Comparison
Ipamorelin vs L-Theanine
Side-by-side of Ipamorelin and L-Theanine. 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.
Ipamorelin
Ipamorelin peptide benefits: selective ghrelin-receptor GHRP, 200 to 300 mcg dosage, GH pulse without cortisol or prolactin rise, CJC-1295 stack vs sermorelin.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid found in tea leaves. The most-replicated nootropic; pairs with caffeine at 1:1 (100-200 mg each) for acute focus.
Effects at a glance
Ipamorelin
- •Pentapeptide GHS-R1a agonist with the cleanest selectivity profile in the GHRP class
- •Minimal cortisol and prolactin elevation at standard doses (substantially less than GHRP-2 or hexarelin)
- •~2 hour plasma half-life, longest of the synthetic GHRPs
- •Largest human safety database (~600 participants in Helsinn's postoperative ileus phase 2)
- •Standard pairing for CJC-1295 no-DAC at 200 to 300 mcg subcutaneously 2 to 3 times daily
- •Banned by WADA under S2; never reached registration despite phase 2b development
L-Theanine
- •Non-protein amino acid in tea; the most-replicated nootropic in the human RCT literature
- •Caffeine + theanine at 1:1 (100-200 mg each) is the gold-standard acute focus stack
- •Solo doses of 200-400 mg reduce subjective stress and improve sleep quality
- •Increases alpha-wave EEG activity within 30-45 minutes of 200 mg oral dose
- •Crosses blood-brain barrier; bioavailability high, half-life 60-90 minutes
- •Clean safety record; minimal interactions at supplement doses
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Ipamorelin | L-Theanine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | NNC 26-0161, Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 | theanine, gamma-glutamylethylamide |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 1.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.2 | 200 |
| Dosing frequency | 2-3x daily | as needed (with caffeine) or daily |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 | 174.2 |
| Molecular formula | C38H49N9O5 | C7H14N2O3 |
| Mechanism | Selective GHS-R1a agonist that stimulates pulsatile GH release with minimal cortisol or prolactin co-activation. Suppresses hypothalamic somatostatin and stimulates pituitary somatotrophs. | Crosses BBB; modulates GABA/dopamine/serotonin (modest); increases alpha-wave EEG activity; dampens stress-induced sympathetic response without sedation. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; advanced through phase 2b in postoperative ileus before discontinuation; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient supplement-dose data; tea-source intake safe |
| CAS | 170851-70-4 | 3081-61-6 |
| PubChem CID | 11338566 | 439378 |
| Wikidata | Q1666741 | Q909931 |
Safety profile
Ipamorelin
Common side effects
- injection-site irritation
- vivid dreams
- transient mild head pressure
- occasional headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- history of pituitary tumor
- uncontrolled diabetes
Interactions
- CJC-1295: synergistic GH release via parallel GHRH and ghrelin pathways; standard pairing(minor)
- sermorelin: additive GH release; functionally similar pairing to CJC-1295 with shorter GHRH half-life(minor)
- insulin: sustained GH can blunt insulin sensitivity over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH response; reduce expected efficacy(moderate)
L-Theanine
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient data at supplement doses)
- concurrent strong GABAergics without caution
Interactions
- caffeine: synergistic for acute focus; dampens jitter without blunting alertness(minor)
- benzodiazepines / alcohol: potential additive sedation(minor)
Which Should You Take?
L-Theanine comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Ipamorelin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick Ipamorelin.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Ipamorelin.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick L-Theanine.
- → If your priority is stress and HPA-axis regulation, pick L-Theanine.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, L-Theanine is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: L-Theanine. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Ipamorelin 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 Ipamorelin and L-Theanine?
Ipamorelin and L-Theanine 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, Ipamorelin or L-Theanine?
Ipamorelin half-life is 2 hours; L-Theanine half-life is 1.5 hours.
Can you stack Ipamorelin with L-Theanine?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper