Educational comparison — not medical advice. This page compares two compounds for informational purposes. Neither is recommended as treatment. Any protocol decision is a conversation with your licensed healthcare provider.
Tesamorelin is a GHRH analog — FDA-approved (Egrifta) for HIV-lipodystrophy, strong IGF-1 elevation (40-80%) at 1-2mg nightly. Ipamorelin is a GHRP (ghrelin receptor agonist) — milder IGF-1 response alone, but synergistic when stacked with CJC-1295 no-DAC. Tesamorelin preferred when max IGF-1 response desired; ipamorelin + CJC-1295 preferred for cleaner pulsatile profile and lower cost.
FEATURE COMPARISON
Tesamorelin
Ipamorelin
Full name
Tesamorelin (Egrifta)
Ipamorelin
Category
Growth
Growth
FDA status
FDA-approved as Egrifta for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Widely used off-label.
Not FDA-approved. Category 1 under the 2026 reclassification.
Half-life
~26 minutes
~2 hours
Typical dosing
1–2 mg nightly, subcutaneous, on an empty stomach
200–300 mcg SC, 1–3× per day
Route
Subcutaneous (abdominal)
Subcutaneous
Classification
Synthetic GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone) analog
Informational only — neither compound is presented as a treatment for any condition. These are contexts in which users research these compounds and discuss them with their licensed provider.
Informational comparison only — not medical advice. Research-stage compounds discussed are not FDA-approved unless specifically noted. Any protocol decision should be made with a licensed healthcare provider.