Comparison
CJC-1295 vs Noopept
Side-by-side of CJC-1295 and Noopept. 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.
Noopept
Noopept cognitive enhancer profile: 10 to 30 mg dosage, dipeptide nootropic mechanism, memory effects, and how it compares to piracetam.
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
Noopept
- •Russian dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s, registered in Russia 2002 for cognitive impairment
- •Roughly 1,000-fold higher per-mg potency than piracetam; therapeutic dose 10 to 30 mg/day
- •Active metabolite cycloprolylglycine modulates AMPA receptors and increases NGF and BDNF in rodent hippocampus
- •Russian RCTs in stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment show modest improvements over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Western evidence base is essentially absent; healthy-adult enhancement trials have not been published
- •Unscheduled in the US but not approved for human consumption; UK is prescription-only since 2014
Side-by-side
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | Noopept |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | nootropic |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog | GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.7 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.1 | 20 |
| Dosing frequency | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) | 2 to 3 times daily, last dose before mid-afternoon |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 3367.83 | 318.37 |
| Molecular formula | C152H252N44O42 | C17H22N2O4 |
| 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. | Hydrolyzed to active metabolite cycloprolylglycine; AMPA receptor modulation, BDNF and NGF upregulation, antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic effects. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Approved in Russia and CIS states; prescription-only in UK; unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU varies |
| WADA status | banned | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled in the US |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Not recommended |
| CAS | 446262-90-4 | 157115-85-0 |
| PubChem CID | 91971820 | 183503 |
| Wikidata | Q5012154 | Q4321022 |
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)
Noopept
Common side effects
- headache
- irritability
- sleep disturbance with late-day dosing
- occasional blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- pediatric use
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
Interactions
- memantine and other glutamatergic agents: theoretical AMPA-pathway interaction(minor)
- antidepressants: theoretical effect via BDNF axis, undocumented(minor)
- antihypertensives: occasional blood pressure elevation may require monitoring(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Noopept comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, controlled substance, oral dosing, with a Tier-B 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 focus or working memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is memory, pick Noopept.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Noopept is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Noopept. Wider use case, 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 Noopept?
CJC-1295 and Noopept differ in category (peptide vs nootropic), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, CJC-1295 or Noopept?
CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours; Noopept half-life is 0.7 hours.
Can you stack CJC-1295 with Noopept?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper