Peptide evidence matrix
The peptides people actually search for, graded by how strong the human evidence is for the use they’re marketed for — not their mechanism, not their hype. Filter by evidence tier or family, and tap through to the primary source on every grade.
- FDA-approved
- Approved by the FDA for a defined indication, on the strength of pivotal human trials.
- Clinical data
- Tested in humans — but investigational, discontinued, or proven only on a surrogate marker (not the marketed outcome).
- Preclinical / minimal
- Evidence is largely animal, in-vitro, or anecdotal. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed use.
- FDA-approved
Gonadorelin
GnRH
Marketed for: Fertility, TRT adjunct (hCG substitute)
Authentic synthetic GnRH with legitimate diagnostic and pulsatile-pump fertility roles — but the modern once-daily bolus use as an hCG substitute on TRT ignores the rhythm the evidence depends on.
FDA-approvedCompounded - FDA-approved
PT-141
Bremelanotide / Vyleesi
Marketed for: Libido, sexual dysfunction
FDA-approved as Vyleesi for HSDD in premenopausal women, with phase-3 evidence — but the off-label use in men and at higher doses goes beyond what's proven.
FDA-approvedCompounded - FDA-approved
Semaglutide
Wegovy / Ozempic
Marketed for: Weight loss, type-2 diabetes
~15% mean weight loss in STEP 1; the benchmark that opened modern obesity medicine.
FDA-approvedRx product - FDA-approved
Tesamorelin
Egrifta
Marketed for: Visceral fat (often sold for 'fat loss')
FDA-approved specifically for HIV-associated visceral fat — not a general weight-loss drug.
FDA-approvedRx product - FDA-approved
Tirzepatide
Zepbound / Mounjaro
Marketed for: Weight loss, type-2 diabetes
Up to ~21% mean weight loss in SURMOUNT-1 — the most effective FDA-approved weight-management drug.
FDA-approvedRx product - Clinical data
AOD-9604
Marketed for: Fat loss
A GH-tail fragment with a clean safety record that reached human obesity trials — but showed no significant weight loss versus placebo, and the program was discontinued.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
ARA-290
Cibinetide
Marketed for: Neuropathy, tissue repair
An EPO-derived tissue-protective peptide with small but real human small-fiber-neuropathy data in sarcoidosis — still investigational and unapproved.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
CagriSema
Marketed for: Weight loss
~20% in REDEFINE 1; amylin plus GLP-1 in one shot — promising, not yet approved.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
CJC-1295
Marketed for: Muscle, recovery, 'anti-aging'
Sustained GH/IGF-1 rise shown in humans — a surrogate marker, not the body-composition outcome it is sold for.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
DSIP
Delta sleep-inducing peptide
Marketed for: Sleep, stress
A 1977 sleep peptide whose gene, receptor and real human benefit remain unconfirmed half a century on; only small, old, inconclusive human data.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Epitalon
Epithalon
Marketed for: Telomerase activation, life extension
Marketed for telomerase activation and life extension, but the supporting science is old, small, and almost entirely from one Russian lab — and largely unreplicated.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
GHRP-2
Pralmorelin
Marketed for: Muscle, 'anti-aging'
Genuinely raises GH (and is an approved diagnostic in Japan), but the same dose lifts cortisol, prolactin and appetite, and desensitizes — no anti-aging outcomes.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
GHRP-6
Marketed for: Muscle, recovery, 'anti-aging'
Pulses GH short-term, but its most reliable real-world effect is a surge in appetite; no long-term human outcomes and not approved.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Hexarelin
Marketed for: Muscle, recovery, 'anti-aging'
One of the most potent GH secretagogues studied — but it also raises cortisol and prolactin, desensitizes with repeated use, and is unapproved.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Ipamorelin
Marketed for: Muscle, fat loss, 'anti-aging'
Raises GH, but failed its one rigorous human efficacy RCT; no body-composition outcome data.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Kisspeptin
Marketed for: Libido, testosterone
A real hormone atop the reproductive axis with serious early human research — but the marketed libido and T-booster products are off-label extrapolations at unestablished doses.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Larazotide
AT-1001
Marketed for: Leaky gut, celiac disease
A tight-junction regulator with real celiac Phase 2 data — but its pivotal Phase 3 failed, and the supplement use runs far ahead of the evidence.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
Melanotan II
MT-2
Marketed for: Tanning, libido
Genuinely tans skin via MC1R, but it's an unapproved gray-market injectable with a documented harm record (priapism, changing moles) — and it is not the approved drug afamelanotide.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
MK-677
Ibutamoren
Marketed for: Muscle, sleep, 'anti-aging'
An oral ghrelin mimetic that reliably lifts GH, IGF-1 and lean mass — but the same trials found no gain in strength or function, plus metabolic and cardiac safety signals.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Orforglipron
Marketed for: Weight loss, type-2 diabetes
~11% in ATTAIN-1; a scalable oral pill whose appeal is access, not peak efficacy. Investigational.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
Oxytocin
Marketed for: Bonding, libido, mood (compounded sprays)
The 'bonding hormone' has a huge human literature — but its famous trust and behavior findings largely failed to replicate; approved only as injectable Pitocin for labor, not for the marketed claims.
FDA-approvedRx product - Clinical data
Retatrutide
Marketed for: Weight loss
~24% in its Phase 2 trial — the largest figure reported for any incretin, but still investigational.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
Selank
Marketed for: Anxiety, focus
A GABA-modulating anxiolytic that matched benzodiazepines in small Russian trials; the mechanism is credible but the evidence base is thin and single-country.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Semax
Marketed for: Cognition, focus, neuroprotection
A BDNF-raising ACTH(4-10) analog registered as a drug in Russia — but the human evidence is small, single-country and mostly uncontrolled.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Sermorelin
Geref
Marketed for: GH deficiency, 'anti-aging'
A former FDA-approved GHRH analog (now compounded); real GH-axis data, no anti-aging outcome evidence.
Not FDA-approvedCompounded - Clinical data
SS-31
Elamipretide
Marketed for: Mitochondrial function, longevity
A cardiolipin-binding peptide with a mostly disappointing trial history; elamipretide won a narrow, confirmation-pending accelerated FDA approval for Barth syndrome — not for the anti-aging use it's sold for.
FDA-approvedRx product - Clinical data
Tesofensine
Marketed for: Weight loss (marketed alongside GLP-1s)
A triple monoamine reuptake inhibitor with ~9% Phase 2 weight loss — but flagged by a Lancet Expression of Concern, with no Phase 3 and no approval.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Clinical data
Thymalin
Marketed for: Immune restoration, longevity
Marketed for immune restoration and longer life, but the supporting science is old, small, and almost entirely from one Russian program — and unreplicated.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Clinical data
Thymosin α1
Zadaxin
Marketed for: Immune support (sold for 'anti-aging')
An approved immunomodulator in dozens of countries (for hepatitis, sepsis and severe infection, supervised) — but not FDA-approved, not the same as TB-500, and not the anti-aging injectable sold online.
Not FDA-approvedCompounded - Preclinical / minimal
5-Amino-1MQ
Marketed for: Fat loss, metabolism
An NNMT inhibitor that reverses obesity in mice by sparing the NAD+ pool; the mechanism is plausible, but the human evidence is nonexistent.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
Adipotide
FTPP
Marketed for: Rapid fat loss
Destroyed white fat's blood supply and caused rapid weight loss in obese monkeys — but the same study found dose-dependent kidney toxicity, and it never reached approved human use.
InvestigationalResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
BPC-157
Marketed for: Healing, recovery, gut health
Almost entirely animal data; no validated human dose and no controlled efficacy trials.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
Dihexa
Marketed for: Cognition, memory
Builds synapses potently in animals, but there are no human trials — and its c-Met growth-pathway mechanism raises unanswered safety questions.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
GHK-Cu
Copper tripeptide
Marketed for: Skin, hair, 'anti-aging'
Real tissue-remodeling biology, mostly in-vitro and topical; a cosmetic signal, not systemic anti-aging proof.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
HGH Fragment 176-191
Marketed for: Fat loss
The C-terminal tail of GH sold as 'the fat-burning part' — but its developed cousin AOD-9604 failed human obesity trials, and the raw fragment has no human trials at all.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
Humanin
Marketed for: Longevity, metabolic health
A genuine cytoprotective mitochondrial-derived peptide whose levels fall with age — but no randomized human trial shows that taking it does anything for people.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
IGF-1 LR3
Marketed for: Muscle growth
An engineered long-acting IGF-1 with zero human muscle-building trials; the risks (hypoglycemia, the growth-factor/cancer concern, a WADA ban) follow straight from the biology.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
KPV
Marketed for: Inflammation, gut, wound healing
The anti-inflammatory tail of α-MSH, with real mechanism and real mouse data — but essentially no human trials.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
LL-37
Cathelicidin
Marketed for: Infection, immunity, healing
Genuine innate-immunity biology, but its therapeutic use is preclinical — and the same peptide is implicated in driving inflammatory disease.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
MOTS-c
Marketed for: Metabolism, endurance, longevity
A genuine mitochondrial-derived peptide with interesting rodent data on metabolism and exercise — but no human outcome trials.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
P21
P021
Marketed for: Cognition, neurogenesis
A CNTF-derived peptide that boosts neurogenesis in rodents; no human trials, no approval, and a genuinely muddled name.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
Pentadeca Arginate
PDA
Marketed for: Healing, recovery (a 'stable BPC-157')
Marketed as a more stable upgrade on BPC-157, but it has almost no research of its own — the evidence base is borrowed and preclinical.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only - Preclinical / minimal
TB-500
Thymosin β4
Marketed for: Recovery, tissue repair
Mechanistic and early-stage human work (e.g. ophthalmology); no performance or recovery outcome trials.
Not FDA-approvedResearch-only
Evidence grades are editorial and deliberately conservative — they reflect the strength of the human evidence for the use each peptide is marketed for, not its mechanism or popularity. FDA status and compounding are separate axes: a compound can have real pharmacology yet no approval, and “research-only” means it is sold gray-market, not as an approved or legitimately compounded human product. Tap any source to read the primary literature.
How we grade
Each peptide gets the tier that matches the strongest human outcome evidence for its marketed use. A peptide that reliably moves a lab marker (say, growth hormone) but has never shown the body-composition or anti-aging result it’s sold for stays in “Clinical data,” not “Approved” — because a surrogate marker is not an outcome. We grade conservatively on purpose: the point of this matrix is to not inflate. Every grade links to a primary source you can read yourself, and to our full evidence review where we have one. See our methodology for how we source every claim, and our peptides-for-weight-loss explainer for the most-searched version of this question.
The tiers
- FDA-approved.
- Approved by the FDA for a defined indication, on the strength of pivotal human trials.
- Clinical data.
- Tested in humans — but investigational, discontinued, or proven only on a surrogate marker (not the marketed outcome).
- Preclinical / minimal.
- Evidence is largely animal, in-vitro, or anecdotal. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed use.
Common questions
- Which peptides actually have evidence for weight loss or fat loss?
- Only the GLP-1 and incretin peptides — semaglutide and tirzepatide (approved), and retatrutide, CagriSema and orforglipron (investigational) — have controlled human weight-loss trials. The peptides commonly marketed for 'fat loss' (ipamorelin, CJC-1295, BPC-157, AOD-9604) have no human outcome trials for that use.
- Are BPC-157, TB-500, and GHK-Cu proven in humans?
- No. Their evidence is largely animal, in-vitro, or early-stage. None has a controlled human trial proving the recovery, repair, or anti-aging benefits they are marketed for, and they are sold as unregulated 'research-use-only' products with unverified purity and dose.
- What do the evidence tiers mean?
- FDA-approved means the peptide is approved for a defined indication on the strength of pivotal human trials. Clinical data means it has been tested in humans but is investigational, discontinued, or proven only on a surrogate marker. Preclinical/minimal means the evidence is mostly animal, in-vitro, or anecdotal, with little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed use.