Comparison
Ipamorelin vs Semaglutide
Side-by-side of Ipamorelin and Semaglutide. 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.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide for weight loss: GLP-1 agonist (Ozempic, Wegovy) drives 15-17% mean loss at 2.4 mg/week in STEP trials. Watch lean-mass loss.
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
Semaglutide
- •Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist with a ~7-day half-life that supports once-weekly subcutaneous dosing
- •STEP trials reported ~15 to 17% mean body-weight loss at 2.4 mg/week over 68 weeks in adults with obesity
- •Lowers HbA1c by ~1.0 to 1.8 percentage points in type 2 diabetes versus placebo
- •SELECT trial showed reduced major cardiovascular events in adults with prior CVD and overweight or obesity
- •Up to 25 to 40% of weight lost can be lean mass; pairing with resistance training and protein intake mitigates this
- •GI effects (nausea, vomiting, constipation) drive most discontinuations and ease with slow titration
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Ipamorelin | Semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | NNC 26-0161, Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 | Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 168 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 2-3x daily | weekly (SC); daily (oral Rybelsus) |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intravenous | subcutaneous, oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 72 |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 | 4113.58 |
| Molecular formula | C38H49N9O5 | - |
| Mechanism | Selective GHS-R1a agonist that stimulates pulsatile GH release with minimal cortisol or prolactin co-activation. Suppresses hypothalamic somatostatin and stimulates pituitary somatotrophs. | Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist; potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic satiety centers. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; advanced through phase 2b in postoperative ileus before discontinuation; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA | Prescription only (FDA-approved, EMA-approved) |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Rx only (not a controlled substance); FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes (2017) and chronic weight management (2021) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Not recommended; discontinue 2 months before planned pregnancy |
| CAS | 170851-70-4 | 910463-68-2 |
| PubChem CID | 11338566 | 56843331 |
| Wikidata | Q1666741 | Q27089394 |
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)
Semaglutide
Common side effects
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- decreased appetite
- injection-site reactions
- fatigue
Contraindications
- personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
- pregnancy
- history of pancreatitis (use caution)
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)
- warfarin: monitor INR due to altered absorption(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Semaglutide comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, prescription-only, 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 metabolic health and glucose control, pick Semaglutide.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick Semaglutide.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Semaglutide is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Semaglutide. Wider use case, 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 Semaglutide?
Ipamorelin and Semaglutide 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, Ipamorelin or Semaglutide?
Ipamorelin half-life is 2 hours; Semaglutide half-life is 168 hours.
Can you stack Ipamorelin with Semaglutide?
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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