CJC-1295 Guide: Basics, Benefits, and Risks

The Aging-Performance Puzzle We’re Trying to Solve

Declining muscle mass, slower recovery, and stubborn belly fat aren’t just vanity metrics. They’re signatures of aging biology showing up in the gym and on the scale.

CJC-1295 is a lab-made peptide that nudges your own growth hormone system rather than replacing it. It has been studied for its ability to raise growth hormone and IGF-1, but outside narrow research contexts, evidence for outcomes like body composition or performance remains limited.

If the goal is to improve how you build, burn, and repair, where might CJC-1295 fit?

What Is CJC-1295?

CJC-1295 is a synthetic growth hormone–releasing hormone analog. Translation: it mimics the signal your brain uses to prompt the pituitary to release growth hormone. The twist is chemistry. CJC-1295 includes a Drug Affinity Complex that binds albumin in the bloodstream and extends its half-life from minutes to days.

Two versions show up online. CJC-1295 with DAC is the long-acting form designed for sustained signaling through albumin binding. “CJC-1295 without DAC” — often called MOD GRF 1-29 — is a short-acting fragment that behaves like a brief GHRH analog.

CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any medical use in the United States. It is generally considered a research-only compound, and compounding for human use is restricted. That matters for quality, purity, and safety.

Curious how a longer half-life translates into real-world physiology?

How CJC-1295 Works in the Body

Think of growth hormone as a pulse-driven signal. Your pituitary releases it in bursts, especially at night. CJC-1295 binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs and increases the amplitude of those pulses. That means more hormone per burst while keeping the natural rhythm intact.

Downstream, the liver and other tissues increase insulin-like growth factor 1. IGF-1 participates in protein synthesis, connective tissue turnover, and fuel handling. Early human studies showed that a single dose of CJC-1295 increased growth hormone secretion and elevated IGF-1 for about one to two weeks, consistent with its long half-life.

What does that look like day to day — and how is it typically used in research?

Dosage and Administration

Most human data come from research settings, not standardized clinical use. Route matters. These peptides are proteins, so the gut breaks them down. Subcutaneous injection is the supported route in published studies. Nasal and oral formats exist in a commercial gray zone, but robust human pharmacokinetic data are lacking.

In research contexts with CJC-1295 plus DAC, protocols have reported total doses around 1 to 2 mg given every one to two weeks for limited cycles. The long half-life supports fewer injections and a sustained rise in IGF-1. With the short-acting analog, often labeled MOD GRF 1-29, research dosing commonly clusters around 100 to 200 micrograms per administration, one to three times daily, sometimes timed toward evening to align with larger physiologic pulses. These regimens are investigational and not standardized.

Some protocols combine a GHRH analog with a ghrelin receptor agonist such as ipamorelin. The two pathways are complementary — one primes the pituitary, the other presses the accelerator — though controlled outcome data on the combo in healthy populations are limited.

How safe is shifting the GH axis, short and long term?

Safety, Side Effects, and Contraindications

Any tool that raises growth hormone and IGF-1 needs a sober risk-benefit lens. The body keeps GH pulsatile for a reason. Too much, too often, can stress glucose control and soft tissues.

Common short-term effects

Flushing, transient warmth, or lightheadedness can occur after injection as blood vessels react. Water retention may show up as morning finger stiffness or puffiness. Tingling in the wrists can resemble carpal tunnel–type compression from fluid shifts. Injection sites can get irritated if sterility or technique is off.

Metabolic considerations

Growth hormone opposes insulin in the short term, which can nudge fasting glucose upward, especially in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. IGF-1 elevation reflects target engagement, but translating that signal into changes in fat or lean mass is person-specific and not well defined outside specific clinical indications.

Cardiovascular and sleep

Water and sodium retention can transiently bump blood pressure, particularly in those already borderline. Because GH pulses align with slow-wave sleep, some individuals report sleep changes at the start of a cycle, but high-quality data on sleep outcomes with CJC-1295 are limited.

Long-term safety

Large, long-duration randomized trials of CJC-1295 in the general population are lacking. By analogy to GH therapies, sustained supraphysiologic IGF-1 may carry risks, including soft-tissue overgrowth, joint discomfort, insulin resistance, and theoretical tumor promotion in susceptible tissues. In people with active cancer, raising IGF-1 is generally avoided.

Who should avoid it

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are off-limits. Avoid in active malignancy, uncontrolled diabetes, proliferative retinopathy, or a history of intracranial hypertension. Severe obstructive sleep apnea can worsen with fluid shifts and soft-tissue swelling. Oral estrogen lowers measured IGF-1 via hepatic first-pass effects, complicating monitoring for those using it.

Lab monitoring matters

IGF-1 trends show whether the intervention is doing anything. Fasting glucose and A1c reflect metabolic impact. Thyroid markers can shift because GH influences peripheral thyroid hormone conversion, and latent hypothyroidism can surface as fatigue. Electrolytes and high-sensitivity CRP can capture fluid shifts and inflammatory responses.

Bottom line: short-term effects are usually mild and reversible, but long-term safety needs more data. So how does CJC-1295 compare with other peptides aiming at similar goals?

Where CJC-1295 Fits Among Peptides

There are two main levers for GH physiology. GHRH analogs such as CJC-1295 amplify the pituitary’s response to your brain’s timing signal and preserve natural pulsatility. Ghrelin receptor agonists, including ipamorelin and legacy GHRP-2/6, act via a separate receptor and can further boost pulse amplitude.

Sermorelin, also known as GRF 1-29, is a short-acting GHRH analog historically used for diagnostics. MOD GRF 1-29 is a stabilized fragment with slightly longer action than native GRF 1-29. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved for HIV-associated visceral adiposity and reliably reduces visceral fat in that context. The trade-off is simple: longer-acting CJC-1295 reduces injection frequency, while short-acting options allow finer control and timing.

Curious where regulators land on this landscape?

Legal Status and Regulatory Overview

CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any medical use. In the United States, most compounding pharmacies cannot legally compound it for human use. It is often sold as a research chemical, which places human use outside regulated medical channels. Other countries vary, but the theme is similar.

For athletes, the line is bright. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits growth hormone, GHRH and its analogs, and ghrelin mimetics. CJC-1295 falls under these prohibited classes. Testing strategies continue to evolve, including biological passports that look for patterns rather than single spikes.

Sourcing matters. Peptides are sensitive to synthesis, storage, and sterility. Substandard products can contain impurities or the wrong sequence. Without regulated, pharmacy-grade channels, quality becomes a safety issue.

Given the gray market and evolving policies, how do you keep the science front and center?

Laboratory Testing and Biomarker Relevance

If you are evaluating GH-axis modulation, labs are your compass. The signal is not subtle, but targeted measurement makes it useful.

IGF-1 is the workhorse marker because it integrates GH signaling over days. A rise suggests target engagement, and aiming for an age-appropriate reference range is generally preferred over a supraphysiologic jump. IGF-1 naturally declines with age. Women using oral estrogen often show lower IGF-1 due to hepatic first-pass effects.

Fasting glucose and A1c track GH’s insulin-antagonizing effects. Fasting insulin or HOMA-IR adds nuance. Lipids can shift with changes in visceral adiposity. Thyroid markers, including TSH and free T4, sometimes free T3, help catch altered peripheral conversion that can masquerade as fatigue. High-sensitivity CRP and, in some contexts, collagen turnover markers such as P1NP can hint at tissue remodeling.

If the labs are the map, what destination actually matters to you?

Putting It All Together For Real Life

CJC-1295 is a long-acting GHRH analog that boosts the amplitude of natural GH pulses, raises IGF-1 for days to weeks, and tilts biology toward repair and fuel mobilization at a mechanistic level. Early trials support the pharmacology, but the size of benefit varies by person, and long-term safety in the general population remains uncertain.

Context is everything. Age, metabolic health, sleep, training load, and sex hormones shape both upside and risk. Results must be interpreted, not assumed.

If you are exploring the peptide universe from an information standpoint, get objective with data. A comprehensive panel across IGF-1, glucose metrics, thyroid, lipids, and inflammation can show signal versus noise. Superpower offers non-diagnostic biomarker testing and interpretation to help contextualize GH-axis changes, complementing — not replacing — clinical care. Ready to see what your data say?