Articles / Compound overviews
Compound overviews
What each compound is, its mechanism, and its research context — education only.
What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 explained with the primary literature: the pentadecapeptide’s structure, its proposed VEGFR2 angiogenic mechanism, and an honest look at an evidence base that is almost entirely preclinical.
What is TB-500?
TB-500 explained with the literature: how this thymosin β4 fragment sequesters actin to drive cell migration, and the crucial catch — the human trials tested eye drops, not muscle injections.
What is ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin explained with the literature: a five-amino-acid peptide that triggers a pulse of your own growth hormone, why "selective" is its whole story, and an honest look at a mostly preclinical evidence base.
What is CJC-1295?
CJC-1295 explained with the human data: a GHRH analog, the crucial DAC vs no-DAC fork, and the 2006 trial that measured a 6–8 day half-life and days-long IGF-1 rises in healthy adults.
What is semaglutide?
Semaglutide explained plainly: how this GLP-1 medication mimics a gut hormone, what the big human trials actually showed (STEP 1: ~15% weight loss), and the brands it sells under.
What is tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide explained plainly: the "twincretin" that hits two gut-hormone receptors, why it is called imbalanced, and what SURMOUNT-1 showed (up to ~21% weight loss).
What is tesamorelin?
Tesamorelin explained: a stabilised GHRH analog and — unlike most peptides in its family — an FDA-approved medicine (Egrifta), with the HIV lipodystrophy trials that got it there.
What is sermorelin?
Sermorelin explained: the shortest fully-active GHRH fragment, its history as the approved drug Geref, how it relates to CJC-1295, and its status today as a compounded peptide.
What is HCG?
HCG explained: human chorionic gonadotropin, why it acts like luteinizing hormone, why it is dosed in International Units instead of milligrams, and its TRT-adjacent research context.
What is anastrozole?
Anastrozole explained: an aromatase inhibitor that blocks testosterone-to-estrogen conversion, its ~50-hour half-life from the FDA label, and its TRT-adjacent research context. Education only.
What is testosterone cypionate?
Testosterone cypionate explained: plain testosterone plus an ester that controls its release, why that stretches the half-life to about 8 days, and how it compares to enanthate.
What are research peptides?
A plain-language primer on research peptides: what a peptide actually is, what "research compound" honestly means, the main families, and how to read the wildly different evidence behind each.
What is retatrutide?
Retatrutide explained plainly: the investigational "triple G" agonist that hits three hormone receptors — GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon — and what its phase-2 trials showed (~24% weight loss).
What is GHK-Cu (copper peptide)?
GHK-Cu explained with the literature: the copper tripeptide Pickart discovered in 1973, what cell and topical-skin studies show for collagen and wound healing, and why injectable evidence is thin.
What is MK-677 (Ibutamoren)?
MK-677 (Ibutamoren) explained: the oral ghrelin-mimetic that raised GH and IGF-1 in human trials, and the honest catch on appetite, edema and failed endpoints.
What is GHRP-6?
GHRP-6 explained: a ghrelin-mimetic hexapeptide that triggers a growth-hormone pulse and a sharp hunger signal, with human GH data but mostly preclinical uses.
What is GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin)?
GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin) explained: a ghrelin-mimetic that provokes a growth-hormone pulse — the only GHRP approved anywhere, as a diagnostic test in Japan.
What is PT-141 (Bremelanotide)?
PT-141 (bremelanotide) explained from the primary literature: its melanocortin (MC4R) brain mechanism, the phase-3 HSDD trials, and its FDA-approved status.
What is Melanotan II?
Melanotan II explained honestly: how this unapproved melanocortin agonist works, and the melanoma, priapism, and nausea signals documented in case reports.
What is Cagrilintide?
Cagrilintide explained with the human data: a once-weekly amylin analog, how it curbs appetite through the brainstem, and what the CagriSema REDEFINE phase-3 trial actually showed.
What is AOD-9604?
AOD-9604 explained honestly: the modified growth-hormone fragment marketed for fat loss, its beta-3 lipolysis mechanism in mice, and why its largest human obesity trial missed its primary endpoint.
What is HGH Fragment 176-191?
HGH Fragment 176-191 explained honestly: the tail-end piece of growth hormone marketed as a fat-loss peptide, its lipolysis mechanism in animals, and why the human evidence is essentially absent.
What is Semax?
Semax explained: the Russian ACTH(4-10) nootropic peptide that raises BDNF, studied intranasally for stroke — and why nearly all its human data is Russian.
What is Selank?
Selank explained: the Russian tuftsin-analog anxiolytic peptide that modulates GABA and serotonin — and why its human evidence is small and mostly Russian.
What is Epithalon (Epitalon)?
Epithalon (Epitalon) explained honestly: the synthetic pineal tetrapeptide studied for telomerase and longevity, and why nearly all its evidence is preclinical and from one Russian group.
What is MOTS-c?
MOTS-c explained with the science: a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied as an exercise mimetic for metabolism and aging, and why almost all the strong evidence is from mice and cells.
What is Thymosin Alpha-1 (Zadaxin)?
Thymosin Alpha-1 (Zadaxin) explained: a 28-amino-acid immune-modulating peptide with real human trials in hepatitis, sepsis and cancer, and approved as a medicine in dozens of countries.
What is KPV?
KPV explained: the three-amino-acid tail of the hormone alpha-MSH studied as an anti-inflammatory for gut and skin, and why its evidence is preclinical, from colitis mouse and cell models.
What is survodutide?
Survodutide explained plainly: the investigational GLP-1 / glucagon dual agonist, its phase-2 obesity and MASH results, and why it stays investigational.
What is mazdutide?
Mazdutide explained plainly: the investigational GLP-1 / glucagon dual agonist behind the GLORY-1 and GLORY-2 China phase-3 trials, and its weight-loss data.
What is CagriSema?
CagriSema explained plainly: cagrilintide (an amylin drug) plus semaglutide, what the phase-3 REDEFINE trials showed, and how it compares with tirzepatide.
What is liraglutide?
Liraglutide explained plainly: the older once-daily GLP-1 drug (Saxenda / Victoza), why its short half-life means daily dosing, and its SCALE and LEADER trials.
What is hexarelin?
Hexarelin explained plainly: a potent GHRP-family growth-hormone secretagogue with a second, heart-specific receptor (CD36), what human GH studies and animal cardiac studies actually showed.
What is IGF-1 LR3?
IGF-1 LR3 explained honestly: a lab-engineered, long-acting version of the growth factor IGF-1 — what animal and cell studies show, and why the missing human safety data and cancer-signaling theory matter.
What is kisspeptin-10?
Kisspeptin-10 explained with the literature: the upstream switch that turns on the reproductive axis, what human LH, testosterone and fertility studies from the Dhillo group actually found.
What is gonadorelin?
Gonadorelin explained plainly: it is GnRH itself, the short-acting hormone used as a TRT adjunct, why pulses stimulate but constant exposure suppresses, and its FDA history.
What is SS-31 (elamipretide)?
SS-31 (elamipretide): a mitochondria-targeting peptide that binds cardiolipin, now FDA-approved for Barth syndrome but with a mixed trial record elsewhere.
What is humanin?
Humanin: a small peptide your own mitochondria make, discovered in 2001 and tied to neuroprotection and metabolism, but studied mostly in cells and animals.
What is DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)?
DSIP explained honestly: a nine-amino-acid peptide named for slow-wave sleep in 1977, but with old, small, inconsistent data and no proven receptor.
What is dihexa?
Dihexa: an angiotensin-IV-derived nootropic reported to drive synapse growth in rodents, but with no human data and a retracted key mechanism paper.
What is LL-37 (cathelicidin)?
LL-37 explained with the literature: the only human cathelicidin, a 37-amino-acid antimicrobial and immune-signalling peptide — what cell and animal studies show, and why human injectable evidence is absent.
What is follistatin (follistatin-344)?
Follistatin explained honestly: a natural myostatin-blocking protein studied for muscle growth. The dramatic results are from gene therapy and animals — not the injected peptide people picture.
What is Melanotan I (afamelanotide)?
Melanotan I explained: the melanocortin peptide that, as afamelanotide (Scenesse), is FDA-approved for a rare light-sensitivity disease. How it differs from the unapproved Melanotan II.
What is oxytocin?
Oxytocin explained with the evidence: the natural hormone and neuropeptide behind labour and bonding. Why the approved obstetric use is solid but the intranasal "love hormone" claims keep failing to replicate.
What is Cerebrolysin?
Cerebrolysin explained honestly: not a single peptide but a porcine brain-derived mixture of peptides and amino acids, studied for stroke and dementia — with mixed, weak trial evidence per Cochrane reviews.
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