Nothing on this page has been shown to slow aging or add years to a human life. A few peptides change real outcomes in people with specific diseases. Most of the anti-aging claims come from cell dishes and mice. Here each one is mapped to the part of aging it is supposed to act on, with how far its proof actually reaches.
Pulled live from the peptide database and grouped by evidence grade. Grades A to C have some human data; grade D has none. None of the human data comes from a trial of aging itself.
Researchers group the causes of aging into 12 hallmarks, from DNA damage to failing mitochondria (López-Otín, Cell, 2023). The wheel colors each hallmark by the strongest study tying a peptide to it. Amber means the peptide pushes the pathway in the direction that shortens life in animal studies.
Mitochondria make less energy and leak more damaging oxygen radicals.
Oral precursors raise blood NAD+ in trials, but a 2025 meta-analysis found no gain in muscle mass, grip or walking speed in older adults.
Read the sourceBinds cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Most randomized trials in mitochondrial disease missed their main goals; approved for Barth syndrome on open-label strength data.
Read the sourceEncoded in mitochondrial DNA. Old mice given it ran about twice as long on a treadmill.
Read the sourceIn mice, worms and flies, turning down insulin and IGF-1 signaling is one of the most repeated ways to lengthen life in the lab. In an Ecuadorian group of people who cannot respond to growth hormone, followed for 22 years, diabetes and cancer were almost absent compared with their relatives.
This is what the GH peptides do. MK-677 raised IGF-1 to young-adult levels in older adults, and fasting glucose rose while insulin sensitivity fell. A hip-fracture trial was stopped early because of heart failure cases. Each profile lists the cancer risk of years of raised IGF-1 as unknown.
None of this proves that GH peptides shorten life. It means the case that raising growth hormone slows aging runs against the animal lifespan data, and no human trial has tested it either way.
Five steps a longevity claim has to climb. Most peptides stop at cells or mice. Tap any mark to read the study behind it.
How far each peptide’s proof reaches. Only one shows a clear benefit on a clinical outcome in people, and not in healthy aging.
20% fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths in people with heart disease (SELECT); 20% fewer deaths from any cause in people with diabetes and kidney disease (FLOW). Not tested as an aging drug in healthy people.
Read the sourceThe hallmark each one is tied to, the furthest step its proof reaches, and its legal and sport status.
| Peptide | Evidence | Hallmark targeted | Furthest proof step | Status | WADA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Grade A | Nutrient sensing, Inflammation | 5. Changes a clinical outcome in people (shown) | FDA-approved (not for aging) | Not listed |
| Tesamorelin | Grade A | Nutrient sensing | 4. Moves a marker in people (shown) | FDA-approved (not for aging) | Prohibited |
| MK-677 (Ibutamoren) | Grade A | Nutrient sensing | 4. Moves a marker in people (shown) | In trials | Prohibited |
| SS-31 (Elamipretide) | Grade A | Mitochondria | 5. Changes a clinical outcome in people (mixed results) | FDA-approved (not for aging) | Not listed |
| Thymosin Alpha-1 | Grade B | Cell signaling | Tested in people, no benefit shown | Approved outside US | Not listed |
| Sermorelin | Grade B | Nutrient sensing | 4. Moves a marker in people (reported in small or uncontrolled studies) | Withdrawn | Prohibited |
| GHK-Cu | Grade B | Not mapped | 4. Moves a marker in people (mixed results) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| Thymulin | Grade B | Cell signaling, Inflammation | 5. Changes a clinical outcome in people (mixed results) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| CJC-1295 | Grade B | Nutrient sensing | 4. Moves a marker in people (shown) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| NAD+ | Grade C | DNA damage, Epigenetics, Mitochondria | 4. Moves a marker in people (shown) | Research chemical | Not listed |
| Khavinson Peptide Bioregulators | Grade C | Epigenetics | 5. Changes a clinical outcome in people (reported in small or uncontrolled studies) | Approved outside US | Prohibited |
| Epitalon | Grade C | Telomeres | 4. Moves a marker in people (reported in small or uncontrolled studies) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| Pinealon | Grade C | Epigenetics | 4. Moves a marker in people (reported in small or uncontrolled studies) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| MOTS-c | Grade D | Nutrient sensing, Mitochondria | 2. Healthier old or sick animals (shown) | In trials | Prohibited |
| FOXO4-DRI | Grade D | Senescence | 2. Healthier old or sick animals (mixed results) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
| P21 (P021) | Grade D | Stem cells | 2. Healthier old or sick animals (shown) | Research chemical | Prohibited |
Comparing two or three in detail? Open the compare tool.
The claims you will see most often, next to what the cited study actually found.
"Epitalon extends lifespan."
What was foundIn 108 mice, average lifespan did not change. Only the longest-lived 10% lived longer. There is no human lifespan data.
See the full profile"Epitalon lengthens your telomeres."
What was foundIt lengthened telomeres in cultured cells, including breast cancer cell lines in a 2025 study. Nobody has measured telomeres in a living person taking it.
See the full profile"FOXO4-DRI reverses aging."
What was foundOld mice grew back fur and had better kidney function. In other mouse studies, clearing senescent cells raised lung blood pressure. It has never been given to a person.
See the full profile"MOTS-c is exercise in a vial."
What was foundOld mice ran about twice as long. Their lifespan gain was not statistically significant. No human dosing trial has been published in a journal.
See the full profile"An NAD+ drip recharges your cells."
What was foundIn 8 men given an NAD+ infusion over 6 hours, blood NAD+ did not rise for the first 2 hours because it was cleared as fast as it went in. No controlled outcome trial exists.
See the full profile"GH peptides restore youth."
What was foundMK-677 raised IGF-1 to young-adult levels and added lean mass in older adults, with no gain in strength or function, higher fasting glucose, and a trial stopped early for heart failure.
See the full profile"Thymus peptides rejuvenate the immune system."
What was foundThe largest thymosin alpha-1 trial, 1,106 people with sepsis, found no fewer deaths. No trial has tested it in healthy older adults.
See the full profile"Bioregulators halve death rates."
What was foundThat figure comes from one cohort of 266 older people, not randomized or blinded, run by the developers, using tissue extracts rather than the synthetic peptides sold now.
See the full profileEach peptide profile has a table of the doses used in published trials and on approved labels, with route, duration and source. They open with a free account. They record what researchers gave, not what anyone should take.
Create a free accountLooking for the broader picture beyond peptides? The Staate longevity hub covers sleep, training, labs and supplements.
One email when a longevity trial reads out or a regulator acts on a peptide. We read the study, not the press release, and say whether it was done in mice or people.
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.
Staate does not sell peptides and does not link to sellers. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use any compound. Evidence reviewed October 2026.