Protocols · Muscle & Performance · Ipamorelin
Research Protocol · Educational

Ipamorelin
Dosage Protocol

Ipamorelin comes in a 10 mg vial and is dosed once daily under the skin. The reconstitution math, the titration schedule, and syringe-unit conversions all trace back to the cited protocol guide and peer-reviewed literature below.

Ipamorelin
Ipamorelin · 10 mg · research use only
Typical range
100–250 mcg/day
Reconstitute
3.0 mL BAC water
Concentration
3.33 mg/mL
Storage
2–8 °C · ≤4 weeks
Dosage

Dosage Chart

Route note. The published human evidence for ipamorelin is intravenous, used in controlled research settings. The FDA reviewed a proposed subcutaneous route for outpatient use and found the safety data for that route inadequate; it has not authorized subcutaneous human use. [4] The titration below is a vial dosage protocol describing a subcutaneous regimen, not a route with published human safety data behind it.

Gradual titration schedule for the 10 mg vial, once daily by subcutaneous injection, 30–60 minutes before bedtime on an empty stomach. [5]

PhaseDaily doseUnits (U-100)Volume
Weeks 1–2100 mcg3 u0.03 mL
Weeks 3–4150 mcg5 u0.05 mL
Weeks 5–8200 mcg6 u0.06 mL
Weeks 9–12250 mcg8 u0.08 mL

The units above are given directly in the source's own dosing table. [5] At the 3.33 mg/mL concentration, 1 unit is approximately 33.3 mcg; by that conversion the 150 mcg step works out closer to 4.5 units than the 5 units listed, likely a rounding choice in the source rather than an error on this page. Primary cycles run 8–12 weeks, with an optional extension to 16 weeks, followed by a 2–4 week recovery pause to allow receptor resensitization. [5]

Prep

Reconstitution

10 mg vial, mixed to a working concentration before drawing a dose.

Add 3.0 mL of bacteriostatic water to the 10 mg vial to yield a final concentration of 3.33 mg/mL. [5]

Store the lyophilized vial refrigerated at 2–8 °C or frozen at −20 °C. Once reconstituted, store at 2–8 °C in dark conditions, and use within approximately 4 weeks. [5]

Mechanism

How It Works

Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) that functions as a ghrelin mimetic, selectively activating the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) with reduced off-target ACTH and cortisol stimulation compared to earlier GHS compounds. [1][4] A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling study in healthy volunteers characterized the dose-response relationship for growth hormone secretion following intravenous administration. [2]

In a randomized controlled trial in postoperative ileus, the median time to first tolerated meal was 25.3 hours with ipamorelin versus 32.6 hours with placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant. [3]

Ipamorelin is not approved by the FDA for any indication in humans; neither ipamorelin acetate nor ipamorelin free base is a component of an FDA-approved drug. [4] Ipamorelin acetate is listed on the FDA's Category 2 compounding list, substances presenting significant safety risks, due to concerns about immunogenicity, peptide impurities, aggregation, and serious adverse events, including death, associated with intravenous use for gastric motility indications. [4] It is also listed under the World Anti-Doping Agency's S0 category of unapproved substances and is prohibited in athletic competition. [4] Long-term human safety for outpatient subcutaneous use has not been established, and published clinical trial evidence does not support claims regarding body composition, fat loss, or muscle gain in healthy individuals. [4] This section describes what the cited literature reports; it is not a claim of safety or effectiveness for human use.

Evidence

References

[1] Ipamorelin, the First Selective Growth Hormone Secretagogue · Raun et al., European Journal of Endocrinology, 1998, PMID 9849822

[2] Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Ipamorelin · Gobburu et al., Pharmaceutical Research, 1999, PMID 10496658

[3] Ipamorelin in Postoperative Ileus · Beck et al., International Journal of Colorectal Disease, 2014, PMID 25331030

[4] Ipamorelin overview · PeptideDosages

[5] Ipamorelin 10 mg vial dosage protocol · PeptideDosages

Educational use only. This content is for research and educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Ipamorelin is not approved by the FDA for any indication and is listed on the FDA's Category 2 compounding list for substances presenting significant safety risks. It is also listed under WADA S0 as prohibited in athletic competition. Long-term safety for outpatient subcutaneous use has not been established. It is for research use only and is not intended for human consumption. Clinical decisions should involve a qualified healthcare provider.