This is an onboarding guide for your first peptide stack. If you have never reconstituted a vial, never injected yourself, and are trying to figure out where to start — read this end to end. If you are already on a GH peptide stack and looking for optimization, see Best Peptides for Muscle Growth instead.
The recommended first stack is CJC-1295 (no DAC) + ipamorelin, sold as a pre-mixed blend. This is the canonical entry point. It is not the strongest stack (tesamorelin + ipamorelin is stronger). It is not the cheapest single peptide (sermorelin or MK-677 are cheaper per month). It is the right first stack because it is well-studied, widely available, reasonably priced, and simple to run correctly.
Why This Stack
CJC-1295 (no DAC) is a modified GRF(1-29) peptide. Four amino acid substitutions make it resistant to DPP-IV degradation, extending the effective half-life from a few minutes to ~30 minutes (Teichman et al., 2006). That 30-minute window is what makes it different from sermorelin (which has a 10-minute window and produces a smaller pulse) and different from CJC-1295 with DAC (which has an 8-day half-life and creates sustained non-pulsatile GH elevation). The no-DAC version preserves the natural pulsatile GH rhythm.
Ipamorelin is the selective GHRP — it activates the ghrelin receptor to trigger GH release without meaningfully raising cortisol, ACTH, or prolactin (Raun et al., 1998). It is the cleanest GHRP and the default pair for any GHRH analog.
Combined, the two produce a GH pulse 2-3x larger than either alone (Bowers et al., 1990). This is the "two-pathway" GH release model, and it is the reason serious muscle-growth protocols almost always pair a GHRH with a GHRP.
Top CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin Vendors
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What You'll Need Before Starting
Supplies:
- 1x 5 mg CJC-1295 + ipamorelin blend vial (per ~5-week cycle at 100 mcg each)
- 1x 30 mL bacteriostatic water bottle
- 1 box of insulin syringes, 0.5 mL / 31-gauge / 5/16" needles (100-count)
- Alcohol swabs
- Sharps container
Cost estimate: ~$120-180 per vial × 3-4 vials per 12-16 week cycle = $400-700 total.
Baseline bloodwork (get this before your first injection):
- IGF-1
- Fasting glucose
- HbA1c
- Comprehensive metabolic panel
- Fasting insulin
- Lipid panel
Reconstitution: Step by Step
Most blend vials come as 5 mg lyophilized powder. Reconstitute with 2 mL bacteriostatic water for a final concentration of 2.5 mg per mL = 25 mcg per unit on a 100-unit insulin syringe.
- Remove the plastic cap from the peptide vial (keep the rubber stopper).
- Wipe both rubber stoppers (peptide vial + bac water vial) with an alcohol swab.
- Draw 2 mL of bacteriostatic water into the insulin syringe (you'll need multiple pulls since a 0.5 mL syringe only holds 0.5 mL — or use a larger syringe for this step, then discard).
- Insert the needle into the peptide vial at a 45° angle, needle tip against the inside wall.
- Slowly release the bac water down the wall of the vial — do NOT squirt directly onto the powder.
- Withdraw the needle, cap it, and gently swirl the vial until the powder dissolves (usually within 30-60 seconds). Do not shake aggressively — shear stress degrades peptides.
- The solution should be clear. Cloudy or particulate = do not inject.
- Refrigerate (2-8°C / 36-46°F). Do not freeze.
Shelf life once reconstituted: ~30 days refrigerated. Label the vial with the reconstitution date.
Dosing Protocol
Starter protocol (most users start here):
- 100 mcg CJC-1295 + 100 mcg ipamorelin, once daily
- Timing: pre-bed, on an empty stomach (at least 2 hours after last meal)
- Volume on syringe: 4 units on a standard 100-unit insulin syringe (if 2.5 mg/mL reconstitution)
Intermediate protocol (after first successful 12-week cycle):
- Same dose (100 mcg + 100 mcg), dosed 2-3x per day
- AM fasted, pre-workout (if training), pre-bed
Cycle length: 12-16 weeks on, 4-8 weeks off.
Do not exceed 200 mcg of either peptide per injection. Above 200 mcg the GH response plateaus (receptor saturation) and you are just wasting peptide.
