CJC-1295 (No DAC) vs GHRH (1-29)
A modified growth hormone-releasing hormone that boosts your body's natural GH pulses for better recovery, deeper sleep, and improved body composition [13] [17].
The 29-amino-acid fragment of growth hormone-releasing hormone, and the shortest piece of it with full activity. Approved in 1997 as Geref for growth failure in children with growth hormone deficiency and discontinued in 2008; the one controlled trial in older adults tested a modified version of the molecule, not this one [1][5][7].
Written by Michael Carroll — Owner, Director of Research · Reviewed by the Peptide Initiative Research Team · Editorial standards
Quick comparison
Dose range
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
100–100 mcg
GHRH (1-29)
30–30 mcg/kg/day
Frequency
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Once daily
GHRH (1-29)
Once daily at bedtime
Administration
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Subcutaneous injection
GHRH (1-29)
Subcutaneous injection
Cycle length
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
8-12 weeks
GHRH (1-29)
Continuous — the label treats until the growth plates fuse
Onset speed
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Moderate (1-2 weeks)
GHRH (1-29)
Height velocity measurable at 6 months in children; nothing established in adults
Evidence level
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Moderate human trials (Phase 1-2)
GHRH (1-29)
Human trials in children; one 19-person adult trial of a modified analogue
Benefit ratings
GH Stimulation
Sleep Quality
Recovery Support
Growth and Development
Body Composition
Performance and Recovery
Compound specifications
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Molecular formula
C152H252N44O42
Molecular weight
3367.9 g/mol
Half-life
30 minutes to 2 hours
Bioavailability
~100% (subcutaneous)
CAS number
863288-34-0
GHRH (1-29)
Molecular formula
C149H246N44O42S
Molecular weight
3357.9 g/mol
Half-life
~10-20 minutes
Bioavailability
Subcutaneous: moderate; Intranasal: 3-5%
CAS number
86168-78-7
Dosing compared
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Subcutaneous
100 mcg
Once daily, 30 minutes before bed · 2-4 weeks
A common starting dose used in research practice. Because the no-DAC form is short-acting (about 30 minute half-life), it is injected on an empty stomach for the best growth-hormone pulse.
100 mcg per dose
1-2 times daily · 8-12 weeks
The typical maintenance dose used in practice, often given before bed and/or after fasted exercise. Frequently paired with a GH-releasing peptide.
100 mcg per dose
2-3 times daily · 8-12 weeks
A higher-frequency plan used by experienced users to mimic natural GH pulses across the day, each dose taken fasted.
GHRH (1-29)
Subcutaneous
30 mcg/kg/day
Once daily at bedtime · Continuous — trials ran 12 months; the label treats until the growth plates fuse
The approved Geref dose and the only dose of this molecule tested once daily: 30 mcg/kg (0.03 mg/kg) subcutaneously at bedtime in prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency. In the 110-child pivotal trial it raised height velocity from 4.1 to 8.0 cm/year at 6 months [5]. The same 30 mcg/kg total has also been given as 15 mcg/kg TWICE daily in children with radiation-induced deficiency [6]. Two things this dose is not: it is not an adult dose — no trial has given sermorelin at 30 mcg/kg to adults, and for a 75 kg adult it would be 2,250 mcg — and it is not equivalent to growth hormone, which produced larger height gains at the same microgram-per-kilogram dose [1].
10 mcg/kg/day
Once nightly · 16 weeks in the only controlled adult trial
Read the molecule before you read the number. The only controlled trial in older adults used [Nle27]GHRH-(1-29)-NH2 — a norleucine-27 analogue, not sermorelin — at 10 mcg/kg nightly for 16 weeks in 19 people aged 55 to 71 [7][8]. That is roughly 750 mcg for a 75 kg adult. GH and IGF-I rose, but IGF-I drifted back toward baseline by week 16; lean mass, insulin sensitivity, well-being and libido improved in men only; body fat and bone density did not change in either sex; sleep was unaffected [7]. The fixed 200-300 mcg nightly figure that circulates for adults is community practice — it appears in no trial and on no label, and it is 3 to 4 times below this studied dose. It is listed here because people use it, not because it has evidence behind it.
Best suited for
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Natural Growth Hormone Optimization
Perfect for those wanting to boost their body's own GH production rather than using synthetic growth hormone. Mimics the natural pulsatile release pattern your pituitary uses [2].
Workout Recovery and Muscle Building
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts use it to accelerate recovery between training sessions, support lean muscle development, and reduce body fat over time [17] [18].
Sleep Quality Enhancement
Because GH is naturally released during deep sleep, many users report dramatically improved sleep quality with more vivid dreams and feeling more refreshed upon waking [12] [13].
Anti-Aging and Vitality
As GH levels decline with age, CJC-1295 helps restore more youthful hormone patterns, potentially improving skin quality, energy levels, and overall well-being [16] [17] [20].
Synergistic Peptide Stacking
Designed to work hand-in-hand with GHRPs like Ipamorelin. When combined, these peptides amplify each other's effects for significantly greater GH release than either alone [9].
GHRH (1-29)
Helping Kids Catch Up in Height
Children with growth hormone deficiency grow slowly because the signal to release growth hormone is weak. GHRH(1-29) supplies that signal. In the 110-child trial behind the approval, 30 mcg/kg at bedtime nearly doubled height velocity in the first 6 months, and bone age advanced in step with height rather than racing ahead of it [5]. It is also fair to say that growth hormone itself worked better, which is part of why this product left the market [1].
Testing for Growth Problems
A single intravenous dose of 1 mcg/kg is a rapid and relatively specific test of whether the pituitary can release growth hormone, and it produces fewer false positives in children without deficiency than other provocative tests. A normal response does not rule deficiency out, though — a hypothalamic cause can pass this test, so it is used alongside conventional testing rather than instead of it [1].
Adults — what is actually known
GHRH works upstream: it asks the pituitary to release its own growth hormone rather than replacing the hormone, so the body's feedback loops stay in the circuit. That is a real mechanical difference from injecting growth hormone. What it has not been shown to do is change how adults look or perform. The only controlled adult trial ran 16 weeks in 19 people aged 55-71, used a modified version of the molecule, and found lean mass and well-being improved in men but not women, with no change in body fat [7][8]. No trial has tested sermorelin itself in healthy adults.
Side effects
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Common
- Injection site reactions
- Flushing or warmth
- Water retention
- Increased appetite
Uncommon
- Tingling or numbness
- Headache
Serious
- Allergic reaction
GHRH (1-29)
Common
- Transient facial flushing
- Injection site reaction
Uncommon
- Hypothyroidism
- Anti-GRF antibodies
- Transient raised blood lipids
Serious
- Hypersensitivity reaction
Safety & evidence
CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Evidence level
Moderate human trials (Phase 1-2)
FDA status
Research compound
Safety overview
CJC-1295 without DAC itself has not been evaluated in controlled human clinical trials; expectations about its safety are extrapolated from studies of related GHRH analogs. The most common side effects are mild and include injection site reactions and temporary flushing [19]. Because it stimulates natural GH release rather than providing exogenous GH, it maintains the body's feedback mechanisms [2].
Contraindications
- Active cancer or history of cancer
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Pituitary tumors or disorders
- Hypersensitivity to GHRH analogs
- Diabetic retinopathy
GHRH (1-29)
Evidence level
Human trials in children; one 19-person adult trial of a modified analogue
FDA status
Approved 1997 as Geref for growth failure in children with growth hormone deficiency; discontinued by the manufacturer in July 2008 and no longer marketed in the US. FDA determined in 2013 it was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons. Sermorelin sold today is compounded, not an FDA-approved product.
Safety overview
The largest safety dataset is the 110-child pivotal trial, where 30 mcg/kg/day for up to a year produced no adverse changes in general biochemical or hormonal analyses, no change in fasting glucose, and no excessive IGF-I generation [5]. Across the paediatric programme the most commonly reported adverse events were transient facial flushing and pain at the injection site [1]. The Geref prescribing information puts numbers on that: an injection reaction — pain, swelling or redness — in about 1 patient in 6, with 3 of 350 exposed patients discontinuing because of it; hypothyroidism in 6.5% during therapy, which is why the label requires thyroid testing before and during treatment; and anti-GRF antibodies in a large proportion of patients at least once during treatment, of unclear significance and with no apparent effect on growth. In the 19-adult trial of the norleucine-27 analogue the only adverse effect was transient hyperlipidaemia, which resolved by the end of the study [7], and the companion immune paper reported no adverse effects [8].
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to sermorelin or any excipient
- Closed growth plates, if the goal is height — the label stops treatment once the epiphyses fuse
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — no human data
Which is right for you?
Choose CJC-1295 (No DAC) if...
- Increasing natural growth hormone levels
- Building lean muscle mass
- Improving sleep quality
- Enhancing workout recovery
Choose GHRH (1-29) if...
- Children with growth hormone deficiency who need to catch up in height
- Adults seeking to optimize natural growth hormone levels
- People being tested for growth hormone deficiency