Peptide Therapy, Graded By the Same Evidence Standard as Everything Else
Peptide therapy attracts more marketing hype, and more vague sourcing, than almost anything else in this field. Every guide below states plainly what's actually been studied in humans, what's still animal or cell-culture data, and where a compound's regulatory status affects nothing about the science itself. New to the category? Start with What Are Peptides below.
Signals First, Symptoms Second
Peptides are signaling molecules, acting on membrane receptors to change cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function, inflammation, or repair processes downstream. That's the same cell-signaling-to-clinical-phenotype chain every guide on this site is organized around. The full reasoning behind that approach is on the Cellular Medicine page.
CJC-1295, Hexarelin, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, and Tesamorelin
Peptides that stimulate the body's own growth hormone release rather than replacing growth hormone directly.
CJC-1295
A long-acting GHRH analog often paired with a growth-hormone-releasing peptide to amplify pulsatile GH secretion.
Read the Guide GH SecretagogueHexarelin
A potent early growth-hormone secretagogue with an unusual second mechanism: a cardioprotective effect in heart tissue that appears to run independently of growth hormone entirely.
Read the Guide GH SecretagogueIpamorelin
A selective ghrelin-receptor agonist studied for a cleaner side-effect profile than older growth-hormone-releasing peptides.
Read the Guide GHRH AnalogSermorelin
One of the original growth-hormone-secretagogue peptides, still used today for a more physiologic secretion pattern.
Read the Guide GHRH AnalogTesamorelin
The only growth-hormone-releasing peptide with FDA approval for a specific indication, with a real body-composition trial base.
Read the GuideBPC-157, TB-500, and GHK-Cu
Peptides studied for tendon, gut, skin, and soft-tissue repair, with human evidence that ranges from a genuine randomized controlled trial to preclinical only.
BPC-157
A gastric peptide fragment with an unusually large and mechanistically consistent research base on tendon, ligament, and gut repair.
Read the Guide RepairTB-500
A thymosin beta-4 fragment studied for tissue repair, and the identity question that determines which body of research actually applies to it.
Read the Guide Skin & CollagenGHK-Cu
A copper-binding tripeptide with an actual randomized, double-blind human trial behind its skin and collagen effects.
Read the GuideKPV, MOTS-c, VIP, SS-31, and Thymosin Alpha-1
Peptides that map directly onto specific levels of the Cellular Medicine framework: inflammation, mitochondrial function, and immune regulation.
KPV
An alpha-MSH-derived tripeptide with a well-defined anti-inflammatory mechanism, studied in gut and systemic inflammation.
Read the Guide MitochondrialMOTS-c
A mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded inside the mitochondrial genome itself, with human data linking natural levels to metabolic health and exercise capacity.
Read the Guide Immune ModulatorVIP
A neuropeptide with a well-established anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating mechanism, studied in sarcoidosis and chronic inflammatory illness.
Read the Guide Mitochondrial MembraneSS-31 (Elamipretide)
A cardiolipin-binding peptide that targets the mitochondrial inner membrane directly, carrying an FDA approval in a rare genetic disease.
Read the Guide Immune ModulatorThymosin Alpha-1
A thymic immune-modulating peptide with randomized trial data in hepatitis B, lung cancer, and liver cancer.
Read the GuideSemax, Selank, and Epitalon
Three peptides studied for cognition, stress, and aging. Each has a well-characterized mechanism in animal models, with human data that is still early and is graded that way in each guide.
Semax
A neuroactive peptide studied for cognition, neuroprotection, and stress resilience, with substantial mechanistic research and an emerging human evidence base.
Read the Guide NeuroSelank
An anxiolytic peptide studied for stress regulation, GABA-related signaling, and cognitive effects.
Read the Guide LongevityEpitalon
A short peptide studied for telomerase activity, pineal and circadian signaling, and lifespan in animal models.
Read the GuidePT-141 and Kisspeptin
Two peptides that act on desire and arousal in the brain rather than blood flow in the body, one with real FDA approval and real controversy attached to its evidence, the other unapproved but backed by a genuine randomized human trial.
PT-141 (Bremelanotide)
The only sexual-wellness peptide with FDA approval, acting on melanocortin receptors in the brain rather than on blood flow.
Read the Guide HPG AxisKisspeptin
The master regulator of the entire reproductive axis, with randomized human data showing effects on sexual brain processing and desire.
Read the GuideCommon Questions
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