Comparison
Ipamorelin vs Lion's Mane
Side-by-side of Ipamorelin and Lion's Mane. 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.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supplement profile: hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF in vitro. Human cognition trials are small.
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
Lion's Mane
- •Edible medicinal mushroom containing NGF-stimulating hericenones and erinacines
- •Mori 2009 trial (n=30) in mild cognitive impairment showed cognitive improvement at 3 g/day for 16 weeks, reversing 4 weeks after discontinuation
- •Saitsu 2019 (n=31) in older adults reported MoCA improvements at 3.2 g/day over 12 weeks
- •Multiple small mood trials suggest reduced anxiety and depression scores at 1 to 4 g/day extract
- •Mechanistic case rests on NGF stimulation and remyelination support; in vivo human NGF measurement is absent
- •Product quality varies substantially; mycelium-on-grain products can be over 50% grain by weight
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Ipamorelin | Lion's Mane |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | natural |
| Also known as | NNC 26-0161, Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.2 | 1000 |
| Dosing frequency | 2-3x daily | 1 to 2 times daily |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 168 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 1344 |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 | - |
| Molecular formula | C38H49N9O5 | mixed extract |
| Mechanism | Selective GHS-R1a agonist that stimulates pulsatile GH release with minimal cortisol or prolactin co-activation. Suppresses hypothalamic somatostatin and stimulates pituitary somatotrophs. | Hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF mRNA expression and NGF protein release in cultured neurons; secondary anti-inflammatory and remyelination-supportive activity in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; advanced through phase 2b in postoperative ileus before discontinuation; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | OTC supplement and food |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm |
| CAS | 170851-70-4 | |
| PubChem CID | 11338566 | |
| Wikidata | Q1666741 | Q146050 |
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)
Lion's Mane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- occasional skin rash
- contact dermatitis (rare)
Contraindications
- mushroom allergy
Interactions
- anticoagulants: theoretical antiplatelet effect, no documented clinical events(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Lion's Mane comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B 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 Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Lion's Mane is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Lion's Mane. Lower friction to source, 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 Lion's Mane?
Ipamorelin and Lion's Mane differ in category (peptide vs natural), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Ipamorelin or Lion's Mane?
Ipamorelin half-life is 2 hours; Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack Ipamorelin with Lion's Mane?
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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