GH Releasers

Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 are amongst the most heavily researched growth hormone secretagogues. While ipamorelin acts at the ghrelin receptor, CJC-1295 acts at the growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor. This fact alone makes the combination of these peptides popular in research investigating how both high and widened growth hormone (GH) peaks might work synergistically to produce enhanced effects while limiting side effects. Fortunately, the Ipamorelin/CJC-1295 cost point remains low because both peptides are well established and therefore affordable.

Ipamorelin/CJC-1295 Cost

There are two ways to look at the Ipamorelin/CJC-1295 cost paradigm. On the one hand, using two GH secretagogues together may seem like some to be overkill. After all, both will cause relatively physiologic increases in GH levels to increase muscle and bone mass while decreasing fat mass. It would seem that money can be conserved by simply choosing either the highly specific ipamorelin with its enhanced bone benefits or the equally selective CJC-1295 with its long half-life.

On the other hand, however, is the argument that Ipamorelin/CJC-1295 cost, even when both peptides are combined, is both affordable in and of itself, but almost a steal when the effects of the two peptides are combined. After all, while CJC-1295 causes enhanced peaks when used alone, it can cause both doubly enhanced peaks and higher troughs as a result of a higher baseline when used with ipamorelin[1]. In other words, the peptides work together to drastically elevate GH levels into a stratosphere that cannot be achieved, even with large doses, when using the two peptides alone. Thus, if the goal is to study the benefits of vastly enhanced growth hormone secretion, the cheapest and only way to get it is with the Ipamorelin/CJC-1295 combination.

Tesamorelin is a growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue approved by the FDA for use in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Because it increases growth hormone (GH) levels, tesamorelin can increase lean body mass, improve bone strength, burn fat, and even enhance immune function. It is the fat burning properties of tesamorelin, however, that are of greatest interest in the clinical setting. Tesamorelin is also known for its ability to improve peripheral nerve regeneration and is under investigation as a potential treatment for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Tesamorelin has been in clinical use since 2010. Because of its long production history and relatively simple to produce characteristics, tesamorelin cost is one of the lowest among the GHRH analogues.

Purification Steps Determine Tesamorelin Cost

The cost of producing peptides generally comes from the purification and lyophilization steps of the process and not from the actual peptide synthesis. This was not always the case and producing larger peptides like tesamorelin cost quite a lot in the past. With advances in scalable synthesis, however, the production costs of many peptides have come down dramatically. This is particularly true for peptides, like tesamorelin, that require some degree of modification from their “normal” or standard counterpart[1]. In short, tesamorelin cost has declined significantly as manufacturing processes have advanced. While the purification step currently represents the bulk of the cost to manufacture tesamorelin, that is only because the cost of all of the other steps has been reduced so dramatically.

Ipamorelin vs GHRP-2

Many people think that ipamorelin and GHRP-2 are the essentially the same thing. After all, both cause an increase in the secretion of growth hormone (GH). In reality, ipamorelin and GHRP-2 are very different peptides and the fact that they cause GH hormone release is the only thing they really share in common. Below is summary of ipamorelin vs GHRP-2 that outlines the similarities, differences in their respective research studies.
Both ipamorelin and GHRP-2 cause the pituitary gland to release more growth hormone by binding to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. This means that both peptides are analogues of ghrelin. Ghrelin, a naturally occurring peptide produced in the gastrointestinal tract, is often referred to as the hunger hormone as it stimulates eating behavior. It does so much more than that though.Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH).Stimulation of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) has effects on learning, memory, the sleep-wake cycle (diurnal cycle), reward behavior, glucose metabolism, and even taste sensation. Most importantly, stimulating this receptor impacts energy balance in the body, helping to shift the body from catabolism (the breakdown of stored energy) to anabolism (the storage of energy and the repair and building of muscle and other tissue). This shift occurs via the stimulation of GH release. GHS-Rs are found on both the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which means that peptides like ipamorelin and GHRP-2 have a two-pronged approach for stimulating growth hormone release. The first is via direct stimulation of the pituitary gland where GH is stored and the second is via the release of GHRH, which has its own receptors on the pituitary gland for stimulating GH release.

What Is Ipamorelin?

In the world of anti-aging research, a handful of peptides have become superstars. Ipamorelin is one of those peptides. This short peptide is just five amino acids in length, but is one of the most selective growth hormone secretagogue receptor agonists known. This means that ipamorelin research has been shown to help build lean body mass and fight obesity without having unwanted effects on other aspects of the body like hair growth or decreased sexual function[1].

Ipamorelin is a peptide, which means it is made of the same amino acid building blocks found in all proteins. Ipamorelin falls into the subcategory of anti-aging peptides as well as into the subcategory of fat-burning peptides. In animal studies, it has been shown to effectively fight the signs of aging while benefiting muscle growth, bone health, and GI system function.

Because of its relative lack of secondary effects, ipamorelin is often referred to as the gentle growth hormone releasing peptide. This is because, when compared to other peptides like Sermorelin or GHRP-6, Ipamorelin tends to only affect the growth hormone axis. This makes it particularly useful in research exploring the isolated effects of growth hormone secretagogue agonists.

Sermorelin vs Ipamorelin: Structure and Route of Administration

Sermorelin is made up of the first 29 amino acids from the much larger, naturally occurring GHRH peptide. It is the smallest fraction of GHRH than retains all of the properties of the parent molecule. Weighing in at 3357.9 g/mol, Sermorelin is a relatively large, heavy peptide that must be injected sub-cutaneous to be absorbed. It is not orally bioavailable. As a result of its large size, Sermorelin has a more significant three-dimensional structure than Ipamorelin and is thus is a little less stable in terms of storage half-life.

Source: PubChem

Ipamorelin is substantially smaller than Sermorelin at just 5 amino acids and 711.868 g/mol. It is a derivative of GHRP-1, which is itself a derivative of met-enkephalin. Though the most common route of administration for Ipamorelin is via sub-cutaneous injection, the peptide is also orally active and can even be absorbed though the nasal mucosa.

Source: PubChem

Ipamorelin vs Sermorelin: Lean Body Mass

Both Sermorelin and Ipamorelin favor the development of lean body mass over fat mass, but Sermorelin is the more potent of the two. This arises from the fact that Sermorelin is both a growth stimulator and a fat burner while Ipamorelin is a more general growth stimulator. That is not to say that Ipamorelin isn’t effective, it is, but ipamorelin isn’t as strictly favorable of lean body mass deposition as Sermorelin. This difference arises from the fact that Ipamorelin is a ghrelin analogue and ghrelin favors food intake in general. Its growth hormone boosting properties shift the overall balance away from fat deposition and toward lean body mass deposition, but the Ipamorelin peptide is best thought of as a general weight boosting peptide while Sermorelin is best thought of as a more exclusive booster of lean body mass. In fact, Sermorelin is often referred to as a lipolytic or fat-burning peptide.

Both peptides stimulate the development of bone and other connective tissue, but Ipamorelin appears to have the advantage in this realm. In fact, ipamorelin is so effective in boosting bone density and mineralization that it has been investigated as a potential treatment for corticosteroid-induced bone loss as well as osteoporosis[7], [8].

When it comes to muscle growth, Sermorelin is probably the big winner, though this can be debated endlessly. Sermorelin not only boosts muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia, it reduces fat mass and thus causes a shift in body chemistry toward lean body weight. In other words, Sermorelin will always favor the production of lean body mass even if diet is not perfectly geared toward muscle development. Ipamorelin, on the other hand, is more of a mixed bag. It will always cause muscle growth, but ipamorelin may channel some of those calories into fat deposition as well.

Sermorelin Cost

Because of low Sermorelin prices, the synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue has long been favored in research investigating the effects of enhanced human growth hormone (HGH) levels. It is also increasingly used in the clinical setting as alternative to HGH in the diagnosis and treatment of HGH deficiency. Sermorelin acetate costs, however, are not the only thing that make the peptide of interest to researchers and clinicians alike. Sermorelin has a favorable side effect profile and a number of proven benefits that are of interest to those investigating anti-aging, wound healing, metabolic processes, and sleep physiology.

How Sermorelin Works

Sermorelin is a peptide hormone analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), which means it stimulates the release of GH from the anterior pituitary. Sermorelin is actually one of the earliest peptide hormone analogues produced and has been used in research and clinical settings for nearly thirty years.

Sermorelin is a shortened, synthetic version of GHRH, consisting of only the first twenty-nine amino acids of the larger protein. It retains most of the functions of GHRH and is capable of binding to the GHRH receptor, with equal affinity to native GHRH, after subcutaneous injection. It is thought to be the shortest fragment of GHRH that is still fully functional.

By stimulating the release of HGH (and in fact growth hormone in a number of animals), Sermorelin causes the same biochemical actions as GHRH. These include the production of insulin-like growth factor 1, increased long bone growth, muscle hypertrophy/hyperplasia, enhanced wound healing, improved energy metabolism, and changes in the immune system. Though Sermorelin has been found to stimulate growth in a reliable, reproducible manner, the peptide is of greater interest for its effects on wound healing, body composition, sleep, and the aging process.

Sermorelin Acetate and Aging

Growth hormone is a Goldilocks hormone, which is to say that it has an optimal level for producing the best outcomes. Too much GH increases morbidity and mortality, but so does too little. There is good evidence to suggest that at least part of the reason we age is because growth hormone levels decline over time, leaving us with sub-optimal levels of this important messenger. This decline in GH levels is referred to as somatopause and it has become a major focus of anti-aging science and research.

Somatopause is defined by the common symptoms we associate with aging: difficulty maintaining muscle mass, increased fat deposition, loss of bone density, declining energy and libido, higher cholesterol levels, and changes in skin texture and elasticity. Exercise helps to prevent these aging effects precisely because it keeps GH levels high, but more and more research suggests that exercise can only do so much to offset the roughly 40% decline in GH levels that occurs between the ages of 20 and 70¹. Supplementation may, in fact, be necessary to achieve optimal GH levels. This, ironically, increases exercise capacity, which makes it easier to maintain GH levels moving forward.

It was initially thought that Sermorelin and similar peptides simply reduced the effects of aging without actually prolonging life. For instance, Sermorelin improved muscle mass and body composition, but researchers thought it unlikely that the peptide could help us live longer. Research in mice, however, shows that Sermorelin, specifically, does improve longevity. The improvement is interesting however, as the research revealed a dramatic increase in average life expectancy but no change in maximum life expectancy².

The above research is consistent with the idea that Sermorelin helps to maintain optimal body chemistry and thus maximizes lifespan. It does not extend maximum life expectancy, but it does help more individuals to get closer to their maximum lifespan. What is more, Sermorelin improves health and general function, meaning that individuals are more active and functional during their extended lives.

The benefits of Sermorelin in reducing the effects of aging include, but are not limited to:

• improved metabolism,

• improved body composition (more muscle and less fat),

• improved immune function,

• enhanced wound healing,

• better cardiac function, and

• improves sleep.

MK 677 Benefits

MK 677 (a.k.a. Ibutamoren, Oratrope, Crescendo) is a selective ghrelin (growth hormone secretagogue) receptor agonist. Research shows that it increases secretion of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Research has shown the major MK 677 benefit is that it activates the growth hormone axis without increasing levels of cortisol. MK 677 promotes a lean body composition by favoring muscle and bone deposition while simultaneously increasing fat burning. It is being investigated as a potential treatment for GH deficiency, certain bone and muscle conditions, disordered sleep, and as an appetite stimulant.

MK 677 Does Not Increase Cortisol

Cortisol is a steroid hormone known to suppress inflammation and increase the production of sugar in the liver. It is an important hormone for immune function and electrolyte balance, but too much of it leads to fat deposition, bone loss, high blood sugar, immune suppression, and muscle wasting. Some growth hormone secretagogue receptor agonists can increase cortisol levels, which dampens their positive effects. One MK 677 benefit, a result of its high specificity, is that it does not increase cortisol levels. Thus, the benefits of MK 677 in stimulating the GH axis are not offset by concomitant stimulation of cortisol release.

Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin are both peptide-based therapeutics that belong to the class of growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs). They are used for different purposes and have distinct receptor binding properties, but because they both affect natural growth hormone (GH) levels, they have similar effects in many respects. Both peptides have seen renewed research interest, however, thanks to a boom in the weight loss field led by peptide compounds like semaglutide and liraglutide. While both Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin are associated with changes in body composition, fat mass, and lean body mass, there is a great deal more to what these peptides can do.

Tesamorelin vs. Ipamorelin: Properties

Tesamorelin is approved for the treatment of HIV-associated lipodystrophy. This very narrow approval belies the peptide’s wider use as an agent for altering body composition. Research indicates that Tesamorelin can reduce fat mass, boost muscle and bone mass, improve peripheral nerve regeneration, and may even be useful in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment.

Ipamorelin, which underwent phase II clinical trials for the treatment of postoperative ileus, is known to be the most selective ghrelin receptor (aka growth hormone secretagogue receptor/GHSR) agonist yet discovered. It increases plasma growth hormone levels in animals but has no effect on prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, or adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. The astounding specificity of Ipamorelin makes it a highly useful peptide for studying the effects of increased GH levels with confounding results by elevating levels of other hormones.

Fifteen years ago, orexins were identified as central regulators of energy homeostasis. Research indicates that orexins are key modulators of the sleep-wake cycle and that these neuropeptides also affect feelings of satiety and hunger. Given their role in energy homeostasis, it was hypothesized that orexin levels are likely regulated, at least in part, by the growth hormone axis. Recent research supports this fact and suggests that growth hormone releasing hormone analogues, such as sermorelin, may be effective in treating conditions in which orexin release is dysfunctional (e.g. narcolepsy) [1].