Comparison
CJC-1295 vs Tirzepatide
Side-by-side of CJC-1295 and Tirzepatide. 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.
Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide for weight loss: dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound. SURMOUNT-1 showed 22.5% mean body-weight loss at 15 mg over 72 weeks.
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
Tirzepatide
- •Dual GIP plus GLP-1 receptor agonist with a ~5-day half-life supporting once-weekly subcutaneous dosing
- •SURMOUNT-1 reported ~22.5% mean body-weight loss at 15 mg over 72 weeks versus 2.4% on placebo
- •Lowers HbA1c by ~1.9 to 2.6 percentage points in type 2 diabetes across SURPASS trials
- •Outperformed semaglutide 1.0 mg head-to-head on weight loss and HbA1c in SURPASS-2
- •GI effects (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting) drive most discontinuations and ease with slow titration
- •Lean-mass loss observed in body-composition substudies; resistance training and protein intake mitigate this
Side-by-side
| Attribute | CJC-1295 | Tirzepatide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog | Mounjaro, Zepbound, LY3298176 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 120 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.1 | 10 |
| Dosing frequency | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) | weekly |
| Routes | subcutaneous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 72 |
| Molecular weight | 3367.83 | 4813.45 |
| Molecular formula | C152H252N44O42 | C225H348N48O68 |
| 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 39-amino-acid peptide that activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic and brainstem satiety circuits. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Prescription only; FDA-approved 2022 (T2DM, Mounjaro) and 2023 (chronic weight management, Zepbound) |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Rx only (not a controlled substance) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Not recommended; discontinue 2 months before planned pregnancy |
| CAS | 446262-90-4 | 2023788-19-2 |
| PubChem CID | 91971820 | 156588324 |
| Wikidata | Q5012154 | Q105099794 |
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)
Tirzepatide
Common side effects
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- constipation
- decreased appetite
- injection-site reactions
- fatigue
- abdominal pain
Contraindications
- personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
- pregnancy
- history of pancreatitis (use caution)
- severe gastroparesis
Interactions
- insulin: additive hypoglycemia risk; insulin dose typically reduced(major)
- sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide): hypoglycemia risk, sulfonylurea dose often reduced(major)
- oral medications (general): delayed gastric emptying can alter absorption kinetics(moderate)
- oral contraceptives: reduced exposure after first dose; backup contraception recommended for 4 weeks after initiation and each dose escalation(moderate)
- warfarin: monitor INR due to altered absorption(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Tirzepatide comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, prescription-only, 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 metabolic health and glucose control, pick Tirzepatide.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick Tirzepatide.
Default choice: Tirzepatide. 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 Tirzepatide?
CJC-1295 and Tirzepatide differ in category (peptide vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, CJC-1295 or Tirzepatide?
CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours; Tirzepatide half-life is 120 hours.
Can you stack CJC-1295 with Tirzepatide?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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