Side-by-side · Research reference

AOD-9604vsCJC-1295 (no DAC)

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

APhase 2Reviewed10/47 cited

BPhase 1Reviewed15/51 cited

AOD-9604

HGH 176-191 · β3-AR Lipolytic

250–300 mcgDaily doseHeffernan 2001

Phase 2Evidence levelHeffernan 2001 Ng 2008

~30 minHalf-life

SQ · Abdomen · Daily fasted

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Short-acting GHRH · No DAC variant

100 mcgPer doseTeichman 2006

~30 minHalf-lifeIonescu 2006

Phase 1Evidence levelTeichman 2006 Sigalos 2018

SQ · Pre-sleep · 1–2×/day

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

AOD-9604

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Primary target

β3-adrenergic receptor (proposed)Ng 2008

Pituitary GHRH receptorTeichman 2006

Pathway

β3-AR activation → cAMP → hormone-sensitive lipase activation → triglyceride breakdown to FFA + glycerolNg 2008

GHRH-R → Gαs → cAMP → PKA → GH vesicle exocytosisTeichman 2006

Downstream effect

Lipolysis of adipose tissue triglycerides; FFA release for oxidation; minimal IGF-1 / insulin impactHeffernan 2001

Pulsatile GH release matching physiological pattern; subsequent IGF-1 elevationIonescu 2006

Feedback intact?

No GH-axis or IGF-1 feedback

Yes — short pulse preserves somatostatin negative feedbackIonescu 2006

Origin

Synthetic modified C-terminal hexadecapeptide fragment of human GH (176-191) with N-terminal Tyr substitutionNg 2008

Modified human GRF 1-29 with four substitutions (D-Ala²/Gln⁸/Ala¹⁵/Leu²⁷) for protease resistanceTeichman 2006

Antibody development

—

Not reported in short-term studies

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

AOD-9604

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Standard dose

250–300 mcg / dayHeffernan 2001

Anecdotal SQ range. Phase 2 trial dose 1 mg/day oral.

100 mcg per injectionTeichman 2006

Often paired with ipamorelin in same syringe.

Frequency

Once daily, fasted

1–2× daily (pre-sleep ± morning)

Lower / starter dose

150 mcg / day

50 mcg per dose

Evidence basis

Phase 2 trials + animal-strongHeffernan 2001 Ng 2008

Phase 1 (CJC-1295 with DAC); analog dataTeichman 2006 Ionescu 2006

No-DAC variant is less studied directly; PK extrapolated from native GHRH.

Duration

8–12 weeks per cycle

8–12 weeks on / 4 off (anecdotal)

Reconstitution

Bacteriostatic water, 1 mL per 2 mg vial → 2 mg/mL

Bacteriostatic water

Timing

Morning fasted preferred (pre-cardio)

Aligns with circadian lipolysis.

Pre-sleep + fasted preferred

Half-life

~30 min plasma

~30 minIonescu 2006

Short pulse vs CJC-1295-DAC (~8 days). Choose no-DAC for pulsatile, DAC for sustained.

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

AOD-9604

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Injection site reaction

Mild erythema

Erythema, mild pruritus

GI symptoms

Rare mild nausea

—

Cardiovascular

Possible mild HR increase via β3-AR (theoretical β1 cross-reactivity)

—

IGF-1 elevation

None — designed to lack GH-axis activityHeffernan 2001

Dose-dependent; monitor with chronic use

Insulin sensitivity

Neutral — no glucose impairmentHeffernan 2001

—

Cancer risk

No GH/IGF-1 axis activity → lower theoretical risk vs HGH

Contraindicated in active malignancy (GH/IGF-1 axis)

Pregnancy / OB

Avoid

Flushing / headache

—

Common transient effect

Cortisol elevation

—

Minimal at standard doses

Prolactin elevation

—

Minimal

Glucose intolerance

—

Possible at high cumulative doses

Absolute Contraindications

AOD-9604

·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
·Severe cardiovascular disease (caution with β-receptor agonists)

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

·Active malignancy or cancer history
·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
·Disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis

Relative Contraindications

AOD-9604

·Concurrent β-blocker therapy (theoretical antagonism)
·Pheochromocytoma

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

·Untreated diabetes
·Severe insulin resistance

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

AOD-9604

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

1. Reconstitution

Add 1 mL bacteriostatic water to 2 mg vial → 2 mg/mL = 200 mcg per 0.1 mL.

Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water to 2 mg vial → 1 mg/mL = 100 mcg per 0.1 mL. Roll gently.

2. Injection site

SQ — abdomen preferred. Rotate sites.

Subcutaneous, abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

3. Timing

Morning, fasted, ideally pre-cardio for amplified fat oxidation.

Pre-sleep preferred. Often combined with ipamorelin in the same syringe.

4. Storage

Lyophilised: room temp, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate, ≤30 days.

Lyophilised: room temp, protected from light. Reconstituted: refrigerate 2–8 °C, use within 30 days.

5. Needle

29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

06Stack Synergy

AOD-9604

+ MOTS-c

Moderate

View MOTS-c →

AOD-9604 mobilises FFAs from adipose via β3-AR; MOTS-c upregulates AMPK / PGC-1α / FAO machinery so that mobilised FFAs are efficiently oxidised. The pathways are sequential — supply (AOD) plus demand (MOTS-c) — and produce more durable lipolytic effects than either alone in anecdotal protocols.

AOD-9604: 250–300 mcg SQ · morning fasted (daily)
MOTS-c: 5 mg SQ · 2–3× per week (pre-workout)
Primary benefit: Fat mobilisation + mitochondrial oxidation, no IGF-1 concern

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

+ Ipamorelin

Strong

View Ipamorelin →

CJC-1295 (no DAC) and ipamorelin are the canonical "GHRH + GHRP" dual-axis stack at physiological timing. Both peak within 30 min and clear within 2 hours, producing a sharp, high-amplitude GH pulse closely resembling natural physiology. Preferred over the CJC-1295-DAC + ipamorelin stack when pulsatility (vs sustained elevation) is the goal.

CJC-1295 (no DAC): 100 mcg SQ · pre-sleep
Ipamorelin: 200–300 mcg SQ · same injection
Primary benefit: Pulsatile GH stimulation, recovery, body composition

Teichman 2006 Raun 1998