Half-lifeAbout 30 minutes (commonly reported; no published human study of the No DAC version). The DAC version lasts about 6–8 days.
Vial sizes2 mg, 5 mg
The simple version
What it does
It prompts your pituitary gland to release a short burst of your own growth hormone.
How people take it
People typically inject 100 µg 1 to 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Know this
The No DAC version has never been tested in a published human trial.
What it is
CJC-1295 No DAC is a lab-made copy of the first 29 building blocks of GHRH, the brain hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, with four of them swapped so it breaks down more slowly (hence the name Modified GRF 1-29). The confusing part: the CJC-1295 tested in people had an extra piece called DAC that sticks to albumin, a blood protein, so one shot lasts about a week. The No DAC version has no such anchor, so it works for well under an hour.
How it works
It flips the pituitary's GHRH switch and sets off a burst of growth hormone, much like your body's own nightly bursts. Growth hormone then tells the liver to make IGF-1, which drives most of the effects. Because it's short-acting it adds a pulse instead of raising growth hormone all day, and many people pair it with ipamorelin because the two use different switches and the pulse is bigger together.
What people use it for
Raising your own growth hormone and IGF-1
Body composition (more lean muscle, less fat)
Sleep quality
Recovery from training
The evidence
Mostly animal studies
There are no published human trials of the No DAC version itself; the human data people quote is for the DAC version, which lasts far longer, so the results don't carry over directly. Similar short-acting peptides like sermorelin do raise growth hormone in people, so the basic effect makes sense. Claims about fat loss, muscle, skin or anti-aging come from user reports, not trials.
On an empty stomach: before bed (at least 2 hours after eating), and optionally on waking or before a workout. Wait 20–30 minutes before eating.
Cycle
Often 8–12 weeks, then a break of about 4 weeks
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Why: Each shot only lasts a short time and makes one growth hormone pulse. Food, especially carbs and fat, raises insulin and blunts that pulse, so people take it on an empty stomach. Bedtime lines up with your body's biggest natural pulse during deep sleep.
Low/starter
Reported
Dose
50 µg per injection
How often
Once a day
When
Before bed, on an empty stomach
Cycle
1–2 weeks to judge tolerance, then step up if wanted
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Why: Starting low lets you see how you handle flushing, water retention and tingling before adding more shots.
Start at the low end, and change one thing at a time. If you take medication or have a health condition, check with a doctor first.
We may earn a commission from these links. Counts include one syringe and two swabs per dose.
Stay safe
Side effects
Face flushing and warmth right after the shot
Redness or itching where you inject
Headache or light-headedness
Water retention and puffiness
Tingling or numbness in the hands
Joint aches
Higher fasting blood sugar over time
Skip it if
Active cancer or a history of cancer (growth hormone and IGF-1 can fuel tumor growth)
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Diabetes or prediabetes, unless a doctor is watching your blood sugar
Diabetes-related eye damage (retinopathy)
Under 18 and still growing
Pituitary disease or past pituitary surgery
Interactions
Insulin and diabetes drugs: growth hormone works against insulin, so doses may need adjusting
Steroid medicines (glucocorticoids) can weaken the response
Thyroid medicine: growth hormone can change thyroid hormone levels
Stacking with other growth hormone peptides or real growth hormone stacks up the side effects
Get help right away for swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, chest pain, or a spreading, hot, red injection site.
Storage & legal
Storage
Powder: fridge or freezer. Once mixed with bacteriostatic water: fridge, use within about 3–4 weeks.
Legal status
FDA: Not approved for any use. FDA has flagged CJC-1295 for safety concerns in its compounding reviews, and its compounding status has changed several times since 2023, so check current rules.
Sport (WADA): Prohibited at all times (S2, growth hormone-releasing factors). CJC-1295 is named on the list.
What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC?
It's the same core peptide. DAC is a chemical hook that grabs albumin in your blood, so the DAC version lasts about a week and keeps growth hormone up all the time. The No DAC version lasts minutes and gives short pulses closer to your natural pattern, so the two are dosed very differently and aren't interchangeable.
Why do people take it on an empty stomach?
Insulin and fats in your blood both hold back growth hormone release. Taking it at least 2 hours after a meal, and waiting 20–30 minutes before eating, gives the pulse room to happen.
How would I know if it is doing anything?
The only real check is an IGF-1 blood test before you start and after a few weeks. Feelings like better sleep are easy to imagine. If IGF-1 goes above the normal range for your age, that's a reason to cut back.
Sources
Jetté L, et al. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog. Endocrinology. 2005;146(7):3052-8. PubMed 15817669
Teichman SL, et al. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799-805. PubMed 16352683
Ionescu M, Frohman LA. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(12):4792-7. PubMed 17018654
Sigalos JT, Pastuszak AW. The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues. Sex Med Rev. 2018;6(1):45-53. PubMed 28400207
Dominikowski A, et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2026;17:1822475. PubMed 42395176