Peptide Guides

BPC-157 is an experimental peptide studied mostly in animal and laboratory models for tissue repair, tendon healing, wound healing, and gut protection. It is not FDA-approved and has limited human safety data.

Tirzepatide is a once-weekly injectable GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist approved under different brand names for type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management, and obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved under different brand names for type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction, and other specific indications.

Bremelanotide is a melanocortin receptor agonist sold as Vyleesi, an FDA-approved prescription injection for acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.

Retatrutide is an investigational once-weekly triple hormone receptor agonist from Eli Lilly that activates GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors. It is being studied for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related metabolic conditions, but it is not FDA-approved.

Sermorelin is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone analog that stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. It was previously FDA-approved as Geref but is now discontinued, and it is prohibited in competitive sport.

CJC-1295 is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone analog designed to stimulate growth hormone and IGF-1. It is not FDA-approved, has limited human evidence, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

Tesamorelin is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone analog sold as Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR. It is FDA-approved to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy, but it is not a general weight-loss medication and is prohibited in sport.

GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide studied for skin repair, wound healing, collagen remodeling, antioxidant effects, and tissue regeneration. It is commonly used in topical cosmetic products, but injectable GHK-Cu is not FDA-approved and carries regulatory and safety concerns.

TB-500 is commonly described as a synthetic peptide fragment related to thymosin beta-4 and is marketed for injury recovery, wound healing, and tissue repair. It is not FDA-approved, lacks strong human clinical evidence, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that mimics ghrelin and stimulates growth hormone release. It is not FDA-approved, has limited human evidence, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog being developed for weight management, including in combination with semaglutide as CagriSema. It has human clinical evidence for weight loss but is not FDA-approved as a standalone medication.

Survodutide is an investigational once-weekly dual glucagon/GLP-1 receptor agonist being developed by Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma for obesity, overweight, and MASH. It has promising human clinical evidence but is not FDA-approved.

AOD-9604 is a modified fragment of human growth hormone studied for fat metabolism and obesity. It is not FDA-approved, human weight-loss evidence is weak, FDA flags compounded AOD-9604 as a safety-risk concern, and WADA prohibits it in sport.

Argireline, also known as acetyl hexapeptide-8, is a topical cosmetic peptide marketed for expression lines and wrinkles. It has some human cosmetic evidence, but it is not Botox and is not an FDA-approved injectable drug.

Dihexa is an experimental angiotensin IV-derived compound studied mostly in animal and laboratory models for cognition, synaptogenesis, and HGF/c-Met signaling. It is not FDA-approved and lacks human clinical evidence.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide studied for telomerase activity, telomere biology, pineal function, circadian regulation, and longevity-related mechanisms. It is not FDA-approved, and strong independent human evidence for anti-aging or lifespan extension is lacking.

Exenatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist sold under brands including Byetta and Bydureon BCise for type 2 diabetes. It improves blood sugar control, may support modest weight loss, but is not FDA-approved for obesity or Parkinson’s disease.

GHRP-2, also called pralmorelin, is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptide that stimulates growth hormone release through ghrelin receptor signaling. It is not FDA-approved in the U.S., has limited clinical-outcome evidence, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

GHRP-6 is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptide that stimulates growth hormone release through ghrelin receptor signaling. It is not FDA-approved, has limited clinical-outcome evidence, may increase appetite, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

Gonadorelin is synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone, also called GnRH. It stimulates pituitary release of LH and FSH and has historical use in fertility, ovulation induction, and pituitary-gonadal axis testing, but major U.S. human products are discontinued and it is prohibited in sport for males.

Hexarelin, also called examorelin, is a synthetic growth hormone secretagogue related to GHRP-6. It stimulates growth hormone release through ghrelin receptor signaling, but it is not FDA-approved, has limited clinical-outcome evidence, and is prohibited in competitive sport.

IGF-1 DES is a truncated analog of insulin-like growth factor-1 that lacks the first three amino acids of full IGF-1. It is studied mostly in cell, animal, and mechanistic models, is not FDA-approved, and is prohibited in sport as an IGF-1 analogue.

IGF-1 LR3, also called Long R3 IGF-1, is a modified analog of insulin-like growth factor-1 designed to have reduced binding to IGF-binding proteins and longer activity. It is not FDA-approved, lacks strong human clinical evidence for bodybuilding or recovery, and is prohibited in sport.

Kisspeptin-10 is a synthetic 10-amino-acid kisspeptin fragment that stimulates GnRH signaling upstream of LH and FSH. It has human evidence for reproductive-hormone stimulation, but it is not FDA-approved and is prohibited in sport for males.

Liraglutide is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist sold under brands including Victoza and Saxenda. It is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management under specific products and doses.

Lixisenatide is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Adlyxin for adults with type 2 diabetes. It improves glycemic control, especially post-meal glucose, but is not FDA-approved for obesity, bodybuilding, or anti-aging.

Matrixyl is a cosmetic peptide trade-name family used in topical anti-aging products. It is most commonly associated with palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, while Matrixyl 3000 combines palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. Evidence supports modest wrinkle-appearance improvement, not medical anti-aging claims.

MGF, or mechano growth factor, is an IGF-1 splice-variant-related growth-factor peptide studied mostly in cell, animal, and mechanistic models for muscle repair, satellite-cell activation, neuroprotection, and cardiac injury. It is not FDA-approved and is prohibited in sport.

Mod GRF 1-29 is a modified growth hormone-releasing hormone analog often described as CJC-1295 without DAC. It stimulates growth hormone release through GHRH receptor signaling, but it is not FDA-approved and is prohibited in sport.

MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied for metabolic regulation, insulin sensitivity, AMPK signaling, inflammation, and exercise-like effects. It is not FDA-approved, lacks strong human clinical outcome evidence, and is prohibited in sport.

PEG-MGF is a pegylated synthetic version of mechano growth factor, an IGF-1 splice-variant-related growth-factor peptide. It is marketed for muscle repair and recovery, but strong human clinical evidence is lacking, it is not FDA-approved, and it is prohibited in sport.

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide related to tuftsin and studied mainly for anxiety, stress response, cognition, immune modulation, and neuropeptide metabolism. It is not FDA-approved in the U.S. and has limited human evidence compared with standard anxiety treatments.

Semax is a synthetic ACTH(4-10)-derived heptapeptide studied mainly for neuroprotection, ischemic stroke, cognition, BDNF-related signaling, and gene-expression effects. It is not FDA-approved in the U.S. and has limited human evidence compared with standard neurological treatments.

Thymalfasin, also called thymosin alpha-1 or Tα1, is a synthetic immune-modulating peptide originally derived from thymic peptide biology. It has international clinical use, especially under Zadaxin, but is not FDA-approved in the United States.

Mazdutide is a once-weekly dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly. It is approved in China for chronic weight management and type 2 diabetes glycemic control, but it is not FDA-approved in the United States.

Pemvidutide is an investigational once-weekly dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist developed by Altimmune for MASH, obesity, alcohol use disorder, and alcohol-associated liver disease. It is not FDA-approved, but it has FDA Fast Track designation for MASH and AUD and Breakthrough Therapy designation for MASH.

Amycretin is an investigational single-molecule GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist developed by Novo Nordisk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is not FDA-approved, but early clinical data show strong weight-loss signals for both injectable and oral forms.

Melanotan II is an unapproved synthetic melanocortin peptide that stimulates melanin production and can darken skin. It is not FDA-approved, is commonly sold through unsafe gray-market tanning products, and carries serious safety concerns including nausea, flushing, spontaneous erections, mole changes, melanoma-related reports, and product-quality risks.

KPV is a short tripeptide, Lys-Pro-Val, derived from the C-terminal sequence of alpha-MSH. It is studied for anti-inflammatory, gut-barrier, antimicrobial, and wound-healing effects, but it is not FDA-approved and lacks strong human clinical evidence.

DSIP, or delta sleep-inducing peptide, is a 9-amino-acid neuropeptide studied for sleep, insomnia, stress, pain, and neuroendocrine effects. Human sleep evidence is old and mixed, DSIP is not FDA-approved, and online research-use DSIP products carry major quality and safety uncertainty.

LL-37 is the only human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, a 37-amino-acid host-defense peptide involved in antimicrobial activity, immune signaling, inflammation, wound healing, and barrier defense. It is not FDA-approved and lacks strong human therapeutic evidence.

Thymosin Beta-4 is a naturally occurring 43-amino-acid actin-binding peptide involved in cell migration, angiogenesis, wound repair, inflammation, and tissue-regeneration biology. It is not FDA-approved and is prohibited in sport.

Dapiglutide is an investigational long-acting dual GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptor agonist developed by Zealand Pharma. It is being studied for obesity, weight reduction, gut-barrier biology, and low-grade inflammation, but it is not FDA-approved and its development is currently paused.

Elamipretide is a mitochondrial cardiolipin-binding peptide approved by the FDA under accelerated approval as Forzinity to improve muscle strength in adult and pediatric Barth syndrome patients weighing at least 30 kg. Broader mitochondrial, anti-aging, fatigue, and performance claims remain unapproved.

Humanin is a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied for cytoprotection, neuroprotection, metabolism, insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular biology, aging, and mitochondrial stress response. It is not FDA-approved and lacks strong human therapeutic evidence.

Oxytocin is a 9-amino-acid peptide hormone FDA-approved as an injection for specific obstetric uses, including medically indicated labor induction/stimulation and postpartum bleeding control. Intranasal and wellness uses remain unapproved with mixed evidence.

Adipotide is an experimental proapoptotic peptidomimetic designed to target blood vessels supplying white adipose tissue. It caused weight loss in obese animal models, including rhesus monkeys, but it is not FDA-approved and has no established human therapeutic use.

Dulaglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Trulicity. It is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older and to reduce major cardiovascular events in certain adults with type 2 diabetes, but it is not FDA-approved as a weight-loss drug.

Albiglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist formerly sold as Tanzeum in the U.S. and Eperzan in Europe for adults with type 2 diabetes. It was FDA-approved but commercially discontinued and is no longer available in the U.S.

Ecnoglutide is a once-weekly cAMP-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Sciwind Biosciences. It is approved in China for adult type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults with overweight or obesity, but it is not FDA-approved in the United States.

Follistatin-344, also called FST-344 or FS344, is a follistatin gene/transcript form studied mostly through gene-transfer research for muscle disorders. It inhibits myostatin and activin signaling, is not FDA-approved, and is prohibited in sport.

ACE-031 is an investigational soluble activin receptor type IIB fusion protein that inhibits myostatin and related TGF-beta ligands. It increased lean mass in early studies but is not FDA-approved, development was stopped after safety concerns, and it is prohibited in sport.

P21, more accurately called P021 or Peptide 021 in the scientific literature, is a CNTF-derived neurotrophic peptide mimetic studied in animal models of Alzheimer disease, Down syndrome, cognitive aging, and neurodevelopment. It is not FDA-approved and has no established human clinical evidence.

PNC-27 is an experimental p53-derived anticancer peptide studied for selective cancer-cell killing through membrane HDM-2 binding and pore formation. It is not FDA-approved and has no established human clinical evidence as a cancer treatment.

VIP, or vasoactive intestinal peptide, is a naturally occurring 28-amino-acid neuropeptide involved in vasodilation, lung biology, gut function, immune modulation, inflammation, and neuroendocrine signaling. Synthetic VIP is called aviptadil. It is not FDA-approved as a standalone therapeutic drug in the U.S.

Cerebrolysin is a porcine brain-derived mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and amino acids studied for stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and neurorecovery. It is used in many countries but is not FDA-approved in the United States.

Glutathione is an endogenous tripeptide antioxidant made from glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It is central to redox balance, detoxification chemistry, immune function, and cellular protection. Oral and liposomal glutathione can raise body glutathione levels in some studies, but IV/injectable glutathione is not FDA-approved for wellness, detox, skin lightening, anti-aging, or athletic recovery.