What this comparison tells you
Long-acting version of a body signal that tells the body to release growth hormone
CJC-1295
EmergingSome studies in people exist. Important questions remain about benefit, safety, who it helps, or how long the effects last. This is not an approval or recommendation.- Evidence type
- Body changes, not proven benefits
- Approval
- Still being studied. This review found no FDA-approved CJC-1295 product in the United States.
- Approved products
- None identified in the United States.
- Sports status
- Prohibited
- Sources used
- 5 sources
- Last reviewed
- August 2, 2026
Short studies in healthy adults found that CJC-1295 raised growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These hormone measurements do not prove better recovery, muscle gain, or fat loss.
Growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue
Sermorelin
EmergingSome studies in people exist. Important questions remain about benefit, safety, who it helps, or how long the effects last. This is not an approval or recommendation.- Evidence type
- Body changes, not proven benefits
- Approval
- This review found no current FDA-approved sermorelin product in the United States. Former Geref products were FDA-approved and are no longer sold. FDA said safety or effectiveness was not the reason for their withdrawal.
- Approved products
- None identified in the United States.
- Sports status
- Prohibited
- Sources used
- 5 sources
- Last reviewed
- July 23, 2026
Studies in people show a growth-hormone response. They do not prove broad anti-aging or muscle-building benefits. Former Geref products are no longer sold.
How the evidence compares
These are separate questions, not one score. A peptide can be well understood in one area and uncertain in another.
Both peptide columns stay aligned. Read across each row to compare the same question. On smaller screens, each question shows both records together.
Each question shows both records together.
| Question checked | CJC-1295Emerging | SermorelinEmerging |
|---|---|---|
| Health benefitsDid people's health improve? | CJC-1295Limited Studies in people measured hormone levels. They did not test lasting health benefits. | SermorelinLimited Older studies in children exist. Research does not show that current products slow aging, reduce body fat, or build muscle. |
| Body changes in peopleWhat body changes did studies in people measure? | CJC-1295Moderate Short studies in healthy adults found that CJC-1295 raised growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) for a time. | SermorelinModerate Studies in people show that sermorelin can trigger growth-hormone release. A body response alone does not prove a health benefit. |
| Known risksWhat do we know about risks in people? | CJC-1295Limited The studies were short. FDA reports serious unwanted events, limited clinical data, and concerns about unwanted material in peptide products. | SermorelinLimited Past records do not fully show whether modern compounded products are safe. They also do not show the safety of long-term use for wellness. |
| Exact productDo we know what the product contains and how well it was made? | CJC-1295Unclear Online pages may use the name CJC-1295 for versions with DAC, without DAC, different salt forms, or mixtures with other ingredients. | SermorelinLimited FDA records clearly describe the former Geref products. The identity and quality of each current compounded product must be checked separately. |
| Approval statusIs there a reviewed product for a specific use? | CJC-1295 Still being studied. This review found no FDA-approved CJC-1295 product in the United States. | Sermorelin This review found no current FDA-approved sermorelin product in the United States. Former Geref products were FDA-approved and are no longer sold. FDA said safety or effectiveness was not the reason for their withdrawal. |
Questions to ask before you compare
Use these questions to see whether the records match.
- 01
Has either one ever had an FDA-approved product?
- 02
Did studies in people measure a health result or only a hormone change?
- 03
Which exact form and product does the evidence cover?
- 04
What safety and sports-rule limits apply?
What sources were used
The number of sources does not prove strength. Different sources answer different questions. A drug label, a trial, a cell study, and an agency review do not mean the same thing.
CJC-1295
5 sources used
- Anti-doping1
- FDA review1
- Human pharmacology1
- Randomized trial1
- Regulatory1
Two studies assigned healthy adults to groups by chance. Some received CJC-1295, and some received a placebo, an inactive comparison. The studies found that growth hormone and IGF-1 stayed higher for a time. Another study found changes in how growth hormone was released. These studies measured body signals, not health benefits.
Higher hormone levels do not prove less body fat, more muscle, better recovery, better sleep, more energy, or a longer life. These studies did not establish those popular claims. Long-term safety is still unclear.
Sermorelin
5 sources used
- Regulatory2
- Anti-doping1
- FDA review1
- Science review1
Studies in people show that sermorelin can trigger growth-hormone release. Older studies in children found limited growth results. A hormone response is not the same as a health benefit. These studies do not prove benefits for current compounded products.
Reliable studies do not show that current compounded sermorelin products slow aging or build muscle. They also do not show less body fat, better sleep, or that people live longer.
Fact checks for each peptide
Each result applies only to the statement shown. Open its record to see the version and sources.
CJC-1295
“CJC-1295 can raise GH and IGF-1 in healthy adults.”
Studies in people found that both hormones stayed higher for a time. This is a change in body measurements, not proof of a health benefit.
- Evidence used
- Studies of body changes in people
- What this result covers
- Short-term changes in GH and IGF-1 measured in the healthy adults studied.
“CJC-1295 builds muscle and burns fat in people.”
The cited studies did not test lasting changes in body fat, muscle, or what people could do physically.
- Evidence used
- No reliable studies showing this health result in people
- What this result covers
- Lasting changes in body fat, muscle, or what people could do physically. The cited hormone studies did not test these outcomes.
“All products called CJC-1295 are interchangeable.”
Research papers and sellers may use the name for different forms, including different salts, changed versions, or mixtures with other ingredients.
- Evidence used
- Official record or product label
- What this result covers
- Products labeled CJC-1295 that differ in form, salt, chemical changes, added ingredients, or quality controls.
Sermorelin
“Sermorelin was once FDA-approved.”
FDA records document the former Geref approvals. FDA later found that safety or effectiveness was not the reason for withdrawal.
- Evidence used
- Official record or product label
- What this result covers
- Historical Geref products, not current compounded sermorelin.
“Sermorelin raises growth hormone, so it is proven to slow aging.”
A hormone response cannot show that people live longer or age more slowly.
- Evidence used
- Studies of body changes in people
- What this result covers
- Hormone-response evidence cannot establish longer life or slower biological aging.
“Compounded sermorelin is an FDA-approved Geref generic.”
A former Geref approval does not make current compounded products FDA-approved. Current compounded products are not automatically the same as the former Geref products.
- Evidence used
- Official record or product label
- What this result covers
- Current products marketed after Geref withdrawal.
Products with the same ingredient can differ
Evidence applies to the exact product used in a study. Check the peptide's amino-acid order, ingredients and form, how it enters the body, and where it came from. A shared ingredient name does not prove that another vial has the same benefits or risks.
CJC-1295
Modified peptide · different forms discussed
Some products use the name CJC-1295 for different chemical forms, including different salts. Some have a chemical part called DAC, and some do not. FDA says evidence for the DAC form cannot prove the same effects for a no-DAC form. These products are not automatically the same as modified GRF 1-29 or pharmacy-made mixtures with other ingredients.
No FDA product label was found for this molecule in the sources reviewed.
- No FDA-approved indication
Sermorelin
29 amino acids · GHRH fragment
A former Geref approval does not make a current product FDA-approved. Current compounded sermorelin products are not automatically the same as the former Geref products.
No FDA product label was found for this molecule in the sources reviewed.
- Historical diagnostic and pediatric growth-hormone-deficiency uses
Sports rules and safety limits
These statuses do not give personal clearance to compete.
CJC-1295
The 2026 WADA list names CJC-1295 as a growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue. It is prohibited at all times for athletes covered by the list.
Reviewed Read the governing record ↗FDA says compounded CJC-1295 may pose a risk of unwanted immune reactions when given by certain routes. FDA also describes possible quality concerns, including peptide impurities and incomplete information about the active ingredient. FDA reports serious events associated with CJC-1295, including a faster heart rate and a whole-body reaction in which blood vessels widen. The small published studies did not report those serious events. Available clinical data are limited. This guide gives no dose or personal-use instructions.
Sermorelin
The 2026 WADA list names sermorelin as a prohibited growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue.
Reviewed Read the governing record ↗Approval of a former product does not prove the quality of a current product. This guide gives no dose, injection, or compounding instructions.
How the two peptides relate
Both peptides are based on growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). GHRH is a body signal that tells the body to release growth hormone. Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid piece of GHRH.
CJC-1295 is a changed version of GHRH made to last longer. Online pages may use the name for forms with or without a chemical part called DAC. FDA says evidence for the DAC form cannot prove the same effects for a no-DAC form.
Sermorelin's record lists the name GRF 1-29, not modified GRF 1-29. The CJC-1295 record warns that products called CJC-1295 are not automatically the same as modified GRF 1-29. Neither record says the two are the same product.
Both are in the Emerging evidence tier. For CJC-1295, studies in people measured hormone changes. For sermorelin, they measured hormone release, and older child studies found limited growth results.
Approval history
Sermorelin was once FDA-approved as Geref, for uses in diagnosis and in children with growth hormone deficiency. Those products were later discontinued. In 2013, FDA said safety or effectiveness was not the reason they were withdrawn.
The July 23, 2026 review found no current FDA-approved sermorelin product. An approval from the past does not cover a product sold today. The claim that compounded sermorelin is an FDA-approved Geref generic is graded Misleading.
The August 2, 2026 review found no FDA-approved CJC-1295 product in the United States. Its record lists no FDA-approved use.
FDA keeps a page of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in pharmacy mixing (compounding). FDA had placed CJC-1295 in Category 2 on that page. Category 2 means it may present significant safety risks in compounding, pending further review.
The person who asked FDA to allow CJC-1295 in compounding then withdrew the request. FDA still lists its safety concerns for CJC-1295 and has not made a final decision. A withdrawn request is neither a ban nor an approval.
That FDA page does not name sermorelin. That does not show that a pharmacy may compound it. Other FDA lists and conditions still apply. The page was dated April 22, 2026, and was checked on October 15, 2026.
What studies in people measured
Two CJC-1295 studies assigned healthy adults by chance to CJC-1295 or a placebo, an inactive comparison. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) stayed higher for a time.
The claim that CJC-1295 can raise growth hormone and IGF-1 in healthy adults is graded Supported with scope. That scope covers short-term hormone changes only.
Studies in people show that sermorelin can trigger growth-hormone release. Older studies in children with growth hormone deficiency found limited growth results.
A hormone response is a body measurement. It does not prove a health benefit. The claim that CJC-1295 builds muscle and burns fat in people is graded Not established. The claim that sermorelin raises growth hormone and so is proven to slow aging is graded Misleading.
Safety, product, and sports limits
FDA reports serious events linked with CJC-1295, including a faster heart rate and a whole-body reaction in which blood vessels widen. The small published studies did not report those events. FDA says available clinical data are limited.
FDA also says compounded CJC-1295 may pose a risk of unwanted immune reactions when given by certain routes. It describes quality concerns, including peptide impurities and incomplete information about the active ingredient.
Sermorelin's past records do not fully show whether modern compounded products are safe. They also do not show whether long-term use for wellness is safe.
Products called CJC-1295 can differ in form, salt, added ingredients, and quality controls. The claim that all products called CJC-1295 are interchangeable is graded Misleading. The records do not show the identity or quality of any current compounded sermorelin product.
The 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list names each one as a prohibited growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue. The records checked this on August 2, 2026 for CJC-1295 and July 23, 2026 for sermorelin.
Both are prohibited for athletes covered by the list. The CJC-1295 record adds that its ban applies at all times. No dose, injection, cycling, or compounding instructions are given here.
What these records cannot answer
- The reviewed records contain no study that compares CJC-1295 with sermorelin directly, so no result comparison is made.
- The CJC-1295 record does not tie each human study to a named form, with or without DAC. A study result cannot be matched to a product form here.
- The sermorelin record does not show how the identity or quality of current compounded products compares with the former Geref products.
- Neither record includes adverse-event rates that can be compared between the two.
- The records give no dosing, injection, cycling, or stacking guidance, and none is given here. No study of the two used together is recorded.
- The reviewed records contain no cost, insurance, or availability data, so none is reported.
This page does not provide dosing, sourcing, or treatment advice.
Read the sources behind the comparison
CJC-1295
Sermorelin