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Ipamorelin · Dosing

How Ipamorelin Is Actually Dosed

What does a real Ipamorelin dose schedule look like?

A-Tier Body Comp & GH Strong clinical

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The plain-English version

Most users run 100 to 300 micrograms (a small subQ shot) before bed, 5 nights a week, almost always paired with CJC-1295 in the same shot. Run for 8 to 12 weeks, then break for 4 to 8 weeks. Always with a doctor.

Route: subcutaneous injection. Evidence tier for the dose: Strong clinical. Multiple human studies support the dosing protocol; not yet FDA-labeled for this exact indication but close.

The dose at a glance

What's typical What's the max in research
Starting dose: 100 mcg subQ (under-the-skin shot) before bed, 5 nights per week. Max observed in research: Phase 2 work tested up to 60 mcg per kg of body weight as a single bolus - well above the 300 mcg practical ceiling. More is not better - higher doses cause GH receptor desensitization.
Maintenance dose: 100 to 300 mcg before bed, 5 nights per week. The 200-300 mcg dose is more common when stacked with CJC-1295.
Frequency: 5 nights per week, Mon-Fri. Skipping weekends preserves receptor sensitivity. Half-life: About 2 hours. Short enough that morning dosing makes no sense - the GH pulse fires fast and clears fast.

Titration (how to ramp the dose)

Most users skip formal titration (slow ramp-up). Some start at 100 mcg for 1-2 weeks before stacking up to 200-300 mcg.

Cycle length and time off

On cycle: 8 to 12 weeks per cycle.

Off cycle: 4 to 8 weeks off after a 12-week cycle.

Timing notes: Inject 30 minutes before bed on an empty stomach (no food for 2 hours before). Inject in stomach or thigh fat. Rotate sites.

What's commonly prescribed (per published protocols and clinical write-ups)

US compounding pharmacies typically dispense Ipamorelin pre-blended with CJC-1295 in a 5 mg lyophilized (freeze-dried, shelf-stable) vial. Standalone Ipamorelin vials exist (commonly 5 mg) but the blend is far more common. Telehealth scripts usually read 'CJC-1295/Ipamorelin 100/100 mcg subQ nightly Mon-Fri x 12 weeks' or 'Ipamorelin 200 mcg subQ nightly x 12 weeks' for standalone use.

Source: prescribing labels, published protocols, and clinical write-ups. We have not independently tested each prescriber pattern.

Reconstitution (mixing the vial)

Lyophilized 5 mg standalone vials reconstitute (mix back into liquid) with exactly 2 mL of bacteriostatic water (sterile water with preservative, the kind compounding pharmacies sell for reconstituting peptides). At 5 mg per 2 mL, every 0.04 mL on the syringe equals 100 mcg, so a 200 mcg dose is 0.08 mL. If your pharmacy filled the vial with a different volume, recalculate from the mg/mL printed on your vial label - not from this page. Store reconstituted vial in the fridge, use within 30 days.

Reconstitution = mixing freeze-dried (lyophilized) powder with bacteriostatic water (sterile water with preservative) so you can draw a dose into a syringe.

Drug interactions to watch

  • Insulin and oral diabetes meds - growth hormone raises blood sugar; diabetics should monitor.
  • Glucocorticoids (prednisone, etc.) - can blunt the GH response.
  • Avoid food in the 2 hours before injection.

Who should not take this (contraindications)

  • Active cancer.
  • Active diabetic retinopathy.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Children and adolescents.

Common side effects

  • Mild head rush right after injection (GH pulse) - lasts a few minutes.
  • Vivid dreams.
  • Mild water retention.
  • Injection-site reaction.

Serious side effects (call a doctor)

  • Carpal tunnel symptoms - rare unless pre-existing.
  • Significant blood-sugar rise in pre-diabetics.
  • Allergic reaction (hives, swelling) - rare.

What to monitor while you're on it

  • IGF-1 level at baseline, 4 weeks, end of cycle.
  • Fasting glucose and A1C at baseline and end of cycle.
  • Body composition scan (DEXA or InBody) at start and end.

How to stop

Just stop at the end of the cycle. No taper needed.

Where this dosing comes from

  • Raun et al., Ipamorelin selective GH-release work (1998)
  • Sigalos and Pastuszak, peptide GH-secretagogue review (2018)
  • US compounding pharmacy formularies (Tailor Made, Empower, Strive)
  • Telehealth GH-peptide protocols (Defy Medical, Maximus, Marek Health 2023-2025)

Where these doses come from

These doses come from human trials and prescribing protocols used by clinicians. Not FDA-approved at this exact dose, but well-supported by published data.

Always work with a real prescriber. Don't self-prescribe.

Safety reminder: None of this replaces a doctor. Peptides are gray-market in the US for most uses. Talk to a real prescriber before you change anything.

Where to go next

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Last reviewed · 2026-05-07 · Page generated by Protocol One matrix engine. None of this replaces a doctor. Peptides are gray-market in the US for most uses. Talk to a real prescriber before you change anything.