GH Peptides Pre-Workout?

Happy Monday!

I recently got a great question from a reader in my question box that I want to share with you today because I know a lot of you are curious about the timing of peptides.

Here’s the question:

This is a fantastic question because it gets right into the heart of how growth hormone (GH) peptides actually work in the real world.

Timing, food, caffeine, and the type of training you’re doing all play a role.

So let’s break this down step by step.

What Are GH Secretagogues and GHRH Analogues?

Growth hormone secretagogues (like Ipamorelin) are peptides that signal your pituitary gland to release GH.

Think of them as “on switches” that mimic the action of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, but in a way that’s highly selective.

Ipamorelin, for example, spikes GH without spiking cortisol or prolactin.

On the other side of the equation are GHRH analogues like CJC-1295 (no DAC), Tesamorelin, and Sermorelin.

These mimic your natural growth hormone–releasing hormone. Instead of pressing the “on” button, they turn up the volume on the entire GH system.

When you stack a GHRH analogue with a secretagogue (like CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin), you get a bigger, cleaner GH pulse than either alone.

That GH pulse translates into better fat loss, lean muscle maintenance, and recovery.

Why Boosting Growth Hormone?

So why even bother with GH peptides in the first place?

Because growth hormone plays a huge role in body composition and recovery.

GH promotes fat breakdown, supports protein synthesis, and stimulates connective tissue healing.

In other words, it helps you burn fat, build muscle, and repair faster.

Clinical research confirms this.

Studies on GH therapy show decreased fat mass and increased lean mass.

Secretagogues mimic this by stimulating your own GH in a natural pulsatile way.

Instead of flooding your system 24/7 with supraphysiological GH, you’re amplifying what your body already does.

Most people who run these peptides consistently report easier fat loss, quicker workout recovery, improved sleep quality, and even better joint and tendon resilience.

Over months of consistent use, this adds up to a leaner, stronger, more resilient body.

Timing Matters

Timing is where things get interesting.

Your body naturally pulses GH at night during deep sleep.

That’s why many anti-aging protocols favor bedtime injections. It augments what your body already does.

But here’s the catch…morning injections can be just as effective, especially if you train early.

In fact, a morning fasted injection may be better for fat loss, because insulin is low.

Low insulin levels create the perfect environment for GH to mobilize fat stores for energy.

Many athletes dose both AM and PM.

Morning before training, then evening before bed.

That way they get a GH pulse around their workout and another overnight.

For most people, 1–2 daily injections (AM + PM) is the sweet spot.

Fasted Morning Use of Peptides

When you take Ipamorelin in a fasted state, you maximize GH release.

No food = no insulin. 

And insulin is GH’s kryptonite.

Even a small carb meal will blunt GH release.

That’s why the golden rule is to take your peptides on an empty stomach, wait 20–30 minutes, then go train.

Practically speaking, you could inject 100–300 mcg of Ipamorelin, wait ~20 minutes, then hit your workout.

GH will peak as you’re getting into your session, mobilizing fat and priming your body for recovery.

Tesamorelin and CJC-1295 no DAC, can also be used in this way.

Cardio vs. Resistance Training

Now let’s talk nuance, because this is where it really matters.

If your goal is fat loss and you’re doing fasted cardio, pre-workout peptides are a perfect match.

GH mobilizes fat, your workout burns that fat, and you create a compounding effect.

This is where morning Ipamorelin really shines.

But with resistance training, it gets tricky.

Fasting is great for GH release, but not always ideal for lifting hard.

When you lift weights, you want amino acids and glucose available to fuel your performance and protect your muscles.

So we arrive at a catch-22.

Fasting maximizes GH, but eating supports better strength and hypertrophy.

So what’s the solution? Some people take their peptide fasted pre-lift, then wait 30-60 minutes to have a light meal with some clean carbs for energy. That way they preserve some of the GH pulse but still protect muscle.

Another option is to save peptide dosing for bedtime only and fuel properly for lifting in the morning.

Caffeine and Calorie-Free Pre-Workouts

Now onto the caffeine question.

Research shows caffeine can blunt the GH spike from exercise.

In one study, resistance-trained men who took a high dose of caffeine had about 50% less GH release during their workout compared to placebo.

Why? Caffeine elevates free fatty acids in the blood.

High FFAs signal the body there’s already energy available, so the pituitary dials back GH.

But does this mean your peptide is wasted if you drink a calorie-free pre-workout?

Not exactly.

You’ll still get a GH pulse from the peptide. It just might not be as strong as it would be without caffeine.

The effect is dose-dependent, too.

100–200 mg caffeine probably won’t blunt GH as much as 400+ mg.

If you love your pre-workout, keep it.

Just know the GH effect may be a bit smaller.

If your #1 goal is maximizing peptide-induced GH release, skip the caffeine and go stimulant-free.

The Best of All Possible Worlds

So what’s the best protocol? Here’s how I’d put it together for the “best of all worlds”:

• If fat loss is the goal: Inject Ipamorelin (or your favorite gh peptide/peptide blend) fasted in the morning, 20 minutes before fasted cardio. Skip the caffeine or keep it very minimal. This maximizes GH, fat mobilization, and calorie burn.

• If strength/muscle is the goal: Use peptides at night before bed to augment natural GH release during deep sleep. That way you can fuel properly before your morning lifting sessions without worrying about blunting GH. If you want both, do AM + PM dosing (morning for fat loss, evening for recovery).

• Caffeine: Keep it moderate. If you can train without it, even better. If not, time your injection first, then have caffeine 15–20 minutes later so the peptide is already doing its job before caffeine-induced FFA levels rise.

That’s the “best of all worlds” answer.

Leverage peptides in a way that matches your training style and goals, without sacrificing performance or results.

Final Verdict 

Pre-workout Ipamorelin (or any other gh peptide) in a fasted state can absolutely be beneficial, especially for fat loss with fasted cardio.

For resistance training, you may want to prioritize fueling and use peptides at night (or use both AM and PM for maximum coverage).

A calorie-free pre-workout with caffeine won’t completely negate peptide effects, but it may blunt them slightly.

At the end of the day, we can always get lost in the weeds on some of these topics, but what matters most?

Take your peptides, train hard, eat clean, manage stress, get great sleep, and enjoy life!

Best,

Hunter Williams

P.S. Further Reading

• Circadian GH & sleep: Van Cauter E, et al. “Modulation of glucose regulation and insulin secretion by circadian rhythmicity and sleep.” J Clin Invest (1991). Read on JCI | PubMed Central

• Fasting amplifies GH pulses: Ho KY, et al. “Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of GH secretion in man.” J Clin Invest (1988). PubMed | Free full text (JCI/PMC)

• Ipamorelin selectivity (no ACTH/cortisol spike): Raun K, et al. “Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue.” Eur J Endocrinol (1998). Abstract (Oxford Academic) | PDF

• GHRH + GHRP synergy (combined > either alone): Hanew K, et al. “Enhanced GH responses to combined administration of GHRH and GHRP.” Endocr J (1994). PubMed

  (See also: Yan M, et al. Mechanistic look at combined GHRH/GHRP action. Endocr Res (2004). PubMed)

• GHS overview & body-comp effects: Sigalos JT, et al. “The safety and efficacy of growth hormone secretagogues.” World J Mens Health (2017). Free full text (PMC)

  (Broader review: Bresciani E, et al. “Growth hormone secretagogues and the regulation of endocrine networks.” Rev Endocr Metab Disord (2019). PMC)

• Tesamorelin reduces visceral fat (clinical trials):

  Falutz J, et al. “Metabolic effects of a GHRF analog (tesamorelin) in HIV.” N Engl J Med (2007). NEJM

  Stanley TL, et al. “Effect of tesamorelin on visceral and liver fat in HIV.” JAMA (2014). JAMA | PubMed

  Fourman LT, et al. “VAT reduction with tesamorelin (Phase III trials).” Open Forum Infect Dis (2017). PMC

• Caffeine can blunt the acute exercise-induced GH spike: Wu BH, Lin JC. “Caffeine attenuates acute GH response to a single bout of resistance exercise.” J Sports Sci Med (2010). Free full text (PMC) | PubMed