CJC-1295 Dosage: With-DAC and No-DAC Protocols (2026)

CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide studied for its ability to signal the pituitary to release more growth hormone. It comes in two forms that are dosed very differently. CJC-1295 without DAC is typically studied at 100 to 300 mcg, one to three times a day, and is often paired with ipamorelin. CJC-1295 with DAC is studied at 1 to 2 mg once or twice a week because it lasts far longer in the body. Here's how each protocol works, and the safer, prescribed route.

What is the typical CJC-1295 dosage?

CJC-1295 dosage depends entirely on which form you're looking at. The no-DAC form (also called modified GRF 1-29) is short-acting and studied at 100 to 300 mcg, one to three times daily. The with-DAC form is long-acting and studied at 1 to 2 mg once or twice weekly. Both numbers come from research and clinic protocols, not from an FDA-approved label, because CJC-1295 has no approved consumer dose.

How does CJC-1295 work in the body?

CJC-1295 works by copying growth-hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH. It's a synthetic 29-amino-acid peptide, a modified version of the natural GRF 1-29 sequence, first developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies. When injected, it binds to GHRH receptors on the pituitary gland and signals it to release its own growth hormone in a pulse, rather than adding growth hormone from the outside.

This is why dose and timing matter so much. The peptide only nudges the pituitary. The body still controls how much growth hormone actually comes out, which is thought to make the response more natural than direct GH injection. The growth-hormone peptides guide covers this whole family, including sermorelin and ipamorelin.

What's the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC?

The difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC is how long it stays in your bloodstream, and that single fact drives every dosing decision. DAC stands for Drug Affinity Complex, a chemical add-on that lets the peptide bind to albumin, a protein in your blood.

• With DAC: albumin binding stretches the half-life to about 6 to 8 days. That allows once- or twice-weekly dosing but keeps growth-hormone signaling raised more steadily.
• Without DAC (mod GRF 1-29): the half-life is only about 30 minutes. It clears fast, so it's dosed multiple times a day to mimic the body's natural GH pulses.
• Same receptor: the DAC only changes how long the peptide lasts, not how strongly it hits the GHRH receptor.

Researchers who want short, natural-looking GH pulses tend to study the no-DAC form. Those who want fewer injections study the DAC form. If you're comparing peptides in this family, the CJC-1295 guide breaks down each one.

How is CJC-1295 without DAC dosed?

CJC-1295 without DAC is dosed in micrograms, several times a day. The common research range is 100 to 300 mcg per injection, given one to three times daily, usually by subcutaneous injection into the fat under the skin. A frequent pattern is 100 mcg at night, timed to line up with the body's natural overnight growth-hormone pulse.

Because the no-DAC form clears in about 30 minutes, timing is the whole point. It's taken on an empty stomach, since food and blood sugar can blunt the growth-hormone release. This short-acting form is the one most often stacked with ipamorelin, covered below.

How is CJC-1295 with DAC dosed?

CJC-1295 with DAC is dosed in milligrams, once or twice a week. The common research range is 1 to 2 mg per week, given as a single weekly injection or split into two. Its 6-to-8-day half-life is why the schedule is so much lighter than the no-DAC form.

The trade-off is the kind of GH signal it produces. The DAC form keeps growth-hormone levels elevated more steadily instead of in short pulses. Some research suggests that steadier elevation raises the odds of side effects like water retention and joint stiffness, which is why dosing above roughly 2 mg per week is generally discouraged in the literature. A prescriber weighs that trade-off for each person.

What is the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin dosage?

The CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack pairs the no-DAC form of CJC-1295 with ipamorelin, and both are commonly studied at 100 mcg each per injection, once or twice daily. The two peptides work through different doors: CJC-1295 acts on the GHRH receptor while ipamorelin acts on the ghrelin (GH secretagogue) receptor. Together they're thought to produce a larger, cleaner GH pulse than either alone.

For a deeper look at how these two fit together, see the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack page and the ipamorelin dosage guide.

How is a CJC-1295 injection given?

A CJC-1295 injection is given subcutaneously, into the fat just under the skin, usually in the belly, using a small insulin syringe. The powder is shipped freeze-dried and has to be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before use, then kept refrigerated. Doses are measured on the syringe based on how much water was added, which is where a lot of grey-market mistakes happen.

What side effects does CJC-1295 have?

CJC-1295 side effects reported in research are mostly related to raising the growth-hormone axis, plus reactions at the injection site. Most are mild in the doses studied, but they're more common with the longer-acting DAC form because it keeps GH elevated for days at a time.

• Injection-site reactions: temporary redness, swelling, or soreness, more likely with shallow or poor technique.
• Water retention and mild puffiness, plus joint stiffness, more common with the DAC form.
• Head flushing or warmth shortly after a dose.
• Tingling or numbness in the hands, a GH-related effect.
• Changes in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar at higher, sustained doses.

Serious problems are rare in research settings but show up in cases involving contaminated peptides or long-term dosing well above the studied range. That risk profile is one more reason a prescriber and a real pharmacy belong in the picture. Sermorelin, a shorter-acting cousin, has its own side-effects guide.

Is it safe to buy CJC-1295 online?

Most CJC-1295 sold online is grey-market: vials labeled "for research use only, not for human consumption," sold with no prescriber, no pharmacy, and no verified purity. That label isn't a technicality. It means no one has confirmed what's actually in the vial, at what strength, or whether it's contaminated.

This is the one real caution on the page. The peptide itself isn't the problem; the supply chain is. Independent testing has repeatedly found research-grade peptide vials that were underdosed, overdosed, or contaminated. When the dose on the label can't be trusted, no dosing chart on the internet can protect you. A prescription and a licensed 503A pharmacy remove that guesswork.

How does pru handle CJC-1295?

pru does not offer CJC-1295 today because it is still pending FDA review and does not yet have a cleared, regulated compounding pathway. pru only offers peptides a licensed physician can prescribe and an FDA-registered 503A pharmacy can compound. Until CJC-1295 reaches that kind of overseen, legitimate pathway, the sound move is to wait for it rather than order a research-only vial with no prescriber or pharmacy behind it. Rather than route people to grey-market vials, pru offers a prescribed GH-peptide that a licensed physician can confirm today.

That peptide is sermorelin, the closest available cousin to CJC-1295. Sermorelin is a GHRH analogue from the same GRF 1-29 family, and it can be compounded now by a licensed 503A pharmacy. On pru, a licensed physician reviews your intake and confirms whether sermorelin fits; the pharmacy compounds and ships it pharmacy-grade, at a labeled dose you can trust.

pru's model is a flat membership of about $50 a month, billed annually, for the platform and physician access. The peptide itself is billed separately and at cost: the pharmacy fill, supplies, shipping, and consult, with no markup on the medicine.

Looking into GH-peptides for recovery and healthy aging is a smart, proactive step, and pru exists to make the informed choice the accessible one: licensed physicians, pharmacy-grade medicine, and at-cost pricing in one place. When you're ready, see pricing, compare options in the sermorelin vs ipamorelin guide, or browse the full Muscle & Performance catalog.

Related reading

• CJC-1295 guide: what it is and how it works
• CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack
• Sermorelin dosage guide
• Sermorelin vs ipamorelin
• Growth hormone peptides guide
• Shop sermorelin at pru

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