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Ipamorelin
$99.99
Ipamorelin is the clean, selective growth-hormone secretagogue Canadian labs reach for first — a research-grade pentapeptide that signals the pituitary to release GH without spiking cortisol or prolactin. Premium purity, fast Canada-wide shipping.
Description
Ipamorelin is one of the most sought-after Canadian peptides in modern laboratory research, a precisely engineered pentapeptide that does one thing exceptionally well: it signals the pituitary to release growth hormone selectively, without the cortisol and prolactin spill-over that plagued earlier secretagogues. Helixx supplies premium, research-grade Ipamorelin Canada laboratories can rely on, with the purity and consistency serious peptide research demands.1
What Is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide (sequence Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) classified as a selective growth hormone secretagogue. First characterized in 1998, it was described as the first secretagogue capable of releasing growth hormone (GH) with a clean selectivity profile, stimulating GH without meaningfully elevating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cortisol above the levels seen with growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) itself.1 That selectivity is what sets it apart from older ghrelin-mimetic peptides such as MK-677 – Ibutamoren and the GHRP family, and it is a primary reason Ipamorelin remains a benchmark tool in peptides Canada research collections. This material is supplied strictly for laboratory, research and educational use only and is not for human consumption.
How Ipamorelin Works
Ipamorelin acts as a selective agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a, the ghrelin receptor), which is expressed predominantly on the somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. Receptor binding activates a Gq-coupled signalling cascade that mobilizes intracellular calcium and drives pulsatile release of growth hormone. Pharmacological profiling using GHRP and GHRH antagonists demonstrated that Ipamorelin releases GH through a GHRP-like (ghrelin) receptor pathway rather than the GHRH receptor.1 Its defining feature is selectivity: at GH-releasing doses it did not significantly raise ACTH or cortisol, setting it apart from earlier secretagogues such as GHRP-2 and GHRP-6.1 Peripherally, GHS-R1a activation on cholinergic enteric neurons produces a prokinetic effect on gastric motility, which motivated its investigation as a ghrelin mimetic in gastrointestinal research models.
What the Research Shows
- Selective GH release. The seminal 1998 characterization established Ipamorelin as a potent GH-releasing pentapeptide in vitro and in vivo that, uniquely for its era, did not release ACTH or cortisol above GHRH-equivalent levels. That is the basis for calling it the first selective GH secretagogue.1
- Gastric motility. In a rat model of postoperative ileus, Ipamorelin significantly reversed surgery-induced delayed gastric emptying (vehicle retained 78% of a meal versus 52% with low-dose Ipamorelin, approaching the 44% normal-control level), acting as a prokinetic via ghrelin-receptor-mediated stimulation of cholinergic neurons.2
- Longitudinal bone growth. In rats, Ipamorelin dose-dependently increased longitudinal (tibial) bone growth rate and produced a pronounced, dose-dependent increase in body-weight gain, consistent with its GH-releasing action.3
- Bone mineral content. Continuous 12-week dosing (0.5 mg/kg/day) in adult female rats increased body weight and total tibial and vertebral bone mineral content by DXA; the gain reflected larger bone dimensions, and when corrected for body-weight increase, mineral content was unchanged, which points to no disproportionate rise in density.4
Researchers frequently examine Ipamorelin alongside complementary GH-axis and recovery-oriented tools such as CJC-1295, TB-500, and the combination peptide blend GLO (TB-500 + BPC-157 + Copper GHk Peptide Blend) when designing comparative study protocols.
Chemical Properties
| Research Name | Ipamorelin (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) |
| CAS Number | 170851-70-4 |
| Molecular Formula | C38H49N9O5 |
| Molecular Weight | 711.86 g/mol |
| Classification | Synthetic pentapeptide; selective growth hormone secretagogue (GHS-R1a / ghrelin-receptor agonist) |
Research Protocols & Handling
Ipamorelin is supplied as a lyophilized powder intended exclusively for in vitro and laboratory research and educational applications. It is not for human consumption and not for veterinary use. For research handling, the lyophilized peptide is typically stored sealed at -20°C and protected from light and moisture; it is generally reconstituted with bacteriostatic or sterile water for laboratory preparation, and reconstituted solutions are kept refrigerated (2–8°C) and used within a limited window to preserve peptide integrity. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. All handling, measurement and disposal should follow standard laboratory safety practice by qualified personnel. Structural and identity data can be independently verified via PubChem CID 9831659.
Potential Side Effects & Safety
The human clinical data set is limited, but the effects below have either been documented or are plausible given Ipamorelin’s ghrelin-receptor and GH-releasing pharmacology:
- Injection-site reactions. Redness, itching, or discomfort at the subcutaneous administration site in preclinical and applied research contexts.
- Nausea and vomiting. Reported as chemically induced adverse events in the human postoperative ileus trial and recognized as a class effect of ghrelin-receptor agonists.5
- Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness. Reported around dosing; generally transient.
- Increased appetite / hunger. An expected orexigenic effect mediated by ghrelin-receptor activation.
- Transient water retention / peripheral edema. A GH-mediated fluid effect that may accompany sustained GH elevation.
- Fatigue or lethargy; flushing, sweating, or a warm sensation. Reported shortly after dosing in some contexts.
- Arthralgia and myalgia (GH-plausible). Joint and muscle aches are a recognized class effect of elevated GH exposure.
- Reduced insulin sensitivity / elevated blood glucose (GH-plausible). A transient fall in insulin sensitivity can accompany sustained GH elevation.
- Carpal tunnel-type paresthesias and fluid-retention symptoms (GH-plausible). Associated with prolonged, high GH exposure.
Unlike GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, Ipamorelin is reported not to significantly raise cortisol or prolactin at GH-releasing doses.1 The Phase 2 human trial found intravenous Ipamorelin was well tolerated, with treatment-emergent adverse events occurring in 87.5% of the Ipamorelin group versus 94.8% on placebo, though it did not meet its efficacy endpoints.5 Not approved for human consumption in Canada or elsewhere; research and educational use only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ipamorelin legal in Canada?
Ipamorelin is not an approved drug for human or veterinary use in Canada, and Helixx does not sell it for those purposes. It is offered strictly as a research chemical for laboratory and educational use only. Researchers are responsible for complying with all applicable federal, provincial and institutional regulations governing the acquisition, handling and disposal of research peptides in Canada.
What makes Ipamorelin different from other growth hormone secretagogues?
Its defining trait is selectivity. Pharmacological profiling showed Ipamorelin releases GH through a ghrelin-like receptor while, at GH-releasing doses, not significantly raising ACTH, cortisol or prolactin, which sets it apart from GHRP-2 and GHRP-6.1 That clean profile is why it is a reference tool in peptides Canada research.
Is Ipamorelin commonly studied alongside other peptides?
Yes. In research protocol design it is frequently compared or paired with GH-axis and recovery peptides such as CJC-1295 and TB-500, and with oral secretagogues like MK-677 – Ibutamoren for contrast in mechanism and duration of action.
How should research-grade Ipamorelin be stored?
The lyophilized powder is typically stored sealed at -20°C, protected from light and moisture. Once reconstituted for laboratory use, solutions are generally kept refrigerated at 2–8°C, used within a limited window, and protected from repeated freeze-thaw cycles to preserve peptide integrity.
References
Peer-reviewed and authoritative sources cited above. Helixx supplies research materials for laboratory and educational use only; citations are provided for independent verification, not as medical guidance.
- Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thøgersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, Andersen PH. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552-561. PMID: 9849822.
- Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Tyler K, Mohammadi E, Pietra C. Efficacy of ipamorelin, a ghrelin mimetic, on gastric dysmotility in a rodent model of postoperative ileus. J Exp Pharmacol. 2012;4:149-155. PMID: 27186127.
- Johansen PB, Nowak J, Skjaerbaek C, Flyvbjerg A, Andreassen TT, Wilken M, Orskov H. Ipamorelin, a new growth-hormone-releasing peptide, induces longitudinal bone growth in rats. Growth Horm IGF Res. 1999;9(2):106-113. PMID: 10373343.
- Svensson J, Lall S, Dickson SL, Bengtsson BA, Rømer J, Ahnfelt-Rønne I, Ohlsson C, Jansson JO. The GH secretagogues ipamorelin and GH-releasing peptide-6 increase bone mineral content in adult female rats. J Endocrinol. 2000;165(3):569-577. PMID: 10828840.
- Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD; Ipamorelin 201 Study Group. Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2014;29(12):1527-1534. PMID: 25331030.