medicine, promising but limited, insufficient evidence, no good evidence of benefit and marketing claim. Raising a hormone level is a biomarker change, not a proven health benefit.

Hormonal Signaling

Drugs of this type prompt the pituitary gland to release GH, which in turn raises IGF-1 in the blood. [1][2] Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analogue of GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) that stimulates GH secretion from the pituitary. [3] CJC-1295 and tesamorelin are also GHRH-type analogues. [2][1] Ipamorelin works differently: it is a ghrelin-receptor agonist ("ghrelin mimetic"). [4] A review of these "secretagogues" notes they promote pulsatile GH release that remains subject to negative feedback, but few long-term, rigorously controlled studies exist, and some studies show concern for higher blood glucose through reduced insulin sensitivity. [5]

Sermorelin

Sermorelin was used mainly as a diagnostic test for GH deficiency and, in limited data, to treat some children with idiopathic GH deficiency. [3] The brand product was FDA-approved in 1990 and 1997, and its manufacturer discontinued it in 2008; FDA withdrew approval in 2009 and determined this was not for reasons of safety or effectiveness. [6] The sources read here do not show an approved sermorelin use in healthy adults, so claims for "anti-aging" are a marketing claim (evidence: Proper evidence not found for healthy-adult benefit in the sources we checked). It is prohibited in sport. [7]

CJC-1295

CJC-1295 is a long-acting GHRH analogue. In two placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults aged 21 to 61, lasting 28 and 49 days, single injections raised GH 2- to 10-fold for six days or more and IGF-I 1.5- to 3-fold, and no serious adverse reactions were reported. [2] This shows a hormone effect, not a health benefit. FDA's compounding page says it identified serious adverse events associated with CJC-1295, including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction, that available clinical data are limited, and that there is immunogenicity risk. [8] Status: no approved product was found; FDA's nomination for compounding was withdrawn; prohibited in sport. [8][7] Label: insufficient evidence.

Ipamorelin

In a phase 2 trial of 117 enrolled bowel-resection patients, ipamorelin was well tolerated for up to 7 days but did not differ significantly from placebo on the main or secondary efficacy results. [4] Label: no good evidence of benefit for that condition. FDA notes a published study that reported serious adverse events including death when ipamorelin was given intravenously for gastric motility, and that it lacks safety information for other injectable routes. [8] Also prohibited in sport. [7]

Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin (a 44-amino-acid GHRH analogue) is an approved medicine with a label for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. It is not indicated for weight loss, and long-term cardiovascular safety has not been established. [1] In a 6-month trial, visceral fat fell 10.9% with tesamorelin versus 0.6% with placebo, and the effect faded when treatment stopped. [9][10] The label contraindicates it in pregnancy, active cancer, and disrupted pituitary function, and warns of glucose intolerance. In trials, anti-drug antibodies appeared in about half of treated patients. [1] FDA has also treated tesamorelin products sold by online sellers as unapproved new drugs. [11]

Compared

Safety and next steps

Hormone-acting injections need medical oversight. See peptide safety and adverse events, approved, investigational and unapproved peptides and talking with a health professional. This page gives no dosing, sourcing or use instructions.