Comparison
CJC-1295 vs Epitalon
Side-by-side of CJC-1295 and Epitalon. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
CJC-1295
CJC-1295 peptide profile: GHRH analog forms (with-DAC ~7-day half-life, no-DAC Mod GRF 1-29 ~30 min), ipamorelin pairing, recovery use, dosing, side effects.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
Effects at a glance
CJC-1295
- •GHRH analog that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs to release endogenous GH
- •DAC variant has ~7 day half-life via albumin binding; non-DAC variant ~30 minutes
- •Teichman 2006 trial showed sustained 2 to 10 fold IGF-1 elevation at 60 to 250 mcg/kg DAC dosing
- •Anecdotal protocols pair non-DAC CJC-1295 with Ipamorelin to mimic pulsatile GH release
- •Side effects: water retention, numbness or tingling at injection site, vivid dreams, transient flushing
- •No completed phase III RCTs; research-use-only and not FDA approved
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
Side-by-side
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | Epitalon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.1 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) | daily during cycle |
| Routes | subcutaneous | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 168 |
| Molecular weight | 3367.83 | 390.35 |
| Molecular formula | C152H252N44O42 | C14H22N4O9 |
| Mechanism | Binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, stimulating pulsatile growth-hormone release. The DAC modification extends plasma residence by tethering the peptide to serum albumin via a maleimide-cysteine bond. | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU |
| WADA status | banned | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 446262-90-4 | 307297-39-8 |
| PubChem CID | 91971820 | 219042 |
| Wikidata | Q5012154 | Q5384126 |
Safety profile
CJC-1295
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- water retention
- numbness or tingling at injection site
- vivid dreams
- transient flushing
- head pressure or mild headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- diabetic retinopathy (theoretical)
- history of pituitary tumor
Interactions
- Ipamorelin: synergistic GH release; commonly co-administered in anecdotal protocols(minor)
- insulin: GH-induced insulin resistance can shift glycemic control over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH-axis response; reduce expected efficacy(moderate)
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
Which Should You Take?
CJC-1295 comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, research-only / gray-market sourcing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick CJC-1295.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick CJC-1295.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (CJC-1295 ~168 hr vs Epitalon ~0.5 hr). CJC-1295 reaches steady state faster; Epitalon is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: CJC-1295. Wider use case, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Epitalon only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between CJC-1295 and Epitalon?
CJC-1295 and Epitalon differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, CJC-1295 or Epitalon?
CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours; Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack CJC-1295 with Epitalon?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper