Comparison
CJC-1295 vs Melatonin
Side-by-side of CJC-1295 and Melatonin. 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.
Melatonin
Melatonin as a sleep supplement: 0.3-1 mg matches physiological output, 3-10 mg is pharmacological. Shifts circadian phase, shortens sleep latency.
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
Melatonin
- •Shortens sleep onset latency by ~7 to 12 minutes at physiological 0.3 to 1 mg doses
- •Advances circadian phase when taken 30 to 60 minutes before target bedtime, useful for jet lag and shift work
- •Does not meaningfully increase total sleep time in healthy adults without circadian misalignment
- •Endogenous nighttime production is not suppressed by short-term exogenous supplementation
- •Higher doses (3 to 10 mg) raise plasma levels above physiological range and often increase morning grogginess
- •Effective for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and reducing jet-lag severity in eastward travel
Side-by-side
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | Melatonin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog | N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.75 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Dosing frequency | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) | daily, 30 to 60 minutes before target sleep time |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 3367.83 | 232.28 |
| Molecular formula | C152H252N44O42 | C13H16N2O2 |
| 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. | Agonist at MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, signaling biological night and promoting sleep-onset gating plus circadian phase shifts. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | OTC in US; prescription in UK, EU, Japan |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | OTC supplement in US; Rx in UK, EU, Japan, Australia |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 446262-90-4 | 73-31-4 |
| PubChem CID | 91971820 | 896 |
| Wikidata | Q5012154 | Q179243 |
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)
Melatonin
Common side effects
- vivid dreams
- morning grogginess (higher doses)
- headache
- dizziness
Contraindications
- autoimmune disease (theoretical)
- concurrent anticoagulant therapy without monitoring
Interactions
- fluvoxamine: CYP1A2 inhibition raises melatonin levels substantially(major)
- warfarin: possible increased bleeding risk(moderate)
- benzodiazepines and alcohol: additive sedation(moderate)
- antihypertensives: may alter blood pressure response(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Melatonin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. CJC-1295 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 sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Melatonin.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Melatonin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Melatonin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Melatonin. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for CJC-1295 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 Melatonin?
CJC-1295 and Melatonin differ in category (peptide vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, CJC-1295 or Melatonin?
CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours; Melatonin half-life is 0.75 hours.
Can you stack CJC-1295 with Melatonin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper