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All peptides

Hormone · Investigational

Ipamorelin

Awaiting FDA decision

Talk to a clinician about your goal
Written by Peptide Association Editorial TeamLast reviewed Editorial policy

01 · Overview

A synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that acts on ghrelin/GHS receptors to stimulate GH release. In swine, ipamorelin released GH without significantly raising ACTH or cortisol and did not affect FSH, LH, prolactin or TSH, leading its developers to describe it as the first GHRP-receptor agonist with GH selectivity similar to GHRH; this selectivity was shown in animals (PMID 9849822).

In healthy men, it produced a single GH peak at about 40 minutes and had a short half-life of about 2 hours (PMID 10496658).

02 · Research summary & key findings

A human dose-escalation study confirmed GH release at all dose levels (PMID 10496658). A Phase II randomized trial in post-surgical ileus after bowel resection found it well tolerated but showed no significant difference from placebo in time to tolerating a solid meal (PMID 25331030). Human data remain limited, and it is commonly sold as an unregulated research compound (PMID 42395176).

03 · Regulatory status

Ipamorelin is in the investigational stage. While preclinical and early-phase data exist, it has not received regulatory approval for clinical use in the United States.

Ipamorelin is not FDA-approved, and as of October 2026 FDA has not finalized whether pharmacies may compound it. Whether a pharmacy will compound it depends on the pharmacy and your state. If you are working on the goal it is studied for, a licensed clinician can tell you what is lawfully available, which may be something else.

04 · Administration routes

  • Subcutaneous injection

References

  1. [1]Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers Pharm Res, 1999. PMID 10496658
  2. [2]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. PMID 25331030
  3. [3]The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2026. PMID 42395176
  4. [4]Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue Eur J Endocrinol, 1998. PMID 9849822

Primary literature

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Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational and research purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any peptide therapy. The Peptide Association does not endorse or recommend any specific treatment protocol. See our editorial policy for how this content is produced and reviewed. Clinicians: join the network.