Growth hormone & IGF-1
The clearest demonstrated effect of CJC-1295 is that it can raise growth hormone and IGF-1, two hormones closely linked with growth, recovery and body composition.
Explore the research →GROWTH-HORMONE-RELEASING RESEARCH
CJC-1295
CJC-1295 encourages the body to release more growth hormone, which explains the interest around recovery, sleep and body composition.
Growth hormoneIGF-1Body composition
Early human evidenceHuman pharmacology studies demonstrate effects on GH and IGF-1, but evidence for broader performance, recovery or body-composition outcomes is much less developed.
FOLLOW THE FULL PICTUREFrom interest to evidence, quality and the numbers.
Why are people interested in CJC-1295?
CJC-1295 is mainly talked about for recovery, muscle and body composition, and sleep because it can increase the body's own growth-hormone and IGF-1 levels. Those hormones play important roles in tissue repair, muscle maintenance and the way the body uses and stores energy. That connection is what makes CJC-1295 interesting — and why recovery, body composition and sleep have become the main areas people want to explore.
Recovery
Recovery and tissue repair are among the most common reasons people become interested in CJC-1295.
Explore the research →Muscle & body composition
Building or preserving lean mass while reducing body fat is another major part of the conversation around CJC-1295.
Explore the research →Sleep & wellbeing
Better sleep and a general improvement in wellbeing are also commonly reported reasons for interest.
Explore the research →THE SCIENCE BIT
Extending the growth-hormone message.
CJC-1295 is based on growth-hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH. It stimulates GHRH receptors on the pituitary, which can increase growth hormone and downstream IGF-1.
The DAC version binds to albumin, a blood protein, to prolong exposure. Products described as 'without DAC' are commonly a different, shorter-acting GHRH analogue, so their timing and trial evidence should be kept separate.
See the studies & trials →- GHRH receptor
- Pituitary stimulation
- Growth hormone
- The next hormone signal
- Albumin / DAC
- Longer exposure for the DAC version
How this connects to the research
Human hormone-response evidence does not establish every recovery or body-composition claim.
Read a primary source ↗FROM MOLECULE TO TISSUE
Where CJC-1295 connects with the body
These are the tissues and biological systems behind the interest in CJC-1295.
- Pituitary
- Growth-hormone release.
- Liver
- Downstream IGF-1 production.
- Muscle and other tissues
- Growth-related signalling.
The research behind the interest
Growth hormone & IGF-1
The clearest demonstrated effect of CJC-1295 is that it can raise growth hormone and IGF-1, two hormones closely linked with growth, recovery and body composition.
Early human studies showed measurable increases in circulating growth hormone and IGF-1 after administration.
Early human pharmacology evidenceExplore the studies →Recovery
Recovery and tissue repair are among the most common reasons people become interested in CJC-1295.
There is a reasonable biological basis for this interest because of the growth-hormone response, but strong trials showing faster recovery with CJC-1295 itself are lacking.
Mechanistic rationaleExplore the studies →Muscle & body composition
Building or preserving lean mass while reducing body fat is another major part of the conversation around CJC-1295.
Despite the interest, controlled studies have not yet established a meaningful body-composition benefit from CJC-1295 itself.
Insufficient outcome evidenceExplore the studies →Sleep & wellbeing
Better sleep and a general improvement in wellbeing are also commonly reported reasons for interest.
These effects have not been established as reliable clinical benefits in the available human research.
Community interest · limited evidenceExplore the studies →Studies & trials
Studies & trials
Original publication · PubMed · trial registry where availableProlonged stimulation of growth hormone and IGF-I secretion by CJC-1295 in healthy adults ↗
Healthy adults aged 21–61 years
SubcutaneousSingle dose, then weekly or biweekly dosing in the multiple-dose study28 and 49 days
A single injection produced dose-dependent increases in mean growth-hormone concentrations for 6 days or more and IGF-I concentrations for 9–11 days.
The estimated CJC-1295 half-life was 5.8–8.1 days; no serious adverse reactions were reported in these short studies.
Evidence snapshot
Evidence snapshot
Separate dimensions, not one overall score◎
Human evidenceLimited
2/5 evidence depth
✓
Clinical efficacyLimited
2/5 evidence depth
This score reflects completed human outcome evidence. A registered or recruiting trial does not count until results are reported.
◇
Safety evidenceLimited
2/5 evidence depth
⌁
Preclinical evidenceDeveloping
3/5 evidence depth
HOW TO READ THESE SCORESDeveloping preclinical evidence · limited human evidence
These are editorial evidence-depth ratings on a 1–5 scale, not a statistical result or a single scientific formula. They summarise how much relevant evidence is present in each separate category and how mature that evidence is.
Human evidenceHow much direct research in people is available and how developed it is.
Clinical efficacyWhether human studies demonstrate meaningful outcomes for the claims being discussed.
Safety evidenceHow much human safety, tolerability and longer-term follow-up information is available.
Preclinical evidenceThe depth of laboratory and animal research supporting biological plausibility.
HOW THE EVIDENCE IS ORGANISED
CJC-1295 research profile
Research themes are shown separately from the strength of the human evidence so biological interest is not confused with proven clinical benefit.
RESEARCH AREA 01Growth hormone
RESEARCH AREA 02IGF-1
RESEARCH AREA 03Body composition
RESEARCH AREA 04Recovery research
Mechanistic and preclinical findings are context for further research; they are not treated as equivalent to demonstrated human outcomes.
From promising signals to human evidencePreclinical research can reveal promising biological signals. Human studies show how far those signals have translated into real-world outcomes.
What people are exploring
COMMUNITY · USE CASES & EXPERIENCE
What people want to change with CJC-1295
CJC-1295 is explored around recovery, sleep and body composition because human studies show that it can raise growth hormone and IGF-1. The key practical issue is product identity: DAC-linked CJC-1295 and shorter-acting ‘no DAC’ products should not share one dosing conversation.
Explore the everyday goalsConceptual scientific illustration
THE PRACTICAL ATTRACTION
The goals behind the interest
What the desired change means in daily life, and what makes an experience useful to understand.
Recovery that fits regular training
People are interested in recovering between workouts and maintaining a consistent training week. The appeal comes from growth-hormone signalling, although a higher hormone measurement is not itself proof of better recovery.
- What makes a report informative
- Performance and recovery under a similar training workload.
- What can muddy the picture
- Ipamorelin, other hormones and changing training plans often appear in the same accounts.
More restorative sleep
Sleep-related interest focuses on waking refreshed and feeling less depleted the following day. It is a subjective goal that needs more detail than reporting unusually vivid dreams.
- What makes a report informative
- Sleep continuity and next-day function.
- What can muddy the picture
- Sleep schedule, stress and other compounds can change the same outcomes.
Body composition without losing capability
People hope for a leaner appearance while retaining muscle and training performance. Accounts need to separate changes in waist and strength from shifts in water retention.
- What makes a report informative
- Waist, strength and body measurements over time.
- What can muddy the picture
- DAC and products sold as without DAC are different; their evidence cannot be pooled.
FROM PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS
Experiences worth looking at
Selected first-hand accounts illustrate the goals and the variation in experience. They are examples, not a representative sample or proof of an effect.
Sleep impressions from a CJC-1295/ipamorelin combination
A participant reports better sleep alongside morning grogginess. Combination use and unclear CJC identity limit interpretation.
Read the discussionFeeling more tired despite deeper-feeling sleep
This account describes daytime lethargy during combination use, a useful distinction between sleep impressions and next-day function.
Read the discussionPUT THE EXPERIENCE IN CONTEXT
How the goals compare with the research
Open an area to distinguish human findings from laboratory explanations.
Higher GH and IGF-1
Human findings & limits
Short randomized studies in healthy adults showed prolonged, dose-related increases in GH and IGF-1.
Laboratory & animal context
The compound was designed to extend GHRH-like signalling through drug-affinity-complex technology.
What this means: A demonstrated pharmacology effect; it is not the same as proven recovery or body-composition benefit.
Sleep and recovery
Human findings & limits
The early human programme measured hormones and pharmacokinetics rather than sleep quality, injury recovery or training outcomes.
Laboratory & animal context
Growth-hormone physiology offers a rationale, but the outcome still needs direct testing.
What this means: Plausible, popular and not yet established as a reliable clinical benefit.
Pairing with Ipamorelin
Human findings & limits
The available human studies examined the compounds separately, not as a validated combined protocol.
Laboratory & animal context
GHRH and ghrelin-receptor pathways can produce complementary GH signals, but combination safety and outcomes remain uncertain.
What this means: A community rationale without direct human combination evidence.
Research sources and further reading
Dose & duration
DOSE & DURATION
Research protocols · community patterns · calculator toolsSee the numbers in their proper context
See the amount, how often it was used and how long each study ran. Published human research and community descriptions each carry their own source label, so you can see where the numbers came from.
Source matters. The figures below show authorised, human-research or community-described protocols in their original context — not a personalised recommendation.
Early randomized human studies used weight-based subcutaneous dosing to study pharmacokinetics and GH/IGF-I responses; these protocols are research doses, not a general treatment schedule.
PUBLISHED HUMAN RESEARCH
View source ↗Healthy-adult randomized ascending-dose studies ↗
Healthy adults aged 21–61
WHAT THIS TRIAL EXAMPLE SHOWS
This was a published human study. It involved Healthy adults aged 21–61. Route: Injection under the skin (SubQ). The study lasted about 4–7 weeks (28–49 days). The figures below describe the research design, not a personal schedule.
| First amount studied | 30–60 micrograms per kilogram of body weight across the dose levels researchers tested |
|---|---|
| Later or target amount | several increasing dose levels were tested in separate study groups |
| How often? | Single dose, then once a week or every 2 weeks in groups receiving repeat doses |
| How was it given? | Injection under the skin (SubQ) |
| How long? | About 4–7 weeks (28–49 days) |
See the exact study wording +
Start / initial: 30–60 μg/kg among studied dose levels
End / target: Ascending single and repeat dose cohorts
Frequency: Single dose, then weekly or biweekly in repeat-dose cohorts
Route: Subcutaneous
Study duration: 28–49 days
Source: PMID 16352683 ↗
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic research protocol; not a recommendation.
COMMUNITY DISCUSSION
Anecdotal · confirm DAC status before interpreting any numberWhat people commonly discuss
STARTING APPROACHES
For DAC-linked CJC-1295, community protocols often begin around 1 mg once weekly. This is anecdotal and is not the same product or schedule as ‘CJC-1295 without DAC’ / modified GRF 1-29.
DURATION / CYCLES
Eight-to-twelve-week cycles are commonly discussed, with dose and frequency varying sharply according to whether DAC is present.
MAINTENANCE DISCUSSION
Some discussions use 1–2 mg weekly before a pause. No evidence-based maintenance dose, cycle length or break interval has been established.
Community patterns are anecdotal and unvalidated unless a linked human study independently supports the same approach.
COMMUNITY-REPORTED PRACTICEInjection patterns people commonly discussPopular uses · route · site discussion · timing · durationCommon anecdotal consensus
RecoverySleep and wellbeingBody-composition goalsGrowth-hormone-related interest
ROUTE PEOPLE DISCUSS
Subcutaneous injection is the route most frequently discussed in community use.
INJECTION-SITE DISCUSSION
Abdominal or other routine subcutaneous sites are commonly discussed. Site selection is generally treated as a practical injection choice rather than a way to target a specific tissue.
TIMING PEOPLE DISCUSS
Evening or bedtime use, and use away from meals, are commonly discussed because of interest in growth-hormone pulses. These practices are not validated as superior clinical strategies.
DURATION / CYCLE DISCUSSION
Users often discuss multi-week or multi-month cycles, frequently alongside Ipamorelin, but there is no established community schedule that can be treated as clinical guidance.
What the evidence supports
CJC-1295 has some human pharmacology data, but popular recovery, sleep and body-composition protocols go beyond what those studies establish.
Community reports describe what people say they do; they are not instructions, validated protocols, or evidence that a particular injection site or timing improves outcomes.CALCULATOR TOOLS
Work with the numbers
Convert amounts, concentration, liquid volume and vial requirements. These tools do the arithmetic; they do not select a dose.
NEED HELP READING THE NUMBERS?Source labels, routes and dose termsOpen guide +
HOW WE LABEL NUMBERSKnow where a dose came from before you compare it.
Authorised labelHuman trialCommunity-describedBEFORE THE NUMBERS: CHECK THE PRODUCT
Understand peptide testing →A dose only means something if the vial contains what the label says.
Purity, identity, quantity, sterility and endotoxin testing answer different questions. Learn how to read a COA and why a high purity percentage is not the same as confirming the amount in the vial.
READ THIS PAGE IN THREE STEPS
Understand the study before the number
A dose only makes sense alongside the population, route, frequency and duration. Start with where the number came from, then look at how it was delivered and how long the study actually ran.
1Source
Was it an authorised label, a human trial or a community-described pattern?
2Route & frequency
How was it given, and how often? The same number by a different route may not mean the same exposure.
3Duration
Was this one dose, a short trial or long-term treatment? A study window is not automatically a recommended cycle.
ROUTES EXPLAINED
Plain-English guideWhat do the injection types mean?
Route means how a compound was delivered. It affects absorption and can completely change how a study should be interpreted.
SubQ / SCSubcutaneous
An injection into the fatty layer just under the skin.
Common in peptide and metabolic-drug studies. It usually aims for systemic absorption rather than treating only the spot injected.IMIntramuscular
An injection into muscle tissue.
Muscle can absorb a medicine differently from fat. An IM amount should not be assumed to be equivalent to a SubQ amount.IVIntravenous
Delivered directly into a vein.
This gives immediate bloodstream exposure and is commonly used in supervised research or clinical settings. It is not interchangeable with a home injection route.INIntranasal
Delivered through the nose rather than by injection.
The amount delivered depends on formulation and device. A spray count alone does not tell you the dose unless concentration and spray volume are known.Other routes you may see:Oral = swallowed.Topical = applied to skin or another surface.Implant = a formulation placed under the skin by a trained professional.
CALENDAR SETUP
DAC form · weekly editorial example
Community example · not clinically validatedThis example is specifically for CJC-1295 with DAC. Without-DAC products, often described as modified GRF(1–29), are different. Human DAC studies used weight-based amounts; they do not establish this fixed 2 mg pattern.
Form and route: CJC-1295 with DAC · injection under the skin
| Calendar stage | Amount each time |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–12 | 2 mg |
Frequency: Every 7 days · 1 entry per scheduled day.
This is a finite editorial example. Its ending does not establish a safe course, break or repeat cycle. No repeat is added automatically.
PLAIN-ENGLISH GLOSSARYWhat do the dose terms mean?Open glossary +
mgmilligram
One thousand micrograms (mcg).
mcg / μgmicrogram
One thousandth of a milligram.
mcg/kgweight-based dose
The amount is calculated for each kilogram of body weight.
IUinternational unit
A measure of biological activity used for some medicines; it cannot be converted to mg without compound-specific information.
Routehow it was given
For example SubQ, IM, IV, intranasal, oral or topical.
Frequencyhow often
For example once daily, twice weekly or every seven days.
Titrationplanned step-up or step-down
A protocol changes the amount over time rather than using one fixed amount throughout.
Half-lifehow quickly levels fall
The time taken for the amount of a compound in the body to reduce by roughly half. It can influence study timing but does not by itself define a schedule.
Cyclea defined period of use
Usually means an on-period followed by a stop or review. Many community 'cycles' have not been clinically validated.
Maintenancea continuing phase
A longer-term amount or interval used after an initial phase when a study or authorised treatment actually defines one.
Reconstitutionturning powder into solution
Adding a specified liquid to a freeze-dried vial so a concentration can be calculated.
U-100 unitssyringe volume markings
100 units equals 1 mL on a U-100 insulin syringe. The markings show volume, not peptide mass.
Safety context
SAFETY & UNCERTAINTY
Longer GH and IGF-1 exposure is the benefit story and the safety question
What the current evidence saysShort studies provide limited tolerability information. Fluid retention, headache, injection reactions, altered glucose handling and consequences of sustained IGF-1 elevation need consideration, while long-term outcome data are lacking.
01 · OBSERVEDPublished safety findings
The summary above reflects the human or preclinical evidence currently represented on this profile.
02 · UNCERTAINGaps still matter
Limited follow-up, small studies or absent controlled trials can leave uncommon and longer-term risks unresolved.
03 · CONTEXTProduct and regulatory status
Route, product identity, quality and regulatory status can materially change the safety context; see the linked status sources below.
Why this matters
The label ‘CJC-1295’ is used inconsistently in the market. DAC-linked and non-DAC products differ materially in duration and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Sources & current status
READ FURTHER
Sources & current status
Follow the professional sources used across this profile, then see how the compound is currently described in regulatory and research terms.
KEY RESEARCH RECORD
2 sourcesSources used on this profile
CURRENT STATUS
How to interpret its position today
Experimental human pharmacology
Human studies established prolonged GH and IGF-1 responses, but not an authorised recovery, anti-ageing or body-composition indication.
CJC-1295 study · PubMed ↗DAC status must be explicit
Shorter-acting modified GRF products are often called ‘CJC-1295 without DAC’ in community use, but they are not pharmacokinetically equivalent to the DAC-linked compound studied in the cited trial.
Original pharmacology paper · DOI ↗Profile reviewed against its linked source record on 20 September 2026. See how evidence is assessed.