DSIP vs Glycine
Two 'sleep' compounds separated by five decades of research maturity — a 1970s peptide whose own receptor was never confirmed, against a cheap amino acid with real modern sleep-quality trial data.
Short answer
Both have human clinical data behind them, which makes the goal the real difference between DSIP and glycine. For a reader focused on sleep and stress, DSIP is the relevant choice; glycine is marketed for sleep quality, collagen support, glutathione and healthy aging. DSIP is injected, while glycine is taken by mouth.
DSIP
Delta sleep-inducing peptide
A 1977 sleep peptide whose gene, receptor and real human benefit remain unconfirmed half a century on; only small, old, inconclusive human data.
Full DSIP evidence reviewGlycine
Aminoacetic acid, Gly
A genuine 4–6% lifespan result in the ITP and Mendelian-randomization support for lower coronary risk — but the human sleep evidence comes from a single corporate lab and there is no collagen outcome trial at all.
Full Glycine evidence reviewDSIP vs Glycine: head to head
- FDA status / approved use
DSIP
Not an approved drug in the US; sold as unregulated research-use-only materialGlycine
Sold as a dietary supplement; not FDA-approved to treat insomnia or any other condition- Marketed for
DSIP
Sleep, stressGlycine
Sleep quality, collagen support, glutathione, healthy aging- Outcome areas
DSIP
Sleep; Mood / anxiety / stressGlycine
Longevity / lifespan; Sleep; Cardiovascular; Skin / hair- Evidence grade
DSIP
Clinical dataGlycine
Clinical data- How it works
DSIP
Unknown; no DSIP gene, precursor or receptor has been confirmedGlycine
Acts as an NMDA co-agonist in the brain clock, lowering core temperature before sleep- Route and dosing
DSIP
Injectable powder or nasal spray from gray-market sellersGlycine
Oral powder, typically 3 g shortly before bed for sleep- Headline human result
DSIP
Sleep reported as normalized in all but one of 7 insomnia patients in an uncontrolled 1984 open trialGlycine
3 g before bed reduced next-day fatigue after sleep restriction in a company-run trial with 7 men analyzed- Strongest evidence
DSIP
Kaeser, Eur Neurol 1984DSIP evidence reviewPubMed 6391926Glycine
ITP lifespan study, Aging Cell 2019Glycine evidence reviewPubMed 30916479- Key safety signal
DSIP
No established safety profile; gray-market vials of unverified identity, dose and purityGlycine
Well tolerated; do not combine with clozapine; minor oxalate precursor for kidney-stone formers- How it is obtained
DSIP
Sold gray-market as a research chemical; no approved or legitimately compounded human productGlycine
Over the counter as a dietary supplement
| DSIP | Glycine | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA status / approved use | Not an approved drug in the US; sold as unregulated research-use-only material | Sold as a dietary supplement; not FDA-approved to treat insomnia or any other condition |
| Marketed for | Sleep, stress | Sleep quality, collagen support, glutathione, healthy aging |
| Outcome areas | Sleep; Mood / anxiety / stress | Longevity / lifespan; Sleep; Cardiovascular; Skin / hair |
| Evidence grade | Clinical data | Clinical data |
| How it works | Unknown; no DSIP gene, precursor or receptor has been confirmed | Acts as an NMDA co-agonist in the brain clock, lowering core temperature before sleep |
| Route and dosing | Injectable powder or nasal spray from gray-market sellers | Oral powder, typically 3 g shortly before bed for sleep |
| Headline human result | Sleep reported as normalized in all but one of 7 insomnia patients in an uncontrolled 1984 open trial | 3 g before bed reduced next-day fatigue after sleep restriction in a company-run trial with 7 men analyzed |
| Strongest evidence | Kaeser, Eur Neurol 1984DSIP evidence reviewPubMed 6391926 | ITP lifespan study, Aging Cell 2019Glycine evidence reviewPubMed 30916479 |
| Key safety signal | No established safety profile; gray-market vials of unverified identity, dose and purity | Well tolerated; do not combine with clozapine; minor oxalate precursor for kidney-stone formers |
| How it is obtained | Sold gray-market as a research chemical; no approved or legitimately compounded human product | Over the counter as a dietary supplement |
marks a row where the two differ. “Not established” marks a cell the available evidence does not answer. Evidence grades come from our evidence matrix, which grades each molecule on the human data for the use it is marketed for.
- Clinical data:
- Tested in humans — but investigational, discontinued, or proven only on a surrogate marker (not the marketed outcome).
Our verdict
DSIP is a 1977 sleep peptide whose gene, receptor, and real human benefit remain unconfirmed half a century later — only small, old, inconclusive human data exists. Glycine has a genuinely more modern and specific case: real trial data for sleep quality at a few grams before bed, on top of pennies-a-day cost and a clean safety record — though the deeper 'longevity' framing built on top of that sleep signal is mechanism-only.
DSIP fits if
You're reading about a historical sleep-peptide claim — be aware that basic questions about how it's even supposed to work were never resolved.
Glycine fits if
You want the cheaper, better-evidenced, easier-to-source option for sleep quality specifically.
DSIP vs Glycine: common questions
- Is either DSIP or glycine FDA-approved?
- No. DSIP is not an approved drug in the US; sold as unregulated research-use-only material. Glycine is sold as a dietary supplement; not FDA-approved to treat insomnia or any other condition.
- Which has stronger human evidence, DSIP or glycine?
- Neither clearly. Both have human clinical data. The key source for DSIP is Kaeser, Eur Neurol 1984; for glycine, it is ITP lifespan study, Aging Cell 2019.
- What are the main safety concerns with DSIP and glycine?
- DSIP has no established safety profile; gray-market vials of unverified identity, dose and purity. Glycine is well tolerated; do not combine with clozapine; minor oxalate precursor for kidney-stone formers.
Key studies behind each
DSIP
- Schoenenberger GA, Monnier M. (1977). Characterization of a delta-electroencephalogram (-sleep)-inducing peptide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. PubMed 265572
- Kovalzon VM, Strekalova TV. (2006). Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a still unresolved riddle. J Neurochem. PubMed 16539679
- Kaeser HE. (1984). A clinical trial with DSIP. Eur Neurol. PubMed 6391926
- Uhl D. (1987). Delta sleep-inducing peptide. Effective in sleep disorders, stress, chronic pain and substance dependence? Med Monatsschr Pharm. PubMed 3657697
Glycine
- Meléndez-Hevia E, De Paz-Lugo P, Cornish-Bowden A, Cárdenas ML. (2009). A weak link in metabolism: the metabolic capacity for glycine biosynthesis does not satisfy the need for collagen synthesis. J Biosci. PubMed 20093739
- de Paz-Lugo P, Lupiáñez JA, Meléndez-Hevia E. (2018). High glycine concentration increases collagen synthesis by articular chondrocytes in vitro: acute glycine deficiency could be an important cause of osteoarthritis. Amino Acids. PubMed 30006659
- Bannai M, Kawai N. (2012). New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. J Pharmacol Sci. PubMed 22293292
- Bannai M, Kawai N, Ono K, Nakahara K, Murakami N. (2012). The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers. Front Neurol. PubMed 22529837
The full evidence reviews
- DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide): a famous name, an unresolved science
A naturally-occurring nonapeptide named for the delta brain-waves it produced in 1977 rabbits — yet half a century on, its gene, receptor and real human benefit remain unconfirmed. The honest, evidence-first read.
Updated August 2026
- Glycine: sleep, collagen, glutathione — and one real lifespan result
The simplest amino acid, and probably one you make too little of. The sleep trials are small and come from a single corporate lab; the mouse lifespan result is real but at twenty times a bedtime dose.
Updated August 2026
Where to get it
Where to get peptide therapy
Clinician-led telehealth services that prescribe compounded peptides. The specific peptides offered vary by provider — confirm DSIP availability before ordering.
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