Side-by-side · Research reference

IpamorelinvsProstamax

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

APhase 1HUMAN-REVIEWED21/57 cited

BAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED11/38 cited

Ipamorelin

Selective GHRP · Ghrelin Mimetic

200–300 mcgPer doseRaun 1998

Phase 1Evidence levelRaun 1998 Sigalos 2018

~2 hrHalf-lifeRaun 1998

SQ · Multiple sites · 1–3×/day

Prostamax

Khavinson Bioregulator · Tissue-Specific Peptide

0.05 ng/mLActive concentrationZakutskiĭ 2006

2.5×SCE frequency increaseDzhokhadze 2012

4 AAPeptide length

SQ · Protocol per Khavinson tradition

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

Ipamorelin

Prostamax

Primary target

Ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) on anterior pituitaryRaun 1998

Chromatin in prostatic cells — pericentromeric heterochromatin regions

Pathway

GHS-R1a binding → Gαq/11 → ↑intracellular Ca²⁺ → GH vesicle exocytosisRaun 1998 Bowers 1991

Epigenetic modulation → heterochromatin decondensation → transcriptional derepressionDzhokhadze 2012

Downstream effect

GH pulse amplification, IGF-1 elevation, recovery and lipolytic effectsBowers 2002

Increased sister chromatid exchange, Ag-NOR activation, reduced C-heterochromatin condensation; tissue-specific regenerative stimulation in prostate organotypic culturesDzhokhadze 2012 Zakutskiĭ 2006

Feedback intact?

Yes — pulsatile pattern preserved; somatostatin feedback activeBowers 2002

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Origin

Pentapeptide H-Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂; rationally designed for ghrelin-receptor selectivityRaun 1998

Synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on naturally occurring protein-derived bioregulators isolated between lysine-arginine motifs in long-lived speciesKhavinson 2017

Antibody development

Not reported in short-term studies

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

Ipamorelin

Prostamax

Standard dose

200–300 mcg per injectionRaun 1998

Anecdotal community range; clinical doses 1–3 mg IV in trials.

—

Frequency

1–3× per day

Once daily pre-sleep is most common; twice or thrice for advanced users.

—

Lower / starter dose

100 mcg per dose

—

Evidence basis

Phase 1 + clinical practiceRaun 1998 Sigalos 2018

Animal / organotypic cultureZakutskiĭ 2006 Dzhokhadze 2012

No randomized controlled trials in humans.

Duration

8–12 weeks on / 4 weeks off (anecdotal)

GHS-R desensitisation reported with continuous dosing.

Not specified

Khavinson protocols typically 10–20 days per cycle; no long-term safety data.

Reconstitution

Bacteriostatic water; typical 2 mL per 5 mg vial

—

Timing

Pre-sleep + fasted preferred; 30 min away from food

—

Half-life

~2 hoursRaun 1998

Longer than GHRP-6 (15 min); shorter than CJC-1295-DAC (~8 days).

—

Effective concentration (in vitro)

—

0.05 ng/mLZakutskiĭ 2006

Organotypic culture model; demonstrated tissue-specific stimulation.

Human clinical dose

—

Not established

No published human trials; dosing extrapolated from Russian clinical tradition (not peer-reviewed).

Age groups studied

—

Young (3-week) and aged (18-month) rats; elderly humans (75–86 years) in vitroZakutskiĭ 2006 Dzhokhadze 2012

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

Ipamorelin

Prostamax

Cortisol elevation

Negligible vs other GHRPsRaun 1998

—

Prolactin elevation

NegligibleRaun 1998

—

Hunger

Mild appetite increase via ghrelin-receptor crosstalk

—

Injection site reaction

Mild irritation possible

—

GH excess (overdose)

Joint pain, edema, insulin resistance

—

IGF-1 elevation

Dose-dependent; monitor with chronic high-dose use

—

Cancer risk

Theoretical via GH/IGF-1 axis; contraindicated in active malignancy

—

Pregnancy / OB

Avoid

—

Published adverse events

—

None reported in available literature

Genotoxicity signals

—

Increased sister chromatid exchange (SCE) — marker of DNA recombination/repair; unclear long-term implications

Metal ion interactions

—

Modulates Cu(II) and Cd(II) chromatin effects; unknown clinical relevance

Human safety data

—

Absent — no published Phase 1/2/3 trials

Absolute Contraindications

Ipamorelin

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

Prostamax

·Active prostate malignancy — epigenetic modulation effects unknown in cancer

Relative Contraindications

Ipamorelin

·Untreated diabetes
·Severe insulin resistance
·Concurrent corticosteroid use (theoretical desensitisation)

Prostamax

·History of prostate cancer — theoretical concern re: transcriptional activation
·Undiagnosed prostatic nodules or elevated PSA

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

Ipamorelin

Prostamax

1. Reconstitution

Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water to 5 mg vial → 2.5 mg/mL. Roll gently. Solution should be clear.

Subcutaneous or intramuscular — per Khavinson bioregulator tradition. No published human pharmacokinetic data.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous, abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites. Pinch fat for shallow SQ delivery.

If lyophilised: reconstitute with sterile water per manufacturer protocol (not standardized in literature).

3. Timing

Pre-sleep optimal — aligns with natural GH pulse. Some protocols add a morning fasted dose.

Typically daily or every-other-day in Russian clinical tradition; duration 10–20 days per cycle.

4. Storage

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

No established biomarkers. Theoretical: PSA, prostate imaging, symptom scores (IPSS for BPH).

5. Needle

29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

All protocols derived from non-peer-reviewed Russian clinical practice; Western regulatory approval absent.

06Stack Synergy

Ipamorelin

+ Tesamorelin

Strong

View Tesamorelin →

Ipamorelin (GHRP) + tesamorelin (GHRH analogue) is the textbook dual-axis GH stack. They activate two distinct pituitary receptors — the ghrelin receptor and the GHRH receptor — producing a synergistic GH pulse larger than either alone. Ipamorelin's selectivity (no cortisol/prolactin spike) makes it the ideal GHRP partner for long-term protocols.

Ipamorelin: 200–300 mcg SQ · pre-sleep
Tesamorelin: 2 mg SQ · same injection · pre-sleep
Primary benefit: Maximal GH pulsatility, fat loss, recovery, sleep depth

Raun 1998 Bowers 2002

+ CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Strong

View CJC-1295 (no DAC) →

CJC-1295 (no DAC) is a short-acting GHRH analogue. Combined with ipamorelin (GHRP), the pulse is amplified across both receptor systems with timing similar to native physiology. Without the DAC modification, the stack maintains sharp peaks rather than the sustained elevation seen with CJC-1295-DAC + ipamorelin.

Ipamorelin: 200–300 mcg SQ · pre-sleep
CJC-1295 (no DAC): 100 mcg SQ · same injection
Primary benefit: Pulsatile GH stimulation matching physiological pattern

Teichman 2006 Ionescu 2006

Prostamax

— no documented stacks