Hexarelin vs Ipamorelin
The strongest GHRP against the cleanest. Is a bigger pulse worth a receptor that stops responding?
Reviewed by the amino101 editorial team. , first published .
Hexarelin and ipamorelin sit at opposite ends of the GHRP family. Hexarelin is a methylated analog of GHRP-6 from the early 1990s and is the most potent growth hormone releasing peptide per dose, with a larger pulse than GHRP-2 or GHRP-6. Ipamorelin is the selective one: a smaller pulse, no cortisol or prolactin rise and almost no hunger. The catch with hexarelin is in the human data. In a 16 week study of twice daily dosing in healthy men, the growth hormone response had fallen markedly by week 4 and IGF-1 drifted back toward baseline, which is faster and deeper desensitization than any other secretagogue shows. It also raises cortisol and prolactin more than GHRP-2 and far more than ipamorelin. Neither compound is approved anywhere; hexarelin went through phase 2 scale European research in the 1990s and stalled, ipamorelin reached phase 2 at Novo Nordisk and was dropped. Both are prohibited by WADA. This is an educational comparison, not a protocol.
| Hexarelin | Ipamorelin | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical dosage | 100 to 200 mcg | 100 to 300 mcg |
| Frequency | 1 to 3 times daily | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Route | Subcutaneous, Intranasal | Subcutaneous |
| Half-life | about 1 hour in plasma | about 2 hours in plasma |
| Cycle | 4 to 8 weeks | 8 to 16 weeks |
| Research level | Well researched | Well researched |
| Human trials | Randomized trials | Randomized trials |
| Status | Investigational, not approved anywhere. Prohibited by WADA under S2. | Investigational, not FDA approved (Phase 2 trials completed, not pursued) |
| Effects timeline | flushing and a short burst of hunger within the hour, deeper sleep in the first week, IGF-1 rise by 2 to 4 weeks, then a fading response after week 4 | deeper sleep 1 to 2 weeks, IGF-1 rise on bloodwork by 4 weeks, recovery and body composition 2 to 3 months |
Key differences
Hexarelin vs Ipamorelin dosage
Dosage patterns reported in research and community protocols, by goal. Taken from each compound page. Not a prescription.
| Goal | Dosage | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Stacked with a GHRH analog | 100 mcg | once daily before bed, with 100 mcg CJC-1295 no DAC |
| Solo nightly dose | 200 mcg | once daily before bed |
| Short high output block | 100 mcg | 3 times daily for 4 weeks, on waking, after training, before bed |
| Every other day to slow desensitization | 100 to 200 mcg | once every other day before bed |
| Goal | Dosage | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Solo nightly dose | 200 to 300 mcg | once daily before bed |
| Stacked with a GHRH analog | 100 mcg | once daily before bed, with 100 mcg Mod GRF 1-29 |
| Three pulse protocol | 100 mcg | 3 times daily, on waking, after training, before bed |
| Recovery focus | 100 to 200 mcg | twice daily, after training and before bed |
Convert any of these to syringe units in the dosage calculator.
Side effects compared
- ▲Flushing, headache or lightheadedness in the first hour
- ▲Short burst of hunger after a dose, milder than GHRP-6
- ▲Water retention and puffy hands at higher doses
- ▲Tingling in the fingers when stacked heavily
- ▲Raised cortisol, felt by some as restlessness or poorer sleep from daytime doses
- ▲Headache, flushing, or lightheadedness shortly after a dose
- ▲Water retention and puffy hands at higher doses
- ▲Tingling in the fingers when stacked heavily
- ▲Mild appetite increase in some people
- ▲Injection site redness or itching
Which should you choose?
Hexarelin fits an experienced user who wants maximum growth hormone output for a short, defined block and will stop when the response fades. Trials used about 1 to 2 mcg per kg, which lands at 100 to 200 mcg for most adults, and community protocols report the same range 1 to 3 times daily for 4 to 8 weeks with at least 4 weeks off. Expect cortisol and prolactin to rise with each dose, and check both on bloodwork at the end of a block.
Ipamorelin fits everyone else: anyone running a secretagogue for months, anyone with sleep, mood, libido or breast tissue concerns, and anyone who would rather have a steady response than a big one that shrinks. Commonly reported at 100 mcg with CJC-1295 no DAC before bed, or 200 to 300 mcg alone, for 8 to 16 weeks. It is the GHRP with phase 2 human safety data.
Ipamorelin for anyone planning to run a secretagogue longer than a month, which is nearly everyone. The pulse is smaller, but it keeps coming for the whole cycle, it does not raise cortisol or prolactin, and it pairs with CJC-1295 no DAC in the protocol described at the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack. Hexarelin earns its place as a short block. People who want the biggest pulse available run it for 4 to 8 weeks, often at 100 mcg with CJC-1295 no DAC at bedtime, then rotate back to ipamorelin while the receptor recovers. Running hexarelin for 12 weeks straight wastes the compound, because the 16 week human study says the response is mostly gone by then. The cardiac findings are interesting and not a reason to use it; they come from rats and one single dose study. Both compounds are unapproved and prohibited in sport. This is educational content rather than a recommendation, and the GHRP-2 vs GHRP-6 page covers the two compounds that sit between these extremes.
Stacking: Rotated rather than combined, since both act on the ghrelin receptor. A typical pattern is a 4 to 8 week hexarelin block inside a longer ipamorelin run, each paired with CJC-1295 no DAC at 100 mcg.
Hexarelin is the most potent of the growth hormone releasing peptides on a per dose basis, with a larger pulse than GHRP-2 or GHRP-6. The trade offs are a rise in cortisol and prolactin and the fastest receptor desensitization in the class, which is why it is run in short cycles.
Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide that triggers growth hormone release through the ghrelin receptor without the cortisol, prolactin, or hunger spikes seen with older GHRPs. It is the most popular GHRP in the community, usually stacked with a GHRH analog.
Hexarelin vs Ipamorelin: frequently asked
Is hexarelin stronger than ipamorelin?
Per dose, yes, and by a clear margin. Hexarelin produces the largest growth hormone pulse of any GHRP in human studies, while ipamorelin produces a moderate one. The qualifier is time: hexarelin's response falls sharply over the first month of daily use, so by week 6 the gap has narrowed or reversed. Ipamorelin's smaller pulse holds up across a cycle.
Why does hexarelin stop working?
The ghrelin receptor downregulates under daily stimulation, and hexarelin drives it harder than the others. In the 16 week human study of twice daily dosing, the growth hormone response was markedly attenuated by week 4 and IGF-1 did not stay elevated. Community cycles of 4 to 8 weeks, every other day dosing, and rotation to ipamorelin are all attempts to work around that. The peptide cycling article covers the general logic.
Can you take hexarelin and ipamorelin together?
People rotate them rather than inject them together. Same receptor, so the combination adds hexarelin's cortisol and prolactin to ipamorelin's pulse without much extra release, and it wears down the receptor faster. The common pattern is a hexarelin block followed by ipamorelin for the break, each paired with a GHRH analog such as CJC-1295 no DAC.
Does hexarelin raise cortisol?
Yes, more than any other GHRP in common use. Acute human studies show cortisol and prolactin rising alongside growth hormone, above what GHRP-2 produces and far above ipamorelin, which leaves both flat at normal doses. Over a block that can show up as restlessness, poorer sleep from daytime doses, reduced libido or breast tenderness in the people prone to them.
Is hexarelin good for the heart?
There is a real signal and it is a long way from a use. In rats hexarelin protected heart muscle during ischemia through a receptor called CD36, independent of growth hormone, and in one small human study a single intravenous dose raised ejection fraction in patients with coronary disease. No trial has tested chronic use for any heart condition. Treat it as a research finding, and treat chest pain or palpitations on hexarelin as a reason to stop.
What is the hexarelin dosage compared with ipamorelin?
Hexarelin is reported at 100 to 200 mcg per injection and ipamorelin at 100 to 300 mcg, each 1 to 3 times daily on an empty stomach. The hexarelin ceiling is lower because doses above 200 mcg add cortisol and prolactin rather than growth hormone. When either is stacked with CJC-1295 no DAC the common pairing is 100 mcg of each. The peptide dosage chart lists both alongside the rest of the secretagogue family.
Related reading
Pulsatile growth hormone release
Visceral fat loss with growth hormone support
Weight loss while limiting muscle loss
One is a GHRP, one is a GHRH analog. Why are they compared, and why are they usually combined?
The two halves of the most popular GH stack. What does each one do, and which CJC-1295 are you actually buying?
An approved GHRH analog with fat loss trials versus the community's favorite GHRP.
Sources
- Growth hormone-releasing activity of hexarelin, a new synthetic hexapeptide, after intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, and oral administration in man. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1994
- Growth hormone status during long-term hexarelin therapy. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1998
- Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. European Journal of Endocrinology, 1998
- Effects of acute hexarelin administration on cardiac performance in patients with coronary artery disease. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2002