Comparison
CJC-1295 vs NMN
Side-by-side of CJC-1295 and NMN. 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.
NMN
NMN supplements are oral nicotinamide mononucleotide capsules sold for longevity, energy, and metabolic health. They raise plasma NAD+ 30-90% at 250-1000.
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
NMN
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-90% at 250-1000 mg/day across human PK studies
- •Tissue NAD+ rise is inconsistent across human trials (Yoshino 2021, Igarashi 2022)
- •No human trials measure hard endpoints (mortality, CV events, cancer); evidence is biomarker-only
- •Most trials cluster at 250-500 mg/day; dose-response above 250 mg/day is poorly characterized
- •FDA position contested; widely sold as supplement but with regulatory uncertainty
- •Marketing claims for fertility and longevity outrun the human trial evidence substantially
Side-by-side
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | NMN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.1 | 250 |
| Dosing frequency | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) | 1x daily, often morning |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 3367.83 | 334.22 |
| Molecular formula | C152H252N44O42 | C11H15N2O8P |
| 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. | Direct precursor in the NAD+ salvage pathway; converted to NAD+ by NMNAT enzymes in essentially every tissue. Raised NAD+ supports sirtuin and PARP enzyme activity. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance |
| CAS | 446262-90-4 | 1094-61-7 |
| PubChem CID | 91971820 | 14180 |
| Wikidata | Q5012154 | Q418972 |
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)
NMN
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- occasional headache
- flushing (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (precautionary, no data)
- active cancer (theoretical concern, not evidence-based)
Interactions
- metformin: no clinically significant interaction documented; both modulate metabolism through different mechanisms(minor)
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical concern about supporting cancer cell proliferation; coordinate with oncology team(moderate)
- CD38 inhibitors: would amplify NMN-induced NAD+ rise; not clinically relevant for most users(minor)
Which Should You Take?
NMN comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia, 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 healthspan extension, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick NMN.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, NMN is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: NMN. 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 NMN?
CJC-1295 and NMN 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 NMN?
CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours; NMN half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack CJC-1295 with NMN?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper