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Growth hormone secretion and how it pulses
Research peptide
Ipamorelin
Phase I–II Clinical TrialsGrowth Hormone SecretagogueGHSR PathwayAnti-AgingBody Composition
From
$17.99
Vendors
18
Lab tested
16 COAs
Key benefits
- Selective GH release
- No cortisol or prolactin spike
- Mimics the hunger hormone ghrelin
- Pairs well with GHRH analogs
Ipamorelin is a five-amino-acid peptide that switches on the ghrelin receptor and makes the pituitary release growth hormone. Novo Nordisk researchers built it in the 1990s, and what made it interesting was how narrow its effect looked. Older compounds in the same family pushed up other hormones too. Ipamorelin mostly didn't.
It has no approved use anywhere. A Phase 2 trial in the early 2000s tried it for a bowel problem after surgery, and it didn't work well enough to continue. So what's left is mostly lab and animal data, and the research-labeled vials that vendors sell. On Peptide Grading, we list those vials with vendors, sizes, price per mg, and COA documents in one place, so you can compare them without hunting through tabs.
Typical dose
200-300mcg
2-3 times daily
Route
Subcutaneous
Best administered on empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before food. Common times: morning upon waking, pre-workout, and/or before bed.
Cycle
3-6 months
Typical duration
Storage
2-8°C
Follow vendor guidance
Marketplace
Compare all Ipamorelin vendors
Prices per size, coupon codes, lab reports and shipping.
18 offers
| Vendor | Price | Coupon | Lab test | Shipping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Biologix Labs 2 mg | $17.99$21.99 Lowest price−18.2%$8.99/mg | Not on file | 2 Days
| Buy | |
Bionova Peptides 5 mg | $20.00$39.99 −50%$4.00/mg | 1 COA | 1–3 days
| Buy | |
Certa Peptides 2 mg | $23.99 $11.99/mg | 1 COA | 1–4 days
| Buy | |
 PepVida Labs 10 mg | $29.96$56.00 −46.5%$3.00/mg | Not on file | 1-3 days
| Buy | |
idunpeptides 10 mg | $29.99 $3.00/mg | 1 COA | 3–7 days
| Buy | |
Amino Club 10 mg | $32.49$49.99 −35%$3.25/mg | 1 COA | 1–4 days
| Buy | |
HLX LABS 5 mg | $34.99$39.99 −12.5%$7.00/mg | 1 COA | 2–5 days
| Buy | |
$40.00 $8.00/mg | 2 COAs | 1-2 days
| Buy |
What is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin works on the ghrelin receptor. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes you hungry, and the same receptor also tells the pituitary to release growth hormone. Ipamorelin copies that second job. You get a quick burst of GH that fades within a few hours, since the peptide itself only lasts about two.
Ipamorelin
Compound
Ipamorelin
Why the Selectivity Matters
When Raun and colleagues published the original work in 1998, they compared ipamorelin to GHRP-6 in pigs. GH release was similar, but ipamorelin didn't produce a clear rise in ACTH or cortisol. That was the whole pitch: same GH signal, fewer side hormones along for the ride.
Worth being straight about, though. That finding comes from animal work and short human studies. It doesn't mean ipamorelin has a clean record over months or years, because nobody has tested it that way.
What Researchers Study It For
02
Ghrelin receptor signaling
03
Bone and body composition in animal models
04
Gut motility (the postoperative ileus work)
05
How selective secretagogues compare with older ones
Ipamorelin vs Related Compounds
| Compound | Main structural feature | Length | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipamorelin | Ghrelin receptor agonist | 5 aa | Selective, little effect on cortisol or prolactin |
| GHRP-6 | Ghrelin receptor agonist | 6 aa | Stronger hunger effect, raises cortisol and prolactin |
| GHRP-2 | Ghrelin receptor agonist | 6 aa | More potent; some cortisol and prolactin rise |
| CJC-1295 | Ghrelin receptor agonist | 30 aa | Different receptor, different pathway |
They get grouped a lot, but they don't behave the same way, and [CJC-1295](/peptides/cjc-1295) isn't a secretagogue of this type at all.
What the Evidence Shows
Most of it is animal and cell work. The one clinical program that made it to Phase 2 was a trial of 117 patients, given ipamorelin through a vein for up to a week after bowel surgery. It was well tolerated over that short window but didn't hit its efficacy goal, so development stopped. That's a short, hospital-based use. It tells you very little about what repeated injections might do over time.
Safety and Regulatory Position
Ipamorelin isn't approved by the FDA for any condition. In 2024, the agency reviewed it for the list of bulk substances pharmacies can compound with and decided against adding it, citing safety concerns and a lack of human safety data. As far as I could find, no long-term human safety data exists.
WADA Status
Ipamorelin is prohibited by WADA at all times, in and out of competition, under S2 (growth hormone secretagogues). Athletes in tested sports should treat it as banned, and an unverified research vial adds contamination risk on top of that.
Research reference note
Compare Ipamorelin Research Materials
Prices are the easy part to compare, and the least useful. Check the [COA](/coas) first, make sure it matches the lot you'd actually get, and only then see which supplier is cheaper per mg. [Peptide Grading](#vendor-listings) has all of that side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Both stimulate GH, but GHRP-6 also tends to raise hunger, cortisol, and prolactin. Ipamorelin was designed to avoid that.