A data-forward digest of the published ipamorelin literature — what the studies actually measured.
Ipamorelin Medicine Review

Ipamorelin References: Cited Studies and Source Literature

About these Ipamorelin references

Every quantitative claim on this site, each dose, half-life, ED50, percentage, and endpoint, maps to one of the numbered Ipamorelin references below. Sources span the founding 1998 selectivity study, the 1999 human pharmacokinetics data, the 2014 Phase 2 trial, the 2024 ferret study, and the 2026 review literature. Each entry carries a DOI or PubMed link so you can verify it directly. This list is the evidentiary backbone of the digest; nothing is asserted here that is not traceable to a published source.

  1. Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thogersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, Andersen PH. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552-561. ↗
  2. Gobburu JV, Agerso H, Jusko WJ, Ynddal L. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res. 1999;16(9):1412-1416. ↗
  3. 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. ↗
  4. 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. ↗
  5. Lu Z, Ngan MP, Liu JYH, Yang L, Tu L, Chan SW, Giuliano C, Lovati E, Pietra C, Rudd JA. The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a agonists, anamorelin and ipamorelin, inhibit cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets: Anamorelin also exhibits anti-emetic effects via a central mechanism. Physiol Behav. 2024;284:114644. ↗
  6. Stokes AH, Falls JG, Yoon L, Cariello N, Faiola B, Colton HM, Jordan HL, Berridge BR. Integrated approach to early detection of cardiovascular toxicity induced by a ghrelin receptor agonist. Int J Toxicol. 2015;34(2):151-161. ↗
  7. Coutinho LFD, et al. A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2026. ↗
  8. Camilleri M. Future treatment of constipation-associated disorders: role of relamorelin and other ghrelin receptor agonists. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2017;23(3):334-345. ↗
  9. Frohman LA, Kineman RD. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(4):1294-1295. ↗
  10. Ionescu M, Frohman LA. Activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295, a long-acting GHRH analog, results in serum protein profile changes. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2009;19(3):242-249. ↗
  11. Sigalos JT, Pastuszak AW, Allison A, Khera M, et al. Growth hormone secretagogue treatment in hypogonadal men raises serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels. Am J Mens Health. 2017;11(6):1752-1757. ↗
  12. Adeghate E, Ponery AS. Mechanism of ipamorelin-evoked insulin release from the pancreas of normal and diabetic rats. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004;25(6):403-406. ↗
  13. Lall S, Tung LY, Ohlsson C, Jansson JO, Dickson SL. Growth hormone (GH)-independent stimulation of adiposity by GH secretagogues. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001;280(1):132-138. ↗
  14. Lawrence CB, Snape AC, Baudoin FM, Luckman SM. Acute central ghrelin and GH secretagogues induce feeding and activate brain appetite centers. Endocrinology. 2002;143(1):155-162. ↗
  15. Mayfield CK, et al. Injectable Peptide Therapy: A Primer for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physicians. Am J Sports Med. 2026. ↗
  16. Mendias CL, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance. Sports Med. 2026. ↗
  17. Renke G, et al. Therapeutic Peptides in Aesthetic, Metabolic and Endocrine Conditions: Effects, Safety, Clinical Applications, and Future Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci. 2026. ↗
  18. Villegas Meza AD, et al. Injectable Peptides in Sports Medicine: A Structured Narrative Review of Evidence, Safety, and Antidoping Implications. JBJS Rev. 2026. ↗