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September 09, 2025

Why You Should Cycle CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin: The 60–90 Day Protocol

CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin deliver impressive results—but continuous use can cause receptor fatigue. Learn why cycling every 60–90 days, with MK-677 as a bridge, is the key to sustainable peptide therapy.

Why You Should Take a Break from GHRH Peptides Like CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin After 60–90 Days

Peptide therapy has rapidly become one of the most exciting frontiers in integrative and regenerative medicine. Growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) peptides such as CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin are particularly popular because of their ability to naturally stimulate the body’s own production of growth hormone (GH), leading to higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

For patients pursuing better body composition, improved recovery, enhanced energy, or metabolic support, these peptides are powerful tools. However, like any tool, they must be used correctly. One of the most important clinical guidelines I give my patients is this:

Use CJC-1295 or Tesamorelin for 60–90 days, then take a 30-day break before beginning another cycle.

During this break, I often recommend patients take MK-677, an oral growth hormone secretagogue, to maintain IGF-1 levels while allowing receptors to reset.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into why breaks are essential, what happens during continuous use, how MK-677 fits into the picture, and the best strategies for cycling peptides responsibly.

Understanding GHRH Peptides

What Are GHRH Peptides?

GHRH peptides mimic the body’s natural growth hormone–releasing hormone, stimulating the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone in pulses. Unlike synthetic growth hormone injections (HGH therapy), these peptides leverage the body’s own regulatory feedback loops.

The two most clinically relevant GHRH peptides are:

  • CJC-1295 (without DAC): Promotes physiologic GH pulses, often paired with a growth hormone–releasing peptide (GHRP) like Ipamorelin for synergistic effects.

  • Tesamorelin: FDA-approved for reducing visceral adipose tissue in HIV-associated lipodystrophy, but widely studied for its role in fat loss, metabolic improvement, and GH stimulation.

Benefits of GHRH Peptides

Patients use these therapies for a variety of reasons:

  • Increased lean muscle mass

  • Reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat

  • Faster recovery from workouts and injuries

  • Improved sleep quality

  • Enhanced skin elasticity and collagen production

  • Better cognitive function and mood stability

Why You Shouldn’t Use GHRH Peptides Continuously

1. Receptor Downregulation

Every receptor system in the body has limits. When CJC-1295 or Tesamorelin are used for too long without a break, pituitary receptors can become desensitized. This means your body stops responding as efficiently, and the benefits diminish over time.

Taking a 30-day break allows receptors to “reset” and regain sensitivity, ensuring that the next cycle remains effective.

2. Maintaining Physiologic Pulsatility

One of the main advantages of GHRH peptides over HGH injections is their natural pulsatile release of GH. However, with chronic exposure, the body may begin to blunt its pulsatility. Cycling ensures the body doesn’t lose its rhythm, preserving the physiologic pattern that delivers the best long-term results.

3. Avoiding Excess IGF-1 Levels

While elevated IGF-1 is beneficial for recovery, metabolism, and body composition, chronically supra-physiologic IGF-1 can carry risks, including potential links to accelerated cellular aging and increased cancer risk in certain populations.

By cycling, patients maintain IGF-1 in a healthy, optimized range without keeping it artificially high year-round.

4. Giving the Pituitary a Break

The pituitary gland is a small but mighty organ. Overstimulation can lead to feedback inhibition, where the hypothalamus and pituitary reduce their natural hormone production. A break ensures the endocrine system stays resilient and avoids long-term suppression.

5. Preventing Plateaus

Patients often notice rapid improvements in energy, body composition, and recovery during their first cycles. Over time, results plateau if therapy isn’t cycled properly. Breaks keep the body responsive, so every round of therapy continues to deliver benefits.

Why a 30-Day Break Is Optimal

I recommend a 30-day break after every 60–90 days of CJC-1295 or Tesamorelin use. Here’s why:

  • Short enough that IGF-1 levels won’t crash dramatically.

  • Long enough to allow receptor resensitization.

  • Fits within most patients’ fitness or recovery cycles.

  • Easy to remember and plan around lifestyle or training blocks.

This cycle mirrors how elite athletes and bodybuilders structure peptide protocols, but it’s also supported by clinical experience in functional and regenerative medicine practices.

What Happens to IGF-1 During the Break?

Without stimulation from GHRH peptides, IGF-1 levels will naturally decline over 30 days. However, this does not mean benefits are lost. The improvements in body composition, collagen, and muscle repair gained from prior cycles remain.

To smooth the transition and maintain IGF-1 levels, I often recommend MK-677 during this break.

Introducing MK-677: The Bridge Between Cycles

What Is MK-677?

MK-677 (Ibutamoren) is an oral ghrelin mimetic that stimulates GH release by binding to ghrelin receptors. Unlike CJC-1295 or Tesamorelin, which work through the GHRH pathway, MK-677 works through the ghrelin pathway, making it an ideal complement.

It’s taken orally, which patients often find more convenient than injections.

Benefits of MK-677

  • Maintains IGF-1 levels during breaks from GHRH peptides

  • Improves sleep architecture and REM sleep

  • Enhances muscle retention and recovery

  • Supports bone density

  • Promotes skin, hair, and nail health

  • Increases appetite, which can be beneficial for muscle growth

Why MK-677 Works During Breaks

Because MK-677 stimulates GH release through a different receptor system, it does not contribute to the receptor desensitization seen with GHRH peptides. This means patients can maintain IGF-1 levels while allowing their GHRH receptors to reset.

In other words: MK-677 sustains the benefits while your system recovers.

Practical Protocol for Cycling

Here’s the approach I typically recommend in practice:

  • CJC-1295 or Tesamorelin: Use daily injections for 60–90 days.

  • Break Period (30 days): Stop GHRH peptides. Begin MK-677 oral therapy to maintain IGF-1 and ongoing benefits.

  • Restart Cycle: After 30 days, resume GHRH peptide therapy. Continue alternating cycles for sustained results.

This rhythm ensures continuous progress without sacrificing long-term effectiveness.

Addressing Common Questions About Cycling

Will I Lose My Progress During the Break?

No. While IGF-1 levels may decline slightly, the tissue remodeling, fat reduction, and muscle gains from prior cycles are maintained. Cycling prevents long-term plateaus, so in reality, you’ll continue to progress better over the long haul.

Can I Take Both CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin Together?

Some patients may use them in combination under physician guidance, but cycling principles still apply. Whether you’re on one or both, take the 30-day break after 60–90 days.

What About Other Peptides?

GHRPs (like Ipamorelin) and GHS (like MK-677) can often be layered in different cycles, but the GHRH peptide break is still essential to protect receptor health.

Is MK-677 Safe for Everyone?

MK-677 is generally well tolerated but can increase water retention, appetite, and blood sugar in some patients. It should be prescribed and monitored by a physician trained in peptide therapy to ensure proper use.

Long-Term Strategy: The Yearly View

When mapped over a year, this cycling approach looks like this:

  • 3 months on GHRH peptides

  • 1 month on MK-677

  • Repeat 3–4 times annually

This gives patients 9 months of GHRH peptide therapy per year while ensuring 3 months of receptor recovery, all without losing momentum.

Why Physician Supervision Matters

While peptides are often marketed online, using them without medical supervision is risky. At Revolution Health, all peptides are sourced from FDA-regulated manufacturers (not compounding pharmacies or research sites) and are prescribed only under physician supervision.

This ensures:

  • Correct dosing and cycling protocols

  • Monitoring of IGF-1 and metabolic labs

  • Safe integration with other therapies (hormone replacement, prolotherapy, supplements, etc.)

  • Personalized adjustments for optimal results

Final Thoughts

CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin are powerful GHRH peptides that can transform body composition, recovery, and overall vitality. But like any therapy, how you use them is just as important as using them at all.

By following a 60–90 day cycle with a 30-day break, patients can avoid receptor desensitization, maintain physiologic pulsatility, and keep results sustainable for years to come.

During the break, MK-677 provides a valuable bridge, maintaining IGF-1 levels and supporting ongoing recovery while the body resets.

This is the blueprint for safe, effective, long-term peptide therapy.