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Compound Deep-Dive

Tier 4: PeptideA potent growth hormone secretagogue with a long half-life, but development was halted due to safety concerns.

CJC-1295 DAC

DAC:GRFDrug Affinity Complex: Growth Hormone Releasing Factor

Potent but carries significant risk.

Hype Risk

8/10

Noticeability

8/10

Evidence Tier

Research only

Cost / Month

~$50

Research use only

What it's actually good for

Muscle

Research Supported

Directly increases IGF-1, which is a primary driver of muscle protein synthesis.

Recovery

Research Supported

Elevated growth hormone levels accelerate tissue repair and collagen synthesis.

Sleep

Mixed Evidence

Users frequently report deeper sleep, but clinical data on sleep architecture is limited.

Energy: neutralFocus: neutralLongevity: neutralMood: neutralImmunity: neutral

How it works

CJC-1295 DAC is a synthetic GHRH analog that significantly elevates growth hormone and IGF-1 levels for extended periods. While early human trials demonstrated its potency, clinical development was discontinued following a participant death in a Phase II trial, leaving its long-term safety profile uncertain.

It acts as a Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) mimetic that binds to pituitary receptors; the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) allows it to bind to serum albumin, extending its half-life to approximately 6-8 days.

Safety

  • Risk of pituitary overstimulation and fatigue
  • Potential cardiovascular stress; one trial death reported (though disputed)
  • Common side effects include water retention, edema, and face flushing
  • May cause injection site reactions like pain or swelling

The full StackRoast report adds

  • The exact dose, timing, and effective range to actually run it at
  • Where people go wrong with it — the dose-creep and timing traps
  • What CJC-1295 DAC clashes with or duplicates in your stack
Roast My Stack →

Community Reality Check

Distilled from 2500 threads
Confidence: high

What users report

  • Weekly convenience
  • Rapid recovery
  • Deep sleep

The catch

  • Severe bloating
  • Anxiety about trial death
  • Injection site pain

Side effects reported

  • Water retention
  • Face flushing
  • Numbness
https://www.reddit.com/r/peptideshttps://www.reddit.com/r/nootropics

The Receipts

7 sources— studies, videos & links

Videos

What Are Growth Hormone Releasing Secretagogues?

Mind Pump TV

Dr. Rand McClain explains the mechanism of CJC-1295 and other secretagogues.

Papers

Creators

Dr. Rand McClain

YouTube

Regenerative medicine physician specializing in hormone replacement and peptides.

Clinical Sources

Taking CJC-1295 DAC in a stack? Find out if the combination actually makes sense.

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