CJC-1295/Ipamorelin + MK-677: 8-week bloodwork and observations
Just got my labs back after 8 weeks on my current stack. I've been running 100mcg CJC-1295/100mcg Ipamorelin nightly, plus 12.5mg of MK-677. My IGF-1 levels jumped from 180 ng/mL to 295 ng/mL, which is exactly what I was aiming for. Sleep quality has been incredible—my Oura ring shows my deep sleep increased by about 45 minutes on average. However, I am dealing with some mild water retention and increased hunger, which I expected with the MK-677. My fasting glucose is sitting at 98 mg/dL, so I'm keeping a close eye on that. Has anyone had success mitigating the hunger spikes by changing the timing of the MK-677 dose? I'm currently taking it right before bed, but the morning hunger is becoming a bit of a challenge for my diet.
Great job tracking your data so diligently; that IGF-1 increase is a solid indicator that your peptides are legitimate and effective. Regarding your fasting glucose of 98 mg/dL, that is definitely a yellow flag while on MK-677. Since MK-677 is a growth hormone secretagogue that functions by mimicking ghrelin, it can significantly decrease insulin sensitivity. Many in the community find that cycling the MK-677 (e.g., 5 days on, 2 days off) helps mitigate both the persistent hunger and the glycemic drift. You might also look into Berberine or GDA (Glucose Disposal Agents) taken with your largest carb-heavy meal to help keep that fasting glucose under the 90 mg/dL mark. Water retention is typical due to the extracellular fluid shifts caused by MK, but stay hydrated to help your kidneys flush the excess. Keep monitoring those markers closely—elevated glucose is the primary long-term risk with this stack, so prioritize your metabolic health over the next few weeks.