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GH Secretagogue Family: Sermorelin, Tesamorelin, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, MGF, and How They Differ from CJC/Ipamorelin

May 9, 2026 · Education

Growth hormone secretagogues stimulate your pituitary to release more of its own GH, instead of injecting GH directly. The class splits into two groups based on which receptor they hit, and most protocols pair one from each group for synergistic GH release.

Group 1: GHRH analogs (mimic the natural release signal)

Sermorelin

  • The original GHRH analog — same first 29 amino acids of natural GHRH.
  • Half-life: ~10 minutes (very short).
  • Dose: 100-300 mcg subQ, 5x weekly before bed.
  • Best for: those starting peptide therapy who want a “physiologic” release pattern.

CJC-1295 (No DAC) — “Mod GRF 1-29”

  • Sermorelin with 4 amino acid substitutions for stability.
  • Half-life: ~30 minutes.
  • Dose: 100 mcg subQ before bed.
  • Most common form when stacked with Ipamorelin.

CJC-1295 with DAC

  • Sermorelin + DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) which binds it to albumin.
  • Half-life: ~6-8 days.
  • Dose: 1-2 mg subQ once weekly.
  • Sustained elevation of GH baseline rather than discrete pulses. Used by some, controversial because it disrupts natural pulsatility.

Tesamorelin

  • Stabilized GHRH analog approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
  • Half-life: ~30 minutes.
  • Dose: 1-2 mg subQ daily.
  • Strongest effect on visceral fat reduction in this group. Higher doses than CJC.

Group 2: GHRPs / Ghrelin mimetics (trigger release)

Ipamorelin

  • Cleanest of the GHRPs — selective for GH release without raising cortisol or prolactin.
  • Dose: 100-300 mcg subQ.
  • Standard pairing with CJC-1295.

GHRP-2

  • Stronger GH release than Ipamorelin but raises cortisol and prolactin somewhat.
  • Dose: 100-300 mcg subQ.
  • Increases appetite (a side effect — can be useful for hard gainers).

GHRP-6

  • Strongest appetite stimulation in the family.
  • Dose: 100-300 mcg subQ.
  • Significant prolactin elevation. Less common in modern protocols because Ipamorelin and GHRP-2 cover most use cases without the side effects.

Hexarelin

  • Strongest GHRP, but causes pituitary desensitization quickly.
  • Short cycles only (4 weeks max).
  • Less common — the desensitization is a meaningful problem.

Adjacent compound: MGF (Mechano Growth Factor)

  • A splice variant of IGF-1 produced by mechanical loading.
  • Stimulates satellite cell activation in muscle — the cells responsible for hypertrophy.
  • Dose: 200-400 mcg post-workout, IM into trained muscle.
  • Different mechanism than the GH/IGF axis — works downstream at the muscle cell level.

How they get combined

The textbook protocol is “GHRH + GHRP” because the two work synergistically — the GHRH raises pulse amplitude, the GHRP triggers the actual release event. Common pairings:

  • CJC-1295 (No DAC) + Ipamorelin — the most common, sold as a pre-mixed blend.
  • Sermorelin + Ipamorelin — gentler, more physiologic.
  • Tesamorelin + Ipamorelin — for visceral fat focus.
  • CJC + GHRP-2 — when appetite stimulation is wanted (hardgainers).

What you DON’T want

  • Stacking three secretagogues at once. Diminishing returns; the pituitary has a saturation point.
  • Adding direct GH (HGH) on top of high-dose secretagogues — the secretagogues stop doing anything once exogenous GH suppresses your pituitary.
  • Continuous use beyond 12-16 weeks without a break.

Educational reference. Bloodwork (IGF-1, glucose, A1c) is recommended before and during any GH-axis protocol.