“Growth hormone peptides” covers a crowded shelf: sermorelin, CJC-1295, tesamorelin, ipamorelin, GHRP-6, GHRP-2, hexarelin and a handful of blends. They look interchangeable on a product list. They are not. They fall into two families that act on two different receptors, and knowing which family a peptide belongs to explains most of what the research says about it.
This guide is the map: what each family is, where every compound fits, which have approvals or trial data behind them, and what to check before ordering in Canada.
The short answer
- Growth hormone peptides are secretagogues: they prompt the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone rather than supplying the hormone itself.
- GHRH analogues (sermorelin, CJC-1295, tesamorelin) act on the GHRH receptor. Ghrelin-receptor agonists (GHRP-6, GHRP-2, hexarelin, ipamorelin) act on GHS-R1a.
- Because they use separate receptors on the same pituitary cells, the two families are often studied together.
- Tesamorelin is approved in Canada and the US for one indication, sermorelin was approved in the US until 2008, and GHRP-2 is a diagnostic in Japan. The rest have never been approved.
- All are prohibited in sport. Research-grade versions are laboratory reagents.
Two families, one target
Growth hormone is released in pulses from somatotroph cells in the pituitary. Two stimulating signals control those pulses: GHRH from the hypothalamus, acting on the GHRH receptor, and ghrelin, made mainly in the stomach, acting on GHS-R1a. Somatostatin acts as the brake, and IGF-1, produced mostly in the liver in response to growth hormone, feeds back to slow the system.
Every compound at a glance
| Compound | Family | Regulatory history | Duration | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sermorelin | GHRH analogue | Approved in the US as Geref (1990, 1997); withdrawn 2008 | Short | Sermorelin |
| CJC-1295 no DAC | GHRH analogue | Never approved | Short | CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin |
| CJC-1295 with DAC | GHRH analogue | Never approved | Days (binds albumin) | CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin |
| Tesamorelin | GHRH analogue | Approved as Egrifta (US 2010, Canada 2014) | Longer than native GHRH | Tesamorelin |
| GHRP-6 | Ghrelin-receptor agonist | Never approved | Short | GHRP comparison |
| GHRP-2 | Ghrelin-receptor agonist | Diagnostic approval in Japan | Short | GHRP comparison |
| Hexarelin | Ghrelin-receptor agonist (also CD36) | Never approved | Short | GHRP comparison |
| Ipamorelin | Ghrelin-receptor agonist (selective) | Never approved; one negative phase 2 trial | Short | CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin |
All eight, each with a batch-matched COA.
Browse growth and signallingWhy the families are combined
Because GHRH analogues and ghrelin-receptor agonists push on two different receptors of the same cell, endocrine research has long found that combining them produces a larger growth hormone response than either alone. That is the logic behind pre-combined research vials such as CJC-1295 + ipamorelin, tesamorelin + ipamorelin and tesamorelin + ipamorelin + CJC-1295. Separate vials are the better choice when a study needs to vary the ratio or isolate one compound’s contribution.
Within the ghrelin-receptor family, the main difference is selectivity. In the 1998 swine study that introduced ipamorelin, GHRP-6 and GHRP-2 also raised ACTH and cortisol, while ipamorelin did not. Hexarelin adds a second receptor, CD36, studied in heart research.
CJC-1295 + ipamorelinOne of each family in one vialView product and COA
TesamorelinThe 44-residue GHRH analogueView product and COA
SermorelinGHRH(1–29), the original fragmentView product and COA
GHRP-6The first growth hormone-releasing peptideView product and COA
Fragments that are not secretagogues
Two peptides often shelved nearby work differently. AOD-9604 and HGH Fragment 176–191 are pieces of the growth hormone molecule itself, studied for fat metabolism rather than for releasing growth hormone. AOD-9604’s obesity program ended in 2007 after a 536-person phase 2b trial found no significant weight loss. Our AOD-9604 guide covers that story.
The Canadian connection
This category has deep Canadian roots. CJC-1295 was developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies, a Canadian company. Tesamorelin was discovered by Montreal’s Theratechnologies and received a Health Canada notice of compliance in 2014 as Egrifta. And Roger Guillemin, whose Salk Institute team helped characterize GHRH itself in 1982, earned his doctorate in Montreal.
Sourcing growth hormone peptides in Canada
Several of these peptides have similar names and, in some cases, nearly identical masses. Before ordering, check that:
- The mass matches the exact compound. Sermorelin and CJC-1295 without DAC differ by only about 10 g/mol, while the DAC version and tesamorelin are far heavier. See HPLC vs mass spectrometry.
- Blends identify every component. An overall purity figure doesn’t confirm each peptide in a combined vial. Browse our peptide blends to see what each vial contains.
- The COA matches your lot. How to read a certificate of analysis walks through it.
- Storage is cold, dry and dark. See our peptide storage guide.
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List bans GHRH analogues and growth hormone secretagogues, including every compound in this guide, at all times. Canadian athletes are tested under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, which applies that list.
Regulatory status in 2026
In April 2026, Health Canada’s advisory on unauthorized injectable peptides listed CJC-1295 and ipamorelin among products it had seized, and stated that “For Research Use Only” labelling does not make such products legal or exempt from regulatory requirements. The advisory also noted that many other unauthorized peptide drugs exist. Apart from the approvals listed in the table above, none of the compounds in this guide is an authorized drug, and research-grade versions are never the approved products.
Research use only. Growth hormone peptides from Pure Peptides Canada are laboratory reagents. They are not approved drugs or supplements, they are not for human or veterinary use, and nothing in this article is dosing or medical guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What are growth hormone peptides?
Growth hormone peptides are synthetic secretagogues that prompt the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone. They fall into two families: GHRH analogues such as sermorelin, CJC-1295 and tesamorelin, and ghrelin-receptor agonists such as GHRP-6, GHRP-2, hexarelin and ipamorelin.
What is the difference between GHRH analogues and ghrelin-receptor agonists?
GHRH analogues act on the GHRH receptor, mimicking the hypothalamic hormone that drives growth hormone pulses. Ghrelin-receptor agonists act on GHS-R1a, the receptor for the stomach hormone ghrelin. Both receptors sit on the same pituitary cells.
Are any growth hormone peptides approved?
Tesamorelin is approved in Canada and the US as Egrifta for one specific indication. Sermorelin was approved in the US as Geref until 2008, and GHRP-2 is approved in Japan as a diagnostic. Research-grade peptides are not the approved drug products and are not for human use. Health Canada’s April 2026 advisory listed CJC-1295 and ipamorelin among unauthorized injectable peptides it had seized.
Why are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin combined?
They act on different receptors of the same cells, and research has long found that combining a GHRH signal with a ghrelin-receptor signal produces a larger growth hormone response than either alone.
Are growth hormone peptides banned in sport?
Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List bans GHRH analogues and growth hormone secretagogues, including all the compounds in this guide, at all times.
Does Pure Peptides Canada ship these peptides across Canada?
Yes. Orders ship tracked and discreetly across Canada, usually arriving by Xpresspost in 3–7 days, or free in 4–12 days on orders over $299, with free shipping on orders over $299.
Growth and signalling peptides, tested batch by batch
Every GHRH analogue, ghrelin-receptor agonist and blend in the catalogue, with independent COAs, tracked delivery across Canada and pricing in Canadian dollars.
References
- Teichman SL, et al. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799–805. DOI
- Falutz J, et al. Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(23):2359–2370. DOI
- Raun K, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552–561. PubMed
- Bowers CY, et al. On the in vitro and in vivo activity of a new synthetic hexapeptide that acts on the pituitary to specifically release growth hormone. Endocrinology. 1984;114:1537–1545.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, section S2. WADA
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. This article summarizes published research for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.