GHRP-6 and CJC-1295
Why did people stack GHRP-6 with CJC-1295, and why did most of them switch to ipamorelin?
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Also searched as GHRP-6 CJC-1295 stack, GHRP-6 and Mod GRF 1-29, GHRP-6 CJC no DAC blend, bulking GH stack.
GHRP-6 is the original growth hormone releasing peptide, a six amino acid ghrelin receptor agonist that produces a solid growth hormone pulse together with intense hunger and a rise in cortisol and prolactin. People use it when they want appetite as much as growth hormone, usually stacked with a GHRH analog.
CJC-1295 without DAC, better known as Mod GRF 1-29, is a short-acting analog of growth hormone releasing hormone. People use it to prompt a natural-looking pulse of growth hormone, almost always paired with a GHRP like ipamorelin.
GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 without DAC are the older version of the growth hormone stack that most people now run with ipamorelin. The logic is the same: a GHRH analog tells pituitary cells to make and release growth hormone, a GHRP triggers release through the ghrelin receptor and lowers somatostatin, and the combined pulse is several times larger than either alone. That synergy is documented in human studies going back to the 1990s, and GHRP-6 was the GHRP those studies used. What changed is that GHRP-6 brings intense hunger and a cortisol and prolactin rise with every dose, and once ipamorelin offered the same pulse without those effects, the community moved. Neither compound is approved anywhere, both are prohibited by WADA, and no trial has tested this pair for body composition, recovery or anything else people run it for.
The stack still has a constituency. People in a gaining phase who struggle to eat enough use GHRP-6 precisely because of the hunger, and pair it with CJC-1295 no DAC, also called Mod GRF 1-29, for the growth hormone pulse. This page covers the protocols that circulate, where the appetite effect fits, what the cortisol and prolactin load means for cycle length, and when the modern version at the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack is the better choice. For the compound level comparison see GHRP-6 vs ipamorelin. Everything here is educational background, not a plan to follow.
Why people combine GHRP-6 and CJC-1295
CJC-1295 no DAC binds the GHRH receptor and raises cyclic AMP in somatotrophs, which drives growth hormone synthesis and release. GHRP-6 binds the ghrelin receptor, raises calcium in the same cells and suppresses somatostatin in the hypothalamus. The GHRH signal on its own is held back by somatostatin; the GHRP lifts that brake. Human studies of GHRP-6 plus GHRH found a peak far larger than either alone, and that finding is the basis for every GHRH plus GHRP stack since.
GHRP-6 activates hypothalamic appetite neurons strongly, and the result is a sharp wave of hunger 15 to 30 minutes after injection that lasts about an hour. For most users that is the reason to choose ipamorelin instead. For someone who cannot eat enough to gain weight, it is the reason to choose GHRP-6, and the stack is timed so a meal lands as the hunger peaks.
The no DAC version clears in about 30 minutes and gives one discrete pulse per injection, which lines up with the short GHRP-6 pulse. The DAC version lasts about a week and keeps the receptor stimulated continuously, which flattens the pulsatile pattern and is dosed tenfold differently. The two look identical on a vial, and the difference is explained at CJC-1295 DAC vs no DAC.
Growth hormone release saturates near 100 mcg of GHRP-6, so higher doses buy more hunger, cortisol and prolactin rather than more growth hormone. The stack does not add muscle beyond what the extra calories and training produce; no human trial has measured body composition with GHRP-6, and the secretagogue class in general raises IGF-1 modestly. Anyone expecting a growth hormone level effect from it should read HGH vs sermorelin first.
GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 dosage and protocol
What appears in research and community protocols for each compound in the stack. Not a prescription.
| Peptide | Dosage | Frequency | Timing and route |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHRP-6 | 100 mcg | once daily before bed, up to 3 times daily; 100 to 200 mcg before meals when appetite is the goal | subcutaneous, belly or thigh, on an empty stomach; meal 20 to 30 minutes after when using it for hunger |
| CJC-1295 (no DAC) | 100 mcg | once daily before bed, up to 3 times daily | subcutaneous, same syringe as the GHRP-6, at least 2 hours after the last meal |
Community runs are 8 to 12 weeks, a little shorter than the 8 to 16 weeks reported for the ipamorelin version, because every GHRP-6 dose raises cortisol and prolactin and the load adds up. There is no loading phase and no taper. A break of a few weeks follows, with IGF-1, prolactin and morning cortisol on bloodwork before any repeat.
- •100 mcg of each is the standard pairing and is close to the saturating dose for growth hormone release. The dosage of each does not change because they are stacked.
- •For appetite, the GHRP-6 dose goes 20 to 30 minutes before a meal so the meal arrives as the hunger peaks. The CJC-1295 is usually kept to the bedtime dose rather than added to every meal dose.
- •Carbohydrate and fat blunt the pulse, so the bedtime dose is fasted: 2 hours after the last meal, nothing for 20 to 30 minutes after.
- •Many people limit GHRP-6 to one or two doses a day and use ipamorelin for the rest, which keeps the appetite effect where it is wanted and the cortisol load lower.
Work out syringe units for any of these in the dosage calculator.
Can you mix GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 in one syringe?
Both are reconstituted in bacteriostatic water and are drawn into one syringe for a single injection, the same way the ipamorelin version is done. There is no published stability data on the mixture and no known chemical conflict. Several vendors sell a pre-mixed GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 no DAC blend, commonly 5 mg of each in one vial, which works because both are dosed at the same time on the same schedule. A 5 mg vial of either in 2 mL gives 2.5 mg per mL, so 100 mcg is 4 units on an insulin syringe; the calculator and the reconstitution guide cover other vial sizes. Check the CJC-1295 vial for the word DAC before mixing anything.
What to expect, week by week
- Week 1 to 2
Strong hunger 15 to 30 minutes after every GHRP-6 dose, some flushing or a brief head rush from either compound, deeper sleep and vivid dreams from the bedtime dose.
- Week 2 to 4
Weight goes up if the hunger is fed. Recovery between sessions feels quicker for some. Water retention and puffy hands show up at higher doses. IGF-1 is measurably higher by week 4.
- Week 4 to 8
Gradual gains in the people who train and eat for them. This is also when cortisol and prolactin related complaints surface in the people prone to them: poorer sleep from daytime doses, lower libido, breast tenderness.
- Week 8 to 12
The end of a typical run. Bloodwork for IGF-1, prolactin and morning cortisol is the practical check before deciding whether to repeat or switch the GHRP to ipamorelin.
Side effects and cautions
- ▲Intense hunger shortly after each GHRP-6 dose
- ▲Flushing, warmth or a brief head rush right after injection from either compound
- ▲Headache or lightheadedness in the first hour
- ▲Water retention, puffy hands and tingling fingers at higher doses
- ▲Raised cortisol, felt by some as restlessness or poorer sleep from daytime doses
- ▲Raised prolactin, which can show as reduced libido or breast tenderness over longer runs
- ■Anyone on a fat loss protocol or a GLP-1 drug. The hunger works directly against the goal, and GHRP-6 is the wrong GHRP for that job.
- ■People with sleep, mood, libido or breast tissue concerns. Every GHRP-6 dose raises cortisol and prolactin, which ipamorelin does not.
- ■Insulin resistance or diabetes. Growth hormone and cortisol both raise blood glucose for hours after a dose; fasting glucose and HbA1c need watching.
- ■Active or prior hormone sensitive cancer. Raising growth hormone and IGF-1 is the clearest reason to skip any secretagogue stack.
- ■Tested athletes. Both compounds are prohibited by WADA under S2.
This stack makes sense for one kind of person: someone in a gaining phase who cannot eat enough, who wants a growth hormone pulse alongside the appetite, and who accepts a cortisol and prolactin rise with every dose and a shorter cycle because of it. The synergy is real pharmacology, the two share a syringe without fuss, and the hunger is dependable. For everyone else the ipamorelin version is the better stack, with the same pulse and none of the trade offs, which is why the community moved to it. Anyone on a fat loss protocol, on a GLP-1 drug, with sleep or libido concerns, with insulin resistance, with a cancer history or subject to drug testing has a specific reason to leave GHRP-6 alone. No trial has tested this pair for any outcome, and this page is educational rather than medical advice.
GHRP-6 and CJC-1295: frequently asked
What is the GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 dosage?
Reported protocols use 100 mcg of each, drawn into one syringe and injected before bed on an empty stomach, with up to two more fasted doses on waking and after training. For appetite, GHRP-6 goes to 100 to 200 mcg, 20 to 30 minutes before meals, usually without the CJC-1295. These are the same ranges as each compound alone; the peptide dosage chart lists both.
Why did people switch from GHRP-6 to ipamorelin?
Because ipamorelin gives a comparable growth hormone pulse at 100 mcg without the hunger, cortisol or prolactin. Once it was available, there was no reason to accept those effects unless the hunger itself was wanted. The modern protocol is at the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack, and the head to head is at GHRP-6 vs ipamorelin.
Does GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 help you gain weight?
Indirectly, yes, through the appetite. GHRP-6 makes people eat more, and on a gaining phase that is what moves the scale. The growth hormone pulse itself has no human body composition trial behind it, and the secretagogue class raises IGF-1 modestly. The weight gain is real but it comes from the extra food, which is why people who already eat enough see no advantage over ipamorelin.
Can you mix GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 in the same syringe?
Yes, and that is how the stack is normally run. Both reconstitute in bacteriostatic water, both are dosed at the same moment, and vendors sell them pre-blended. There is no published stability study on the mixture, but no known conflict either. Make sure the CJC-1295 is the no DAC version; the DAC version is dosed tenfold differently and does not belong in this syringe.
How long should you run GHRP-6 and CJC-1295?
8 to 12 weeks is the common run, then a few weeks off. It is shorter than the ipamorelin version because of the cortisol and prolactin load from GHRP-6. Bloodwork for IGF-1, prolactin and morning cortisol at the end of a run is the sensible check, and the peptide cycling article covers the general logic.
Is the GHRP-6 and CJC-1295 stack legal in 2026?
Neither compound is approved as a drug anywhere, and both are prohibited by WADA. Both were placed in FDA Category 2 in 2023. Reports on the February 2026 HHS announcement list GHRP-6 among the peptides expected to stay restricted, while sources conflict on CJC-1295. Nothing has been finalized. The current picture is at the FDA peptide compounding list for 2026.
Related reading
Pulsatile growth hormone release
Visceral fat loss with growth hormone support
The original GHRP against the one that replaced it. What did ipamorelin fix, and when is the old one still the right pick?
Two first generation GHRPs from the same lab. Which one releases more growth hormone, and which one makes you eat?
The two halves of the most popular GH stack. What does each one do, and which CJC-1295 are you actually buying?
Same name, very different behavior. Which one do you actually want?
Guide
Dosage
Guide
Sources
- On the in vitro and in vivo activity of a new synthetic hexapeptide that acts on the pituitary to specifically release growth hormone. Endocrinology, 1984
- Growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide stimulation of GH release from human somatotroph adenoma cells and the pituitary in healthy adults. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1990
- Synergistic effects of GHRH and GHRPs on growth hormone secretion in humans. Endocrine Reviews, 1997