Growth Hormone Axis · Dosing reference

Ipamorelin dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyBLimited human dataNone established

Full research page Cycle-length evidence Compare Prefer Amiravo on Google

Regulatory status: Not approved — research use only
Human amounts: None established in humans
Route studied: —
Frequency: Not established
Half-life: Terminal half-life of about 2 hours in healthy male volunteers after intravenous infusion ^3.
Evidence grade: Grade B · Limited human data
Vial sizes on the market: 2 mg · 5 mg · 10 mg
Other forms seen: —

What Ipamorelin is

Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide that activates the ghrelin receptor and stimulates growth hormone release, studied in laboratory models and in a small number of human pharmacology and phase 2 studies. It has no approved use, and its one controlled efficacy trial, in postoperative ileus, did not show a significant difference from placebo. Evidence in humans for any other use has not been published in the sources reviewed.

Ipamorelin (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) is a pentapeptide that stimulates growth hormone release through a GHRP-like receptor, as shown by antagonist profiling with GHRP and GHRH antagonists in rat pituitary cells ^1. It has since been described as an agonist of the ghrelin receptor ^2. Selectivity for growth hormone In conscious swine, ipamorelin did not alter FSH, LH, prolactin or TSH, and unlike GHRP-6 and… How it works →

Key evidence

Raun et al., European Journal of Endocrinology · 1998 · Cells and animals (primary rat pituitary cells, anesthetized rats, conscious swine)
GH release comparable to GHRP-6; in swine, no increase in ACTH or cortisol beyond the GHRH response and no effect on FSH, LH, prolactin or TSH ^1. ¹
Gobburu et al., Pharmaceutical Research · 1999 · Humans (healthy male volunteers)
Dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, terminal half-life of about 2 hours, and a single episode of GH release peaking at about 0.67 hours ^3. ³
Venkova et al., Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics · 2009 · Animals (rats, postoperative ileus model)
Ipamorelin shortened time to first bowel movement; repeated administration increased fecal pellet output, food intake and body weight gain ^2. ²

All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

We searched PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and found no human studies that administered Ipamorelin. The research described on its page is from cells or animals, and animal amounts do not translate to people.

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for Ipamorelin.

Cycle-length evidence for Ipamorelin

Side effects reported in studies

Any treatment-emergent adverse event
87.5% ipamorelin vs 94.8% placebo · Phase 2 trial, adults after bowel resection (intravenous) ⁴
Hypokalemia
12.5% vs 3.4% placebo · Same trial, as summarized by FDA ⁷
Insomnia
10.7% vs 5.2% placebo · Same trial, as summarized by FDA ⁷
Hyperglycemia at discharge
14.3% vs 8.6% placebo · Same trial, as summarized by FDA ⁷
Serious adverse events (infection, anastomotic leak, readmission)
17.9% vs 15.5% placebo · Same trial, as summarized by FDA ⁷
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention
Similar in both groups, numerically lower with ipamorelin · Same trial ⁷

Full adverse-event data

Ipamorelin draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength

sizes on the market

2 · Water added

3 · Amount per draw

4 · Syringe

Your mix

10 mg + 2 mL water = 5 mg/mL

10 units holds 0.5 mg (500 mcg)

Draw toEnter an amount in step 3

U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Water	mg/mL	Draw
0.5 mL	20	—
1 mL	10	—
1.5 mL	6.667	—
2 mL	5	—
2.5 mL	4	—
3 mL	3.333	—
5 mL	2	—

Supplies and handling

Lyophilized vial
Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
Sterile diluent
The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
Graduated syringes
Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
Alcohol prep pads
For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
Nitrile gloves
Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
Sharps container
Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Step-by-step reconstitution guide Storage and transport accessories

Storage

Handling of research-grade lyophilized peptide generally follows the supplier's documentation, which should be treated as authoritative. No storage guidance from a regulated product exists because no approved product exists.

Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent: The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed: Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles: Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution: This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed: Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status: Not approved by the FDA for any use; FDA states there are no approved drug products containing ipamorelin, and in 2024 proposed that ipamorelin not be added to the 503A bulks list after finding safety concerns and no demonstrated effectiveness ^7,11.
United States (FDA): Not FDA-approved; FDA states there are no approved drug products containing ipamorelin free base or acetate, and no label was found in DailyMed ^7,11. In its October 2024 briefing for the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, FDA proposed not adding ipamorelin to the 503A bulks list, citing lack of data, safety concerns and lack of evidence of effectiveness ^7. FDA's compounding safety page lists ipamorelin acetate among nominated-but-withdrawn substances and notes it is in category 2 under the 503B interim policy ^8.
Sport (WADA): Ipamorelin is named on the WADA Prohibited List 2026 under S2.2.4 (growth hormone secretagogues and their mimetics), prohibited at all times ^9.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Ipamorelin compared with related compounds

Compound	Status	Evidence	Human amounts	Half-life
Ipamorelin	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Terminal half-life of about 2 hours in h
GHRP-2	Approved outside the US	B	None established	In a Japanese package insert, the termin
GHRP-6	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	—
PEA	Not approved — research use only	A	None established	—
CJC-1295 (no DAC)	Not approved — research use only	C	None established	No half-life data specific to the no-DAC
CJC-1295 (with DAC)	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days a

Combinations that include Ipamorelin

Frequently asked questions

What doses of Ipamorelin have been studied in humans?

None that establish an amount. Ipamorelin is not approved anywhere and we found no human studies that administered it. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.

Is there an established Ipamorelin cycle length?

No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for Ipamorelin.

How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a Ipamorelin vial?

There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.

How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?

On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.

What is the half-life of Ipamorelin?

Terminal half-life of about 2 hours in healthy male volunteers after intravenous infusion ^3.

Is Ipamorelin FDA-approved?

Not approved — research use only. Not approved by the FDA for any use; FDA states there are no approved drug products containing ipamorelin, and in 2024 proposed that ipamorelin not be added to the 503A bulks list after finding safety concerns and no demonstrated effectiveness ^7,11.

References

Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue Eur J Endocrinol. 1998
Efficacy of ipamorelin, a novel ghrelin mimetic, in a rodent model of postoperative ileus J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2009
Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers Pharm Res. 1999
Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients Int J Colorectal Dis. 2014
Safety and Efficacy of Ipamorelin for Management of Post-Operative Ileus (NCT00672074) ClinicalTrials.gov. 2008
Safety and Efficacy of Ipamorelin Compared to Placebo for the Recovery of Gastrointestinal Function (NCT01280344) ClinicalTrials.gov. 2011
FDA Briefing Document: Ipamorelin-related bulk drug substances, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, October 29, 2024 FDA. 2024
Substances in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks FDA. 2024
WADA Prohibited List US Food and Drug Administration. 2026
Ipamorelin (CID 9831659) PubChem. 2026
DailyMed drug label search for ipamorelin (zero labels returned on 22 Oct 2026) DailyMed (NLM). 2026

Last reviewed October 22, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error