Peptides are celebrities in the field of medical research, Ipamorelin peptide being one of them. Because of their variety, there are questions and concerns that must be answered and addressed.
This article offers a comprehensive Ipamorelin peptide review: discussing its weight loss and anti aging properties, as well as its other benefits and side effects.
What Is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is a peptide made up of 5 amino acids, so it is considered a pentapeptide.
It is classified as a growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) because it has an amino acid sequence of Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2. Its molecular structure is C38H49N9O5, and it has a molecular weight of 711.9 g/mol.
As a result of its make up, this peptide is similar to Hexarelin, GHRP-6, and GHRP-2 in growth stimulation in non-human subjects. However, it is missing the dipeptide Ala-Trp, which is central to GHRP-1.
Because its effects on lab subjects, and lacks the many side effects associated with other growth hormone-releasing peptides, Ipamorelin is the smoothest alternative to GHRP-6 and GHRP-2.
It is also quite strange that this peptide did not release cortisol, prolactin, or the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in significantly varying levels from those noted after GHRH stimulation.
Actually, Ipamorelin peptide is now commonly known as the gentle GHRP, due to its respective shortage of side effects.
This is considering the peptide tends to impact just the growth hormone axis alone, as opposed to other peptides like GHRP-6 and Sermorelin, making it especially convenient for investigating the isolated results of growth hormone secretagogue agonists.
How Does Ipamorelin Work?
Ipamorelin peptide activates the ghrelin receptor upon binding to it. The ghrelin receptor is a growth hormone secretagogue (GHS-R), and plays a crucial role in the regulation of energy and body weight.
The GHS-R is found primarily and more abundantly in the brain, but can also be spotted in muscles of the heart, skeleton, and liver.
The main purpose of the ghrelin receptor is to facilitate growth hormone release from the pituitary gland. Ipamorelin peptide, unlike other ghrelin receptor agonists, is quite limited to growth hormone release – thus, no other hormones are significantly affected by it.
Ipamorelin Half Life
The short, 2 hour half-life of Ipamorelin peptide makes it a convenient contestant for studying and investigating the advantages of growth hormone stimulation relative to other, particular physiological experiences such as metabolism, stress response, etc.
Based on the aspect being studied and the question at hand, this peptide’s time of impact may vary between hours and even months.
Ipamorelin Research
For example, a study investigating blood sugar levels and concentrations of insulin movement will present results just minutes after administering Ipamorelin. On the other hand, research studying how Ipamorelin affects synaptic density, bone density, or muscle size may need months to show results.
Albeit Ipamorelin gets to work on the body’s biochemistry immediately, the biochemical changes may not be observable for quite some time – it depends on the speed of the particular pathway. Neurogenesis, for example, is a very gradual process.
Therefore, the entirety of the impact won’t be visible until the growth’s gradual process is complete, despite the prompt impact that Ipamorelin has on dendrite growth.
To be able to estimate how long it will take to know whether or not the experiment was successful, the researchers must consider the rate of change that a specific organism is able to sustain.
As far as the location of the action’s mechanism is concerned, Growth Hormone is formed within the pituitary gland, which moderates and supervises the endocrine system. The endocrine system is what’s behind the production and distribution of the body’s hormones.
Ipamorelin Anti-Aging
How does Ipamorelin fight aging? When it comes to anti-aging research, Ipamorelin is one of the celebrities. Aging is associated with many undesirable, physiological changes such as muscle atrophy, cognitive decline, and loss in bone density. Some doctors don’t think of these to be a normal part of aging.
However, it can’t be denied that, as the body loses its ability to recreate particular hormones, a variety of biochemical pathways start to decay. By fighting this degeneration, Ipamorelin can aid in the slowing of some aging effects.
How Does Ipamorelin Increase Bone Density?
With regard to bone density, for example, aging is linked to an increase in osteoclast activity. Osteoclasts are responsible for the breakdown of bones, and can also aid in the bones’ ability to restructure itself during prolonged stress or after being injured.
Too many of these cells, though, means that bone deteriorates faster than it is formed, so there is an overall decrease in bone density.
By the looks of it, Ipamorelin peptide aids in the restoration of balancing the bone cycle; this helps ensure that the decay and removal take place at just the right pace to guarantee healthy bone strength and function.
Ipamorelin doesn’t just fall into the anti aging sub-category of peptides, it fits into the fat-burning peptide sub-category as well.
Ipamorelin Weight Loss
Ipamorelin is a versatile peptide, and offers a wide variety of effects, one of which is weight loss or fat loss.
Though it is better known as an anti aging peptide, it’s also beginning to be known as a fat burning (or lipogenic) peptide. Mice studies present that Ipamorelin speeds up the process of lipolysis, the organized deterioration of fat.
A large part of this impact can be attributed to Ipamorelin’s ability to stimulate the release of human growth hormone, though non-human studies provide evidence that suggests there exists a secondary mechanism.
During rat studies, Ipa has been shown to facilitate the release of insulin. As an anabolic hormone, insulin likes to store glucose in various ways, as in fat, muscle, and the liver.
Seemingly, it’s a contradiction that Ipamorelin can boost weight loss if it also stimulates insulin release, but there is an explanation for this. When guiding glucose, insulin usually takes the least resistant course.
Therefore, if muscle is more easily receiving glucose, it will then be stored there favorably. By facilitating insulin and human growth hormone release at the same time, Ipamorelin aids in securing and allotting more calories to building muscle than burning fat.
In combination with a proper diet, an overall shift in body composition may be achieved.
Ipamorelin Benefits
There are more advantages to this peptide than anti aging and weight loss.
By binding Ipamorelin to its receptors, the growth hormone system is activated and results in the following Ipamorelin benefits:
- Increased skin, hair, and nail health
- Reduced stress
- Reduced blood pressure
- Increase in lean muscle mass
- Increase in bone density
- Improved memory and learning
- Pain reduction
- Improved sleep cycle
Does Ipamorelin Improve Memory and Learning?
The ghrelin receptor has been associated with learning and memory processes. GHS-R activation was found to promote the long-term facilitation of these processes, as well as the density of their dendritic spine.
Long-term facilitation reinforces neural connections, while dendritic spine density assesses the number of connections made between neurons. By exciting the ghrelin receptor, Ipamorelin enhances both accounts and has therefore been found to adequately improve cognitive functioning.
Does Ipamorelin Improve Sleep?
Drawing from its impact on cognition, some evidence points out that Ipamorelin and other human growth hormone enhancers can have an advantageous effect on sleep. Sleep is a vital mediator process of learning and is an important aspect in the aging of tissue altogether.
Why Is (Proper) Sleep Important?
Enhanced sleep has been found to positively affect learning, mood, concentration, memory, and health in general.
Proper sleep is also linked to better immune function and an improved body composition, e.g. reduced body fat and increased lean muscle.
Basically, even if the ability of a peptide to reduce effects of aging was its only benefit, it would be significantly advantageous in many ways.
Ipamorelin Side Effects
So far, research indicates that Ipamorelin has no obvious drawbacks in non-human studies, as opposed to other ghrelin receptor agonists.
The greatest adversity, however – if it can be considered as such – is that this peptide has to be subcutaneously injected. No form of oral administration of the peptide exists for Ipamorelin just yet.
As a result, the administration of the peptide in small animals becomes a bit of a challenge. Generally, though, Ipamorelin has presented a proper safety outline.
However, some minor side effects have been made apparent in many studies.
Where to Buy Ipamorelin
You can buy Ipamorelin and other high quality peptides for research by checking out Core Peptides.
NOTE: The information found on this website and within this article is intended for educational or informational purposes only. Some or all of the content in these articles are not substantiated by a medical professional and may be based on the opinions of the writer who may not be a medical or accredited professional. Not intended for personal or human use. Please review our Terms and Conditions before purchasing.
Dr. Marinov (MD, Ph.D.) is a researcher and chief assistant professor in Preventative Medicine & Public Health. Prior to his professorship, Dr. Marinov practiced preventative, evidence-based medicine with an emphasis on Nutrition and Dietetics. He is widely published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and specializes in peptide therapy research.