Side-by-side · Research reference

CJC-1295 (no DAC)vsEpitalon

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

APhase 1Reviewed15/51 cited

BHuman-MechanisticDraft8/37 cited

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

Epitalon

Pineal bioregulator · Telomerase activator

5–10 mgPer cycle doseKhavinson 2003

HumanMechanisticKhavinson 2003

HoursHalf-life (est)

SQ or IM · Abdomen · Daily for 10–20 days

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Epitalon

Primary target

Pituitary GHRH receptorTeichman 2006

Telomerase activity (proposed); pineal melatonin axis modulationKhavinson 2003

Pathway

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

Activation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in somatic cells; pineal-axis modulation supports endogenous melatoninKhavinson 2003

Downstream effect

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

Telomere elongation, improved sleep architecture, reported lifespan extension in aged miceKhavinson 2003

Feedback intact?

Yes — short pulse preserves somatostatin negative feedbackIonescu 2006

—

Origin

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

Synthetic 4-AA peptide derived from epithalamin (a natural pineal extract)Khavinson 2003

Antibody development

Not reported in short-term studies

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Epitalon

Standard dose

100 mcg per injectionTeichman 2006

Often paired with ipamorelin in same syringe.

5–10 mg / day for 10–20 days, 1–2× per yearKhavinson 2003

Anecdotal community protocol. Russian clinical literature uses similar cycling.

Frequency

1–2× daily (pre-sleep ± morning)

Once daily during a cycle

Lower / starter dose

50 mcg per dose

2.5 mg / day

Evidence basis

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

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

In-vitro telomerase + Russian clinical trialsKhavinson 2003

Duration

8–12 weeks on / 4 off (anecdotal)

10–20 day cycles, 1–2× per year

Reconstitution

Bacteriostatic water

Timing

Pre-sleep + fasted preferred

Pre-sleep preferred (pineal alignment)

Half-life

~30 minIonescu 2006

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

Hours (estimated)

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Epitalon

Injection site reaction

Erythema, mild pruritus

Mild irritation

Flushing / headache

Common transient effect

—

Cortisol elevation

Minimal at standard doses

—

Prolactin elevation

Minimal

—

Glucose intolerance

Possible at high cumulative doses

—

IGF-1 elevation

Dose-dependent; monitor with chronic use

—

Cancer risk

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

Theoretical via telomerase activation in pre-malignant cells

Pregnancy / OB

Avoid

Sleep architecture

—

Improved subjective sleep quality (anecdotal)

Long-term safety

—

Limited Western RCT data

Antibody formation

—

Not reported

Absolute Contraindications

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

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

Epitalon

·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
·Active malignancy or pre-malignant state

Relative Contraindications

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

·Untreated diabetes
·Severe insulin resistance

Epitalon

·Family history of cancer

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Epitalon

1. Reconstitution

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

Add 1–2 mL bacteriostatic water to 10 mg vial → 5–10 mg/mL.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous, abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

SQ — abdomen preferred. Rotate sites.

3. Timing

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

Pre-sleep preferred to align with pineal axis.

4. Storage

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

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

5. Needle

29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

06Stack Synergy

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

Epitalon

— no documented stacks