Ipamorelin calculator
A selective growth hormone secretagogue often discussed together with CJC-1295.
FDA status — not an approved drug Not FDA-approved for any use. Ipamorelin was placed in Category 2 of FDA's bulk drug substances list, which restricts its use in compounding.
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What Ipamorelin is
Ipamorelin is a growth hormone secretagogue — it prompts your pituitary to release its own growth hormone rather than supplying GH from outside. It is considered the most selective of this class, meaning it has less effect on cortisol and prolactin than older secretagogues.
Research depth: 3/5 Good preclinical pharmacology plus early human studies confirming growth hormone release; no efficacy trials for the uses it is marketed for. Human trials: Early pharmacology studies. This measures how much has been studied — counting animal and laboratory work — not whether it works for you.
How Ipamorelin works
It mimics ghrelin at the GHSR-1a receptor in the pituitary, triggering pulses of growth hormone release. Because it works through your own pituitary, the release stays somewhat subject to normal feedback control — unlike injected growth hormone, which overrides it entirely.
Ipamorelin side effects
Commonly reported
- Injection-site reactions
- Headache and flushing
- Water retention
- Increased hunger
- Drowsiness after dosing
Serious — seek medical care
- Elevated blood glucose and reduced insulin sensitivity with sustained use
- Carpal tunnel symptoms from fluid retention
- Any growth-hormone-raising compound is a theoretical concern with an undiagnosed malignancy
This list is not exhaustive. Report anything unexpected to the clinician who prescribed it. If you have severe abdominal pain, trouble breathing, or signs of an allergic reaction, seek care the same day. See also our guide to peptide side effects by class.
A worked example
A 5 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 2.5 mg/mL. A 200 mcg dose is then 0.08 mL — about 8 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe, giving roughly 25 doses per vial before accounting for residual volume left in the vial and syringe.
Prefer paper? Download the printable Ipamorelin dosing chart (PDF) — every vial size and water volume in syringe units, with the same review byline as this page. All charts →
Commonly cited dose range
Figures circulating for Ipamorelin run from 100 mcg to 300 mcg. Community protocols commonly describe doses in the low hundreds of micrograms. No approved human dose exists.
Read this as reference information, not instruction. These numbers describe what is commonly discussed, not what is right for any individual. Dose, frequency, and whether to use Ipamorelin at all are decisions for a licensed clinician who knows your history.
Common questions
How do I measure 200 mcg of ipamorelin?
A 5 mg vial in 2 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 2.5 mg/mL, so 200 mcg is 0.08 mL — 8 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe. Small draws like this are why many people choose a 0.3 mL syringe.
Why is my draw only a few units?
Because the dose is small relative to the concentration. Adding more bacteriostatic water spreads the same peptide across more volume, making each draw larger and easier to measure accurately.