Side-by-side · Research reference

CJC-1295 (no DAC)vsTB-500

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

APhase 1Reviewed15/51 cited

BPhase 2Reviewed8/46 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

TB-500

Thymosin β4 fragment · Healing

2 mgPer doseGoldstein 2012

Phase 2Evidence levelGoldstein 2012

~2 hrHalf-life

SQ or IM · Multiple sites · 2–3×/week

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

TB-500

Primary target

Pituitary GHRH receptorTeichman 2006

G-actin (sequestering) + cell-surface integrinsGoldstein 2012

Pathway

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

Actin remodelling → cell migration; integrin-linked signaling → angiogenesis; anti-inflammatory cytokine modulationGoldstein 2012 Malinda 1999

Downstream effect

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

Accelerated wound healing, endothelial migration, hair follicle regeneration, cardiac repair (preclinical)Goldstein 2012

Feedback intact?

Yes — short pulse preserves somatostatin negative feedbackIonescu 2006

Endogenous protein at baseline; supplementation amplifies

Origin

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

17-AA active fragment of endogenous 43-AA thymosin β4 (TMSB4X gene)Goldstein 2012

Antibody development

Not reported in short-term studies

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

TB-500

Standard dose

100 mcg per injectionTeichman 2006

Often paired with ipamorelin in same syringe.

2 mg per injectionGoldstein 2012

Anecdotal community range; clinical Phase 2 trials used 70–840 mcg/kg IV.

Frequency

1–2× daily (pre-sleep ± morning)

2× per week (loading); then 1× per week (maintenance)

Lower / starter dose

50 mcg per dose

1 mg per injection

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.

Animal-strong + Phase 2 dermal/ocular trialsGoldstein 2012

Duration

8–12 weeks on / 4 off (anecdotal)

4–8 weeks loading; longer maintenance for chronic injury

Reconstitution

Bacteriostatic water

Bacteriostatic water, 1–2 mL per 5 mg vial

Timing

Pre-sleep + fasted preferred

Evening or pre-rest preferred (anecdotal)

Half-life

~30 minIonescu 2006

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

~2 hours (estimated; tissue uptake longer)

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

TB-500

Injection site reaction

Erythema, mild pruritus

Mild erythema, transient pain

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 angiogenesis pathway

Pregnancy / OB

Avoid

GI symptoms

—

Rare nausea (anecdotal)

Lethargy / fatigue

—

Reported anecdotally during loading phase

Antibody formation

—

No data (no long-term human trials)

Long-term safety

—

Unknown beyond Phase 2

Absolute Contraindications

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

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

TB-500

·Active malignancy (theoretical angiogenesis concern)
·Pregnancy / breastfeeding

Relative Contraindications

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

·Untreated diabetes
·Severe insulin resistance

TB-500

·Cancer history
·Concurrent VEGF inhibitor therapy

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

TB-500

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 5 mg vial → 2.5–5 mg/mL. Roll gently.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous, abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

SQ near injury site (preferred), or systemic SQ (abdomen). Rotate sites.

3. Timing

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

Evening or pre-sleep is most common anecdotal timing.

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.

27–31G, 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

TB-500

+ BPC-157

Strong

View BPC-157 →

TB-500 and BPC-157 cover complementary halves of tissue repair: BPC-157 upregulates VEGFR2-driven angiogenesis and fibroblast outgrowth; TB-500 sequesters G-actin to enable endothelial / epithelial migration. The anecdotal canonical "healing stack" — pairs especially well for tendon and ligament injuries.

TB-500: 2 mg SQ · 2× per week
BPC-157: 250–500 mcg SQ · daily
Primary benefit: Combined angiogenesis + cell migration for tendon/ligament/muscle repair