Ipamorelin: research, legal status and who sells it

What it is

Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that acts on the same receptor as the growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) [9]. Its developers described it as the first secretagogue of this type with a selectivity for growth hormone similar to that of growth hormone-releasing hormone itself [9].

Research status

In animal studies, ipamorelin released growth hormone with a potency similar to GHRP-6 but, unlike GHRP-6 and GHRP-2, without raising ACTH or cortisol [9]. A 1999 study in healthy male volunteers described its pharmacokinetics: a terminal half-life of about two hours and a single pulse of growth hormone release, with growth hormone responses varying more between individuals than drug levels did [10]. FDA reports that a published study identified serious adverse events, including death, when ipamorelin was given intravenously to improve gastric motility [2]. Ipamorelin was not approved [1]. A 2026 review for sports-medicine physicians found that muscle findings for ipamorelin combined with CJC-1295 come from animal studies only [11].

Regulatory status

Ipamorelin is not FDA-approved [1]. FDA lists ipamorelin acetate in Category 2 (significant safety risks) for outsourcing-facility compounding, and its nomination for pharmacy compounding was withdrawn [2]. No ipamorelin medicine is authorized in the UK, the EU or Canada [3][4][6]. Australia lists it in Schedule 4 with possession controls [7], and WADA names it as a prohibited growth hormone secretagogue [8].

Quality and testing considerations

FDA cites potential aggregation, peptide-related impurities and unnatural amino acids that complicate characterization of ipamorelin [2]. Anti-doping chemists have identified a glycine-extended ipamorelin analogue in black-market products [12], so identity should be confirmed by mass spectrometry rather than assumed from the label.

Where it’s sold

Ipamorelin is sold online as a “research use only” peptide, alone and blended with CJC-1295; the tables below track listings.