Both raise the body's own growth hormone, by different doors: tesamorelin at the GHRH receptor, ipamorelin at the ghrelin receptor. Only one of them has been through a registrational trial.
Side by side
| Tesamorelin | Ipamorelin | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | GHRH analog | Growth-hormone secretagogue (GHRP) |
| Status | FDA approved | Research compound |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection | Subcutaneous injection |
| Typical vials | 5 mg, 10 mg | 5 mg, 10 mg |
| Dose range | 1 mg to 2 mg | 100 mcg to 300 mcg |
| Frequency | Once daily | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Half-life | ~38 minutes | ~2 hours |
| Dosing unit | milligrams | micrograms |
Pharmacokinetics
What the evidence supports
These grade how well each outcome has been studied in humans, never how well either compound works. A strong grade can sit on a negative result.
Both top out at the same tier of evidence: Human RCT. Where they differ is in which outcomes have been asked about, not in how well either has been studied overall.
Tesamorelin
| Outcome | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Visceral fat reduction in HIV lipodystrophy | Human RCT |
| Cognitive function | Human, observational |
| Visceral fat reduction in other populations | Human, observational |
Ipamorelin
| Outcome | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Raises growth hormone | Human RCT |
| Body composition change | No data |
| Recovery or healing | No data |
How to choose
Tesamorelin is an approved drug
With Phase 3 evidence for reducing visceral adipose tissue in a defined population.
Ipamorelin never completed development
It has human pharmacology showing GH release, and no outcome trials.
The comparison is uneven by design
This is an approved drug against a research compound, not two options with comparable support.
At the syringe
At the default setup on each compound's own page, a 5 mg vial in 2 mL puts 25 mcg on every insulin unit, while a 5 mg vial in 2 mL puts 25 mcg on every unit. That is the number that decides whether a dose lands on a readable mark, and it is set by how much water goes in, not by the compound.