Comparison
Clomiphene vs Hexarelin
Side-by-side of Clomiphene and Hexarelin. 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.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
Hexarelin
Hexarelin peptide is a ghrelin-receptor hexapeptide. Largest acute GH pulse in the GHRP class, highest cortisol and prolactin lift, CD36 cardioprotective sign.
Effects at a glance
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
Hexarelin
- •Synthetic hexapeptide GHS-R1a agonist; produces the largest acute GH pulse of the synthetic GHRP class
- •Independent CD36 signaling produces cardioprotective effects in rodent ischemia models, GH-independent
- •Pronounced tachyphylaxis: GH response attenuates over 2 to 4 weeks of daily dosing
- •More cortisol and prolactin elevation than GHRP-2 or ipamorelin
- •Anecdotal protocols use 100 to 200 mcg subcutaneously 1 to 2 times daily for 2 to 4 week pulses
- •Banned by WADA under S2; advanced through phase 2 trials but never reached registration
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Clomiphene | Hexarelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | peptide |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | Examorelin, EP-23905, His-D-2-methyl-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 1 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 0.1 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 1-2x daily |
| Routes | oral | subcutaneous, intranasal, intravenous |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 887.04 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C47H58N12O6 |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | Hexapeptide agonist of GHS-R1a producing acute GH release with cortisol and prolactin co-elevation. Independent CD36 binding produces GH-independent cardioprotective signaling in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | Not FDA approved; advanced through phase 2 trials in EU but never registered; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | banned | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 140703-51-1 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 3037387 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q5743550 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(moderate)
Hexarelin
Common side effects
- water retention
- vivid dreams
- head pressure or flushing
- transient lethargy
- tingling at injection site
- moderate hunger
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- history of pituitary tumor
- uncontrolled diabetes
- prolactin-sensitive states
Interactions
- CJC-1295: synergistic GH release; accelerates tachyphylaxis if used continuously(minor)
- sermorelin: additive GH release via parallel GHRH and ghrelin pathways(minor)
- insulin: sustained GH can blunt insulin sensitivity over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: amplify cortisol load; blunt GH response(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Clomiphene comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, prescription-only, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Hexarelin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick Hexarelin.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Hexarelin.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Clomiphene is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Clomiphene. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Hexarelin 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 Clomiphene and Hexarelin?
Clomiphene and Hexarelin differ in category (pharmaceutical vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or Hexarelin?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; Hexarelin half-life is 1 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene with Hexarelin?
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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