Wellness and Longevity Peptides: evidence grades and FDA status
Wellness and longevity peptides are marketed for recovery, anti-aging, and performance. Most are not FDA approved and rest on limited human evidence; PeptideGrids grades each below so the distance between the marketing and the actual data is clear.
26 compounds graded
| Compound | Evidence | FDA status | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selank | B | Not FDA approved | Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of the endogenous immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin, developed in Russia by the |
| Semax | C | Not FDA approved | Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide derived from a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), developed in Russia primarily as |
| Ipamorelin | C | Not FDA approved | Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that stimulates GH release by acting as a selective ghrelin |
| CJC-1295 | B | Not FDA approved | CJC-1295 (with DAC) is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) engineered with a drug affinity complex |
| GHRP-2 | C | Not FDA approved | GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) is a synthetic hexapeptide GH secretagogue with a more extensive regulatory history than most peptides in |
| GHRP-6 | B | Not FDA approved | GHRP-6 (growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide-6) is a synthetic hexapeptide ghrelin mimetic that stimulates GH secretion through |
| Hexarelin | B | Not FDA approved | Hexarelin is a synthetic hexapeptide GH secretagogue studied in human trials from the early 1990s onward. A double-blind, |
| MK-677 | B | Not FDA approved | MK-677 (ibutamoren) is a non-peptide small molecule that mimics ghrelin at the GH secretagogue receptor; it is orally |
| GHK-Cu | C | Not FDA approved | GHK-Cu (glycine-histidine-lysine copper) is a naturally occurring tripeptide-copper complex found in human plasma, with |
| AOD-9604 | D | Not FDA approved | AOD-9604 is a synthetic human growth hormone fragment that was developed as an obesity treatment. The independently citable |
| MOTS-c | D | Not FDA approved | No published clinical trial of exogenously administered MOTS-c in humans exists. Human studies to date have measured naturally |
| Epitalon | C | Not FDA approved | Human intervention studies for epitalon exist but are limited to work from a single Russian research group (Khavinson and |
| Melanotan II | C | Not FDA approved | Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic melanocortin peptide sold on the gray market as an injectable tanning and libido agent. The |
| NAD+ | B | Not FDA approved | Grade B: multiple human RCTs demonstrate that oral NAD+ precursors, primarily nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide |
| DSIP | B | Not FDA approved | DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a nonapeptide isolated from rabbit brain in the 1970s; its physiological role in humans |
| PEG-MGF | D | Not FDA approved | Grade D: animal/preclinical only, no human clinical trials of exogenous PEG-MGF or unmodified MGF have been published. All |
| Follistatin | C | Not FDA approved | Grade C: human studies exist, but the evidence does not support exogenous follistatin protein injection specifically. The human |
| Cardarine | D | Not FDA approved | Cardarine (GW501516) is a synthetic PPAR-delta agonist originally developed by GlaxoSmithKline for dyslipidemia. The endurance |
| NMN | B | Not FDA approved | NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is an NAD+ precursor with a genuine human RCT evidence base, though the trials are small, |
| Pinealon | D | Not FDA approved | Pinealon (EDR tripeptide: Glu-Asp-Arg) is a synthetic peptide bioregulator developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the St. |
| Cortexin | C | Not FDA approved | Cortexin has more human trial data than most research peptides, including randomized controlled trials, but the evidence has |
| Epitalamin | D | Not FDA approved | Epitalamin is a polypeptide extract from bovine pineal tissue, studied primarily by a single research group in Russia (Khavinson |
| Cardiogen | D | Not FDA approved | Cardiogen is a short synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) developed within the Khavinson bioregulator program in Russia. The |
| Vilon | D | Not FDA approved | Vilon is a synthetic dipeptide (L-Lys-L-Glu, sometimes written KE) developed by Khavinson's group as a thymus-mimetic |
| GDF-11 | D | Not FDA approved | GDF-11 (Growth Differentiation Factor 11) has no human clinical trials involving exogenous administration; the entire |
| Carnosine | B | Not FDA approved | Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is a naturally occurring dipeptide found in muscle and brain tissue, and it has a meaningful |
Evidence grades: Grade A: Approved and proven; Grade B: Human evidence, not approved for this use; Grade C: Preliminary or limited human evidence; Grade D: Preclinical or anecdotal only. How we grade. Browse the 503B facility directory for compounding sources.