The very Basic guide to GHRP/GHRH Peptides

The newish supplement to be used by Bodybuilders are Peptides that naturally pulse GH from the body, the problem is that many make it all to confusing much more than it needs to be so i thought it would be a good article to write to try and clear some of the confusion on the subject.

if you prefer the science and long boring words to describe things this article is not for you 🙂 so here is a very basic guide, it does not contain any real detail to the science behind the need etc……

you need to look at 2 types of peptides:
GHRP – this group’s main types are GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, Hexarelin (there are others but these are the most common and effective)
GHRH – this groups main type is Mod GRF 1-29 (sometimes called CJC1295 without DAC)

What do they do:
They release and amplify a natural pulse of GH from your body
GHRP release a pulse of GH
GHRH release and amplify this pulse
Combining both peptides gives more than double the effect of either alone due to the synergy they have it would be foolish in my opinion to use either alone.

GHRP in detail:

GHRP-6:
Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) is in the category of drugs known as GH Secretagogues. This category of drugs includes GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, and Hexarelin. Their primary function is to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more Growth Hormone. GHRPs have a 2-fold mechanism of action, in that they cause an increase in GH through amplifying the natural growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signal transduction pathway, as well as by suppressing the actions of somatostatin.
GHRP-6 is a 1st generation GHRP and is primarily used in the BB’ing community for two reasons, which are 1) GH release and 2) Appetite stimulation. If one is considering using this peptide for GH release, the individual should consider whether or not the accompanying appetite stimulation is a beneficial or negative characteristic in their current circumstances. In individuals who struggle with appetite issues and have trouble eating enough food to meet their daily caloric requirements, this peptide can prove to be a great addition to their program. For those on contest diets or who are trying to lean out, they may want to forego this peptide in exchange for a GHRP absent of this effect.

Common benefits of GH (GHRP-6) include:

* Reductions in body fat
* Increased lean mass.
* Increased collagen production
* Improved sleep
* Increased cellular repair
* An increase in IGF-1
* Increases in bone density

Common side effects of GH (GHRP-6) include:

* Water retention
* Tightness and/or carpel tunnel-like symptoms in the wrist/hand.
* Numbness and tingling in the extremities
* A decrease in insulin sensitivity
* Tiredness

Recommendations for use:

* GHRP-6 should be administered on an empty stomach. No food should be consumed for 15-20 minutes post-inject, if maximum GH release is desired.
* When using GHRP-6 for GH release, the average dosing range is between 100-150 mcg per inject. Dosing frequency is between 1-4X per day.
* In order to elicit maximal elevations in GH, GHRP-6 should be combined with a GHRH, such as ModGRF1-29 (also known as CJC1295 w/o dac).
* If used for appetite stimulation, the common dosing range for GHRP-6 is between 100-300 per inject, as needed.

GHRP-2:

Growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) is in the category of drugs known as GH secretagogues. This category of drugs includes GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, and Hexarelin. Their primary function is to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone. GHRPs have a 2-fold mechanism of action, in that they cause an increase in GH through amplifying the natural growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signal transduction pathway, as well as by suppressing the actions of somatostatin.

GHRP-2 is a 2nd generation GHRP and finds its primary use in the area of GH release. It is superior to GHRP-6 in this regard and is currently the preferred peptide for attaining maximum elevations in GH over the long-term. Recent research also reveals that GHRP-2 can be dosed much higher than initially thought, while avoiding the desensitization that is inherent in some of our other GHRP’s. This provides the user with the opportunity to experience greater elevations in total GH, depending on the dosage administered. Lastly, while GHRP-2 can potentially lead to some degree appetite stimulation, not all users experience this effect and when they do, it is typically much less profound in comparison to GHRP-6.

Common benefits of GH (GHRP-2) include:

* Decreases in body fat
* An increase in lean mass
* Increased collagen production
* Improved sleep
* Increased cellular repair
* An increase in IGF-1
* Increases in bone density

Common side effects of GH (GHRP-2) include:

* Water retention
* Tightness and/or carpel tunnel-like symptoms
* Numbness and tingling in the extremities
* A decrease insulin sensitivity
* Tiredness

Recommendations for use:
* GHRP-2 should be administered on an empty stomach. No food should be consumed for 15-20 minutes post-inject, if maximum GH release is desired.

* The average dosing range is between 100-2,000 mcg per inject. Dosing frequency is as little as 3X per week when mega-dosing…and up to 6X per day when using lower dosages. Multiple daily doses will yield the best results.

* In order to elicit maximal elevations in GH, GHRP-2 should be combined with a GHRH, such as ModGRF1-29 (also known as CJC1295 w/o dac).

Ipamorelin:
Ipamorelin is in the category of drugs known as GH secretagogues. This category of drugs includes GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, and Hexarelin. Its primary function is to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone. Like the other GHRPs, it has a 2-fold mechanism of action, in that it causes an increase in GH through amplifying the natural growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signal transduction pathway, as well as by suppressing the actions of Somatostatin.

Ipamorelin is a 3rd generation GHRP which displays great selectivity in its actions. Ipamorelin will not lead to any degree of appetite stimulation, will not affect prolactin or cortisol, and is used solely for GH release. On a mcg to mcg basis, its strength is comparable to GHRP-6, but unlike GHRP-6, it can be dosed much higher, resulting in potentially greater elevations in GH. Similar to GHRP-2, IPA has no ceiling dose. Therefore, as the dosage of IPA is titrated upward, GH release will continue to rise accordingly. Ipamorelin has developed a reputation as the “cleanest” of the GHRP’s and rightfully so.

Common benefits of GH (Ipamorelin) include:

* Decreases in body fat
* An increase in lean mass
* Increased collagen production
* Improved sleep
* Increased cellular repair
* An increase in IGF-1
* Increases in bone density

Common side effects of GH (Ipamorelin) include:

* Water retention
* Tightness and/or carpel tunnel-like symptoms
* Numbness and tingling in the extremities
* A decrease in insulin sensitivity
* Tiredness

Recommendations for use:

* Ipamorelin should be administered on an empty stomach. No food should be consumed at least 15-20 minutes post-inject, if maximum GH release is desired.

* The average dosing range is between 100-2,000 mcg per inject. Dosing frequency is as little as 3X per week when mega-dosing…and up to 4X per day when using lower dosages.

* In order to elicit maximal elevations in GH, IPA should be combined with a GHRH, such as ModGRF1-29 (also known as CJC1295 w/o dac).

Hexarelin:
Hexarelin is in the category of drugs known as GH secretagogues. This category of drugs includes GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, and Hexarelin. Its primary function is to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone. Like the other GHRPs, it has a 2-fold mechanism of action, in that it causes an increase in GH through amplifying the natural growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signal transduction pathway, as well as by suppressing the actions of Somatostatin.

Hexarelin, on a mcg per mcg basis, is the most potent of the GHRP’s for GH release. However, Hexarelin administration will quickly lead to desensitization when used at effective dosages, which makes it less than ideal for long-term use. This limitation has led to a decrease in popularity among users of GH peptides, with GHRP-2 and Ipamorelin leading the pack in the area of long-term effectiveness. However, these limitations do not mean Hexarelin is worthless. On the contrary, Hexarelin can be added to other GHRP’s (such as GHRP-2 & Ipamorelin) in lower dosages, in order to elicit further elevations in GH without incurring the desensitization that commonly presents itself when using Hex alone at peak effective dosages.

Common benefits of GH (Ipamorelin) include:

* Decreases in body fat
* An increase in lean mass
* Increased collagen production
* Improved sleep
* Increased cellular repair
* An increase in IGF-1
* Increases in bone density

Common side effects of GH (Ipamorelin) include:

* Water retention
* Tightness and/or carpel tunnel-like symptoms
* Numbness and tingling in the extremities
* A decrease in insulin sensitivity
* Tiredness

Recommendations for use:

* Hexarelin should be administered on an empty stomach. No food should be consumed at least 15-20 minutes post-inject, if maximum GH release is desired.
* The average dosing range is between 100-150 mcg per inject. Dosing frequency is between 1-4X per day.
* In order to elicit maximal elevations in GH, Hexarelin should be combined with a GHRH, such as ModGRF1-29 (also known as CJC1295 w/o dac).

* In order to avoid the rapid desensitization that typically accompanies Hexarelin use, it can be added to GHRP-2 and/or Ipamorelin at a dosage of 100 mcg 2-3 X per day. If this practice is limited to every other day usage, Hex can be used long-term, while increasing GH levels beyond what is normally experienced when using average doses of GHRP-2 or Ipamorelin.

GHRP-6 is sloppy in that it activates a wider array of effects beyond GH release. It causes intense hunger and gastic motility. It can have a mild effect on cortisol and prolactin. It is a first generation GHRP.

GHRP-2 is less sloppy with a more intense GH release, no gastric motility and less hunger effect. It can have an effect within the normal range on prolcatin and cortisol. It is a second generation peptide.

Hexarelin is not sloppy like GHRP-2 it gives a higher GH pulse but has some Gastric motility although no issues with hunger, you have to cycle the use of this peptide to avoid desensitisation though.

Ipamorelin is not sloppy at all. It does not release as much GH as GHRP-2 but it causes virtually no hunger or gastric motility and for the most part does not effect cortisol or prolactin. It is a third generation peptide

You would choose GHRP-2 unless you wanted GHRP-6 for the hunger effect or for the lower release profiles.

You would choose GHRP-2 or Hexarelin normally as the most bang for the buck, although Hexarelin will disturb REM sleep so long term GHRP-2 is the better choice out of all 4 GHRP peptides.

If you are very sensitive to perturbations in cortisol or prolactin you would choose the more expensive Ipamorelin.

What GHRH to use?

all CJC started off as Mod GRF the differences between these is half life this makes some useless for us to use.

CJC1293 is the shortest at 5minutes this is destroyed by the body before it can do anything

CJC1295 DAC is approx several days this gives a bleed type effect (continuous GH release) this can only be used for short blasts of 4-6 weeks to avoid damaging the pituitary gland, there is new data available on using this peptide (see bottom of article)

CJC1295 w/o DAC is approx 30min this is a old name for what you should be using which is MOD GRF.

MOD GRF is the GHRH you need to stack with any of the GHRP peptides, as it acts in synergy with the GHRP which creates a pulse, the longer acting with DAC creates a constant bleed of GH so acts differently to the peptide(GHRP) you are using alongside it.

Mixing:
GHRP (apart from Ipamorelin which comes in 2mg vial reffer to GHRH mixing) normally comes in 5mg vials.
5000mcg(5mg) per vial
Add 2ml bac water in vial
4iu (2 small ticks) on a standard 100iu(1ml) insulin pin gives 100mcg

GHRH (Mod GRF, CJC)
GHRH should come in 2mg vials (due to lowered half life of peptide)
2000mcg(2mg) per vial
Add 2ml of BAC water to vial
Each 10iu on a standard 100iu(1ml) insulin pin will give 100mcg

Storage:
Store the powder in the freezer if unmixed but once mixed with Bac water store in a fridge for best results(life of product) although can be stored in a cool place away from sunlight.

Dosing:
saturation dose is 1mcg per kg so normal dose is 100mcg for each 3 -5 times a day (you can use higher but double the dose will not give double the results)

Common injection times:
Before meal 1
PWO
B4 Bed
Make sure to leave 2-3hrs between jabs, results depend on frequency not dose so jabbing 100mcg 3 x daily will give better results than 300mcg once per day

Decision Matrix for you:
Are you primarily trying to lose fat or gain muscle?

lose fat
If lose fat reserve more of the Mod GRF(1-29)/GHRP for the fatloss time period (i.e. fasted cardio; part of the day when calories are lower then the energy demand for the activity during that period; pre-weight workout IF that workout is designed to be a fatloss workout; or simply earlier in the day when there is more time to make use of liberated fatty acids)
Possible dosing scheme – Morning/Midday/PWO

gain muscle
If gain muscle reserve more of the Mod GRF(1-29)/GHRP for around the weight workout and in the period that follows.
Possible dosing schemes – Morning/Pre-WO/Bed; Morning/PWO/Bed; Pre-WO/Bed/Middle of night; Morning/PWO/Middle of night; PWO/Morning/Midday

Injection:
Can be injected IM or SubQ

Food:
don’t eat Carbs or fats approx 1hr before the jab or 15-20 min after the Jab as this blunts the GH pulse, Protein is fine.

Additions (these are not required for good results and should be used by the advanced BB):

Adding 1-4iu of GH 10-15 minutes after peptides will give a bigger overall pulse of GH (natural + synthetic) any more than 4iu and this will result in more of a bleed type situation rather than a pulse of GH.
Adding Insulin to peptides will give you the same type of results as adding it to GH

To Summarise:
What do I do?
Step one: You NEVER know when somatostatin is going to act, Again since you don’t know if somatostatin is around you are rolling the dice by injecting GHRH. There will be zero GH release if somatostatin is around and only some if somatostatin is just starting up or just diminishing. Only if you are lucky to inject when somatostatin is gone will there be decent GH release. To overcome this, very large amounts say 2mg (2000mcg) are sometimes used.

Step two: Choose a GHRP because it can always cause GH release on its own and make the environment safe for GHRH.

Step three: Choose a GHRH to add to the GHRP because it will synergistic amplify the GH pulse.

Step four: Choose a dosing schedule. If once a day do it pre-bed. If twice a day then do it pre-bed and post workout (PWO). If three times a day do it pre-bed, PWO and in the morning.
How many times can I dose before I lose pulsation? Six (6) a day every 3 hours, How few times can I do it for some better sleep, small anti-aging effect? Just pre-bed.

Step five: Assess tolerance by dosing just once w/ a GHRP pre-bed at half of saturation dose. Then if that goes well go to full saturation dose. If that goes well add a 2nd dosing, If that is fine add a third dosing.

Step six: Decide on a dose. Saturation dose is defined as either 100mcg or 1mcg/kg of bodyweight in the studies. For the most part it is treated as 100mcg. That is the same for women and men. You will get added but diminishing benefit by dosing 200mcg, 300mcg perhaps 400mcg.

BOOM Dosing:

Another popular method to using these Peptides is to use a BOOM dose of Ipamorelin (2mg +) before bed time, this creates the original pulse of GH along with several smaller ones through the night. This really can only be carried out with Ipamorelin as there is no issues with Prolactin or Cortisol increase.

the protocol would be to use a larger amount of the GHRP peptide Ipamorelin lets say at 2mg – 5mg along with the standard dose of 100mcg of Mod GRF before you retire to bed (the same rules apply about food and timings) any less and you are not BOOM dosing

P-11 IPAMORELIN – A NOVEL VERY POTENT GROWTH HORMONE SECRETAGOGUE
MH Rasmussen, B Soogaar, L YnddaI, L Groes, L Helmgaard, L Nordholm. Novo Nordisk A/S, Clinical Development, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.

this study above shows that  at high dose Ipamorelin continues to remain active for 5 to 6 hours, this means dose of 4mgs will result in Ipamorelin in plasma exerting an effect for more than 5 hours…

I have trailed this method using 2mg – 4mg of IPAM along with 100mcg of Mod GRF and it has enhanced my sleep dramatically, plus the improvement in my condition was better than i expected.

certainly something worth considering to add to the standard 3-5 x day saturation dosing schedule many follow.

Using CJC1295 DAC for a raising your basel GH & IGF-1 levels

there is new data to show the potential usefulness of the peptide CJC1295 DAC, recent studies have shown a 7.5 fold increase in basel GH levels and a 1-3fold increase in IGF-1 levels when using doses of 30-60mcg per kg, so for a 100kg person this would be 3-6mg per week……

Here we have two studies from the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism which show some documented dosage and specific details on how CJC-1295 induces GH elevations. These are only abstracts and are pretty simple in what they say. Regardless, this is a good starting point for understanding how our new friend CJ does his job, and a point from which more in-depth discussion can begin.

As you can see, CJC-1295 creates a prolonged stimulation of GH without eliminating the pulsatile release of GH. It does however increase the basal levels (trough) of GH in the body by 7.5 fold, as seen in the second study.

Dosages used ranged from 30-60 mcg/kg in the first study and 60-90 mcg/kg in the second study. These dosages did not have any apparent, serious side effects, and could be considered relatively safe for short term usage. For affordability’s sake, we will have to see whether or not dosages like these are realistic for the average user. Granted, this analog of GHRH would be dosed much less frequently than the peptides we are used to using, and for that matter, the price difference could be minimal, or even in our favor! Not to mention, less injections is probably favored by most – if not all 

 

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CONTEXT:
Therapeutic use of GHRH to enhance GH secretion is limited by its short duration of action.

OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this study was to examine the pharmacokinetic profile, pharmacodynamic effects, and safety of CJC-1295, a long-acting GHRH analog.

DESIGN:
The study design was two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, ascending dose trials with durations of 28 and 49 d.

SETTING:
The study was performed at two investigational sites.

PARTICIPANTS:
Healthy subjects, ages 21-61 yr, were studied.

INTERVENTIONS:
CJC-1295 or placebo was administered sc in one of four ascending single doses in the first study and in two or three weekly or biweekly doses in the second study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
The main outcome measures were peak concentrations and area under the curve of GH and IGF-I; standard pharmacokinetic parameters were used for CJC-1295.

RESULTS:
After a single injection of CJC-1295, there were dose-dependentincreases in mean plasma GH concentrations by 2- to 10-fold for 6 d or more and in mean plasma IGF-I concentrations by 1.5- to 3-fold for 9-11 d. The estimated half-life of CJC-1295 was 5.8-8.1 d. After multiple CJC-1295 doses, mean IGF-I levels remained above baseline for up to 28 d. No serious adverse reactions were reported.

CONCLUSIONS:
Subcutaneous administration of CJC-1295 resulted in sustained, dose-dependent increases in GH and IGF-I levels in healthy adults and was safe and relatively well tolerated, particularly at doses of 30 or 60 microg/kg. There was evidence of a cumulative effect after multiple doses. These data support the potential utility of CJC-1295 as a therapeutic agent.

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CONTEXT:
Pulsatile GH secretion is considered important for many of the hormone’s physiological effects. Short-term GHRH infusions enhance GH pulsatility and increase IGF-I, but the short GHRH half-life limits its therapeutic use. A synthetic GHRH analog (CJC-1295) that binds permanently to endogenous albumin after injection (half-life = 8 d) stimulates GH and IGF-I secretion in several animal species and in normal human subjects and enhances growth in rats.

OBJECTIVE:
Our objective was to assess GH pulsatility after a single injection of CJC-1295 and determine which GH secretion parameters correlated to the increase in IGF-I production.

METHODS:
GH pulsatility was assessed by 20-min blood sampling during an overnight 12-h period in healthy 20- to 40-yr-old men before and 1 wk after injection of either 60 or 90 microg/kg CJC-1295.

RESULTS:
GH secretion was increased after CJC-1295 administration with preserved pulsatility. The frequency and magnitude of GH secretory pulses were unaltered. However, basal (trough) GH levels were markedly increased (7.5-fold; P < 0.0001) and contributed to an overall increase in GH secretion (mean GH levels, 46%; P < 0.01) and IGF-I levels (45%; P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the responses to the two drug doses. The IGF-I increases did not correlate with any parameters of GH secretion.

CONCLUSIONS:
CJC-1295 increased trough and mean GH secretion and IGF-I production with preserved GH pulsatility. The marked enhancement of trough GH levels by continuous GHRH stimulation implicates the importance of this effect on increasing IGF-I. Long-acting GHRH preparations may have clinical utility in patients with intact pituitary GH secretory capability.