CJC-1295

Analogue of GHRH (Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone). Binds GHRH receptors in the anterior pituitary, stimulating pulsatile GH secretion. The DAC modification causes the peptide to bind serum albumin, dramatically extending its half-life from minutes (native GHRH) to days. Results in sustained elevation of GH and subsequent IGF-1.

Peptide compound. Injectable. The DAC modification (not an ester but a conjugation to Drug Affinity Complex) enables extended half-life through albumin binding. Without DAC, half-life is approximately 30 minutes.

CJC-1295 with DAC is used in performance settings as a way to chronically elevate growth hormone and IGF-1 levels without the cost and injection frequency of pharmaceutical HGH. The DAC modification extends the half-life from minutes to days, meaning one or two injections per week can produce sustained GH elevation throughout the week. It is used in longer cycles alongside other compounds for recovery enhancement, improved body composition, and the cosmetic effects of elevated GH including improved skin quality and reduced subcutaneous fat. It is also used as a standalone compound by athletes who want GH axis effects without androgens.

CJC-1295 with DAC is most commonly paired with Ipamorelin because the two compounds target different aspects of GH release. CJC-1295 acts on the GHRH receptor while Ipamorelin acts on the ghrelin receptor, and stimulating both simultaneously produces synergistic GH release greater than either compound alone. This pairing is the most discussed GH peptide combination in performance communities. CJC-1295 also appears in stacks with traditional anabolic compounds as a recovery and body composition addition, and with MK-677 for combined oral and injectable GH axis stimulation.

• Phase I completed for GH deficiency
• No approved therapeutic use
• Research continued for anti-aging and metabolic applications

• Water retention — GH-mediated
• Joint pain — GH-mediated fluid changes
• Insulin resistance with chronic use
• Potential IGF-1 driven proliferation concern
• Headache and flushing post-injection
• Numbness and tingling — carpal tunnel-like symptoms with GH elevation

Sustained rather than pulsatile GH elevation is physiologically different from natural GH secretion and the long-term implications of chronic GH elevation are not established. Natural GH is released in pulses, particularly during deep sleep, and the regulatory mechanisms built around that pulsatile pattern are bypassed by CJC-1295 with DAC. Insulin resistance, water retention, and the potential proliferative effects of chronically elevated IGF-1 are the primary practical risks. The quality and dose accuracy of research chemical CJC-1295 is highly variable.

WADA prohibits GHRH analogues. Specific detection evolving.