Users report running tesamorelin at 1-2 mg daily, often fasted before bed, alongside reta at varying frequencies. Several note visceral-fat targeting and better IGF-1 response at the higher dose, while others see similar results without strict timing or fasting. Stacking with ipamorelin (and sometimes CJC no DAC) is common for synergy, though opinions differ on whether CJC can fully replace tesamorelin. Lifestyle changes are repeatedly credited for sustaining results once peptides are stopped.
What this discussion establishesWhether tesamorelin is meaningfully superior to CJC no DAC plus ipamorelin for visceral fat loss, and whether a weekly break from tesamorelin is necessary.
Still openOptimal long-term duration, exact titration schedules for minimizing sides, and how reta frequency interacts with the stack.
Nothing here is advice.
Been on reta for a while and want to add tesamorelin. I know it is usually taken at night, but is 1 mg the right amount? Anyone running both have input?
Standard tesamorelin dosing is 2 mg at night a couple hours after eating. Studies showed 1 mg gave noticeably weaker results. Adding ipamorelin seems to boost it further, which is how I use it. Cost makes me consider switching to CJC without DAC plus ipamorelin next round since they are said to work similarly.
Tesamorelin is aimed at visceral fat, so swapping it for CJC alone will not match the effect. I run tirz, tesamorelin, CJC no DAC, and ipamorelin together and the outcome has been strong for me. The biggest gains came when I used the stack to build better habits around food, training, and sleep rather than expecting the peptides to handle everything.
Interesting approach. I am already on CJC no DAC and ipamorelin at 500 mcg each before bed and have noticed better sleep after a couple weeks. What amounts and schedule are you following?
I have seen people run reta once a week, MOTS-C three times a week, and both ipamorelin and tesamorelin every night. Trying to figure out the strongest combination.
Tesamorelin does not have a required time of day. I inject it midday whether fasted or not and my IGF-1 still rises. The approved version also just says once daily with no timing rules. Checking IGF-1 levels is important for safety when using these.
I have heard the same about that being a strong combo, but have not tried it myself yet and want more reports before ordering.
Pairing it with fasting insulin numbers would be ideal.
What doses are you using for the three secretagogues?
Tesamorelin 2 mg daily fasted before bed; ipamorelin and CJC no DAC at 0.5 mg each daily fasted before bed.
I found 1 mg less effective than higher amounts, with fewer GI and water-retention issues at the larger dose. That was when I also used ipamorelin, so results might differ without it.
Currently on reta twice a week at 1.5 mg per injection and tesamorelin 1.5 mg five days on, two off. Started lower in February and have been pleased with the combination plus consistent training. Trunk size has dropped steadily even though a bit of belly fat remains; the fat seems to come off from the top down and the process feels easier than before.
I did not like the increased hunger and possible water weight from ipamorelin. I had been using the common 2 mg tesamorelin dose at night on a 5/2 schedule until someone pointed me to the original clinical study. That study used 2 mg daily without breaks, preferably fasted, and timing was not specified. Most people probably will not need a full six-month run.
Few users will need six months, and IGF-1 tends to stay in range more often than testosterone does. The study participants were deficient, so they may have had fewer sides such as carpal tunnel. If sides appear, lowering the daily dose can work instead of taking breaks. There is also a book reference on tesamorelin dosing.
The older guidance has been updated and 1.28 mg now looks like the preferred amount according to the current prescribing information.
That version is a different formulation, which explains the lower listed dose.
Three different versions were approved over time. The 2 mg dose was selected for the later trial because the earlier comparison showed 1 mg did not produce a statistically meaningful drop in visceral fat compared with placebo.
After looking into it I am unsure the risk-reward is worth it. Tesamorelin reduces fat but mainly the deeper visceral type rather than the layer above the abs that most people want gone. Retatrutide appears better for that area, and any tesamorelin loss can return quickly if diet, sleep, and hormones stay the same.
One version is a single daily dose while the other covers a full week of daily doses.
Agreed on the distinction. The amount of active compound that reaches the body should still be comparable, so the milligram discussion remains relevant for the versions most people actually buy.
Correct, the two versions are adjusted so the same quantity of tesamorelin ends up absorbed.
Although tesamorelin protocols usually skip titration, I am doing a gradual ramp for both compounds over several weeks up to 2 mg tesamorelin and 1.5 mg of the other. A glucose monitor shows my readings trending lower so far.
The approval documents note that if fasting glucose hits 110 you can drop back to 1 mg or switch to 2 mg every other day, and if IGF-1 goes too high you stop completely.
Subcutaneous fat actually rose slightly in the data, yet people near my BMI still lost about three pounds of fat, mostly from the trunk, while gaining nearly four pounds of lean mass. The net change favored muscle. Heavier individuals would likely see even larger shifts.
The early trial lasted only twelve weeks. Later ones ran a full year but switched some participants to placebo at the halfway point. Stopping after six months leads to rebound, shown by one of the extension curves.
All participants were on long-term HIV medication that continued even after tesamorelin stopped. No trial swapped those medications for placebo, so the exact cause of the visceral fat in that population remains unclear.
The rebound line after stopping is the part that concerns me most. Since the study group stayed on the HIV meds thought to drive the fat gain, reversal is expected. It would be useful to see data on people not taking those meds. From what others report, tesamorelin seems preferable to CJC no DAC plus ipamorelin for this goal.
It is surprising the medication is still produced given how much newer HIV treatments have changed. Current regimens are linked more to modest weight gain than the pronounced fat redistribution seen with older drugs.
Did you start with daily injections or a 5-on-2-off schedule?
I have only been going two weeks so far and am using it every day.
I am also injecting daily. Is taking two days off required?
No, it is not required.
Are you also using reta with this stack? The goal seems to be both fat loss and muscle. One protocol suggests 2 mg tesamorelin plus 200 mcg each of CJC no DAC and ipamorelin fasted at night, then another 200 mcg ipamorelin fasted in the morning. Would that make sense alongside reta for weight loss?
Should tesamorelin be kept at room temperature instead of refrigerated?
Nothing in the official information requires fasting or a specific time of day. For growth-hormone secretagogues it can still help to align with natural rhythms. I take mine in the morning when fasted anyway, and I moved reta to mornings because evening doses kept me awake.
Same schedule here on my second round. The first one was cut short due to a calculation error. Waist measurement improved noticeably. This cycle is planned for eight weeks with no days off, using twelve 10 mg vials total. I do not refrigerate after mixing.
Tesamorelin and CJC will compete for the same receptors if taken together. Pairing either with ipamorelin gives a stronger combined effect than using the two growth-hormone analogs together. Moving the tesamorelin dose to the morning with the first ipamorelin shot might still be workable; I plan to test that soon.
After reading the thread I am reconsidering whether to use the two kits I already have. The original plan was to combine tesamorelin with reta for overall fat loss while diet and training are already solid, but the discussion suggests it may not be the best move right now.
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