Peptides
All peptides, A to Z
By goal Fat lossMuscle growthHealing and recoveryLongevityCognition and moodSkin and hairSexual healthImmunity and gut
Beginner guides All guides What are peptides?Legal status in the USPharma vs compounded vs researchHow to read a COAReconstitution and storageMembersThe complete GLP-1 guideSide effects and red flagsHow to read peptide research
Calculators All tools Reconstitution calculatorMembersMeasurement converterMembersHalf-life visualizerCompare peptidesPeptide finderGLP-1 titration viewerMembers
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Every major peptide, graded on the evidence

Plain-language profiles of 52 peptides and peptide-adjacent compounds. Each one separates what was shown in people from what was shown in rats, states its legal status, and cites every claim.

52compounds profiled 8FDA-approved 29with human randomized trials 12animal or cell data only
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How well it has been tested in people
  1. Strong human evidence An approved drug, or tested in several large human trials. 13
  2. Some human studies Tested in at least one proper human trial. 16
  3. Early human data Only small human studies so far. 11
  4. Animal studies only Only tested in animals or cells so far. 12
Regulatory status
  • FDA-approved An FDA-approved prescription product exists for this molecule.
  • Approved outside US Approved as a medicine in another country, not by the FDA.
  • In clinical trials Being tested in human trials. Not approved anywhere yet.
  • Withdrawn Was approved at one point, since withdrawn or discontinued.
  • Research chemical Not approved for human use anywhere and no active approval path.

Search and filter every peptide

Filter by goal, class, legal status or how well each one has been tested in people. Switch to the table to compare human study counts and half-lives side by side.

52 of 52 compounds

Where each peptide actually stands

Rows are evidence grade, columns are legal status. The top left holds approved drugs tested in large trials. 25 of the 52 compounds here are research chemicals with no approval path, and 16 of those have only small human studies or animal data.

Evidence gradeFDA-approved8Approved outside US9In clinical trials9Withdrawn1Research chemical25
AApproved drug or multiple human RCTs13 compoundsFDA-approvedhCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)Melanotan-1 (afamelanotide)OxytocinPT-141 (Bremelanotide)SemaglutideSS-31 (Elamipretide)TesamorelinTirzepatideApproved outside USCerebrolysinMazdutideIn clinical trialsMK-677 (Ibutamoren)RetatrutideSurvodutideWithdrawnResearch chemical
BAt least one human randomized trial16 compoundsFDA-approvedApproved outside USDSIP (Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide)GHRP-2Thymosin Alpha-1VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide)In clinical trialsCagrilintideEloralintideWithdrawnSermorelinResearch chemicalAOD-9604ARA-290CJC-1295GHK-CuHGH Fragment 176-191IpamorelinLL-37Melanotan-2Thymulin
CSmall or open-label human studies only11 compoundsFDA-approvedApproved outside USKhavinson Peptide BioregulatorsSelankSemaxIn clinical trialsBPC-157Kisspeptin-10WithdrawnResearch chemicalEpitalonGHRP-6HexarelinNAD+PinealonSNAP-8
DAnimal or cell data only12 compoundsFDA-approvedApproved outside USIn clinical trialsMOTS-cTB-500WithdrawnResearch chemical5-Amino-1MQAHK-CuDihexaFOXO4-DRIIGF-1 LR3KPVP21 (P021)PE-22-28PEG-MGFSLU-PP-332

Start from what you want to understand

Each goal page compares the peptides studied for it, ranked by the strength of the human evidence.

Fat loss GLP-1 drugs, triple agonists, amylin analogs and the metabolic research compounds. 16compounds Muscle growth Growth hormone secretagogues, GHRH analogs and growth factors, with what was measured in people. 16compounds Healing and recovery BPC-157, TB-500 and the repair peptides, where most of the data is still in animals. 11compounds Longevity Mitochondrial peptides, senolytics, NAD+ and the bioregulators. 16compounds Cognition and mood Semax, Selank, DSIP and the nootropic peptides, plus sleep. 17compounds Skin and hair Copper peptides and topical cosmetic peptides, and what the skin trials showed. 6compounds Sexual health PT-141, kisspeptin, hCG, oxytocin and the melanocortins. 7compounds Immunity and gut Thymosin alpha-1, KPV, LL-37, VIP and the gut-lining peptides. 9compounds

The background you need before reading any peptide page

Eight guides on the questions that come up first: what peptides are, how they are regulated, where they come from and how to judge a study.

  1. 01 What are peptides? Amino-acid chains, how they differ from proteins and drugs, and why most are injected.
  2. 02 Legal status in the US FDA approval, compounding lists, research-use-only labels and WADA rules.
  3. 03 Pharma vs compounded vs research Three supply chains, three levels of quality control.
  4. 04 How to read a COA Purity, mass spec, endotoxin and what a certificate cannot tell you.
  5. 05 Reconstitution and storageMembers Bacteriostatic water, fridge vs freezer, and how fast peptides degrade.
  6. 06 The complete GLP-1 guide Semaglutide, tirzepatide and what comes next, trial by trial.
  7. 07 Side effects and red flags Which symptoms are expected and which mean stop and call a doctor.
  8. 08 How to read peptide research Rat studies, open-label trials and RCTs, and how much weight each one carries.
All peptide guides

Calculators and comparison tools

Math and lookups that come up when reading peptide research and prescriptions. None of them recommend a dose.

Reconstitution calculatorMembers Works out the concentration of a mixed vial, step by step. Open tool Measurement converterMembers Reads a volume mark as a volume and an amount, with the math shown. Open tool Half-life visualizer How long a single dose stays in circulation. Open tool Compare peptides Two or three peptides side by side on evidence and status. Open tool Peptide finder Filter by goal, evidence and legal status to a short list. Open tool GLP-1 titration viewerMembers The label escalation schedules for semaglutide and tirzepatide. Open tool
All peptide tools

A free account opens the studied-dose tables

Studied-dose tables The doses used in each published trial and on each approved label, with route, frequency, duration and a link to the source.
Saved peptides Keep a short list of the peptide profiles you are reading about and come back to them from any device.
Personal log A private notebook for what your clinician prescribed, lab results and how you felt, kept with the research you read.

Free, no card required. Sign up once and the dose tables open on every peptide page.

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Peptide research, explained when it is published

One email when a trial reads out, a label changes or the FDA acts on a peptide. Written by the same rules as this site: human evidence first, sources linked.
Frequently asked questions
What is a peptide?
A peptide is a short chain of amino acids, the same building blocks that make up proteins. Most definitions draw the line at about 50 amino acids: shorter chains are peptides, longer ones are proteins. Insulin, oxytocin and the GLP-1 drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide are all peptides. Because stomach acid and enzymes break peptide bonds, most peptide drugs are injected rather than swallowed.
Are peptides legal in the United States?
It depends on the peptide. Some are FDA-approved prescription drugs, such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic), tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) and tesamorelin (Egrifta). Many others are sold online labeled "for research use only", which means they are not approved for human use and are not made under drug manufacturing rules. Several popular ones, including BPC-157, were placed by the FDA on its list of bulk substances with significant safety concerns for compounding. Each peptide page states its status.
What do the evidence labels mean?
Strong human evidence means an approved drug or multiple randomized controlled trials in people. Some human studies means at least one human randomized trial. Early human data means only small or open-label human studies. Animal studies only means the evidence comes only from animals or cells. Most peptides discussed online for healing, longevity and cognition have early human data or animal studies only.
Why do you separate human and animal evidence?
Because results in rats often fail to repeat in people. A peptide that speeds tendon healing in a rat has shown that the mechanism is worth testing, not that it works or is safe in a person. Every peptide page lists human studies and animal or cell studies in separate columns so you can see where the evidence actually stops.
Why are the studied-dose tables only for members?
Dose numbers pulled out of context are easy to misuse. The tables record the doses used in published trials and on approved labels, each with its source, and they sit behind a free account so they are read alongside the evidence and the disclaimer rather than copied as a recommendation. Membership is free.
Sources
  1. Wang L et al. (2022). Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 7:48.
  2. Muttenthaler M et al. (2021). Trends in peptide drug discovery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 20:309-325.
  3. U.S. FDA. Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks.
  4. U.S. FDA. Drugs@FDA: FDA-approved drug products database.
  5. World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List.

This is educational information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before changing your treatment, medication, or supplement routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or managing a health condition.