Growth Hormone Peptides

Growth hormone peptides are research compounds that act on the growth hormone (GH) axis. Some imitate the releasing hormone GHRH, some imitate ghrelin, and some act downstream on the IGF-1 receptor. This category contains the three most requested compounds of this group as lyophilised powder for laboratory research.

Growth hormone peptides in this category

• CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend 7.5/10 mg: a GHRH analogue and a selective ghrelin receptor agonist in one vial. The combination is the most common research setup for GH release.
• Tesamorelin 10 mg: a GHRH analogue with 44 amino acids. Tesamorelin is the only compound in this group that is an approved medicine in the US, for one specific indication.
• IGF-1 LR3 1 mg: a modified form of insulin-like growth factor 1 with a longer half-life. It acts downstream of GH, directly on the IGF-1 receptor.

How to choose a growth hormone peptide for your research

The choice depends on which part of the GH axis you study. The CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend stimulates GH release through two receptors at the same time. Tesamorelin is a pure GHRH analogue with a well documented clinical history. IGF-1 LR3 skips the pituitary gland and acts on the tissue level, which is why it is often used as a reference compound in cell studies.

Our article CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin explains the receptors, the difference between CJC-1295 with and without DAC, and the key studies.

Handling of growth hormone peptides

All three compounds are supplied as lyophilised powder in sealed vials. They are stored cold and dry and dissolved in bacteriostatic water before use. IGF-1 LR3 is supplied in a 1 mg vial because it is active at much lower amounts than the GH secretagogues. For the dilution steps, see our guide on how to reconstitute peptides.

Regulatory status of growth hormone peptides

GHRH analogues, GH secretagogues and IGF-1 analogues are all listed under section S2 of the WADA Prohibited List. Except for Tesamorelin in its approved indication, none of these compounds is an approved medicine. All products in this category are sold for laboratory research use only and are not intended for human or veterinary use.