Evidence Index

The Peptide Evidence Index

What the research actually establishes about each compound — in plain language, with the strength of the evidence stated up front, and regulatory status shown separately. No dosing, no protocols.

How we rate evidence

Evidence strength is scored on what has been measured in people. Approval is a regulatory fact and is shown as a separate label, not as a level.

No human data
No published human results at all
Animal only
Studied in animals; human evidence absent or minimal
Early human data
Small or uncontrolled human studies only
Mixed human evidence
Controlled human trials exist and disagree
Randomized trials
Supported by randomized controlled trials

Regulatory label: Approved medicine means approved by a major regulator for a specific use. Everything else is not an approved medicine.

5-Amino-1MQSmall-molecule enzyme inhibitor — not a peptide, despite being marketed and sold alongside peptides●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedAOD-9604Synthetic 16-amino-acid peptide, a modified fragment of human growth hormone●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedBPC-157Synthetic pentadecapeptide●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedCerebrolysinPorcine-brain-derived peptide and amino-acid mixture●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedCJC-1295Synthetic growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedDSIPSynthetic nonapeptide●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedDulaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonist (fusion protein)●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineEpitalonSynthetic tetrapeptide●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedFollistatinNaturally occurring glycoprotein; the version studied in human trials is not the protein itself but a gene therapy that directs the body to produce it●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedGHK-CuNaturally occurring tripeptide bound to a copper ion●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedGHRP-2Synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (GHRP family)●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedGHRP-6Synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (GHRP family); the original prototype of the GHRP family●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedHexarelinSynthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (GHRP family)●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedIGF-1 LR3Laboratory-modified analogue of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedIpamorelinSynthetic pentapeptide, growth hormone secretagogue●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedLiraglutideGLP-1 receptor agonist●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineLL-37Endogenous 37-amino-acid cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedMelanotan IISynthetic cyclic peptide, melanocortin receptor agonist●○○○○No human dataNot approvedMK-677 (Ibutamoren)Synthetic, orally active non-peptide growth hormone secretagogue●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedMOTS-cEndogenous mitochondrial-derived peptide (16-amino-acid microprotein)●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedPT-141 (Bremelanotide)Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide, melanocortin receptor agonist●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineRetatrutideTriple hormone-receptor agonist (GIP/GLP-1/glucagon)●●●●●Randomized trialsNot approvedSelankSynthetic heptapeptide (tuftsin analogue)●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedSemaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonist●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineSemaxSynthetic heptapeptide (ACTH 4-10 analogue)●●●○○Early human dataNot approvedSermorelinSynthetic growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) fragment●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineSS-31 (Elamipretide)Synthetic aromatic-cationic tetrapeptide, mitochondria-targeting agent●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedTB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4)Synthetic 7-amino-acid peptide fragment●●○○○Animal onlyNot approvedTesamorelinGrowth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicineThymosin Alpha-1Synthetic 28-amino-acid peptide, immune modulator●●●●○Mixed human evidenceNot approvedTirzepatideDual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist●●●●●Randomized trialsApproved medicine