Ipamorelin

aka NNC 26-0161

Selective GHRP with minimal cortisol/prolactin spike

MW (Da)

711.86

Half-life

~2 hr

Sequence

Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2

Storage

Lyophilized 2–8 °C. Reconstituted refrigerate, 30 days.

Research chemicals only. Not for human use. For research and educational purposes only. Always do your own due diligence and consult qualified professionals.

Hover any underlined term for a plain-English definition.

Safety at a glance

Full safety details

Most-reported side effects

Head rush / tingling at injection
Mild lightheadedness

Don't use if…

Active cancer
Pregnancy
Untreated diabetes (monitor glucose)

What it is, in plain English

Ipamorelin is the cleaner, gentler cousin of older GH-releasing peptides like GHRP-6. It triggers a sharp pulse of natural GH from your pituitary without making you ravenously hungry, raising cortisol or messing with prolactin — all of which the older peptides did. It's almost always paired with CJC-1295.

Who tends to explore this

You're new to the GH peptide category and want the most well-tolerated option
Older GHRPs gave you intense hunger, fatigue or PIP and you want a milder alternative
You're chasing the 'better sleep + faster recovery' GH-pulse benefits without HGH-level commitment

Who should skip this

Active or recent cancer
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Untreated diabetes — GH-stack peptides can affect blood glucose

What to expect — typical timeline

First injection

A brief head-rush or facial flush within 5–10 minutes — totally normal, fades after a few doses.

Week 1

Sleep gets noticeably deeper. You start dreaming more vividly.

Week 3–6

Improved recovery from training, possibly slight water retention. IGF-1 levels rise on bloodwork.

After cycle

Take 2–4 weeks off — your pituitary needs the break to maintain responsiveness.

Individual responses vary widely. This is a typical pattern, not a guarantee.

Common beginner mistakes

Using Ipamorelin alone — it's most effective stacked with a GHRH like CJC-1295. Solo dosing leaves a lot of benefit on the table
Eating within 30 minutes of injection — insulin blunts GH release. Inject on an empty stomach
Cycling indefinitely — chronic dosing leads to receptor desensitization (tachyphylaxis); take regular breaks
Skipping baseline IGF-1 labs — without them you can't quantify whether the peptide is working