Comparison
Ipamorelin vs Spermidine
Side-by-side of Ipamorelin and Spermidine. 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.
Spermidine
Spermidine supplement benefits cover autophagy induction, longevity signals, and cognition. Wheat germ extract data, doses, and human trials reviewed.
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
Spermidine
- •Endogenous polyamine that induces autophagy via EP300 acetyltransferase inhibition and TFEB activation
- •Concentrated in wheat germ, soybeans, aged cheese, and mushrooms; ~10 to 15 mg/day in Mediterranean diets
- •Eisenberg 2016 reported dietary spermidine extended mouse lifespan and improved cardiac function
- •Wirth 2018 pilot (n=28) reported cognitive signal at 0.9 mg/day in older adults at risk for dementia
- •Larger Wirth 2019 follow-up (n=85) did not replicate the memory benefit at 12 months
- •Generally regarded as safe at supplemental doses; food-source position is reassuring
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Ipamorelin | Spermidine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | NNC 26-0161, Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 | spermidine trihydrochloride, wheat-germ-extract spermidine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Dosing frequency | 2-3x daily | daily, typically morning with food |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 | 145.25 |
| Molecular formula | C38H49N9O5 | C7H19N3 |
| Mechanism | Selective GHS-R1a agonist that stimulates pulsatile GH release with minimal cortisol or prolactin co-activation. Suppresses hypothalamic somatostatin and stimulates pituitary somatotrophs. | Induces macroautophagy via inhibition of EP300 histone acetyltransferase and activation of TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis. Substrate for hypusination of eIF5A, required for translation of mitochondrial respiration proteins. |
| 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 (wheat-germ extract has GRAS status in US) |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended at supplemental doses |
| CAS | 170851-70-4 | 124-20-9 |
| PubChem CID | 11338566 | 1102 |
| Wikidata | Q1666741 | Q411089 |
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)
Spermidine
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- wheat-germ allergy or celiac disease (for wheat-germ-extract products)
- active cancer (theoretical)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
Interactions
- DFMO (difluoromethylornithine): competing polyamine metabolism; do not combine without oncology guidance(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Spermidine comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 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 healthspan extension, pick Spermidine.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Spermidine.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Spermidine is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Spermidine. 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 Spermidine?
Ipamorelin and Spermidine 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 Spermidine?
Ipamorelin half-life is 2 hours; Spermidine half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack Ipamorelin with Spermidine?
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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