Human growth hormone (HGH) plays an important role in our development from birth to adulthood.
By the time you reach your 30th birthday, HGH production declines and this leads to various age-related health problems such as:
- Memory lapses
- Fractures
- Afternoon energy slumps
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
Using peptides can re-stimulate the production and release of growth hormone, helping you maintain fully optimized health as you get older.
Two popular peptides, Sermorelin and Ipamorelin, are known to increase your growth hormone levels and combat the signs of aging.
Many biohackers go as far as to refer to them as the “fountains of youth” in the peptides world.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of the Ipamorelin and Sermorelin stack, and how this peptide combination can help you optimize your body’s production of HGH.
What is Sermorelin?
Sermorelin, also known as sermorelin acetate, is a growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) used to boost growth hormone levels in children (some children suffer from low levels of GHRH, leading to other health problems).
It can boost insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) production in the body via stimulation of the pituitary gland.
As a result, it supports muscle growth, bone repair, fat loss, and faster healing of wounds.
What is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide (i.e. a peptide spanning five amino acids in length) that mimics the natural release of the hunger hormone ghrelin and HGH in the body.
It is one of the safest and most effective growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRP) in existence as it does not affect the release of other hormones in the body such as cortisol and acetylcholine.
After injecting Ipamorelin, your pituitary gland will secrete growth hormone and this supports both muscle growth and development.
It also boosts insulin levels, further aiding in muscle growth and fat loss.
Other notable benefits of using Ipamorelin include:
- Improved athletic performance
- Decreased signs of aging
- Prevention of the onset of certain diseases
- Balanced hormone levels in women
Why Use the Sermorelin Ipamorelin Combination?
Using Sermorelin and Ipamorelin together can greatly boost your body’s natural growth hormone (GH) production.
Both peptides work well on their own, but their synergistic effects when combined outperform what either peptide can do in isolation.
As stated earlier, Sermorelin is similar to a natural hormone in your body called GHRH.
It binds to specific receptors and encourages a steady long-term release of growth hormone that matches your body’s natural rhythm.
Ipamorelin works differently because it acts like the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates GH release in a quick burst by binding to ghrelin receptors in the pituitary gland.
So when you use both peptides together, you get the prolonged release of GH from Sermorelin and the powerful “boost” from Ipamorelin.
This combination creates a heightened and more powerful increase in growth hormone production and secretion.
Therefore, if you’re looking to improve your body composition through gaining muscle or losing fat, stacking Sermorelin and Ipamorelin can help you achieve your fitness goals even faster.
Benefits of the Ipamorelin Sermorelin Stack
Since using Ipamorelin and Sermorelin together as a peptide stack stimulates the pituitary gland to increase growth hormone production in the body, numerous health benefits are experienced by the end user.
Growth Hormone Secretion
The pituitary gland produces growth hormone, which is critical for different bodily functions in children and adults.
In children, it is essential for growth.
In adults, it carries out numerous functions such as regulating metabolism and maintaining steady blood sugar levels, and
Your nutrition, sleep habits, exercise routine, and stress levels can affect growth hormone production (GH is naturally released in pulses every 3-5 hours or so).
However, as we age, our body’s production of growth hormone decreases.
This decline can result in high cholesterol levels, weakened bone strength, and an increased risk of heart disease.
People with low growth hormone levels also complain about fatigue, low mood, and reduced energy.
Thankfully, using growth hormone-releasing peptides like Sermorelin and Ipamorelin can help boost growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, thereby improving people’s health and vitality.
In a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, children who were given a Sermorelin injection daily had boosted growth hormone levels by 74% in six months:
“The efficacy and safety of 1 yr of GH-releasing hormone [GHRH-(1-29)] therapy in GH-deficient children were determined.
One hundred and ten previously untreated prepubertal GH-deficient children were treated for up to 1 yr in a multicenter, open label study with 30 micrograms/kg GHRH-(1-29)/day, sc, given at bedtime.
Eighty-six of the 110 patients were eligible for efficacy analysis. The main outcome measures, monitored every 3-6 months, were linear growth enhancement (height velocity), bone age progression, and safety measures including clinical chemistry.
The mean height velocity for the group increased from 4.1 +/- 0.9 cm/yr at baseline to 8.0 +/- 1.5 and 7.2 +/- 1.3 cm/yr after 6 and 12 months of therapy, respectively.
At 6 months, 74% of the children were considered to have a good response to GHRH.
The ratio of the change in bone age to height age was not significantly different from unity at 12 months (1.04 +/- 0.58; P = 0.63).
No adverse changes in general biochemical or hormonal analyses were noted. No change in fasting glucose concentration or excessive generation of insulin-like growth factor I occurred, and overall GHRH was well tolerated.
We conclude that GHRH administered as a once daily dose of 30 micrograms/kg GHRH.(1-29), s.c., was effective in increasing height velocity in GH-deficient children.”
Ipamorelin, on the other hand, stimulates the production of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) in the liver independently of growth hormone (GH) levels.
Unlike other peptides that rely on increasing growth hormone to boost IGF-1, Ipamorelin directly promotes IGF-1 production.
This direct stimulation means Ipamorelin can more effectively support growth and repair processes throughout the body.
IGF-1 plays a crucial role in cell growth, muscle repair, and overall tissue health.
This translates into muscle growth, faster recovery from injuries, and better overall physical health when using Ipamorelin.
This has been demonstrated in multiple studies with rats and swine, where growth hormone levels significantly increased after injections without impacting ACTH and cortisol plasma levels:
“In pentobarbital anaesthetised rats, ipamorelin released GH with a potency and efficacy comparable to GHRP-6 (ED50 = 80+/-42nmol/kg and Emax = 1545+/-250ng GH/ml vs 115+/-36nmol/kg and 1167+/-120ng GH/ml).
In conscious swine, ipamorelin released GH with an ED50 = 2.3+/-0.03 nmol/kg and an Emax = 65+/-0.2 ng GH/ml plasma.
None of the GH secretagogues tested affected FSH, LH, PRL or TSH plasma levels.
Administration of both GHRP-6 and GHRP-2 resulted in increased plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol.
Very surprisingly, ipamorelin did not release ACTH or cortisol in levels significantly different from those observed following GHRH stimulation.
This lack of effect on ACTH and cortisol plasma levels was evident even at doses more than 200-fold higher than the ED50 for GH release.
In conclusion, ipamorelin is the first GHRP-receptor agonist with a selectivity for GH release similar to that displayed by GHRH.”
Muscle Growth and Recovery
Bodybuilders, athletes, and even amateurs use both Sermorelin and Ipamorelin as they improve athletic performance and allow for a purported increase in muscle mass without also increasing body fat percentage.
This is because both of these muscle growth peptides help increase growth hormone (GH) production, which is important for the development of skeletal muscle tissue.
Ipamorelin can also counteract the catabolic effects of glucocorticoid (GC) on the bones and skeletal muscles, as shown in a study with rats:
“Groups of 8-month-old female rats were injected subcutaneously for 3 months with GC (methylprednisolone) 9 mg/kg/day or GHS (Ipamorelin) 100 μg/kg three times daily, or both GC and GHS in combination.
The maximum tetanic tension of the calf muscles was determined in vivo in a materials testing machine.
The maximum tetanic tension was increased significantly, and the periosteal bone formation rate increased four-fold in animals injected with GC and GHS in combination, compared with the group injected with GC alone.
In conclusion, the decrease in muscle strength and bone formation found in GC-injected rats was counteracted by simultaneous administration of the growth hormone secretagogue.”
Similarly, Sermorelin can help improve muscle strength in adults by stimulating collagen synthesis in the skeletal muscle and tendons.
In fact, one study showed that just six months of growth hormone therapy, participants had improved lower body strength and this helped them improve their training performance:
“Our aim was to evaluate the effect of GH therapy on muscle strength in healthy men over 50 years old.
Fourteen healthy men aged 50–70 years were evaluated at baseline for body composition and muscle strength (evaluated by leg press and bench press exercises, which focus primarily on quadriceps—lower body part and pectoralis major—upper body part—muscles, resp.).
Subjects were randomised into 2 groups: GH therapy (7 subjects) and placebo (7 subjects) and reevaluated after 6 months of therapy.
Thirteen subjects completed the study (6 subjects in the placebo group and 7 subjects in the GH group).
Subjects of both groups were not different at baseline.
After 6 months of therapy, muscle strength in the bench press responsive muscles did not increase in both groups and showed a statistically significant increase in the leg press responsive muscles in the GH group.”
Weight Loss
Ipamorelin and Sermorelin are also great peptides for weight loss.
One way through which this is possible is their ability to suppress appetite, which makes it easier to consume fewer calories and body fat more effectively.
This peptide combination can reduce abdominal fat through lipolysis (i.e. the process of breaking down fats) alongside resistance training and an insulin-controlled diet.
This has been shown in a study published in the Journal of Hormone and Metabolic Research, where participants given recombinant human growth hormone showed an increase in IGF-1 levels and decreased abdominal fat after 26 weeks of treatment:
“Administration of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in obesity has been known to lead to a decrease in visceral adiposity and an increase in lean body mass.
Most studies have used supraphysiological doses of rhGH, which were administered daily or every other day.
We aimed to evaluate whether weekly administered low dose of sustained-release rhGH (SR-rhGH) could play a therapeutic role in the treatment of abdominal obesity.
Prospective, single-arm, open-label, multicenter pilot study was carried out.
Participants were 26 adults aged 40-65 years old with abdominal obesity (male: waist circumference >90 cm, female: waist circumference >85 cm). The subjects were given 3 mg of SR-rhGH, administered subcutaneously, weekly for 26 weeks.
SR-rhGH treatment for 26 weeks increased the IGF-1 level by 56.53±76.09 μg/l (SDS 0.77±1.12) compared to the baseline (p=0.0022).
After 26 weeks, SR-rhGH treatment reduced abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) (140.35±75.97 to 128.43±73.85 cm2, p=0.0038).
Average waist circumference decreased from 96.25±6.41 to 91.93±6.13 cm (p<0.0001) after treatment.
However, body weight or lean body mass did not show any significant change.
In conclusion, SR-rhGH treatment for 26 weeks reduced abdominal visceral fat and waist circumference without severe adverse events.”
Similarly, obese patients who took the Sermorelin peptide for 12 weeks lost body fat, especially in the abdominal area, by 1.6 times compared to the placebo group.
They also experienced increased lean body mass and improved nitrogen balance, unlike the placebo group, which lost lean body mass and had a negative nitrogen balance:
“We investigated the effects of GH treatment and dietary restriction on lipolytic and anabolic actions, as well as the consequent changes in insulin and GH secretion in obesity.
24 obese subjects (22 women and 2 men; 22-46 years old) were fed a diet of 25 kcal/kg ideal body weight (IBW) with 1.2 g protein/kg IBW daily and were treated with recombinant human GH (n = 12, 0.18 U/kg IBW/week) or placebo (n = 12, vehicle injection) in a 12-week randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial.
GH treatment caused a 1.6-fold increase in the fraction of body weight lost as fat and a greater loss of visceral fat area than placebo treatment (35.3 vs. 28.5%, p < 0.05).
In the placebo group, there was a loss in lean body mass (-2.62 +/- 1.51 kg) and a negative nitrogen balance (-4.52 +/- 3.51 g/day).
By contrast, the GH group increased in lean body mass (1.13 +/- 1.04 kg) and had a positive nitrogen balance (1.81 +/- 2.06 g/day).
GH injections caused a 1.6-fold increase in IGF-I, despite caloric restriction.
GH response to L-dopa stimulation was blunted in all subjects and it was increased after treatment in both groups.
GH treatment did not induce a further increase in insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) but significantly decreased free fatty acid (FFA) levels during OGTT.
The decrease in FFA area under the curve during OGTT was positively correlated with visceral fat loss.”
Potential Anti-Aging Effects
As stated before, the pituitary gland releases significantly less growth hormone as we age and this leads to downstream effects such as memory loss and cognitive decline.
But combining a GHRH and GHRP together, as done by stacking Sermorelin and Ipamorelin together, can counteract these effects by boosting both GH and IGF-1 levels.
This will consequently improve overall brain function, helping to combat the symptoms of aging and maintain mental sharpness.
In a study in the Archives of Neurology, adults who were given GHRH treatment had improved cognitive function after 20 weeks of treatment.
Their IGF-1 levels increased by 117%, and they even reduced their body fat by 7.4%:
“A total of 152 adults (66 with MCI) ranging in age from 55 to 87 years (mean age, 68 years); 137 adults (76 healthy participants and 61 participants with MCI) successfully completed the study.
The intent-to-treat analysis indicated a favorable effect of GHRH on cognition (P=.03), which was comparable in adults with MCI and healthy older adults.
The completer analysis showed a similar pattern, with a more robust GHRH effect (P=.002).
Subsequent analyses indicated a positive GHRH effect on executive function (P=.005) and a trend showing a similar treatment-related benefit in verbal memory(P=.08).
Treatment with GHRH increased insulin like growth factor 1 levels by 117 %(P.001), which remained within the physiological range, and reduced percent body fat by 7.4%(P.001).
Treatment with GHRH increased fasting insulin levels within the normal range by 35%in adults with MCI (P.001) but not in healthy adults.
Adverse events were mild and were reported by 68%of GHRH treated adults and 36% of those who received placebo.”
This happens due to the increase in N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), two important brain chemicals that support brain health.
In fact, 20 weeks of growth hormone treatment increased NAAG and GABA levels in subjects, improving their memory and cognitive function:
“Thirty adults (17 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI]), ranging in age from 55 to 87 years, were enrolled and successfully completed the study.
Participants self-administered daily subcutaneous injections of tesamorelin (Theratechnologies Inc), a stabilized analogue of human GHRH (1 mg/d), or placebo 30 minutes before bedtime for 20 weeks.
At baseline and weeks 10 and 20, participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy protocols and cognitive testing and provided blood samples after fasting.
Participants also underwent glucose tolerance tests before and after intervention.
After 20 weeks of GHRH administration, GABA levels were increased in all brain regions (P < .04), NAAG levels were increased (P = .03) in the dorsolateral frontal cortex, and MI levels were decreased in the posterior cingulate (P = .002).
These effects were similar in adults with MCI and older adults with normal cognitive function.
No changes in the brain levels of glutamate were observed. In the posterior cingulate, treatment-related changes in serum insulin-like growth factor 1 were positively correlated with changes in GABA (r = 0.47; P = .001) and tended to be negatively correlated with MI (r = −0.34; P = .06).
Consistent with the results of the parent trial, a favorable treatment effect on cognition was observed in substudy participants (P = .03).
No significant associations were observed between treatment-related changes in neurochemical and cognitive outcomes.
Glucose homeostasis in the periphery was not reliably affected by GHRH administration and did not account for treatment neurochemical effects.”
Dosage and Administration
Unless your doctor advises otherwise, the typical dose is the following:
300mcg of Ipamorelin and 200mcg of Sermorelin injected subcutaneously at bedtime (at least 1 hour after your final meal), five nights per week
This protocol will help mimic the natural release pattern of GH in the body.
While some effects might be noticeable sooner, it can take three to six months of consistent use to experience the full benefits of the Sermorelin and Ipamorelin stack.
(Source)
By sticking to the recommended dosing schedule, you can optimize the benefits of Sermorelin and Ipamorelin for your health while minimizing any potential side effects.
Potential Side Effects
Using the Sermorelin and Ipamorelin peptide stack can clearly do wonders for your health, but like any treatment it can come with some side effects.
Here are some possible negative effects you might experience, especially if you’re using the peptide blend for the first time:
- Soreness or irritation at the injection site
- Headaches
- Flushing
- Dizziness
Some users also report feeling unusually energetic or restless.
As always, it’s important to consult your doctor before starting this peptide combination.
Your doctor can guide and help manage any potential side effects you may experience, allowing you to get the most out of your treatment while minimizing the risks.
Jay’s Closing Thoughts
Last week, I talked about the CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin stack.
So you might be wondering why I would be mentioning an alternate stack using Sermorelin in place of CJC-1295.
Here’s where I stand on this matter…
Ipamorelin & Sermorelin Vs. Ipamorelin & CJC-1295
In both stacks, you have Ipamorelin acting as the GHRP to increase HGH production via stimulation of the pituitary gland.
It acts quickly due to its short half-life of about 2 hours.
CJC-1295, the GHRH used alongside Ipamorelin, has a much longer half-life of 6-8 days and this provides some prolonged effects.
So there is a similar synergistic effect of increased GH production and secretion as observed with the Ipamorelin and Sermorelin stack.
Which then brings up a few questions…
Which GHRH is better, CJC-1295 or Sermorelin?
Although I AM no longer recommending use of CJC-1295 due to the flushing effects it creates in many users, it is still the superior GHRH compared to Sermorelin.
The Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 stack is a staple in the peptides world as they complement one another in upregulating HGH production.
What should I use instead of CJC-1295?
Tesamorelin is the best GHRH on the market as of right now, but that could change in the future.
What is the BEST way to reliably enhance my body’s HGH production?
As I’ve said numerous times over the past few years, nothing beats pharma-grade HGH.
Piggybacking from last week’s article, here is how I would rate ALL of the GH enhancing peptides I’ve written about to date:
HGH >>>>>>> Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin > CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin > Sermorelin and Ipamorelin
Is The Sermorelin and Ipamorelin Stack Right For You?
If you’re looking to optimize your growth hormone levels for optimizing aging, stacking Sermorelin and Ipamorelin is worth a try.
This combination can boost muscle growth, enhance weight loss, and combat symptoms of cognitive decline such as memory lapses.
But before you start adding both peptides to your daily routine, always consult your doctor for the proper dosing protocol.
And make sure you get your stack from a reliable vendor, such as Limitless Biotech, to avoid risks and unwanted side effects.
They have the best formulations of experimental compounds available, and no other vendor comes close to offering them at ultra-high levels of purity for reasonable prices.
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