Reader’s guide · First edition · September 2026 · Revised October 1, 2026
The Peptide Field Guide
Twenty-four peptides and fifteen stacks, graded by evidence, with the doses people actually use
The word peptide covers insulin, Ozempic, and a vial from a chemical supplier with equal accuracy, which is why the conversation about peptides is so confused. This guide sorts the two dozen you are most likely to be offered into six families, grades each one by the human evidence behind it, states where the FDA stands, and records the doses and schedules people have used, with the source of each. A separate chapter reviews the pre-packaged stacks vendors sell, and explains why mixing peptides in one vial is a bad idea by construction. It is meant to be the first thing you read and the last thing you check.
Who this is for
Written for adults who are using, considering, or being sold peptides for weight, recovery, aging, cognition, or appearance. It summarizes the published record and the regulatory position as of the edition date. It is not medical advice, and the doses recorded here are reports of use, not recommendations.
What a peptide is1
A peptide is a short chain of amino acids, usually somewhere between two and fifty. Proteins are the same thing, longer. The body runs on peptides: insulin, oxytocin, and the gut hormones that control appetite are all peptides, and so are dozens of approved medicines from the 1920s onward. Nothing about the word implies natural, safe, or experimental.
- Made how
- Chemically synthesized one amino acid at a time, or produced in engineered cells. Synthesis leaves truncated and modified chains behind; purification is what separates a drug from a research chemical.
- Taken how
- Mostly by injection, because the stomach digests peptides. A few survive digestion (BPC-157) or are engineered to (oral semaglutide). Some work through the nose or on the skin.
- Cleared how
- Most last minutes to hours in the blood. Weekly drugs like semaglutide are chemically anchored to albumin so they last days.
Three things that share the name
An approved peptide drug has a manufacturer, a label, and trials behind every claim. A compounded peptide is made by a pharmacy from an ingredient FDA has allowed for the purpose. A research chemical is sold by a supplier with no pharmacy, no label, and no one accountable for what is in the vial. This guide marks which is which.
How to read a claim1
Every entry in this guide carries an evidence grade. The grade says nothing about whether a peptide works; it says how much anyone actually knows.
| Grade | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | FDA-approved, with randomized trials measuring outcomes that matter, such as weight, blood sugar, or heart attacks | Semaglutide, tirzepatide |
| B | Investigational, but with randomized placebo-controlled trials completed or under way | Retatrutide, cagrilintide |
| C | Human data exist but are small, uncontrolled, or for a different form of the molecule | BPC-157, LL-37, tesamorelin off-label |
| D | Animal or laboratory data only; no controlled human study of the product as sold | TB-500, epitalon, dihexa |
- Rodent healing is not human healing. Most compounds that mend rat tendons have never been tested in people, and many that were failed.
- A case series without a control group cannot separate a drug from placebo, natural recovery, or the injection itself.
- "Topline" results are a company's summary before peer review. They are usually right about the headline and silent about the details.
- A study of the full protein does not validate a fragment sold under a different name.
Whether a pharmacy may compound a peptide turns on one list: the bulk substances FDA allows under section 503A of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. A substance qualifies if it has a United States Pharmacopeia monograph, is a component of an approved drug, or has been added to the list by rulemaking. Everything else is off limits, whatever the seller says.
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FDA-approved | A manufacturer's product with a label. Compounded copies are allowed only during a shortage or for a documented patient-specific need. |
| Compoundable | Not approved, but the ingredient is on the 503A list or qualifies as a component of a prior approved drug. A licensed pharmacy may make it on a prescription. |
| Under FDA review | Removed from the do-not-compound category in April 2026 and recommended for listing by FDA's advisory committee in July 2026. Not on the list until rulemaking finishes. |
| FDA: do not compound | On Category 2 of the 503A nominations: FDA has identified a significant safety concern. Pharmacies may not use it. |
| Research chemical only | No approval, no listing, no pharmacy pathway. Sold with "research use only" labels that protect the seller, not the buyer. |
What changed in 2026
In April 2026, FDA removed twelve peptides from Category 2 after their nominations were withdrawn. In July, its Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted to recommend six of them (BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, MOTS-c, epitalon, semax) for the 503A list and voted against one (DSIP). None is listed yet. A recommendation is not a rule, and a rule is not an approval.
How to read the dosing sections5
Each entry records the doses and schedules humans have used, because that is the question readers actually have and the one sellers answer least honestly. Every dose carries its source, and the source is the point.
| Source | What stands behind it |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Dose-finding trials, a defined titration, and years of monitoring. The only doses in this guide that have been validated. |
| Trial protocols | What investigators used in registered studies. Chosen for the trial, not for you, and sometimes abandoned afterward. |
| Clinic protocols | What telehealth and anti-aging clinics prescribe. Converged by custom and marketing, not by dose-response data. |
| Community reports | What people say they inject, collected from forums and sellers' instructions. No verification of dose, product, or outcome. |
Units, milligrams, and micrograms
Peptide doses are written in three unit systems. Vials are labeled in milligrams, small-peptide doses in micrograms (a thousandth of a milligram), and insulin syringes in units (100 units per milliliter). The formula is units = (dose ÷ concentration) × 100, with dose and concentration in the same unit. A 5 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL is 2,500 mcg/mL; a 250 mcg dose is 0.1 mL, or 10 units. One misplaced decimal is a tenfold or thousandfold error, and the FDA has logged overdoses of exactly that kind.
- A research-chemical vial's stated strength is unverified. The arithmetic assumes the label is honest, which nobody has checked.
- Reconstituted peptide is a multi-dose vial with no tested beyond-use date. Refrigerate it and assume it degrades within weeks.
- "Cycles," "loading phases," and "five on, two off" schedules are borrowed from bodybuilding, not from pharmacology.
The gut-hormone drugs are the reason peptides became a household word. Four are approved or nearly so, all with large trials; one older entry failed its trials and lingers as a research chemical.
- How it works
- Mimics the gut hormone GLP-1: more insulin when glucose is high, slower stomach emptying, and less appetite through the brain. Anchored to albumin so it lasts a week.
- The claims
- Weight loss, blood-sugar control, fewer heart attacks and strokes, kidney protection.
- Human evidence
- Grade A. About 15% body weight lost at 68 weeks on 2.4 mg in STEP 1. In SELECT, 20% fewer major cardiovascular events over three years in people with heart disease and obesity. Oral tablets approved for diabetes (Rybelsus) and, since late 2025, for weight management.
- Risks
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, worst at each step up. Boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors; pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, dehydration, and slowed stomach emptying under anesthesia. Not for use in pregnancy.
- Status
- Approved 2017 (diabetes) and 2021 (weight). The shortage that allowed compounded copies ended; pharmacies had to stop by April and May 2025.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- Injection: 0.25 mg weekly to start, rising to 2.4 mg (Wegovy) or 2 mg (Ozempic). Oral: 3, 7, or 14 mg daily (Rybelsus); 25 mg daily (oral Wegovy).
- Schedule
- Injection: 0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then 0.5, 1, 1.7, and 2.4 mg, each step held at least 4 weeks. Same day each week. Missed dose taken within 5 days, otherwise skipped.
The only weight-loss peptide with an oral label and an outcomes trial.
VerdictThe reference drug of the whole field. If a compounded product is offered as a cheaper equivalent, ask what patient-specific reason the pharmacy is relying on, because the shortage exemption is gone.
- How it works
- Activates GLP-1 and GIP receptors together. GIP adds effects on fat tissue and insulin sensitivity and appears to blunt the nausea of GLP-1 alone.
- The claims
- Larger weight loss than semaglutide, blood-sugar control, sleep apnea improvement.
- Human evidence
- Grade A. About 21% weight lost at 72 weeks on 15 mg in SURMOUNT-1; beat semaglutide head-to-head in SURMOUNT-5 (20.2% versus 13.7%). Approved for obstructive sleep apnea with obesity in 2024.
- Risks
- Same class effects as semaglutide, with the same boxed warning. Compounded vials add a dosing-error risk: the FDA has recorded 5- to 20-fold overdoses from confusing milligrams, milliliters, and units.
- Status
- Approved 2022 (diabetes) and 2023 (weight). Compounded copies had to stop in February and March 2025 after the shortage ended.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 2.5 mg weekly to start; maintenance at 5, 10, or 15 mg.
- Schedule
- 2.5 mg for 4 weeks, then 5 mg; increase by 2.5 mg no sooner than every 4 weeks, as tolerated, to a maximum of 15 mg. Missed dose taken within 4 days.
Reported use, not a recommendation.
VerdictThe most effective approved weight-loss drug, and the one most often sold compounded. The full guide covers what changes when it comes from a vial.
- How it works
- Adds glucagon-receptor activation to the incretin pair. Glucagon raises energy expenditure and burns liver fat; the incretins keep its sugar-raising side in check.
- The claims
- The largest weight loss of any drug; liver-fat clearance.
- Human evidence
- Grade B. In the Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 topline, 28.3% weight lost at 80 weeks on 12 mg (placebo 2.2%), with 45% of participants losing 30% or more. Phase 2 liver substudy: more than 80% relative reduction in liver fat.
- Risks
- Digestive effects at higher rates than tirzepatide. Resting heart rate rose 5 to 10 beats per minute, peaking around six months. Skin tingling or sensitivity in about one in five at 12 mg. Discontinuation for side effects 11% at 12 mg in TRIUMPH-1.
- Status
- Not approved. Lilly plans to file in early 2027. FDA told state boards in April 2025 that retatrutide may not be compounded under 503A or 503B; warning letters to sellers followed in September 2025.
Doses people have used · From trial protocols
- Dose
- Started at 2 mg weekly; maintenance arms of 4, 9, and 12 mg.
- Schedule
- Stepped up roughly every four weeks to the assigned maintenance dose. Weight loss continued past a year at every dose; trials ran 68 to 104 weeks.
There is no label. Escalation details differ between trials. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe most exciting drug in the field and one of the most dangerous to buy today, because nothing sold as retatrutide has a pharmacy behind it. The full guide explains why.
- How it works
- The first-generation GLP-1 analog, fatty-acid modified to last about a day rather than a week.
- The claims
- Weight loss and blood-sugar control with a long safety record.
- Human evidence
- Grade A. About 8% weight lost at 56 weeks on 3 mg in the SCALE trial, against 2.6% for placebo. Cardiovascular benefit shown in diabetes (LEADER).
- Risks
- Class effects: digestive symptoms, boxed thyroid warning, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease.
- Status
- Approved 2010 (diabetes) and 2014 (weight). Generic versions available since 2024, which has made it the cheapest approved option.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 0.6 mg daily to start; 1.2 or 1.8 mg for diabetes; 3 mg for weight.
- Schedule
- Increase by 0.6 mg each week to the target dose. Daily injection, any time of day.
Reported use, not a recommendation.
VerdictWeaker than the weekly drugs and needs a daily shot, but approved, generic, and a legitimate answer to a compounded-copy sales pitch.
- How it works
- Cagrilintide mimics amylin, a pancreatic hormone that slows stomach emptying and promotes fullness through a separate brain pathway; combined with semaglutide in one weekly injection.
- The claims
- Weight loss beyond semaglutide alone, with less nausea than incretin-only escalation.
- Human evidence
- Grade B. In REDEFINE 1, about 20% weight lost at 68 weeks, more among those who reached the full dose. Head-to-head against tirzepatide under way.
- Risks
- Digestive effects similar to semaglutide. Long-term amylin-analog safety data are limited to the trial program.
- Status
- Filed with FDA in 2026; not approved and not compoundable. Products sold as cagrilintide are research chemicals.
Doses people have used · From trial protocols
- Dose
- 2.4 mg cagrilintide with 2.4 mg semaglutide weekly at full dose.
- Schedule
- Escalated over 16 weeks in the Phase 3 program, with flexible dosing allowed.
No label yet; under FDA review. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictLikely the next approved weight-loss combination. Until then, a vial labeled cagrilintide has the same problem as one labeled retatrutide.
- How it works
- The tail end of the growth hormone molecule, thought to carry its fat-burning effect without its growth or blood-sugar effects.
- The claims
- Fat loss without the side effects of growth hormone.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Randomized trials of the oral form in obesity, run in the mid-2000s, showed no meaningful weight loss and the program was abandoned. No trial of the injected form as sold.
- Risks
- Few reported in trials. The product sold today has no sterility or identity certification.
- Status
- Placed in Category 2 in 2023; FDA's list now shows its nomination withdrawn, with nothing pending. May not be compounded. Not among the peptides sent for review in April 2026.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 250 to 300 mcg by subcutaneous injection daily.
- Schedule
- Daily in the morning, often for 8 to 12 weeks. The abandoned trials used oral doses up to 1 mg daily.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictA drug that already failed its human trials, still sold on the strength of its name. Skip it.
These peptides do not contain growth hormone; they tell the pituitary to release it. That distinction lets clinics prescribe them where growth hormone itself is tightly controlled. The evidence that a pulse of growth hormone improves anything in a healthy adult is thin.
- How it works
- The active fragment of the hypothalamic hormone that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. Produces a pulse rather than a sustained level.
- The claims
- Better sleep, recovery, body composition, and skin; "natural" growth hormone support.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Approved from 1997 as a diagnostic agent and a treatment for children with growth hormone deficiency; the brand was withdrawn in 2008 for commercial reasons. Small studies in older adults showed modest rises in growth hormone and lean mass. No outcome trial for wellness use.
- Risks
- Injection-site reactions, flushing, headache. Raising growth hormone raises IGF-1, with theoretical concerns for insulin resistance and tumor growth over long use.
- Status
- Eligible for compounding as a component of a previously approved drug. The most-prescribed peptide in anti-aging clinics.
Doses people have used · As offered by clinics
- Dose
- 200 to 500 mcg by subcutaneous injection.
- Schedule
- Nightly at bedtime, often five days on and two off, for three to six months. The historic pediatric label dose was 30 mcg per kilogram daily.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictLegal to compound and probably harmless in the short term, with nothing to show that it does what the clinic brochure says.
- How it works
- A stabilized version of the full GHRH molecule, longer-acting than sermorelin.
- The claims
- Reduces belly fat; marketed off-label for body composition and cognition.
- Human evidence
- Grade A for one use: reduced visceral fat by about 15% over 26 weeks in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy in two randomized trials. Grade C for everything else; a small trial suggested cognitive benefit in older adults.
- Risks
- Joint pain, swelling, tingling, and injection-site reactions; raised IGF-1 and glucose. Not for use in active cancer or pregnancy.
- Status
- Approved 2010 for HIV-related abdominal fat. Off-label use is legal; compounded copies are not, outside a documented patient-specific need.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 2 mg daily (original); 1.4 mg daily (Egrifta SV); 1.28 mg daily (Egrifta WR, 2025).
- Schedule
- Once daily by subcutaneous injection into the abdomen. Clinics prescribing off-label commonly use 1 to 2 mg nightly, five days a week.
Reported use, not a recommendation.
VerdictThe one growth hormone releaser with an outcomes trial, for a condition most buyers do not have.
CJC-1295 and ipamorelin16,3
"The GH stack"; CJC-1295 with or without DAC
GHRH analog (CJC-1295) plus a ghrelin-receptor agonist (ipamorelin)
- How it works
- Two signals to the pituitary at once: CJC-1295 mimics GHRH, ipamorelin mimics ghrelin's growth hormone-releasing action while sparing appetite and cortisol. The DAC form of CJC-1295 lasts about a week.
- The claims
- Larger growth hormone pulses than either alone; recovery, sleep, fat loss, anti-aging.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Each raised growth hormone in small early-phase studies; ipamorelin's development for post-operative bowel recovery was stopped after a failed Phase 2. No study of the combination, and no outcome data for wellness use.
- Risks
- Flushing, water retention, headache, tingling; raised IGF-1. A 2006 trial of CJC-1295 was halted after a participant death, though causation was never established. FDA's stated concern is impurities and immunogenicity in compounded product.
- Status
- Both were placed in Category 2 in 2023; FDA's list now shows both nominations withdrawn (ipamorelin stays in Category 2 for outsourcing facilities), with no review pending. Pharmacies may not compound them. Widely sold anyway.
Doses people have used · As offered by clinics
- Dose
- 100 to 300 mcg of each, injected together.
- Schedule
- Nightly, sometimes two or three times daily, five days on and two off, for 8 to 12 weeks. CJC-1295 with DAC: 1 to 2 mg once weekly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe most common peptide stack in clinics and one FDA explicitly forbids pharmacies to make. Anyone supplying it is either outside the law or a chemical vendor.
The recovery peptides are where the gap between reputation and evidence is widest. Four of the five below were on FDA's do-not-compound list until April 2026 and are now under review; none has a controlled human trial in the form sold.
BPC-15717,18
Body protection compound; pentadecapeptide
Synthetic 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric protein
- How it works
- Proposed: new blood-vessel growth, nitric-oxide modulation, and growth-factor signaling in tendon and fibroblast cells. Survives stomach acid, so it is taken by mouth as well as injected.
- The claims
- Tendon, ligament, muscle, and gut healing; protection from NSAID damage.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Hundreds of rodent studies, almost all from one laboratory. Three small uncontrolled human reports: knee injections in 16 patients, bladder instillation in 12, and an intravenous safety pilot in 2. No randomized trial.
- Risks
- No serious harm in the tiny human studies; anecdotally injection-site irritation, nausea, dizziness. Promotes blood-vessel growth, a pathway tumors use. FDA's 2023 concern: impurities and immune reactions in compounded product. Banned by WADA.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; the July 2026 advisory committee voted 8 to 6 to recommend listing. Not compoundable until rulemaking completes.
Doses people have used · As offered by clinics
- Dose
- 200 to 500 mcg by subcutaneous injection; 250 to 500 mcg by mouth.
- Schedule
- Once or twice daily, often near the injury, for two to six weeks. Clinic joint injections vary; the published knee series did not standardize dose.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe best-known peptide with the least human data. The full guide lays out every study.
- How it works
- The parent protein regulates actin, the cell's scaffolding, and promotes cell migration and blood-vessel growth. The fragment sold as TB-500 is the actin-binding segment.
- The claims
- Faster muscle, tendon, and ligament healing; usually stacked with BPC-157.
- Human evidence
- Grade D for the fragment. The full thymosin beta-4 protein has been through small human trials for wounds and dry eye with mixed results. The fragment has none.
- Risks
- Unknown. The parent protein promotes cell migration and vessel growth, a concern for anyone with a cancer history. Banned by WADA.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; recommended for listing by the July 2026 committee. Not compoundable as of this edition.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 2 to 2.5 mg by subcutaneous injection.
- Schedule
- Twice weekly for four to six weeks (a "loading phase"), then 2 to 2.5 mg every one to two weeks. Some protocols use 5 mg weekly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictSecond in popularity to BPC-157 and behind it on evidence. The doses above are folklore.
- How it works
- The last three amino acids of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which damp inflammatory signaling in gut and skin cells without the hormone's pigment effects.
- The claims
- Calms inflammatory bowel disease, gut permeability, and skin inflammation.
- Human evidence
- Grade D. Mouse colitis models and cell studies. No human trial.
- Risks
- Unknown in humans. Oral use has the fewest theoretical concerns of the peptides here.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; recommended for listing in July 2026. Not compoundable yet.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 250 to 500 mcg by mouth; 200 to 500 mcg by subcutaneous injection; topical creams for skin.
- Schedule
- Once or twice daily for four to eight weeks.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictPlausible mechanism, mouse data only. Wait for a human trial before paying for it.
- How it works
- A naturally occurring peptide that carries copper into cells and switches on genes involved in collagen synthesis, wound repair, and antioxidant defense.
- The claims
- Skin firmness and wrinkles (topical); hair growth; wound and tissue repair (injected).
- Human evidence
- Grade C for topical use: several small controlled cosmetic studies show improved skin thickness and fine lines. Grade D for injection: no human study.
- Risks
- Topical: mild irritation. Injection: unknown; copper loading and unverified sterility.
- Status
- Topical cosmetic use is unregulated and legal. The injectable was removed from Category 2 in April 2026 but was not among the seven peptides reviewed in July; not compoundable.
Doses people have used · As offered by clinics
- Dose
- Topical: 1 to 3% serums and creams. Injection: 1 to 2 mg subcutaneously.
- Schedule
- Topical: once or twice daily, ongoing. Injection: daily for four to six weeks in clinic protocols.
The topical evidence does not transfer to injection. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictA reasonable skin ingredient and an unreasonable injection. The name is doing a lot of work across that gap.
- How it works
- The body's own broad-spectrum antimicrobial, released by skin and immune cells; also drives wound closure and inflammation.
- The claims
- Kills bacteria and biofilms, heals chronic wounds, treats chronic infections.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. A randomized Phase 2 trial of topical LL-37 improved healing of venous leg ulcers. No human data for injection.
- Risks
- LL-37 is pro-inflammatory at high concentrations and is implicated in psoriasis and rosacea. Injected use has no safety data.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026 but not reviewed for listing in July; no pharmacy pathway.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 100 mcg by subcutaneous injection.
- Schedule
- Daily for two to four weeks. The wound trial applied it topically twice weekly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictReal wound-healing evidence for the topical form; the injected form is a guess.
Longevity is where the field's language runs furthest ahead of its data. One entry here is an approved drug for a rare disease being resold as an anti-aging agent; the others rest on mouse studies or decades-old work from a single Russian institute.
- How it works
- Encoded in mitochondrial DNA; activates AMPK, the energy sensor that exercise switches on, and improves glucose handling in muscle.
- The claims
- An "exercise mimetic": endurance, insulin sensitivity, fat loss, longevity.
- Human evidence
- Grade D. Mouse studies show improved glucose tolerance and exercise capacity. One small Phase 1 trial of a modified analog (CB4211) in humans; nothing on MOTS-c as sold.
- Risks
- Unknown in humans. Anecdotal injection-site reactions and transient fatigue.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; recommended for listing by the July 2026 committee. Not compoundable yet.
Doses people have used · As offered by clinics
- Dose
- 5 to 10 mg by subcutaneous injection.
- Schedule
- One to three times weekly for four to eight weeks.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictInteresting biology, no human evidence. The doses are invented.
Epitalon23
Epithalon, epithalamin (the extract), AEDG peptide
Synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on a pineal extract
- How it works
- Proposed to activate telomerase and normalize melatonin rhythms.
- The claims
- Telomere lengthening, sleep, life extension.
- Human evidence
- Grade D. Cell studies of telomerase activation and Russian studies from the 1990s and 2000s of the parent extract in elderly patients, without modern controls or replication.
- Risks
- Unknown. Telomerase activation is a double-edged claim: it is also how cancer cells become immortal.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; recommended for listing in July 2026. Not compoundable yet.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 5 to 10 mg by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection.
- Schedule
- Daily for 10 to 20 days, repeated once or twice a year. The Russian protocols used 10 mg for 10 days.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe evidence is old, thin, and from one source. Treat the life-extension claim as marketing.
- How it works
- Binds cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane, stabilizing the electron transport chain and reducing oxidative damage.
- The claims
- Mitochondrial repair, heart and muscle function, healthy aging.
- Human evidence
- Grade A for one rare disease: approved in September 2025 for Barth syndrome, a genetic cardiomyopathy, on muscle-strength and functional endpoints. Trials in heart failure, mitochondrial myopathy, and macular degeneration have been mixed or negative.
- Risks
- Injection-site reactions were near-universal in trials. Long-term data limited to small rare-disease populations.
- Status
- Approved for Barth syndrome only. Products sold as SS-31 are research chemicals; compounding a copy of an approved drug is not permitted outside a documented need.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 40 mg daily by subcutaneous injection (Barth syndrome).
- Schedule
- Once daily. Community "SS-31" use reports 5 to 10 mg daily or several times weekly, with no basis.
Reported use, not a recommendation.
VerdictA real drug for a rare disease, being resold as a longevity peptide on the strength of the word mitochondria.
- How it works
- Enhances T-cell maturation and dendritic-cell function; the body's own signal for immune competence.
- The claims
- Immune support, infection resistance, cancer adjunct, long COVID.
- Human evidence
- Grade B abroad: approved in more than thirty countries for hepatitis B and as a vaccine adjuvant, with randomized trials in hepatitis, sepsis, and some cancers. Never approved in the United States; wellness claims are untested.
- Risks
- Injection-site reactions; otherwise well tolerated in trials.
- Status
- Not FDA-approved. Its compounding status has been contested since FDA declined to add it to the 503A list; not lawfully compoundable as of this edition.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 1.6 mg by subcutaneous injection (foreign label).
- Schedule
- Twice weekly for six to twelve months in hepatitis B. Clinics use 1.5 to 3 mg two or three times weekly for shorter courses.
Label is non-US (Zadaxin).
VerdictThe best-studied peptide on this page, for indications almost nobody buying it has.
Most nootropic peptides trace back to Soviet-era institutes, where several were approved on trials that would not pass Western review. Nasal delivery is the norm, which at least avoids injecting an unverified product.
- How it works
- Modeled on a fragment of ACTH; raises brain-derived neurotrophic factor and modulates attention and stress circuits without hormonal effects.
- The claims
- Focus, memory, resilience to stress, stroke recovery.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Approved in Russia since the 1990s for stroke and cognitive impairment on local trials; no Western randomized trial.
- Risks
- Nasal irritation, headache, restlessness; hair loss reported anecdotally with heavy use. No long-term data.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; recommended for listing by the July 2026 committee. Not compoundable yet.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 0.1% nasal solution, one to two drops per nostril (about 200 to 600 mcg per day); 1% solution for stroke.
- Schedule
- Two or three times daily for up to two weeks, then a break. Community use extends this to daily use for months.
Label is Russian; not an FDA label.
VerdictThe nootropic peptide with the most human use, all of it outside Western evidence standards.
- How it works
- Modeled on the immune peptide tuftsin; modulates GABA signaling and enkephalin breakdown.
- The claims
- Anxiety relief without sedation, focus, immune modulation.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Russian approval for anxiety on small local trials; no Western trial.
- Risks
- Mild; fatigue and nasal irritation reported. Long-term effects unknown.
- Status
- Not reviewed by FDA; no pharmacy pathway in the United States.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 0.15% nasal solution, one to two drops per nostril (about 250 to 750 mcg per day).
- Schedule
- Two or three times daily for two weeks.
Label is Russian.
VerdictGentle by report and unproven by Western standards. The safest entry in this chapter, which is not the same as effective.
Dihexa27
N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6) aminohexanoic amide; PNB-0408
Angiotensin IV analog (hepatocyte growth factor system)
- How it works
- Binds the hepatocyte growth factor system and, in animals, drives synapse formation in memory circuits with unusual potency.
- The claims
- Memory, cognition, recovery from brain injury.
- Human evidence
- Grade D. Rat studies from one laboratory showing reversal of experimental memory deficits. No human data of any kind.
- Risks
- Unknown, and the concern is real: the same growth-factor system drives tumor growth, and the molecule is orders of magnitude more potent than the natural ligand.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026 but not reviewed for listing; research chemical only.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 8 to 20 mg by mouth or applied to the skin.
- Schedule
- Daily for two to four weeks, cycled. None of it measured in a human.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe entry in this guide with the largest ratio of potency to safety data. Not a candidate for self-experimentation.
- How it works
- Isolated from rabbit brain in the 1970s; proposed to promote slow-wave sleep and modulate stress hormones.
- The claims
- Deeper sleep, stress reduction, pain relief.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Small human studies from the 1980s and 1990s, intravenous and mostly inconclusive. Nothing modern.
- Risks
- Unknown in modern use; drowsiness and headache reported.
- Status
- Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; the July 2026 advisory committee voted against adding it to the 503A list.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 100 to 200 mcg by subcutaneous injection.
- Schedule
- At bedtime, nightly or several times weekly. The old trials used intravenous doses by body weight.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictThe one peptide the FDA committee rejected outright this year. There are better-studied ways to sleep.
Two melanocortin peptides, one approved and one notorious, plus a note on the cosmetic peptides that appear in serums and do not need a syringe.
- How it works
- Activates melanocortin receptors in the brain involved in sexual arousal; a cousin of melanotan II with its tanning activity minimized.
- The claims
- Increased sexual desire and arousal in women and men.
- Human evidence
- Grade A for one use: approved in 2019 for low sexual desire in premenopausal women, on two randomized trials showing a modest increase in desire scores. Off-label use in men and in erectile dysfunction rests on small early studies.
- Risks
- Nausea in about 40% of users, flushing, headache, injection-site reactions; a transient rise in blood pressure, so not for uncontrolled hypertension or heart disease. Darkening of skin and gums with repeated use.
- Status
- Approved 2019. Compounded PT-141 sold outside a patient-specific need is a copy of an approved drug.
Doses people have used · From the FDA label
- Dose
- 1.75 mg by subcutaneous autoinjector.
- Schedule
- As needed, at least 45 minutes before sexual activity. No more than one dose in 24 hours or eight doses a month.
Reported use, not a recommendation.
VerdictAn approved drug with a modest effect and a lot of nausea. The compounded version is the same molecule with less certainty about what is in it.
- How it works
- Activates melanocortin receptors broadly: pigment cells (tanning), brain arousal circuits (libido), and appetite circuits.
- The claims
- Tanning without sun, libido, appetite suppression.
- Human evidence
- Grade C. Early-phase trials in the 1990s confirmed tanning and erections and were abandoned; bremelanotide was developed from it. No modern trial.
- Risks
- Nausea, flushing, spontaneous erections and priapism, new and darkening moles. Case reports of melanoma arising during use. Sold only as an unregulated injectable, with the sterility and purity problems that implies.
- Status
- Never approved anywhere. Removed from Category 2 in April 2026 but not reviewed for listing; illegal to sell for human use in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Doses people have used · Community reports
- Dose
- 0.25 to 0.5 mg by subcutaneous injection to start, rising to 1 mg.
- Schedule
- Daily during a "loading" phase of one to two weeks, then 0.5 to 1 mg once or twice weekly to maintain. Sun exposure is used to develop the tan.
Reported use, not a recommendation. Nothing below an FDA label has been validated in a dose-finding trial.
VerdictWorks as advertised, which is the problem: a tanning injection with melanoma case reports and no manufacturer.
Cosmetic peptides in serums
Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8), Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4), and topical GHK-Cu are regulated as cosmetics, applied to the skin, and supported by small controlled studies showing modest improvement in fine lines over weeks of daily use. They cannot penetrate deeply enough to matter beyond the surface, which is also why they are safe. They are the only peptides in this guide that need no discussion of syringes.
Research-chemical vendors rarely sell one peptide any more. They sell a Wolverine, a GLOW, a KLOW: two to four peptides bundled under a brand name, often pre-mixed in a single vial. This chapter reviews the fifteen most common bundles against one test, and the test has four parts.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does each component work on its own for the stated goal? | A stack of two grade-D peptides is still grade D. Bundling does not add evidence. |
| Do the components do different things? | Most stacks pair two peptides with the same mechanism (redundant) or with nothing in common (unrelated). Genuine complementarity is rare. |
| Has anyone studied the combination in people? | For every bundle below, no. The one combination with a trial program, cagrilintide with semaglutide, is a pharmaceutical product, not a vendor bundle. |
| Is the added risk justified? | Stacks multiply the dosing arithmetic, hide which component caused a side effect, and add cost. Pre-mixed vials add a problem of their own. |
The blend vial
A pre-mixed vial fixes the ratio between peptides, so you cannot lower one without lowering all of them, and you cannot stop one to see whether it was causing the nausea. The stated milligrams per vial are split among the components in proportions the label may or may not state. And nobody has tested whether three or four peptides remain stable and intact mixed together in bacteriostatic water for weeks. The blend is the vendor's invention, and it is bad pharmacology by construction.
- BPC-157Gastric pentadecapeptide; rodent tendon and gut healingGrade C
- TB-500Thymosin beta-4 fragment; cell migration and vessel growthGrade D
- The pitch
- Faster healing of tendons, ligaments, muscle, and nerve; the original and most popular recovery stack.
- Rationale
- Both peptides are proposed to work through new blood-vessel growth and cell migration into injured tissue. Vendors describe them as complementary (BPC-157 for gut and tendon, TB-500 for muscle); the animal literature does not support a division of labor.
- Combination evidence
- None. One of the three human BPC-157 reports used thymosin beta-4 in some knee injections, without a comparison group.
- Risks
- Unknown for both; both promote blood-vessel growth, a concern with any cancer history. Both banned by WADA.
- Status
- Both components were recommended for the 503A list by FDA's advisory committee in July 2026; neither is listed yet. All product sold today is research chemical.
As sold · Community reports
BPC-157 250 to 500 mcg daily plus TB-500 2 to 2.5 mg twice weekly for four to six weeks, then TB-500 weekly. Blend vials typically contain 10 mg of each, dosed at 250 to 500 mcg of the blend daily, which delivers only 250 to 500 mcg of TB-500 per day, a fraction of the usual protocol.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictThe least bad stack, which is faint praise: two unproven peptides doing roughly the same unproven thing, at a blend ratio that under-doses one of them by the vendors' own protocols.
- GHK-Cu (injected)Copper tripeptide; collagen and repair genesGrade D
- BPC-157Healing peptideGrade C
- TB-500Healing peptideGrade D
- The pitch
- Healing plus skin: a Wolverine for people who also want the glow.
- Rationale
- GHK-Cu's human evidence is entirely topical. Injecting it to reach the skin has no data and no clear rationale; the two healing peptides are the same redundant pair as above.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Systemic copper loading from daily injected GHK-Cu, on top of the unknowns of the other two. Blend stability untested.
- Status
- Injectable GHK-Cu was removed from Category 2 in April 2026 and is on FDA's advisory agenda before February 2027; not compoundable. The blend has no pharmacy pathway regardless.
As sold · Community reports
Sold as a 70 mg blend vial, typically 50 mg GHK-Cu with 10 mg each of BPC-157 and TB-500, dosed at 500 mcg to 1 mg of blend daily for four to eight weeks. GHK-Cu dominates the vial by weight, so the daily dose of each healing peptide is around 70 to 140 mcg.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictA skincare ingredient injected in bulk, with the healing peptides diluted to token doses. The name is the product.
- KPVAnti-inflammatory tripeptide; mouse colitis dataGrade D
- GHK-Cu (injected)Copper tripeptideGrade D
- BPC-157Healing peptideGrade C
- TB-500Healing peptideGrade D
- The pitch
- Everything at once: healing, skin, and gut inflammation.
- Rationale
- Four peptides with four different proposed targets, none demonstrated in humans, combined because they were already in the catalog.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- The blend-vial problem at its worst: four ingredients, one syringe, no way to isolate a reaction. Stability of the mixture untested.
- Status
- KPV, BPC-157, and TB-500 were recommended for the 503A list in July 2026; injectable GHK-Cu is pending review. None is listed; the blend has no pathway.
As sold · Community reports
An 80 mg blend vial (GLOW plus 10 mg KPV), dosed at 500 mcg to 1 mg daily. Each of the three minor components lands at roughly 60 to 125 mcg per day.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictThe clearest example of a stack designed by inventory rather than pharmacology. Skip.
- CJC-1295 (no DAC)GHRH analog; tells the pituitary to release growth hormoneGrade C
- IpamorelinGhrelin-receptor agonist; amplifies the pulseGrade C
- The pitch
- Bigger growth hormone pulses than either alone, for muscle, fat loss, sleep, and recovery.
- Rationale
- This one is real physiology: GHRH analogs and ghrelin-receptor agonists act on different pituitary pathways, and combining them produces a larger growth hormone pulse than either alone in short-term studies of the class.
- Combination evidence
- Hormone-level studies only, in small groups over days. No trial has measured muscle, fat, or any outcome from the combination, and ipamorelin's own development program was abandoned after a failed Phase 2.
- Risks
- Water retention, tingling, flushing, raised IGF-1 and glucose. FDA's stated concern for both is impurities and immunogenicity in compounded product. A 2006 CJC-1295 trial was halted after a participant death, never attributed.
- Status
- Neither is nominated, listed, or under review for compounding (both nominations withdrawn; ipamorelin stays in Category 2 for outsourcing facilities). Pharmacies may not compound either; every clinic offering the stack is sourcing outside the law.
As sold · As offered by clinics
100 to 300 mcg of each, injected together at bedtime, five days on and two off, for 8 to 12 weeks. Blend vials of 5 mg plus 5 mg, or 10 plus 10, dosed at 200 to 600 mcg of blend nightly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictThe one stack with a genuine mechanism for combining, and no evidence that the bigger pulse does anything for you. Also the one stack FDA explicitly forbids pharmacies to make.
- TesamorelinApproved GHRH analog; visceral fat in HIV lipodystrophyGrade A
- IpamorelinGhrelin-receptor agonistGrade C
- The pitch
- The "clinically proven" fat-loss stack.
- Rationale
- Same GHRH-plus-secretagogue logic as above, with an approved GHRH analog in place of CJC-1295.
- Combination evidence
- None. The Phase 3 evidence is tesamorelin alone, in people with HIV-related abdominal fat, for a 15% reduction in visceral fat. Adding ipamorelin has never been studied, and "clinically proven" in the marketing refers to a trial the buyer was not in.
- Risks
- Joint pain, swelling, tingling, and raised glucose from tesamorelin; ipamorelin's unknowns on top. Not for active cancer.
- Status
- Tesamorelin is approved (Egrifta), and off-label prescribing is legal; compounded copies are not. Ipamorelin may not be compounded (nomination withdrawn; Category 2 for outsourcing facilities). The stack as sold combines a copied approved drug with a forbidden one.
As sold · As offered by clinics
Tesamorelin 1 to 2 mg plus ipamorelin 200 to 300 mcg, injected at bedtime, five to seven nights a week, for 12 weeks or more.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictBorrowed credibility. The approved half has a real effect in a population most buyers are not in; the other half adds nothing shown.
- AOD-9604Growth hormone fragment; failed human obesity trialsGrade C
- Tesamorelin or MOTS-cGHRH analog, or a mitochondrial peptide with mouse dataGrade D
- The pitch
- Targeted fat loss without growth hormone's side effects.
- Rationale
- AOD-9604 is the anchor, and it showed no meaningful weight loss in randomized trials of its own. Pairing it with something else does not revive it. 5-amino-1MQ, often included, is not a peptide and has no human data.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Low from AOD-9604 itself in trials; the unknowns of research-chemical sourcing apply.
- Status
- AOD-9604 may not be compounded (its nomination was withdrawn, with nothing pending). MOTS-c is under review; tesamorelin copies are not permitted.
As sold · Community reports
AOD-9604 250 to 300 mcg daily, with tesamorelin 1 mg nightly or MOTS-c 5 to 10 mg weekly, for 8 to 12 weeks.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictA drug that failed, sold in a bundle so the failure is harder to notice. The approved GLP-1 drugs exist; use one.
- RetatrutideTriple GIP/GLP-1/glucagon agonist; Phase 3Grade B
- CagrilintideAmylin analog; Phase 3 in combination with semaglutideGrade B
- The pitch
- The largest weight loss possible: the strongest incretin drug plus an amylin analog.
- Rationale
- Pharmacologically sound. Amylin and incretin signals act through different pathways, and a company is running exactly this logic as a product (cagrilintide with semaglutide). Retatrutide with cagrilintide has never been combined in any trial.
- Combination evidence
- None for this pair. Each has Phase 3 data alone; both are research chemicals when sold together.
- Risks
- Additive nausea, vomiting, and gastric slowing; retatrutide's heart-rate rise; both sourced with no pharmacy, no identity or potency testing, and dosing in milligrams from unverified vials. FDA has told pharmacies retatrutide may not be compounded and has issued warning letters to sellers.
- Status
- Neither is approved. Retatrutide is explicitly barred from compounding; cagrilintide is under FDA review only as part of an approved-drug application.
As sold · Community reports
Retatrutide escalated from 2 mg toward 8 to 12 mg weekly, with cagrilintide added at 0.25 mg and escalated toward 2.4 mg weekly. Vendors sell them as separate vials, sometimes as a blend.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictThe only stack with a rationale a pharmacologist would sign, executed with two unregulated vials of the two most potent molecules in this guide. Sound idea, dangerous product, and the approved version of the idea is arriving.
- Semaglutide or tirzepatideApproved incretin drugGrade A
- BPC-157Healing peptide with rodent gut dataGrade C
- The pitch
- Fewer digestive side effects from the GLP-1 drug, and protection of the gut lining.
- Rationale
- GLP-1 side effects come from slowed stomach emptying and brain signaling, not from gut injury. Nothing in BPC-157's rodent work addresses that mechanism.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Adds an unregulated peptide to an approved drug that already carries a boxed warning; no interaction data.
- Status
- The incretin is approved; BPC-157 is under FDA review and not yet compoundable.
As sold · Community reports
The incretin drug at its labeled titration, with BPC-157 250 to 500 mcg daily by injection or mouth alongside.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictA solution in search of a mechanism. Slower titration and smaller meals do what this stack claims to do, for free.
Longevity bundles22,23,24
Sold as: Anti-aging stack; epitalon with MOTS-c, sometimes SS-31, humanin, or NAD+
- EpitalonPineal tetrapeptide; telomerase claimsGrade D
- MOTS-cMitochondrial peptide; mouse metabolism dataGrade D
- SS-31 or NAD+An approved rare-disease drug resold, or a non-peptideGrade D
- The pitch
- Cellular aging addressed from every angle: telomeres, mitochondria, energy metabolism.
- Rationale
- Each component targets a different aging theory, and none has human evidence for aging. Combining unrelated hypotheses does not produce a treatment.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Unknown for each. Telomerase activation and growth signaling are the biology of cancer as well as of aging.
- Status
- Epitalon and MOTS-c were recommended for the 503A list in July 2026 but are not listed. Elamipretide (SS-31) is an approved drug for Barth syndrome; copies are not permitted. NAD+ is not a peptide.
As sold · Community reports
Epitalon 5 to 10 mg daily for 10 to 20 days, once or twice a year; MOTS-c 5 to 10 mg one to three times weekly; SS-31 5 to 10 mg daily or several times weekly. Sold as separate vials.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictMarketing bundle. The word longevity is carrying three mouse studies and a rare-disease drug.
Semax with Selank26
Sold as: The cognitive stack, the nootropic pair
- SemaxACTH-fragment nootropic; Russian approval for stroke and cognitionGrade C
- SelankTuftsin-analog anxiolytic; Russian approval for anxietyGrade C
- The pitch
- Focus and drive from one, calm from the other; a balanced nootropic.
- Rationale
- Plausibly complementary by report: one stimulating, one anxiolytic, both nasal. The complementarity is anecdotal, and neither has a Western randomized trial.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Nasal irritation, headache, restlessness; no long-term data. No injection, so no sterility risk.
- Status
- Semax was recommended for the 503A list in July 2026; Selank has no US pathway. Both sold as research chemicals here.
As sold · From the FDA label
Semax 0.1% nasal, one to two drops per nostril two or three times daily (200 to 600 mcg); Selank 0.15% nasal, the same schedule (250 to 750 mcg). The Russian labels specify two-week courses; community use runs for months.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictThe least harmful stack in this chapter, and possibly the most pleasant. That is not the same as effective, and nobody has checked.
- DSIPDelta sleep-inducing peptide; inconclusive 1980s trialsGrade C
- EpitalonPineal tetrapeptide; melatonin-rhythm claimsGrade D
- The pitch
- Deeper, more restorative sleep without sedatives.
- Rationale
- Two peptides with weak, old, and separate claims, paired because both mention sleep.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Drowsiness and headache reported; otherwise unknown.
- Status
- FDA's advisory committee voted against adding DSIP to the 503A list in July 2026. Epitalon was recommended but is not listed.
As sold · Community reports
DSIP 100 to 200 mcg at bedtime, nightly or several times weekly, with epitalon 5 to 10 mg daily in 10- to 20-day courses.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictOne component the FDA panel just rejected, one with no sleep data. Skip.
- Thymosin alpha-1Thymic immunomodulator; approved abroad for hepatitis BGrade B
- LL-37Antimicrobial peptide; one topical wound trialGrade C
- KPV (optional)Anti-inflammatory tripeptide; mouse dataGrade D
- The pitch
- Immune resilience: fewer infections, faster recovery, support for chronic illness.
- Rationale
- Thymosin alpha-1 modulates T-cell function; LL-37 is a direct antimicrobial that is pro-inflammatory at high doses; KPV is anti-inflammatory. The three pull in different directions, and injected LL-37 has never been studied.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Injection-site reactions from all three; the pro-inflammatory potential of injected LL-37 is unstudied.
- Status
- Thymosin alpha-1 is not FDA-approved and its compounding status is contested; LL-37 has no pathway; KPV is under review.
As sold · As offered by clinics
Thymosin alpha-1 1.5 to 3 mg two or three times weekly; LL-37 100 mcg daily; KPV 250 to 500 mcg daily; for four to eight weeks.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictOne real drug for indications the buyer does not have, stacked with a guess and a mouse study.
- GHK-Cu (topical)Copper tripeptide; small cosmetic studiesGrade C
- PTD-DBMWnt-pathway peptide; one mouse hair-regrowth studyGrade D
- Zinc thymulinThymic peptide complexed with zinc; sparse dataGrade D
- The pitch
- Regrowth from the follicle: copper, Wnt signaling, and zinc in one topical.
- Rationale
- Three separate hypotheses applied to the scalp. Topical delivery makes the stack low-risk and also limits how deep any of it reaches.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- Scalp irritation. No systemic exposure of consequence.
- Status
- Topical cosmetic use is unregulated. None is approved for hair loss; minoxidil and finasteride are.
As sold · Community reports
Topical solutions of GHK-Cu 1 to 3% with PTD-DBM and zinc thymulin, applied to the scalp once or twice daily, often alongside microneedling.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictHarmless and unproven. If you want regrowth with evidence, the approved options are cheaper.
- Bremelanotide (PT-141)Approved melanocortin agonist for low desire in premenopausal womenGrade A
- Kisspeptin-10Reproductive-axis peptide; research use in fertilityGrade C
- The pitch
- Desire and arousal from the brain (PT-141) and the hormonal axis (kisspeptin).
- Rationale
- PT-141 acts on central arousal circuits. Kisspeptin drives the hormone cascade that releases LH and testosterone; small studies have shown effects on sexual-brain activity, none on desire in a way that adds to PT-141.
- Combination evidence
- None.
- Risks
- PT-141's nausea and blood-pressure rise; kisspeptin's are unknown outside trials.
- Status
- Bremelanotide is approved (Vyleesi); compounded copies are not permitted outside a documented need. Kisspeptin has no pathway.
As sold · Community reports
PT-141 1 to 2 mg by injection as needed before sex; kisspeptin-10 100 mcg by injection, as needed or a few times weekly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictHalf of this stack is an approved drug you can be prescribed. The other half is a fertility-clinic research tool doing nothing here.
Fertility-on-TRT bundles38,37
Sold as: Gonadorelin with kisspeptin, sometimes hCG; the testicular-support stack
- GonadorelinGnRH; keeps LH and FSH signaling alive during testosterone therapyGrade C
- Kisspeptin-10Upstream of GnRH; research useGrade C
- hCG (optional)LH mimic; approved drug with a long history in this exact useGrade A
- The pitch
- Keep testicular size, sperm production, and natural signaling while on testosterone.
- Rationale
- Gonadorelin, kisspeptin, and hCG all push the same axis at different points. hCG has decades of use for this purpose; gonadorelin became the compounded substitute when hCG compounding was restricted in 2020; kisspeptin adds a third push at the top of a chain the other two already cover.
- Combination evidence
- None for the trio. hCG alone has observational support for preserving sperm production on testosterone therapy.
- Risks
- Gonadorelin's short half-life makes twice-weekly dosing pharmacologically questionable; hCG raises estradiol; kisspeptin unknown.
- Status
- Gonadorelin is compoundable as a component of a formerly approved drug and is widely prescribed with testosterone. hCG is an approved biologic with restricted compounding. Kisspeptin has no pathway.
As sold · As offered by clinics
Gonadorelin 100 to 250 mcg by injection two or three times weekly; hCG 250 to 500 IU two or three times weekly where available; kisspeptin-10 100 mcg a few times weekly.
Reported use, not a recommendation. No combination below has been tested in a human trial.
VerdictA sensible core (hCG, or gonadorelin where hCG is unavailable) padded with a third peptide that does nothing the first two do not.
Not peptides, not covered
The same catalogs sell NAD+, 5-amino-1MQ, SLU-PP-332, tesofensine, MK-677, methylene blue, and SARMs, often inside the bundles above. None is a peptide. This guide leaves them out rather than review them badly; their absence here is not an endorsement.
| Stack | Rationale | Combination evidence | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverine | Overlapping | None | Least bad; still unproven |
| GLOW | Unrelated | None | Marketing bundle |
| KLOW | Unrelated | None | Skip |
| CJC-1295 + ipamorelin | Complementary | Hormone levels only | Real mechanism, no benefit shown, forbidden to compound |
| Tesamorelin + ipamorelin | Complementary | None | Borrowed credibility |
| Fat-loss bundles (AOD) | Unrelated | None | Skip |
| Retatrutide + cagrilintide | Complementary | None for the pair | Sound idea, dangerous product |
| GLP-1 + BPC-157 | Unrelated | None | Marketing bundle |
| Longevity bundles | Unrelated | None | Marketing bundle |
| Semax + Selank | Complementary | None | Least harmful; unproven |
| Sleep bundles | Unrelated | None | Skip |
| Immune bundles | Unrelated | None | One real drug, two guesses |
| Hair bundles (topical) | Unrelated | None | Harmless and unproven |
| Libido bundles | Unrelated | None | Half approved |
| Fertility-on-TRT | Overlapping | hCG alone only | Sensible core, padded |
Whatever the peptide, the questions are the same. A legitimate source can answer all of them in a sentence each.
- Is this peptide FDA-approved, on the 503A list, or neither? Which badge in this guide applies?
- Who prescribed it, and who made it? A licensed pharmacy has a state license number I can check.
- What is the concentration on the label, in mg/mL or mcg/mL, and will it be the same next time?
- What is my dose in micrograms or milligrams, in milliliters, and in syringe units, written down?
- Can I see a certificate of analysis for this batch showing identity, purity, and sterility?
- What is the beyond-use date once the vial is reconstituted, and how is it stored?
- What is the human evidence for my use, and which grade in this guide does it earn?
- What happens, and who is responsible, if I have a serious reaction?
- Am I subject to anti-doping rules at work or in sport?
- What proven treatment am I delaying by trying this first?
Phrases that should end the conversation
"Research use only" on a vial meant for you. "Pharmaceutical grade" with no pharmacy named. "FDA-registered facility" (registration is not approval). "Clinically proven" without a citation. "Same as Ozempic" for a product that is not.
At a glance
| Peptide | Family | Grade | Status | Dose as used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Metabolic | A | Approved | 0.25 → 2.4 mg weekly; 25 mg oral daily |
| Tirzepatide | Metabolic | A | Approved | 2.5 → 15 mg weekly |
| Retatrutide | Metabolic | B | Research chemical | 2 → 12 mg weekly (trials) |
| Liraglutide | Metabolic | A | Approved | 0.6 → 3 mg daily |
| CagriSema | Metabolic | B | Research chemical | 2.4 + 2.4 mg weekly (trials) |
| AOD-9604 | Metabolic | C | Do not compound | 250–300 mcg daily |
| Sermorelin | GH axis | C | Compoundable | 200–500 mcg nightly |
| Tesamorelin | GH axis | A | Approved | 1.28–2 mg daily |
| CJC-1295 / ipamorelin | GH axis | C | Do not compound | 100–300 mcg each nightly |
| BPC-157 | Healing | C | Under review | 200–500 mcg daily |
| TB-500 | Healing | D | Under review | 2–2.5 mg twice weekly |
| KPV | Healing | D | Under review | 250–500 mcg daily |
| GHK-Cu | Healing | C | Under review | 1–3% topical; 1–2 mg injected |
| LL-37 | Healing | C | Research chemical | 100 mcg daily |
| MOTS-c | Longevity | D | Under review | 5–10 mg 1–3× weekly |
| Epitalon | Longevity | D | Under review | 5–10 mg daily × 10–20 days |
| Elamipretide | Longevity | A | Approved (Barth) | 40 mg daily (label) |
| Thymosin alpha-1 | Immunity | B | Research chemical | 1.6 mg twice weekly |
| Semax | Brain | C | Under review | 200–600 mcg nasal daily |
| Selank | Brain | C | Research chemical | 250–750 mcg nasal daily |
| Dihexa | Brain | D | Research chemical | 8–20 mg oral daily |
| DSIP | Brain | C | Research chemical | 100–200 mcg at bedtime |
| Bremelanotide | Sexual health | A | Approved | 1.75 mg as needed |
| Melanotan II | Skin | C | Research chemical | 0.25–1 mg, then weekly |
References
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