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Ipamorelin Peptide Benefits, Dosage & Side Effects

Ipamorelin is the best peptide for fat loss – fact or fiction?

I can confirm that you would be doing yourself a MASSIVE dis-service if Ipamorelin wasn’t a critical part of your fat loss supplement stack.

The same way you’d be missing out if you didn’t use BPC-157 to accelerate injury recovery or GHK-Cu to rejuvenate your skin.

If you look at my Guaranteed Shredded protocol, Ipamorelin (along with Tesamorelin) is my #1 recommendation for aiding any man or woman’s journey towards rapid and healthy fat loss.

(Being that quality Tesamorelin is very difficult to get now, I think it more prudent to discuss Ipamorelin due to its wider availability).

So why use Ipamorelin for fat loss?

What makes Ipamorelin more effective than other peptides for achieving supremely low levels of body fat?

And where is the best place to buy Ipamorelin?

My ultimate guide to Ipamorelin will cover those questions and many more!

What Is Ipamorelin?

Ipamorelin is what is known as a “growth hormone-releasing peptide” (GHRP), which is a fancy way of saying that it is a synthetic form of the natural hormone ghrelin.

Ben Greenfield explains what GHRPs are in further detail, going as far as to refer to human growth hormone (HGH) as a natural “fountain of youth”:

“[GHRPs] allow for a slow and steady growth hormone release that produces a pulse which mimics natural growth hormone release times and Growth Hormone Releasing Hormones (GHRH’s such as Mod-GRF) for an even stronger natural release of growth hormone and greater presence of growth hormone precursors known as GH “frags” or fragments.”

(NOTE: “Human growth hormone” and “growth hormone” are used interchangeably in this article, and in the medical literature – they’re the same thing!)

The fact that it mimics ghrelin is important, as it is what allows Ipamorelin to confer its numerous biological effects. 

“…ipamorelin selectively binds the same GHSR-1a receptor as GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and ibutamoren. This interaction with GHSR-1a leads to a GH release from the pituitary gland, which can influence a number of anabolic processes including appetite regulation, fat processing, and overall energy usage”

So what you have is a peptide that naturally increases HGH production via two separate mechanisms, the first obviously being increasing signaling that that leads to more HGH being secreted.

The second method of boosting your body’s natural production of HGH is much lesser-known, yet equally important:

“…[Ipamorelin] suppresses a hormone in the body called somatostatin, also known as growth hormone inhibiting hormone (GHIH). Somatostatin causes the body to reduce its natural GH output.

By limiting the action of somatostatin, Ipamorelin removes this barrier to higher GH production, resulting in increased natural growth hormone levels”

Why is this second mechanism so important?

Humans tend to produce far less growth hormone as they get older, losing as much as 14% of circulating GH in their body every 10 years after the age of 30:

“This contributes to many of the various and common “aging” effects, such as decreased energy, increased difficulty in maintaining or building muscle, a slowing metabolism, slowed or less effective injury or wound healing, and more.”

Therefore, Ipamorelin allows us to bypass this “natural aging” process by allowing our body to produce growth hormone as if it was in its absolute prime.

What Does Ipamorelin Do?

Having written about Ipamorelin in The TOT Bible nearly three years ago, I can tell you exactly what happens from start to finish:

After injecting Ipamorelin subcutaneously (i.e. under the skin), a selective pulse that lasts for roughly 3 hours stimulates the pituitary to release HGH.

“Once the HGH pulse is sent, it goes directly to the muscle to support development (i.e. lean muscle growth) while staying clear of any possible bone or cartilage growth [avoiding accidential growth that eventually leads to deformities]”

The pituitary gland releases HGH due to the action of chemicals that attach to two receptors: the Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Receptor (GHRH-R) and the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHS-R).”

If this is repeated over time, you’ll start to see numerous body composition benefits: Suppressed hunger via increased ghrelin levels, greater secretion of insulin from your pancreatic tissue, improved shuttling and absorption of nutrients, and more.

So where does this all tie in with using Ipamorelin for stubborn body fat loss?

Does Ipamorelin Work for Weight Loss?

Ipamorelin

While there are numerous GHRPs in existence, Ipamorelin is the only one that SELECTIVELY releases growth hormone:

“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. The specificity of ipamorelin makes this compound a very interesting candidate for future clinical development.”

Ipamorelin also does not affect the levels of other bodily hormones such as prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

There are numerous side effects to elevated levels of cortisol and prolactin – high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a weakened immune system, and more.

But the most concerning ones are around fat loss.

It is well-established in the literature that elevated prolactin levels lead to an excess accumulation of visceral body fat, especially in overweight women.

And the same goes for cortisol’s ability to reduce lipolysis:

“Cortisol reduced the basal rate of lipolysis (P < 0.01) [i.e. burning fat] and the sensitivity to isoprenaline compared to the control values (P < 0.01). Addition of GH to the cortisol-containing medium increased the basal rate of lipolysis (P < 0.01) and the sensitivity to isoprenaline (P < 0.01) to the control level and increased the maximum isoprenaline–induced lipolytic activity (P< 0.01).”

“Thus, cortisol and GH have opposite effects on the basal lipolytic activity in human adipose tissue in vitro as well as on the sensitivity to catecholamines, GH being the lipolytic and cortisol the antilipolytic agent”

I cannot stress how important growth hormone is for lipolysis to take place across several types of fat tissue in your body:

“GH stimulates lipolysis in the adipose tissue, and particularly the visceral and sub-cutaneous depots…the predominant effect of GH in the adipose tissue is the stimulation of lipolysis. This may occur by activation of HSL, a critical enzyme for lipolysis, or, as recent studies suggest by modulation of the expression of lipid droplet proteins such as CIDE-A”

And to nobody’s surprise except the severely misinformed, obese people have profoundly lower levels of growth hormone secretion:

“Growth hormone has also been shown to be involved adiposity. In obese subjects, GH secretion is reduced, and GH levels are inversely correlated with abdominal fat mass; GH secretion can be restored after a massive weight loss”

But here’s where the REAL fat loss benefit of Ipamorelin comes into play… you DO NOT feel hungry when you use it:

“[Ipamorelin] does not promote increased production of the enzyme ghrelin, which stimulates hunger. This means that it will not make you hungry, due to Ipamorelin’s ability to control points of gastric, appetite, and growth motility”

This is in addition to Ipamorelin’s fat-burning properties becoming more pronounced during extended fasts:

“Fasting for 2 d suppressed plasma insulin concentration by about 80% and elevated plasma GH about 4-fold (both P < 0.01). This was accompanied by a doubling in the rate of lipolysis, an approximately 40% increase in proteolysis, and an approximately 30% decline in HGP (all P < 0.05)”

“Endogenous GH plays a very limited metabolic role during the daily feed/fast cycle but is essential for the increased lipolytic rate found with more prolonged fasting.”

In summation, here’s what you get when you use Ipamorelin for weight loss…

You lose stubborn body fat at a far faster rate than what your body will naturally allow, AND you won’t have to suffer through the hunger that normally leads to people “cheating” on their diet!

Benefits of Ipamorelin

Fortunately, Ipamorelin’s benefits do not stop at helping you become super-lean.

Since it is a GHRP, it also comes with the many other benefits associated with increasing GH production.

However, you’ll be quite hard-pressed to find many published scientific studies specifically pertaining to Ipamorelin – a PubMed search for “Ipamorelin” generates only 43 results and very few of them have a singular focus on Ipamorelin.

So everything you are able to see below is based solely on what GH can do for fully optimizing your health.

Just take a look at some of the health benefits claimed by health clinics who provide Ipamorelin injections to their patients:

  • Increased energy and vitality
  • Increased strength and stamina
  • Enhanced workout recovery
  • Increased immune system function and wound healing
  • Decreased joint and muscle pain
  • Lower cholesterol
  • Enhanced sex drive
  • Improved skin elasticity
  • Healthier hair and nails

But for the sake of this article, I’m going to focus on the claims that have some more evidence-based research behind them.

Helps You Sleep Better At Night

It’s true – increased production of GH at night is essential for good night’s sleep:

“GHRH [growth hormone-releasing hormone] administration in the third REM period was followed by a marked decrease of wake and an almost 10-fold increase in SW [slow-wave] sleep.

When GHRH was administered during the first SW period after sleep deprivation until 0400 h, the duration of wake decreased.

Thus GHRH has sleep-promoting effects in young adults, particularly when given at a time of decreased sleep propensity.”

The same finding was confirmed in an experimental 2014 study using an oral growth hormone booster:

“The preliminary results showed that in subjects taking SeroVital prior to bedtime for twenty consecutive days, both time to fall asleep and time awake in the night decreased exponentially.

These results make sense because natural hGH levels are known to be highest in the first half of sleep and play an important role in our ability to reach deep stages of slow wave sleep, the stages we’re less able to attain as we age.”

Unsurprisingly, getting poor sleep at night is a surefire way to decrease your body’s natural GH production:

“The majority of HGH is released in pulses when you sleep. These pulses are based on your body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm.

The largest pulses occur before midnight, with some smaller pulses in the early morning . Studies have shown that poor sleep can reduce the amount of HGH your body produces.

In fact, getting an adequate amount of deep sleep is one of the best strategies to enhance your long-term HGH production”

This is precisely why sleeping a full uninterrupted 7-8 hours every single night is critical for losing body fat AND gaining lean muscle mass!

Improves Muscle Growth and Strength

Growth hormone stimulates the secretion of insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1), one of the MOST crucial biomolecules for increasing muscle mass:

“IGF-1 also appears to be the key player in muscle growth. It stimulates both the differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. It also stimulates amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in muscle and other tissues.”

“…Protein metabolism: In general, growth hormone stimulates protein anabolism in many tissues. This effect reflects increased amino acid uptake, increased protein synthesis and decreased oxidation of proteins.”

Muscle strength and power is equally dependent on adequate growth hormone production:

“GH increases muscle strength by enhancing muscle mass without affecting contractile force or fibre composition type. The energy required to power muscle function is derived from a continuum of anaerobic and aerobic sources.

Molecular and functional studies provide evidence that GH stimulates the anaerobic and suppresses the aerobic energy system, in turn affecting power-based functional measures in a time-dependent manner.”

This has been confirmed in healthy men over 50, and athletes who are recovering from injuries and want to avoid the loss of muscle strength.

May Help Enhance Bone Health

Ipamorelin has never been tested for bone health issues in humans, but a number of rat studies show great promise:

“We conclude that treatment of adult female rats with the GHSs [GH secretagogues] ipamorelin and GHRP-6 increases BMC [bone mineral content] as measured by DXA in vivo.

The results of in vitro measurements using pQCT and Archimedes’ principle, in addition to ash weight determinations, show that the increases in cortical and total BMC were due to an increased growth of the bones with increased bone dimensions, whereas the volumetric BMD [bone mineral density] was unchanged.”

This also holds true when bone formation is purposefully inhibited by a bone-catabolizing compound such as methylprednisolone:

“…the periosteal bone formation rate increased four-fold in animals injected with [methylprednisolone] and [Ipamorelin] in combination, compared with the group injected with [methylprednisolone] alone.

In conclusion, the decrease in muscle strength and bone formation found in [methylprednisolone] -injected rats was counteracted by simultaneous administration of [Ipamorelin].”

Something worth thinking about!

Ipamorelin Therapy: A Potential Treatment For Diabetes?

Several studies confirm that GHRPs such as Ipamorelin could play a therapeutic role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes:

“Recent studies demonstrate a novel ability of GHRH analogs to increase and preserve insulin secretion by beta-cells in islets and diabetic mice that makes them potentially useful for treatment of [type 2 diabetes].

Remarkable results from the study of new GHRH agonists in wound healing and cardiovascular performance could also provide novel treatments in patients with diabetes”

Again, this is pure speculation and many more human studies would need to be done in order to validate GHRPs for this specific purpose (i.e. will an excess amount of growth hormone be counter-productive and led to a greater likelihood of diabetes).

Aids Your Bowel Movements

Believe it or not, there is some evidence to indicate that Ipamorelin may be beneficial for gut health:

“…ipamorelin accelerates gastric emptying in a rodent model of postoperative ileus through the stimulation of gastric contractility by activating a ghrelin receptor-mediated mechanism involving cholinergic excitatory neurons.”

In simpler terms, Ipamorelin would be useful to fix an inability to have proper bowel movements and prevent the buildup of gas and fluid in the gastrointestinal system.

One small-scale human clinical trial showed promise in that no significant side effects were observed, although many more studies are needed:

Ipamorelin 0.03-mg/kg twice daily for up to 7 days was well tolerated. There were no significant differences between ipamorelin and placebo in the key and secondary efficacy analyses.”

Potential Cognition-Enhancing Effects

It has been known for quite some time that a strong connection exists between growth hormone and cognitive functioning:

“Various behaviours, such as cognitive behaviours related to learning and memory, are known to be induced by GH; the hormone might interact with specific receptors located in areas of the CNS that are associated with the functional anatomy of these behaviours.

GH is believed to affect excitatory circuits involved in synaptic plasticity, which alters cognitive capacity. GH also has a protective effect on the CNS, as indicated by its beneficial effects in patients with spinal cord injury”

Growth hormone injections have shown great potential in adults who suffer from mild cognitive impairment:

“The intent-to-treat analysis indicated a favorable effect of GHRH on cognition (P=.03), which was comparable in adults with MCI [mild cognitive impairment] 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)”

Similar results were observed in studies attempting to reverse the cognitive decline of traumatic brain injury patients and improve cognitive function in short children with growth hormone deficiency.

The Best Ipamorelin Dosage For Fat Loss


I’ve already laid out my protocol for the best Ipamorelin dose for fat loss in Living A Fully Optimized Life, so I’ll summarize it here:

200-300 mcg injected subcutaneously 1-3 times a day.

But I provide some additional details in The TOT Bible for different use cases:

“Some users inject Ipamorelin 30-45 minutes before training to take advantage of the HGH pulse and maximize both training intensity and fat loss. Most users will see body composition changes with 300 mcg, once or twice per day, over a 3 month period (or longer).

An injection of 200-300 mcg immediately before bed [for women] can produce dramatic fat loss and improved body composition in less than 3 months (when combined with resistance training, cardiovascular training and insulin-controlled living).”

One of the reasons why injecting Ipamorelin as a “pre-workout” works so well is due to Ipamorelin’s rapid duration of action:

“The time course of GH stimulation by ipamorelin showed a single episode of GH release with a peak at 0.67 hours and an exponential decline to negligible GH concentration at all doses”

Also, please keep in mind that although Ipamorelin won’t negatively affect the body’s natural production of growth hormone at extremely high doses, it is not advisable to intentionally overdose the peptide.

If you combine a GHRP like Ipamorelin with a GHRH like CJC-1295 without DAC, there will be a synergistic effect in which the increase in growth hormone and IGF-1 will be several times greater than using either peptide alone.

The GHRP works on the ghrelin receptor while the GHRH works on the GHRH receptor, and both mechanisms are complementary in nature.

In my experience, using both together provides a pronounced effect however some people do notice a sense of flushing or a slightly uncomfortable feeling at the point of injection that is usually transient.

Side Effects of Ipamorelin

Ipamorelin is unquestionably one of the safest and mildest GHRPs you can use, and perhaps one of the most well-tolerated peptides in existence.

However, there are some minor side effects of Ipamorelin you should know about:

  • “Head rush” that leads to headaches
  • Water retention (mostly in the lower abdominal region)
  • Slight redness/itchiness at the site of injection

The first side effect can be easily remedied by starting at a lower dosage and gradually working your way up.

The second side effect is a normal one with regular usage of peptides.

Due to their ability to increase IGF-1, many users will respond with an increase in intracellular water retention.

This effect is more pronounced dependent on the amount of carbs in one’s diet.

Regardless of how much water one holds when using ‘Ipa’, the water retention will cessate after 10-14 days of usage.

Anyone using Ipamorelin for a competition should take this in mind when preparing to be ‘stage ready’.

As for the final side effect… it’s a natural consequence of subcutaneous injections and most often it will go away once the body gets use to it.

Long story short, there’s absolutely nothing for you to worry about.

Where to Buy Ipamorelin

 

Unless you are lucky enough to have a script from a compound pharmacy that provides you Ipamorelin, there is no other resource I can recommend for ultra-pure therapeutic peptides like Ipamorelin than Limitless Life Nootropics.

(Use code JAY15 to get 15% off your order)

Having personally vetted the founder and interviewed him myself, I can happily vouch for the company and its products.

As you can see in the picture above, you’re getting the highest-quality Ipamorelin at a ridiculously fair price.

One more caveat before I end the article:

On top of getting your Ipamorelin from a legitimate source, the best – and the fastest – results will come to those who are fully optimized in all facets of their health. 

If you want to learn more about Ipamorelin, two of my recent YouTube videos will give you the crash course on all the amazing things this peptide can do for your health:

For the women who are reading this (or if you know a special someone in your life) and interested in using Ipamorelin, make sure you watch this newly published video:

As always, Raise Your Vibration To Optimize Your Love Creation!

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