# CJC-1295: Frequently Asked Questions, From the Research Record > CJC-1295 questions and answers drawn from the published phase-1 literature, the FDA record, and the WADA Prohibited List. Verbatim search-question phrasings, cited answers. ## What does CJC-1295 do to your body? CJC-1295 is a long-acting synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs and stimulates pulsatile release of endogenous growth hormone, elevating downstream IGF-1 [1]. In phase-1 trials, single subcutaneous doses produced 2- to 10-fold dose-dependent GH elevations sustained at least six days and 1.5- to 3-fold IGF-1 elevations for 9 to 11 days [1]. ## What is CJC-1295? CJC-1295 is a 30-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from human GHRH (1-29) with four amino-acid substitutions (D-Ala-2, Gln-8, Ala-15, Leu-27) [5]. The drug-affinity-complex (DAC) variant adds a maleimidopropionic-acid lysine derivative at the C-terminus that binds serum albumin, extending plasma half-life from approximately 30 minutes to approximately 7 to 8 days [1][5]. ## What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC? The DAC variant carries a maleimidopropionic-acid linker that covalently binds the free Cys34 thiol on circulating serum albumin, extending plasma half-life to ~7-8 days in healthy adults [1][5]. CJC-1295 without DAC (modified GRF 1-29) retains the same four sequence substitutions but, lacking the albumin tether, reverts to a half-life of approximately 30 minutes. ## How does CJC-1295 work in the body? CJC-1295 acts as a GHRH-receptor agonist on pituitary somatotrophs, triggering Gs-coupled cyclic-AMP signaling and protein-kinase-A-mediated growth-hormone release [1]. The DAC linker prolongs receptor exposure across days rather than minutes by tethering the peptide to circulating albumin, producing a steadier GH/IGF-1 elevation in published research [1][5]. ## What is the half-life of CJC-1295? Approximately 5.8 to 8.1 days for CJC-1295 with DAC in published phase-1 pharmacokinetic studies in healthy adults [1]. Approximately 30 minutes for the no-DAC variant (modified GRF 1-29). The albumin-binding DAC moiety is the structural element that extends the half-life by roughly two orders of magnitude [5]. ## How long does it take to feel a CJC-1295? Phase-1 trials measured plasma GH elevation within hours of a single subcutaneous dose of CJC-1295 with DAC and sustained IGF-1 elevation for one to two weeks following that single dose [1]. Subjective sensations are outside the scope of those pharmacokinetic studies and are not reported as primary endpoints in the indexed phase-1 literature. ## What are the side effects of CJC-1295? Phase-1 reports describe transient injection-site reactions, facial flushing, headache, and mild nausea as the more common acute effects [1][16]. The FDA has separately discussed cardiovascular signals (heart rate, vasodilation) and immunogenicity concerns associated with the DAC variant [13]. Long-term human safety data does not exist in the peer-reviewed literature. ## Is CJC-1295 safe? Phase-1 human studies reported short-term tolerability at the doses tested with no serious adverse events at single doses up to 250 µg/kg [1]. The compound is not FDA-approved for any indication [13]. Long-term human safety data does not exist in peer-reviewed literature, and a phase-2 trial of the DAC variant was halted after a fatal cardiovascular event judged by the trial investigator as unrelated to study drug [14]. ## Is CJC-1295 FDA approved? No. CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any indication [13]. It was placed on FDA's interim 503A bulks list at Category 2 (significant safety risks for compounding) in September 2023 and removed from Category 2 in September 2024 only because the nominator withdrew. It remains outside any active U.S. approval or pharmacy-compounding pathway [13]. ## Is CJC-1295 a steroid? No. CJC-1295 is a peptide — a 30-amino-acid synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone [5]. It contains no steroid backbone. It acts upstream of growth hormone via the GHRH receptor [1], not on androgen or estrogen receptors. Anabolic-steroid pharmacology and GHRH-analog pharmacology are mechanistically separate. ## Does CJC-1295 increase testosterone? CJC-1295 acts on the GHRH/GH/IGF-1 axis, not the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis [1]. Published research does not establish a direct testosterone-elevating effect for CJC-1295. Any reported observations are downstream and not consistently demonstrated in controlled human trials of the compound. ## What is the dosage of CJC-1295 in published research? Phase-1 trials of CJC-1295 with DAC in healthy adults tested single subcutaneous doses of 30, 60, 125, or 250 µg/kg [1] and a multi-dose arm of 60 µg/kg weekly or every other week for 49 days [16]. This is research dosing data, not a clinical recommendation, and no FDA-approved protocol exists [13]. ## What happens when you stop taking CJC-1295? Because CJC-1295 stimulates endogenous GH release rather than supplying exogenous GH, discontinuation returns the GH/IGF-1 axis to its underlying baseline over the compound's elimination window. The DAC variant clears across multiple half-lives — roughly four to five weeks for plasma levels to fall below detection from a single dose [1]. ## Does CJC-1295 cause hair loss? Hair loss is not reported as an effect in the published phase-1 trials of CJC-1295 with DAC [1][16]. Anecdotal user reports exist on consumer forums but are outside the peer-reviewed evidence base. The indexed literature does not measure hair-related endpoints, so it establishes neither presence nor absence of the effect. ## Does CJC-1295 cause flushing? Yes. Phase-1 trials of CJC-1295 with DAC reported transient facial flushing as one of the more common acute effects, attributed mechanistically to the vasodilatory action that accompanies pulsatile growth-hormone release [1]. Flushing in the reported cohort was self-limiting at the doses tested. ## How does CJC-1295 compare to ipamorelin? CJC-1295 is a GHRH-receptor agonist — a synthetic version of the upstream releasing hormone [1]. Ipamorelin is a ghrelin / GHS-R1a-receptor agonist (a GHRP), a five-amino-acid peptide acting on a different receptor [7]. The two are commonly studied together because they activate distinct receptors on the same somatotroph and produce additive GH pulse amplitude [8]. ## Does CJC-1295 cause weight gain? Published trials measure biochemical and body-composition signals (lean mass, fat mass, water-retention markers) rather than scale weight [3][4]. Transient water retention has been described qualitatively in the GHRH-analog class. Long-term body-composition data for CJC-1295 specifically is limited. ## Does CJC-1295 affect fertility? No published human fertility trials exist for CJC-1295. Animal reproductive-toxicology data for the compound specifically is not present in the publicly indexed peer-reviewed literature. CJC-1295 acts on the GHRH/GH/IGF-1 axis, not directly on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, so any reproductive effect would be expected to be indirect — but this is mechanistic reasoning, not data. ## What is CJC-1295 used for in research? CJC-1295 is studied as a long-acting GHRH analog for sustained elevation of endogenous growth hormone and IGF-1 [1]. Research applications in the indexed literature include investigations of GH-deficiency physiology (Alba 2006 in GHRH-knockout mice [3]), body-composition signaling, and pulsatile-release pharmacokinetics in healthy adults [1][2]. ## How long does CJC-1295 stay in your system? CJC-1295 with DAC has a published plasma half-life of approximately 7 to 8 days [1], so detectable plasma levels persist for roughly four to five weeks after a single dose. Modified GRF (1-29) — CJC-1295 without DAC — clears within hours. WADA-accredited labs validate LC-MS methods that track this elimination window [12]. ## Is CJC-1295 the same as sermorelin? No. Both are GHRH analogs derived from the GHRH (1-29) fragment, but they differ structurally and pharmacokinetically. Sermorelin is the unmodified parent fragment with a half-life of approximately 7 to 20 minutes [10]. CJC-1295 carries four sequence substitutions plus, in the DAC form, an albumin-binding linker that extends the half-life to ~7-8 days [1][5]. ## Why is CJC-1295 often paired with ipamorelin? CJC-1295 and ipamorelin activate distinct receptors — the GHRH receptor and the ghrelin / GHS-R1a receptor — on the same anterior-pituitary somatotroph [7]. Combining a GHRH analog with a GHRP produces additive and in some preclinical models synergistic growth-hormone pulse amplitude versus either compound alone [8]. ## Does CJC-1295 affect sleep? Growth hormone is released predominantly during slow-wave sleep, and a 1992 intranasal-GHRH study reported enhanced slow-wave sleep proportion and reduced early-night cortisol in healthy men [9]. CJC-1295's own published phase-1 trials did not include polysomnography as a primary endpoint, so this is upstream-mechanism evidence rather than direct CJC-1295 sleep data. ## Where on the body is CJC-1295 injected in research protocols? Published phase-1 trials of CJC-1295 with DAC administered the peptide by subcutaneous injection into abdominal or thigh subcutaneous tissue [17]. This is the route with peer-reviewed human pharmacokinetic data. No published human trial has compared intramuscular or intravenous administration of CJC-1295 with DAC [17]. ## How often is CJC-1295 dosed in published studies? Because of the ~7-8 day half-life of the DAC variant, the published phase-1 multi-dose arm used weekly or every-other-week subcutaneous dosing for 49 days at 60 µg/kg [16]. The no-DAC variant (modified GRF 1-29) has a ~30-minute half-life and accordingly requires more frequent administration in research protocols. ## What is modified GRF (1-29)? Modified GRF (1-29) is the 30-amino-acid GHRH analog carrying CJC-1295's four sequence substitutions but lacking the DAC linker — essentially CJC-1295's backbone without the albumin-binding C-terminal moiety [5]. The four substitutions confer protease resistance via DPP-IV blockade [6]; the missing DAC means the half-life remains around 30 minutes. ## References [1] Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. Prolonged Stimulation of Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Secretion by CJC-1295, a Long-Acting Analog of GH-Releasing Hormone, in Healthy Adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799-805. doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1536 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/3/799/2843281 [2] Ionescu M, Frohman LA. Pulsatile Secretion of Growth Hormone (GH) Persists during Continuous Stimulation by CJC-1295, a Long-Acting GH-Releasing Hormone Analog. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(12):4792-4797. doi:10.1210/jc.2006-1702 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/12/4792/2656274 [3] Alba M, Fintini D, Sagazio A, Lawrence B, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA, Salvatori R. Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006;291(6):E1290-E1294. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00201.2006 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16822960/ [4] Sackmann-Sala L, Ding J, Frohman LA, Kopchick JJ. Activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295, a long-acting GHRH analog, results in serum protein profile changes in normal adult subjects. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2009;19(6):471-477. doi:10.1016/j.ghir.2009.03.001 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096637409000409 [5] Henninge J, Pepaj M, Hullstein I, Hemmersbach P. Identification of CJC-1295, a growth-hormone-releasing peptide, in an unknown pharmaceutical preparation. Drug Test Anal. 2010;2(11-12):647-650. doi:10.1002/dta.158 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21204297/ [6] Frohman LA, Downs TR, Heimer EP, Felix AM. Degradation of human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF 1-29)-NH2 by various peptidases and DPP-IV-mediated inactivation. J Clin Invest. 1989;83(5):1533-1540. doi:10.1172/JCI114122 https://www.jci.org/articles/view/114122 [7] Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thøgersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, Andersen PH. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552-561. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1390552 https://academic.oup.com/ejendo/article-abstract/139/5/552/6748390 [8] Bowers CY, Reynolds GA, Durham D, Barrera CM, Pezzoli SS, Thorner MO. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) stimulates growth hormone secretion synergistically with GHRH in normal subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990;70(4):975-982. doi:10.1210/jcem-70-4-975 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2108187/ [9] Steiger A, Guldner J, Hemmeter U, Rothe B, Wiedemann K, Holsboer F. Sleep-promoting effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone in normal men. Neuroendocrinology. 1992;56(4):566-573. doi:10.1159/000126067 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1361964/ [10] Frohman LA, Thominet JL, Webb CB, Vance ML, Uderman H, Rivier J, Vale W, Thorner MO. Pharmacokinetics of growth hormone releasing factor [GRF(1-29)NH2] in normal men. J Clin Invest. 1984;73(5):1304-1311. doi:10.1172/JCI111574 https://www.jci.org/articles/view/111574 [12] World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code International Standard — Prohibited List 2025. WADA-AMA. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list [13] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting — CJC-1295 bulk drug substance nomination. 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/183819/download [14] Carter M. Lipodystrophy study halted after patient death. aidsmap (NAM news report on ConjuChem trial CL-2002). 2006. https://www.aidsmap.com/news/jul-2006/lipodystrophy-study-halted-after-patient-death [16] Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. Prolonged Stimulation of Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Secretion by CJC-1295, a Long-Acting Analog of GH-Releasing Hormone, in Healthy Adults — multi-dose arm. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799-805. doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1536 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/3/799/2843281 [17] Teichman SL et al., subcutaneous administration route as described in the CJC-1295 phase-1 pharmacokinetic protocol — see reference [1]. doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1536 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/3/799/2843281 --- The CJC-1295 research record, set out as a specification — not a clinic, not a vendor, not a prescription.