Peptides

An investigational triple agonist (GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors) studied for obesity and metabolic disease. Currently the highest-profile name in the space, widely framed as the next-generation successor to tirzepatide, with heavy search interest among fitness audiences.

Fat loss · Metabolic

A GLP-1 receptor agonist (marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) with robust clinical evidence for glycemic control and weight management. The molecule that mainstreamed this category and a reference point for understanding incretin-based approaches discussed in fitness communities.

Fat loss · Metabolic

A dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist (marketed as Mounjaro and Zepbound) with extensive clinical data in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Frequently compared head-to-head with semaglutide in conversations about metabolic peptides and body recomposition.

Fat loss · Metabolic

A synthetic peptide fragment derived from a gastric protein, widely discussed for soft-tissue recovery. Human evidence remains limited relative to its online popularity.

Recovery · Skin / repair · Gut health

A long-acting amylin-receptor analogue from Novo Nordisk, studied alone and paired with semaglutide (as "CagriSema") for weight management and type 2 diabetes. Currently one of the most-discussed "next after tirzepatide/retatrutide" names in metabolic-peptide circles.

Metabolic · Fat loss

A Boehringer Ingelheim glucagon-receptor/GLP-1-receptor dual agonist in late-stage development for obesity and MASH (fatty liver disease). Part of the current wave of multi-receptor peptides competing with tirzepatide and retatrutide for the metabolic-peptide spotlight.

Metabolic · Fat loss

A synthetic peptide associated with thymosin beta-4 research, commonly discussed alongside soft-tissue recovery and mobility. Often paired conversationally with BPC-157.

Recovery · Skin / repair

A growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue discussed for GH-axis support. Often mentioned with ipamorelin in fitness forums as a commonly discussed pairing.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery · Sleep / recovery adjunct

A selective growth hormone secretagogue (ghrelin-receptor agonist) discussed for GH pulses with a relatively favorable selectivity profile in older literature.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery · Sleep / recovery adjunct

A 29-amino-acid fragment of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) that stimulates the pituitary to release the body's own growth hormone. Once an FDA-approved drug for pediatric growth hormone deficiency, it is now mostly used off-label and compounded for adult anti-aging and GH-optimization protocols.

Muscle / GH axis · Longevity / aging

A synthetic GHRH analogue with an approved indication for reducing excess abdominal fat in specific HIV-associated lipodystrophy contexts, often referenced when discussing visceral fat and GH axis research.

Fat loss · Muscle / GH axis · Metabolic

A synthetic heptapeptide analogue of ACTH(4-10), registered as a prescription drug in Russia for ischemic stroke and optic nerve conditions. One of the most frequently discussed "nootropic peptides" in biohacking communities, alongside Selank.

Cognitive / nootropic · Neuroprotection

A synthetic heptapeptide anxiolytic developed alongside Semax at Russia's Institute of Molecular Genetics, studied for generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia. Frequently paired with Semax in nootropic-peptide discussions.

Cognitive / nootropic · Mood / anxiety

A mitochondria-derived peptide researched for metabolic regulation and exercise-related stress responses. Still early relative to incretin drugs, but frequently searched in biohacking circles.

Metabolic · Fat loss · Recovery · Longevity / aging

A 28-amino-acid immunomodulatory peptide, marketed in dozens of countries as Zadaxin/thymalfasin for chronic viral hepatitis and as an immune-response adjunct in cancer and infection. One of the few peptides in this space with genuine international drug-approval history.

Immune support · Longevity / aging

A melanocortin-receptor agonist derived from Melanotan II research, FDA-approved as Vyleesi for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. Notable as one of the only peptides in this category with a formal drug approval.

Sexual health

A copper-binding tripeptide studied in skin biology and remodeling. Appears in topical cosmetic research and in online discussions of recovery and tissue quality.

Skin / repair · Recovery

A synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that activates the ghrelin receptor, producing one of the strongest GH releases of any peptide in its class. Distinct among GH secretagogues for a separate, GH-independent cardioprotective effect documented in animal models.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A synthetic hexapeptide ghrelin receptor agonist that stimulates growth hormone release. Notable for being the one compound in this family with a real regulatory approval, marketed in Japan as a diagnostic agent for GH deficiency under the name pralmorelin.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A synthetic dipeptide developed as a piracetam analogue, sold as a prescription nootropic in Russia for cognitive impairment following stroke and traumatic brain injury. A recurring name in international nootropic-stacking discussions despite thin Western trial data.

Cognitive / nootropic

The original growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide, discovered in 1984 and the founding compound of the entire GHRP family, including GHRP-2 and hexarelin. Known for producing the strongest appetite stimulation of the group alongside its GH-releasing effect.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A non-selective melanocortin-receptor agonist originally studied for skin tanning and erectile dysfunction, whose sexual-desire side effects led directly to the development of the FDA-approved drug bremelanotide (PT-141). Widely sold gray-market for tanning despite no approval for that use.

Sexual health

The synthetic form of the body's own gonadotropin-releasing hormone, historically FDA-approved for pituitary function testing and pulsatile ovulation induction. Now widely discussed off-label alongside testosterone replacement therapy to help preserve natural testicular function and fertility.

Sexual health

A mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and amino acids derived from purified porcine brain proteins, approved in several countries for stroke and traumatic brain injury recovery. Distinct from single-sequence research peptides: it's a multi-component biological preparation.

Cognitive / nootropic · Neuroprotection

An engineered analog of insulin-like growth factor 1 with reduced binding to its natural binding proteins, giving it a longer half-life and greater potency than native IGF-1. Studied in animals as a research tool for IGF-1 receptor biology, not developed or tested as a human therapeutic.

Muscle / GH axis

A first-in-class oral peptide designed to keep intestinal tight junctions closed, studied as an adjunct therapy for celiac disease alongside a gluten-free diet. One of the more rigorously trialed gut-health peptides, with multiple completed phase 2 RCTs.

Gut health

A mitochondria-targeted peptide that stabilizes cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane, supporting energy production and reducing oxidative stress. FDA-approved as elamipretide for Barth syndrome, a rare genetic mitochondrial disease, and one of the few peptides in this category with an actual regulatory approval.

Longevity / aging · Recovery

The only human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, naturally released at wound margins during healing. Studied as a synthetic topical treatment for hard-to-heal chronic wounds, giving it more human RCT support than most "recovery peptide" research chemicals.

Immune support · Skin / repair

A linear analog of alpha-MSH that selectively activates the MC1R melanocortin receptor to stimulate melanin production. FDA-approved under the name afamelanotide (Scenesse) for a rare light-sensitivity disorder, though the compound sold in research and tanning circles as "Melanotan 1" is not the same regulated product.

Skin / repair

A naturally occurring neuropeptide that is the master regulator of the reproductive hormone axis, now in early clinical development as a fertility and psychosexual therapeutic. Distinct from the melanocortin-based sexual-health peptides: it works directly on the reproductive hormone cascade.

Sexual health

A naturally occurring protein that neutralizes myostatin and related growth-inhibiting signals, allowing muscle to grow beyond its normal ceiling. The systemically circulating isoform used in early-phase gene therapy trials for muscular dystrophy, now also sold as a standalone research peptide with no human data in that injectable form.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A fragment of the C-terminal region of human growth hormone historically investigated for fat metabolism without full GH receptor agonism claims.

Fat loss

A splice variant of IGF-1 that muscle tissue produces locally in response to mechanical stretch, stimulation, or injury. Studied mainly in animal and cell models of muscle repair and regeneration; sold as a synthetic research peptide despite very limited direct human data.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A 24-amino-acid peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA itself, part of a growing family of "mitochondrial-derived peptides" (alongside MOTS-c) studied in aging and cellular-stress biology.

Longevity / aging

A polyethylene glycol-modified version of MGF designed to extend the parent peptide's minutes-long half-life to several days. A research-chemical product built on real underlying biology, but with essentially no dedicated studies of its own, pegylated form.

Muscle / GH axis · Recovery

A nonapeptide isolated from rabbit cerebral venous blood in the 1970s and named for its apparent sleep-promoting effect in early animal work. One of the oldest "sleep peptides" discussed online, though its own reviewers call its biological role "a still unresolved riddle."

Sleep / recovery adjunct

A small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme involved in fat-cell metabolism and NAD+ regulation. Reduced fat mass in diet-induced-obese mice without affecting food intake, but has never been tested in a published human clinical trial.

Fat loss · Metabolic · Longevity / aging

The smallest active fragment of alpha-MSH (just three amino acids), studied almost entirely in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease as an anti-inflammatory candidate. A clear example of a peptide with real preclinical mechanism data but essentially no human trials.

Gut health · Skin / repair

An 11-amino-acid peptide engineered from a non-erythropoietic region of erythropoietin, designed to activate tissue-repair signaling without stimulating red blood cell production. Studied in phase 2 human trials for small-fiber neuropathy, one of the more clinically tested "tissue protective" peptides.

Recovery · Neuroprotection

A synthetic tetrapeptide associated with pineal peptide research and aging biology conversations. Evidence is largely historical/preclinical with limited modern RCT coverage.

Longevity / aging · Sleep / recovery adjunct · Recovery

A complex of polypeptides extracted from calf thymus tissue, used clinically in Russia since the 1970s as an immune-modulating and geroprotective agent. Backed mainly by Russian-language research from a single research institute, without independent replication in Western trials.

Immune support · Longevity / aging

A lab-designed "D-retro-inverso" peptide built to disrupt one specific protein-protein interaction that keeps aged cells alive, making it a purpose-built senolytic rather than a naturally occurring hormone fragment. Widely cited in longevity media as the "reverse aging in mice" peptide.

Longevity / aging

A small, orally active molecule derived from angiotensin IV, developed as a potential cognition-enhancing compound by potentiating HGF/c-Met signaling involved in synapse formation. Studied only in animal models; its foundational 2013 paper has since received a formal journal Notice of Concern, adding an important caveat to an already early-stage evidence base.

Cognitive / nootropic · Neuroprotection

A naturally occurring hormone-peptide best known for its role in childbirth and lactation, popularized far beyond that as the "trust" or "bonding" molecule after a famous 2005 economics experiment. A useful case study in how a single influential paper can outrun its own replication record.

Mood / anxiety

A synthetic cosmetic peptide fragment of the SNAP-25 protein, applied topically to reduce the appearance of expression wrinkles by dampening the neurotransmitter release that drives muscle contraction. An extension of the older, better-known Argireline peptide, marketed as a non-injectable alternative to reduce dynamic wrinkles.

Skin / repair