What is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is a very popular peptide among the ranks of GH secretagogues. On its own, it is often used for its anti-aging properties but is more commonly stacked with other GH-secreting peptides and used as a performance-enhancing drug (PED).
Ipamorelin is a peptide agonist of the Ghrelin receptor. It stimulates the secretion of GH and IGF-1 significantly increasing the endogenous levels of these hormones, making it an effective PED.
Ipamorelin works by the same mechanism of action as MK 677. One could even argue that it’s MK 677’s injectable cousin – but with a shorter half-life.
This article as a comprehensive guide on Ipamorelin based on the latest scientific data, and the careful analysis of hundreds upon hundreds of anecdotal reports and experiences. Enjoy.
Benefits
Generally, all GH and IGF-1 secretagogues share similar benefits, all associated with supraphysiological levels of these hormones.
When it comes Ipamorelin, these include:
Lean Muscle Gains [1][A]
Ipamorelin will increase IGF-1 levels which will lead to an increase in lean muscle mass and over time the formation of new muscle cells through a process called hyperplasia.
Users who used Ipamorelin report modest yet noticeable gains in lean muscle and incredible pumps, especially when stacked with CJC 1295.
Fat Loss [2][A]
Growth hormone is extremely effective at burning fat by inducing lipolysis.
Lipolysis is the process of breaking down triglycerides (fats) into glycerol and free fatty acids in fat tissue, liver, and muscle. This process is stimulated by hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and growth hormone.
In a nutshell, through lipolysis, your body prioritizes the use of stored fat for energy. Lipolysis is often targeted by performance-enhancing drugs to increase fat loss.
So much so that a peptide has been developed around the chain of amino acids responsible for that trait in GF (Frag 176-191, and AOD 9604).
As a GH secretagogue, Ipamorelin will induce this process and increase fat loss. But taking advantage of this requires very delicate timing and the right protocol (more on this further down the article).
Anti-Aging [3][A]
GH and IGF-1 are some of the most important hormones in the body when it comes to improving longevity and nourishing youthfulness.
They are proven to extend lifespan and improve the general quality of life by enhancing mobility, bone density, cardiovascular health, recovery, sleep, neurodegeneration, etc. By increasing GH and IGF-1, Ipamorelin will lead to these benefits.
Increased Healing [4][A]
Having healthy GH levels is extremely important when it comes to healing injuries (burns, cuts, bone fractures, tendon injuries, etc.). Not to mention that GH also has a role in joint lubrication and joint health.
By having supraphysiological levels of GH (and IGF-1) you speed up the healing time of any injuries and speed up your recovery time after an intense workout.
Cosmetic Benefits [5][A]
GH and IGF-1 increase collagen production, which gives your skin that healthy glow and youthful elasticity that goes away as you age.
The same applies to your hair, beard, and nails. They’ll also grow faster and stronger when using Ipamorelin on a regular basis.
Other Benefits [6][A]
By increasing GH and IGF-1 you can expect Ipamorelin to also:
- Decrease inflammation
- Improve immune response
- Improve cardiovascular health
- Fight neurodegeneration
- Improve memory
- Act as an antioxidant
Ipamorelin will also make you hungrier, as its mechanism of action is tied to the Ghrelin receptor, which is known as the receptor for hunger. This trait can work with you or against you depending on your goals. For the purposes of fat loss, most people get around this increase in hunger by administering Ipamorelin before bed.
When used as a PED and stacked with CJC 1295, Ipamorelin can lead to a ridiculous increase in GH and IGF-1 levels since both peptides increase these hormones through different mechanisms of action. That’s why you’ll often see experienced users taking them together.
Side Effects
Ipamorelin and every GH and IGF-1 secreting peptide will cause some of these side effects. They are all associated with supraphysiological levels of these hormones.
Fortunately, a lot of these side effects can be mitigated, so I’ve listed instructions on how to do so using lifestyle changes, or supplementation, below each side effect.
Unstable Blood Glucose [7][A]
Elevated GH is well known for increasing blood sugar levels, and when taking Ipamorelin this is something you will have to keep an eye on (especially if your diet is carb-loaded).
How to mitigate:
Take 300mg of Berberine before every meal containing more than 50g of carbs when on Ipamorelin.
Water Retention [A]
Ipamorelin will retain water which can potentially increase blood pressure and in some cases result in edema. This side effect is common with increased GH levels.
How to mitigate:
Reduce your carbohydrate and salt consumption while increasing your potassium intake by consuming meals high in potassium. Supplementing with 500mg/day of dandelion root or a natural diuretic combination will also be beneficial.
Cancer Growth Risk [8][A]
IGF-1 and GH will speed up the growth of existing cancer cells, so Ipamorelin and any peptide that increases the circulating levels of these hormones could be very dangerous for anyone who has cancer.
Other Side Effects [9][A]
Some users reported feeling lethargic, which is usually resolved by simply lowering the dose.
Feelings of numbness and tingling in some extremities are also common and present with anything that increases GH. This can be mitigated by implementing measures against water retention.
Growth of certain body parts like hands and feet (and even internal organs) is possible, but only when GH is elevated for very long periods of time.
Apart from other GH-secreting peptides that aren’t as selective, Ipamorelin does not increase prolactin, so side effects like gynecomastia, erectile issues, and reduced sex drive are not possible.
How to Use It
Ipamorelin can be used on its own or stacked with a CJC 1295.
It is very commonly used with CJC 1295 because they both increase the same hormones but through different mechanisms of action. One is a ghrelin agonist while the other is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog.
So combining them results in a massive increase in GH and IGF-1.
In this guide, I will only be addressing how to use Ipamorelin as a standalone compound for the purpose of:
- Anti-aging
- Fat Loss
- Performance Enhancement
I have made a separate article guide on using Ipamorelin and CJC 1295 together.
Dosing Protocol & Timing
Ipamorelin has a half-life of 2 hours, so effectively using it requires frequent administration and careful timing. [1] Depending on your goals, this is how you use it for:
Anti-aging purposes:
Ipamorelin should be injected once a day, in the morning. Doses of 150-300mcg should be injected subcutaneously in the lower belly fat region.
Fat loss:
Ipamorelin should be injected at 150mcg twice a day. Once in the morning, followed by 4 hours of fasting, and once at night 3-4 hours before your last meal.
If you do not fast during these timeframes, Ipamorelin will simply not be effective at inducing lipolysis and increasing fat loss.
Avoid taking any supplements during your fasts as the filler in pills and tablets may contain a few calories and ruin the effects.
Performance enhancement:
Ipamorelin should be injected 4 times per day at 50 – 75mcg :
- before bed
- when waking up
- before lunch
- late in the afternoon
Cycle Length
Cycle length for Ipamorelin should not exceed 12 weeks, no matter if you are using it to heal a specific injury, lose fat, or gain muscle.
A 12-week Ipamorelin cycle should always be followed by 4-6 weeks of rest.
This is because of the increase in blood glucose that it causes, which can lead to insulin resistance when taken for long periods of time.
Administration - Injections & Nasal Sprays
Ipamorelin is most effective when administered through subcutaneous injections. These types of injections are almost always painless and done with a very short and thin needle, which is inserted in subcutaneous fat tissue.
The needle does not touch muscle. But if you are someone that wants to avoid needles altogether, despite this, then there’s another way you can administer Ipamorelin:
Nasal spray administration. There is one issue with administering it through nasal sprays, and that is that it will be less bioavailable and you will have to take more to achieve the same effect.
To be specific, you would have to 2-3x the doses mentioned earlier to achieve the same effect. The rest of the instructions remain the same for both methods of administration.
P.S. Make sure the Ipamorelin you’re getting is legit. These are my recommended sources for the highest-quality powder available:
- (Powder) AminoAsylum – “POP20” for 10% OFF
- (Powder) SwissChems – “POP10” for 20% OFF
- (Powder & Spray) PureRawz – “POP20” for 20% OFF
Currently, only US-based companies are selling Ipamorelin. Luckily, for my EU readers, all three ship internationally.
Conclusion
Ipamorelin is an incredible peptide that can be extremely beneficial when trying to lose weight, heal an injury, increase muscle, or improve your general quality of life. It comes with a few side effects but is generally very well tolerated by the majority of people.
It’s very similar to MK 677 in the sense that they work by the same mechanism of action, by attaching to the Ghrelin receptor. The only difference is their administration method, half-lives, and the fact that Ipamorelin will not increase prolactin like MK 677 does (even though it’s a minuscule increase).
References
1. Muscle
- Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers
- Growth Hormone Secretagogues and the Regulation of Calcium Signaling in Muscle
- Effects of growth hormone on bone and muscle
- Signals from the Niche: Insights into the Role of IGF-1 and IL-6 in Modulating Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis
- The role of hormones in muscle hypertrophy
- Regulation of muscle mass by growth hormone and IGF-I
- Effects of growth hormone on skeletal muscle
2. Fat Loss
- Effects of growth hormone on adipose tissue
- Role of Growth Hormone in Regulating Lipolysis, Proteolysis, and Hepatic Glucose Production during Fasting
- IGF-1 treatment reduces weight loss and improves outcome in a rat model of cancer cachexia
- The impact of obesity, fat distribution, and energy restriction on insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF-binding protein-3, insulin, and growth hormone
- Growth Hormone Treatment Reduces Abdominal Visceral Fat in Postmenopausal Women with Abdominal Obesity: A 12-Month Placebo-Controlled Trial
- Effects of growth hormone on body fat in adults
4. Faster Healing
- Growth hormone, burns and tissue healing
- The effect of topically applied recombinant human growth hormone on wound healing in pigs
- Effect of growth hormone replacement on wound healing in healthy older men
- Sustained release of human growth hormone (hGH) from collagen film and evaluation of effect on wound healing in db/db mice
- Systemic administration of IGF-I enhances healing in collagenous extracellular matrices: evaluation of loaded and unloaded ligaments
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Promotes Wound Healing in Estrogen-Deprived Mice: New Insights into Cutaneous IGF-1R/ERα Cross Talk
- Use of insulin-like growth factor in the healing of open wounds in diabetic and non-diabetic rats
- Experimental study of tendon healing early phase: is IGF-1 expression influenced by platelet rich plasma gel?
- Systemic administration of IGF-I enhances healing in collagenous extracellular matrices: evaluation of loaded and unloaded ligaments
- Growth hormone (GH) effects on bone and collagen turnover in healthy adults and its potential as a marker of GH abuse in sports: a double blind, placebo-controlled study. The GH-2000 Study Group
5. Cosmetic Benefits
- Further Clinical Evidence for the Effect of IGF-1 on Hair Growth and Alopecia
- Growth Hormone Operates as a Neuroendocrine Regulator of Human Hair Growth Ex Vivo
- Growth hormone system: skin interactions
- Growth hormone stimulates the collagen synthesis in human tendon and skeletal muscle without affecting myofibrillar protein synthesis
- Growth hormone influences collagen deposition and mechanical strength of intact rat skin. A dose-response study
6. Other Benefits
- Oxidative stress in adult growth hormone deficiency: different plasma antioxidant patterns in comparison with metabolic syndrome
- Antioxidant activity of growth hormone-releasing hormone antagonists in LNCaP human prostate cancer line
- The neuroprotective effects of human growth hormone as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Role of growth hormone (GH) in the treatment on neural diseases: from neuroprotection to neural repair
- Growth hormone, inflammation and aging
- Effects of growth hormone administration on inflammatory and other cardiovascular risk markers in men with growth hormone deficiency. A randomized, controlled clinical trial
- Effect of growth hormone (GH) on the immune system
8. Cancer Growth Risk
- Does the GH–IGF axis play a role in cancer pathogenesis?
- Cancer risks in patients treated with growth hormone in childhood: the SAGhE European cohort study
- Risk of cancer in patients treated with recombinant human growth hormone in childhood
- Is there a role for IGF‐1 in the development of second primary cancers?
- Study of almost 400,000 confirms that higher blood levels of IGF-1 are a risk factor for several types of cancer
9. Other Side Effects
- Acromegalic features in growth hormone (GH)-deficient patients after long-term GH therapy
- Body proportions during long-term growth hormone treatment in girls with Turner syndrome participating in a randomized dose-response trial
- Craniofacial and acral growth responses in growth hormone-deficient children treated with growth hormone
