Ipamorelin side effects and risks
An experimental peptide that triggers growth hormone release.
Also called: NNC 26-0161, NNC-26-0161.
Growth hormone secretagogues (ghrelin receptor) · Ghrelin receptor agonist and growth hormone secretagogue.
Reported side effects
- High blood sugar: 14.3% with ipamorelin versus 8.6% placebo at discharge., moderate (source)
- Low potassium: 12.5% versus 3.4% in postoperative patients., moderate (source)
- Insomnia: 10.7% versus 5.2% in the bowel surgery trial., mild (source)
- Serious postoperative events: 17.9% versus 15.5%; two active arm deaths. Surgery and illness confound cause., serious (source)
- Nausea, vomiting and bloating: unknown, moderate (source)
- Immune or allergic reaction: unknown, serious (source)
Stop and get help if
- Trouble breathing, tongue swelling, fainting or widespread hives: Stop and get emergency care now.
- Sudden severe headache, new vision loss or repeated vomiting: Get emergency assessment now; a pituitary or pressure problem must be excluded.
- Chest pain, severe breathlessness or collapse: Call emergency services now.
- Persistent severe abdominal pain or repeated vomiting: Stop and get urgent medical assessment.
- Confusion, seizure, or low blood sugar that does not resolve: Get emergency help now; do not drive.
- Fever with a hot, spreading, painful injection site: Get urgent care for a possible injection infection.
Who should avoid it
- pregnant: Avoid during pregnancy. Reproductive safety is unstudied; this screen is precautionary.
- breastfeeding: Avoid while breastfeeding. Human infant exposure and safety are unknown.
- tryingToConceive: Avoid while trying to conceive. Human fertility and early-pregnancy safety are unknown.
- under18: Historical child studies do not support unsupervised use in minors.
- activeCancer: GH and IGF-1 are growth signals. Avoid with active cancer; this applies GH-treatment precautions to secretagogues.
- cancerHistory: Prior cancer needs a clinician review before raising GH or IGF-1. Recurrence risk with this compound is unknown.
- diabetes: GH-related changes can worsen insulin sensitivity. Review blood sugar control and medicines.
- heartCondition: Fluid retention may strain the heart. Heart-disease safety is not established for home-use schedules.
- uncontrolledBloodPressure: Review uncontrolled blood pressure before use. Fluid retention and pressure changes need assessment.
- kidneyDisease: Kidney-disease dose adjustments and repeated-dose safety are not established.
- liverDisease: Liver-disease dose adjustments and repeated-dose safety are not established.
- diabeticRetinopathy: Review proliferative eye disease before raising GH or IGF-1. This is a GH-class precaution.
- pancreatitisHistory: Review prior pancreatitis. GH-class safety concerns do not establish a risk rate for this compound.
- sleepApnea: Review sleep apnea and new swelling. GH-related tissue or fluid changes are a class concern.
- surgeryPlanned: Tell the surgical team about use and all stacks. Perioperative safety depends on the specific study setting.
- testedAthlete: WADA bans this compound at all times, including out of competition.
- other: Do not add a GH secretagogue when GH or IGF-1 is already excessive. Investigate the cause.
- other: A pituitary mass needs specialist review. GH testing and GH-raising drugs are not interchangeable.
Interactions
- Insulin and sulfonylureas: GH-class precaution: insulin sensitivity and medicine needs can change. Exact interaction trials for this peptide are lacking.
- Other GH secretagogues, GH, and IGF-1: Overlapping GH/IGF-1 effects can add hormone, swelling and blood sugar risks. Combination benefit is not established.
- Glucocorticoids and oral estrogen: These can change GH responses or IGF-1 interpretation. Do not change prescribed hormone replacement to alter a peptide response.
- Anticoagulants and antiplatelets: General injection precaution: blood thinners increase bleeding/bruising risk. A direct interaction with this peptide has not been established.
Product quality risks
- Unregulated products may have the wrong identity, dose or sterility. A purity percentage alone cannot establish injection safety.
- Studies identified glycine-modified GHRP-2, GHRP-6 and ipamorelin in black-market or seized preparations.
- No representative market-wide contamination or underdosing rate was found for this compound.
Related to Ipamorelin
- MK-677 (ibutamoren): This experimental oral drug raises growth hormone and IGF-1; risks include high blood sugar and swelling.
- GHRP-2: A peptide that releases growth hormone and can increase hunger.
- GHRP-6: A peptide studied in growth hormone tests and an experimental stroke combination.
- Hexarelin: A peptide that releases growth hormone; repeated use can weaken the response.
- Tirzepatide: A weekly GIP/GLP-1 injection with strong diabetes and weight-loss evidence and common stomach side effects.
- BPC-157: An experimental repair peptide with mostly animal evidence and a few small human reports.
Sources
- 503B Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Find product information about medicines, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency · MHRA · 2026
- Peptide products, Therapeutic Goods Administration · TGA · 2026
- The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Agency · WADA · 2026
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026, Australian Government · Australian Government · 2026
- Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you, Health Canada · Health Canada · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2025
- GENOTROPIN® (somatropin) for injection, for subcutaneous use, FDA · 2025
- 注射用GHRP科研100, PMDA · 2025
- October 29, 2024 Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, FDA · 2024
- October 29, 2024 Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, FDA · 2024
- October 29, 2024 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) Meeting, FDA · 2024
- Using intramuscular injections in people on oral anticoagulants, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service · NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service · 2023
Sources checked: 2026-10-18.
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