CJC-1295 reconstitution calculator

Enter your vial amount and target dose. DrawDose returns the BAC water volume, syringe units, and a vial label you can copy.

Two forms with very different dosing: with DAC and without DAC

CJC-1295 in commercial peptide markets refers to two chemically distinct compounds with different half-lives, dosing schedules, and clinical use cases. Confusing them produces dosing errors that are not subtle.

CJC-1295 with DAC (also called DAC:GRF) is the original ConjuChem compound. A maleimidopropionyl-lysine modification at position 30 binds covalently to serum albumin after subcutaneous injection. The albumin conjugation extends the functional half-life from minutes to approximately 6 to 8 days per the JCEM 2006 Phase 1 data, which enables weekly dosing.

CJC-1295 without DAC is the same 29-amino-acid GHRH(1-29) backbone with stabilizing substitutions (D-Ala2, Gln8, Ala15, Leu27) but no albumin-binding modification. Half-life is approximately 30 minutes. This form is more accurately referred to as Mod GRF 1-29 or Modified GRF 1-29; many vendors mislabel it as "CJC-1295 No DAC." Dosing is multiple times daily to maintain GHRH receptor activation.

This page covers CJC-1295 with DAC as the primary subject. The without-DAC variant is addressed in its own section below. The calculator handles both forms; pick the dose appropriate to the version in front of you.

Quick answer for the most common vial sizes (CJC-1295 with DAC)

The 2 mL : 5 mg ratio documented across compounding pharmacy formulation guides for CJC-1295 with DAC produces a 2.5 mg/mL concentration, where 1 mg draws as 40 units on a 1 mL insulin syringe.

The math holds at any concentration. DrawDose accepts any vial size and any BAC water volume and returns the correct syringe draw for the dose entered.

How to reconstitute lyophilized CJC-1295

The procedure follows the standard sterile-injection prep workflow documented in compounding pharmacy formulation guides and peptide stability literature.

Bring the vial and BAC water to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before mixing. Cold liquid hitting cold powder slows dissolution and increases the chance of clumping. Wipe both vial tops with an alcohol swab and let them dry. Draw the BAC water into a 1 mL syringe.

Insert the needle into the CJC-1295 vial at an angle so the water runs down the inside wall, not directly onto the powder pellet. Direct impingement on lyophilized peptide generates foam and can affect peptide structure. Once the water is in, swirl the vial gently for 20 to 30 seconds. Do not shake. CJC-1295 dissolves clearly when properly reconstituted; cloudiness or particulate that does not clear within a minute indicates a sourcing concern.

Why concentration determines syringe units

The relationship between vial size, BAC water, and syringe draw is fixed by concentration math. A 5 mg vial with 2 mL of water gives 2.5 mg/mL — every 40 units delivers 1 mg. The same 5 mg vial with 5 mL of water gives 1 mg/mL, where 40 units delivers only 0.4 mg. To hit a 1 mg target dose with the second mix, the draw is 100 units instead of 40.

Standard reconstitution practice keeps the draw between 10 and 100 units on a 1 mL insulin syringe. CJC-1295 with DAC's milligram-scale dosing means the draw can land anywhere in that range depending on vial size and water volume. DrawDose computes this automatically; the auto-selected BAC water volume on the result panel is tuned to keep the draw in a measurable band.

Clinical trial pharmacokinetics and dosing

Per the Phase 1 clinical trials published by Teichman et al. in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2006, single subcutaneous doses of CJC-1295 with DAC at 30, 60, and 250 mcg/kg in healthy adults produced sustained elevation of growth hormone (2-fold to 10-fold) for 6 days or longer and IGF-1 (0.5-fold to 3-fold) for 9 to 11 days. The reported half-life was approximately 6 to 8 days, attributed to covalent albumin conjugation via the DAC modification.

Phase 2 development was halted in 2006 after a participant death in a HIV-associated lipodystrophy trial. The death was attributed by the attending physician to pre-existing coronary disease rather than to study drug. ConjuChem did not resume clinical development; CJC-1295 has remained an investigational research compound since.

Community protocol surveys aggregated from r/Peptides, r/PeptideHowTo, and clinician-published guides describe CJC-1295 with DAC dosing of 1 to 2 mg per week, typically as a single weekly subcutaneous injection. Some protocols split the weekly dose into two injections 3 to 4 days apart to smooth the pharmacokinetic curve. Dosing in the 600 mcg per injection range is also documented and reflects the per-injection amounts used in some clinical research literature.

CJC-1295 without DAC (Mod GRF 1-29)

The without-DAC variant has a half-life of approximately 30 minutes per peer-reviewed pharmacokinetic literature. Its effect is a brief GH pulse rather than sustained elevation, which more closely matches the body's natural pulsatile GH secretion pattern.

Community protocol surveys describe Mod GRF 1-29 dosing at 100 to 200 mcg per injection, administered subcutaneously 1 to 3 times daily. Common timing patterns are pre-bed (to align with natural nocturnal GH surge), upon waking, and pre-workout. The peptide is almost universally combined with a growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) such as Ipamorelin in community practice.

Clinical practice guidelines from peptide-prescribing clinics describe Mod GRF 1-29 cycles of 8 to 16 weeks with 4-week off periods between cycles. The mechanistic rationale for cycling is to preserve pituitary GHRH receptor sensitivity, though this is community convention rather than established clinical evidence.

The two forms are not interchangeable. With-DAC dosing applied to without-DAC vials produces sub-therapeutic effect (the peptide clears too fast to maintain elevated GH); without-DAC dosing applied to with-DAC vials produces continuous over-saturation rather than the intended pulsatile pattern. Verify the form label on the vial and the COA-reported peptide identity before calculating doses.

Stacking with Ipamorelin

The most documented combination is CJC-1295 (without DAC, Mod GRF 1-29) plus Ipamorelin, a selective growth hormone secretagogue. Per peptide pharmacology literature, the combination targets GH release through two mechanisms: CJC-1295 amplifies the pituitary's GHRH signal, while Ipamorelin triggers GH release via the ghrelin receptor pathway. The combined effect is a larger GH pulse than either peptide produces alone, with synergy documented in animal studies.

Community protocol surveys describe a typical co-injection of 100 mcg CJC-1295 (without DAC) plus 200 mcg Ipamorelin, administered subcutaneously 1 to 3 times daily on an empty stomach. Both peptides are drawn into the same syringe and injected together. Cycle length is 8 to 12 weeks followed by a 4-week off period.

CJC-1295 with DAC plus Ipamorelin is also documented in some clinical practice protocols, typically at 100 mcg with-DAC plus 200 mcg Ipamorelin once daily before bed. The mechanism is different from the without-DAC stack: with-DAC produces sustained GHRH receptor activation while Ipamorelin contributes the pulse. Both protocols are off-label and not validated by FDA-aligned clinical trials.

Adverse reactions and safety profile

Per the Teichman et al. Phase 1 trial data, the most commonly reported adverse events at therapeutic doses were injection-site reactions (transient redness, soreness), facial flushing immediately following injection (commonly described as a "head rush"), and headache. Frequency was dose-dependent.

Community protocol surveys describe the head rush as the most consistent short-term effect, typically occurring within minutes of injection and resolving within 30 minutes. Vivid dreams and improved sleep quality are commonly reported during cycles. Mild fluid retention and tingling in the extremities are documented at higher doses.

Theoretical safety concerns documented in the GH/IGF-1 literature apply to all GHRH analogs and growth hormone secretagogues. Elevated IGF-1 has been associated with tumor growth in cancers that express IGF-1 receptors; users with active or recent malignancy are universally contraindicated in clinical-practice guidelines. GH elevation has counter-regulatory effects on insulin; users with diabetes or insulin resistance require monitoring. Pregnancy, untreated thyroid disorders, and known pituitary tumors are documented contraindications across clinical-practice references.

Long-term human safety data does not exist. The longest published clinical trial duration is 49 days per the Phase 1 ascending-dose studies.

WADA prohibited status

CJC-1295 is on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List under category S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics). Per WADA's framework, both CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC are banned at all times — in and out of competition — for athletes subject to anti-doping testing. Detection methods for synthetic GHRH analogs have improved since 2022; the long half-life of CJC-1295 with DAC means detection windows extend well beyond the duration of a single dose.

Common reconstitution errors

Compounded peptide forums and pharmacy QA literature document a recurring set of errors specific to CJC-1295.

Confusing with-DAC and without-DAC at reconstitution. The two forms are sold as visually similar lyophilized white powder. Vials are labeled differently but mislabeling occurs. Verify against the COA before calculating any dose. With-DAC dosing applied to without-DAC vials wastes the peptide; without-DAC dosing applied to with-DAC vials produces continuous over-saturation.

Reusing reconstituted vials beyond 2 to 4 weeks. Per peptide stability literature, reconstituted CJC-1295 with bacteriostatic water remains stable for approximately 2 to 4 weeks at 2 to 8°C. Some sources cite 4 weeks specifically; conservative protocols specify 2 weeks for sub-milligram dosing where concentration drift matters more.

Eating before injection. Per growth hormone physiology research cited across clinical-practice guides, elevated insulin from food intake suppresses GH release. Injecting CJC-1295 within 2 to 3 hours of a meal reduces the peptide's GH-releasing effect significantly. Standard practice is fasted-state injection, often pre-bed (3+ hours after dinner) or upon waking before breakfast.

Drawing too small a volume on too large a syringe. A 100 mcg dose at 1 mg/mL is 10 units on a 1 mL insulin syringe. Some users default to 1 mL syringes regardless of draw volume; for sub-milligram doses (which apply to all without-DAC dosing), a 0.3 mL (30-unit) insulin syringe gives much better visual precision.

Storage and shelf life

Per peptide stability literature, reconstituted CJC-1295 (both forms) stays stable for 2 to 4 weeks at 2 to 8°C (36 to 46°F) when reconstituted with bacteriostatic water containing benzyl alcohol preservative. The DAC modification on the with-DAC form does not affect storage stability of the lyophilized or reconstituted peptide; the difference between forms is in their in-vivo behavior, not in their storage chemistry.

Lyophilized CJC-1295 stores for 24 months or longer at -20°C and 12 months or longer at 2 to 8°C, per the same stability literature. Heat exposure during shipping is the most documented threat to potency.

What to verify on a Certificate of Analysis

The COA reports the actual peptide content of a specific lot. For CJC-1295, the COA also identifies which form (with DAC or without DAC) the vial contains — this is the single most important piece of information when buying CJC-1295, since the two forms are dosed by different schedules and at different magnitudes.

Net peptide weight is the measured milligrams of peptide in the vial, separate from any excipients (mannitol, sodium chloride) included for stability. Purity by HPLC reflects the percentage of UV-absorbing material that is the target peptide; 95% is the research-grade minimum the peptide industry has converged on, and 98% is the standard most reputable vendors publish for CJC-1295. Below 95%, a meaningful fraction of fragments and degradation products is present.

Mass spec confirmation matches the expected molecular weight (3,367.84 Da for CJC-1295 with DAC, approximately 3,367.79 Da for the without-DAC form, which is very close in mass) and verifies the peptide's identity and modification status. Mass spec is particularly important for CJC-1295 because the DAC modification is detectable by mass difference and is the primary check against mislabeled product.

Documented combinations

The most documented combination is CJC-1295 (typically without DAC) plus Ipamorelin. The mechanism, dosing, and stack rationale are covered in the "Stacking with Ipamorelin" section above.

GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 are alternative GHRPs sometimes substituted for Ipamorelin in older protocols. Per peptide pharmacology literature, GHRP-2 produces a larger GH pulse than Ipamorelin but also raises cortisol and prolactin; GHRP-6 increases appetite via ghrelin receptor activation as a side effect. Ipamorelin's selectivity (no cortisol, no prolactin, minimal appetite effect) is why it's the contemporary default.

Sermorelin, the parent compound of GHRH(1-29), is occasionally substituted for CJC-1295 without DAC. Per FDA records, sermorelin was previously approved for diagnostic and therapeutic use but is no longer commercially available as an FDA-approved drug. Its half-life (~10 minutes) is shorter than CJC-1295 without DAC, which is one reason CJC-1295 displaced it in community practice.

Combining CJC-1295 with multiple GHRPs in a single protocol is not documented in peer-reviewed literature and is not clinically indicated.

FAQ

How long does CJC-1295 take to start working?

Per the Teichman et al. Phase 1 trial data, single doses of CJC-1295 with DAC produce measurable IGF-1 elevation within 24 to 48 hours, with peak plasma IGF-1 levels at 2 to 3 days post-injection. Subjective effects (improved sleep, recovery, body composition changes) are typically reported by users in community surveys after 4 to 8 weeks of consistent dosing.

Should CJC-1295 be cycled on and off?

Cycling is convention rather than requirement. Community protocol surveys and clinical-practice guides describe 8 to 16 weeks on followed by 4 to 8 week off periods. The rationale is to preserve pituitary GHRH receptor sensitivity, though this is not validated by published clinical trials. The Phase 1 trials used continuous dosing for up to 49 days without documented receptor desensitization, though longer-duration data does not exist.

What is the difference between CJC-1295, CJC-1295 No DAC, and Mod GRF 1-29?

"CJC-1295" by default refers to the original ConjuChem compound with the DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) albumin-binding modification, giving a 6 to 8 day half-life. "CJC-1295 No DAC" and "Mod GRF 1-29" both refer to the same compound: the GHRH(1-29) analog with stabilizing substitutions but no DAC modification, giving a ~30 minute half-life. The naming is genuinely confusing because the without-DAC form is more accurately "Mod GRF 1-29" — it is not actually CJC-1295 minus DAC, since the DAC modification is what defines CJC-1295.

Is CJC-1295 banned by WADA?

Yes. CJC-1295 in both forms is on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List under category S2, banned at all times in and out of competition for athletes subject to anti-doping testing. The long half-life of CJC-1295 with DAC means detection windows extend well beyond a single dose.

Can CJC-1295 be combined with Ipamorelin in the same syringe?

Yes. Per community protocol surveys and clinical-practice guides, both peptides are typically drawn into the same syringe and injected together. The peptides are chemically compatible in bacteriostatic water solution. Some practitioners reconstitute both peptides in a single combined vial when the doses align (e.g., 5 mg CJC-1295 plus 5 mg Ipamorelin in 5 mL BAC water).

What time of day should CJC-1295 be injected?

Per clinical-practice guides, the standard timing for CJC-1295 without DAC (and CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin combinations) is on an empty stomach, with pre-bed dosing aligned to natural nocturnal GH surge. CJC-1295 with DAC's long half-life makes timing less critical; injection at any consistent weekly time is documented as effective.

Is CJC-1295 safe long-term?

Long-term human safety data does not exist. The longest published clinical trial is 49 days. Theoretical concerns from GH/IGF-1 elevation include effects on insulin sensitivity, tumor growth in cancers expressing IGF-1 receptors, and joint or soft-tissue overgrowth at high sustained levels. Users with active malignancy, diabetes, untreated thyroid disorders, or known pituitary tumors are universally contraindicated in clinical-practice guidelines.