The neutral peptide reference

Understand peptides. Skip the hype.

Plain-language explainers and cited deep dives on peptides — what they are, how they are used, dosing reported in the literature, safety, and legal status. Informational only; work with a qualified pharmacist or doctor. No products sold.

Evidence honestly rated Cited to primary research No products sold

Guides

Metabolic & Weight

AOD-9604

A neutral explainer on AOD-9604 — a fragment of human growth hormone once studied as an anti-obesity drug. What it is, how it may work, what the human and animal evidence actually shows, dosing, safety, and regulatory status.
Not FDA-approved
Healing & Recovery

ARA-290

A neutral explainer on ARA-290 (cibinetide) — an investigational peptide derived from erythropoietin, studied for neuropathic pain and sarcoidosis, what the evidence shows, dosing in trials, safety, and legal status.
Investigational
Healing & Recovery

B7-33

A neutral explainer on B7-33 — an experimental single-chain relaxin analogue studied for anti-fibrotic effects, what the (very early) evidence shows, dosing context, safety, and legal status.
Experimental
Healing & Recovery

BPC-157

A neutral explainer on BPC-157 — what it is, how it may work, what the human and animal evidence actually shows, dosing reported in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Metabolic & Weight

Cagrilintide

A neutral explainer on cagrilintide — an investigational long-acting amylin analog studied for weight management, often alongside semaglutide. What it is, how it may work, the early human evidence, dosing, safety, and regulatory status.
Investigational — not FDA-approved
Growth Hormone

CJC-1295

A neutral explainer on CJC-1295 — a long-acting growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogue. The difference between the "with DAC" and "without DAC (Mod GRF 1-29)" versions, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Cosmetic & Skin

Collagen Peptides

A neutral explainer on collagen peptides — a mainstream dietary supplement (not a drug) made from hydrolysed collagen, what the evidence shows for skin and joints, typical intake, safety, and regulatory status.
Dietary supplement
Sleep & Recovery

DSIP

A neutral explainer on DSIP — the delta sleep-inducing peptide. What it is, how it may work, what the limited and inconsistent evidence shows, dosing, safety and its research-only status.
Not FDA-approved
Longevity & Research

Epitalon

A neutral explainer on Epitalon (Epithalon) — what it is, the theory behind its longevity claims, what the limited evidence actually shows, dosing reported in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Longevity & Research

FOXO4-DRI

A neutral explainer on FOXO4-DRI — an experimental senolytic peptide that has only been studied in mice, what the preclinical evidence shows, why there is no human data, safety, and legal status.
Experimental
Longevity & Research

GDF-11

A neutral explainer on GDF-11 — a TGF-beta family growth factor at the center of contested "anti-aging" research. What it is, how it may work, the conflicting animal evidence, the absence of human trials, safety, and regulatory status.
Not FDA-approved
Cosmetic & Skin

GHK-Cu

A neutral explainer on GHK-Cu — the copper-binding peptide used in skincare. What it is, how it works, what topical evidence shows, and safety.
Cosmetic / topical
Growth Hormone

GHRP-2

A neutral explainer on GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) — a growth-hormone-releasing peptide. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth Hormone

GHRP-6

A neutral explainer on GHRP-6 — a growth-hormone-releasing peptide best known for strong appetite stimulation. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth Hormone

Hexarelin

A neutral explainer on Hexarelin — a potent growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP). What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth & Muscle

IGF-1 DES

A neutral explainer on IGF-1 DES (DES(1-3) IGF-1) — a truncated, highly potent but short-acting IGF-1 analogue used as a research and performance compound. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth & Muscle

IGF-1 LR3

A neutral explainer on IGF-1 LR3 (Long R3 IGF-1) — a modified, long-acting analogue of insulin-like growth factor 1 used as a research and performance compound. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth-Hormone Secretagogues

Ipamorelin

A neutral explainer on Ipamorelin — a selective growth-hormone-releasing peptide. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Healing & Recovery

KPV

A neutral explainer on KPV — what it is as a fragment of alpha-MSH, its anti-inflammatory and gut-related research, what the evidence shows, dosing in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Immune

LL-37

A neutral explainer on LL-37 — the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, how it works in immune defence and wound healing, what the evidence shows, dosing in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Metabolic & Weight

Mazdutide

A neutral explainer on mazdutide — an investigational GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist studied for obesity and type 2 diabetes. What it is, how it may work, the early human evidence, dosing, safety, and regulatory status.
Investigational — not FDA-approved
Cosmetic & Skin

Melanotan I

A neutral explainer on Melanotan I (afamelanotide / Scenesse) — what it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, its approved use for erythropoietic protoporphyria, dosing, safety and legal status.
FDA-approved (rare disease implant)
Cosmetic & Skin

Melanotan II

A neutral explainer on Melanotan II — what it is, how it works, what the limited evidence shows, why it is sold for tanning, and its unapproved, unregulated status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth & Muscle

MGF

A neutral explainer on MGF (Mechano Growth Factor, IGF-1Ec) and its pegylated variant PEG-MGF. What it is, how it works, what the (mostly preclinical) evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Metabolic & Mitochondrial

MOTS-c

A neutral explainer on MOTS-c — a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied for metabolism and exercise biology. What it is, how it may work, the animal and limited human evidence, dosing, safety, and regulatory status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth & Muscle

Myostatin & Inhibitors

A neutral explainer on myostatin (GDF-8) — the natural protein that limits muscle growth — and the experimental myostatin-inhibitor and follistatin approaches that aim to block it. What they are, how they work, what the evidence shows, and regulatory status.
Myostatin is a natural protein, not a drug
Hormone & Mood

Oxytocin

A neutral explainer on Oxytocin — the natural hormone and approved obstetric drug. What it is, how it works, the approved injectable vs unapproved intranasal "social" uses, dosing, safety and legal status.
FDA-approved (injectable, obstetric)
Cosmetic & Skin

Pal-GHK

A neutral explainer on Pal-GHK (palmitoyl tripeptide-1) — the topical "signal" cosmetic peptide. What it is, how it is claimed to work, what evidence shows, and its cosmetic status.
Cosmetic / topical
Cognitive & Mood

PE 22-28

A neutral explainer on PE 22-28 — an experimental antidepressant peptide derived from spadin. What it is, how it may work, why human evidence does not yet exist, and its early-research status.
Not FDA-approved
Sexual Health

PT-141

A neutral explainer on PT-141 (bremelanotide / Vyleesi) — what it is, how it works, its FDA-approved use for HSDD in premenopausal women, off-label use, dosing, safety and legal status.
FDA-approved (HSDD, premenopausal women)
Metabolic & Weight

Retatrutide

A neutral explainer on retatrutide — an investigational triple GIP/GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist. What it is, how it may work, the early human trial evidence, dosing reported in studies, safety, and regulatory status.
Investigational — not FDA-approved
Cognitive & Mood

Selank

A neutral explainer on Selank — the Russian-developed anti-anxiety peptide. What it is, how it works, what the limited evidence shows, dosing, safety and its non-approved status in the US.
Not FDA-approved
Metabolic & Weight

Semaglutide

A neutral explainer on semaglutide — the GLP-1 receptor agonist behind Ozempic and Wegovy. What it is, how it works, the human trial evidence, dosing, safety, and legal status.
FDA-approved
Cognitive & Mood

Semax

A neutral explainer on Semax — the Russian-developed nootropic / neuroprotective peptide. What it is, how it works, what the limited evidence shows, dosing, safety and its non-approved status in the US.
Not FDA-approved
Growth Hormone

Sermorelin

A neutral explainer on Sermorelin — a growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogue once FDA-approved for diagnostics and paediatric use, now mainly compounded. What it is, how it works, what the evidence shows, dosing reported, safety, and legal status.
Formerly approved; branded product discontinued
Metabolic & Weight

Setmelanotide

A neutral explainer on setmelanotide — the MC4R agonist behind Imcivree. What it is, how it works, the human trial evidence, dosing, safety, and legal status for rare genetic obesity.
FDA-approved (specific genetic conditions)
Metabolic & Performance

SLU-PP-332

A neutral explainer on SLU-PP-332 — an experimental ERR (estrogen-related receptor) agonist studied as an "exercise mimetic." What it is, how it may work, the animal evidence, the absence of human data, safety, and regulatory status.
Not FDA-approved
Cosmetic & Skin

SNAP-8

A neutral explainer on SNAP-8 — the topical "anti-wrinkle" cosmetic peptide. What it is, how it is claimed to work, what the limited evidence shows, and its cosmetic regulatory status.
Cosmetic / topical
Metabolic & Weight

Survodutide

A neutral explainer on survodutide — an investigational GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist studied for obesity and liver disease (MASH). What it is, how it may work, the early human evidence, dosing, safety, and regulatory status.
Investigational — not FDA-approved
Healing & Recovery

TB-500

A neutral explainer on TB-500 — what it is, how it relates to Thymosin Beta-4, what the evidence shows, dosing reported in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Growth Hormone

Tesamorelin

A neutral explainer on Tesamorelin — an FDA-approved GHRH analogue for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. What it is, how it works, what the human evidence shows, dosing, safety, and its narrow approved indication.
FDA-approved (narrow indication)
Immune

Thymalin

A neutral explainer on Thymalin — what it is, how it is thought to support immune function, what the evidence shows, its clinical use in Russia/CIS, dosing in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Not FDA-approved
Immune

Thymosin Alpha-1

A neutral explainer on Thymosin Alpha-1 (thymalfasin / Zadaxin) — what it is, how it modulates the immune system, what the evidence shows, where it is approved, dosing in the literature, safety, and legal status.
Approved abroad (Zadaxin)
Metabolic & Weight

Tirzepatide

A neutral explainer on tirzepatide — the dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist behind Mounjaro and Zepbound. What it is, how it works, the human trial evidence, dosing, safety, and legal status.
FDA-approved