Epitalon
Taken for longevity and sleep
Epithalon; synthetic epithalamin
Match every finding to its exact substance, formulation, route and study population. A related molecule or approved medicine does not validate a catalog vial.
Color key
At a glance
Why people take it. And what backs it up.
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Slow aging
Animal studies only
Many take 10-day courses once or twice a year hoping to slow aging; most of the research comes from its developers.
Sources (5)
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“Epitalon especially is a true anti-aging, reverse aging peptide, that is quite slept on.”
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“now I run a cycle twice a year. It’s only a 10 day cycle, which is nice!”
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PractitionerKoniver Wellness (Dr. Craig Koniver’s practice): Epitalon (opens in a new tab)
“it is the “telomere peptide,” the one people reach for when they want to slow aging at the level of the chromosome.”
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“Addition of Epithalon peptide in telomerase-negative human fetal fibroblast culture induced expression of the catalytical subunit, enzymatic activity of telomerase, and telomere elongation”
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StudyAnisimov et al., Biogerontology, 2003 (PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“It also increased by 13.3% the life span of the last 10% of the survivors (P<0.01) and by 12.3% the maximum life span in comparison with the control group.”
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Sleep better
Sleep untested; melatonin rose in one study
Others take small bedtime doses to sleep better and reset a disrupted body clock.
Sources (3)
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PractitionerKoniver Wellness (Dr. Craig Koniver’s practice): Epitalon (opens in a new tab)
“Used at a low dose at bedtime, it became one of our most versatile tools for helping a body that had lost its natural day-night rhythm find it again.”
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“I enjoyed using it for sleep. Hoping it helps for longevity benefits as well.”
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TrialIvko et al., Advances in Gerontology, 2020 (PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“AEDG peptide increases in 1,7 times the 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SOMT) excretion in the urine of middle-aged people.”
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Look and feel younger
People report it, not studied
Users also take it for better skin and more energy, and clinics market it for younger-looking skin.
Sources (2)
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“energy, and morning wakefulness. I also found very subtle signs of improved skin quality and youthfulness.”
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ClinicRegenerate Medical Concierge (anti-aging clinic, Henderson, NV): Epitalon (opens in a new tab)
“Epitalon has been found to have a positive impact on skin health, promoting elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and improving overall skin texture.”
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Evidence briefing
Sources checkedWhat the sources support.
Epitalon (epithalon) is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, synthesized to model aspects of pineal epithalamin. The often-cited telomerase result was in human fetal fibroblast culture, not a study treating people. FDA staff recommended against listing epitalon forms for compounding, but the July 2026 PCAC committee recommended inclusion; this nonbinding vote is not an FDA drug approval or final bulks-list decision. No approved longevity treatment was identified.
Cellular telomerase findings do not establish telomere change, lifespan extension, clinical efficacy or safety in humans; the 503A vote relates to compounding policy, not FDA review of an approved product.
The research. What’s been studied.
From animal and lab studies
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Telomerase in cell culture
One study reported telomerase activity and telomere elongation in cultured human fetal fibroblasts; this does not demonstrate the same effect in people.
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Melatonin-rhythm research
Changes in melatonin rhythms have been reported in older animals; clinical benefit in people is not established.
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Rodent lifespan research
Some developer-group rodent studies reported lifespan effects. They do not show that epitalon extends human lifespan.
What do these labels mean?
- Human evidence: approved-drug data or larger human studies, within the populations and uses studied.
- Early human studies: small, preliminary or limited human studies.
- Animal & lab studies: animal or laboratory findings that do not establish effects in people.
- Unverified: a proposed use or claim without verified supporting clinical evidence.
How each claim was reviewed (3)
Reported effects and evidence.
A citation may support, qualify or correct a claim. Read the study scope; a laboratory result is not an established benefit in people. Each review covers a claim as it was first collected; the tiles above show the collection’s current wording.
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In-vitro human-cell experiment
Review of “Telomere support”
Epitalon increased telomerase-related activity/telomere measures in cultured human cells.
Limitations and applicability. Human cells in culture are not human treatment evidence; avoid implied lifespan or safety benefit.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Telomere support
Activated telomerase and lengthened telomeres in human cells in the lab.
Original label: animal. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record epitalon:benefit:1 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
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Preclinical aged-monkey study
Review of “Sleep rhythm”
An old-monkey study reported altered melatonin/cortisol rhythms; clinical sleep benefits remain unestablished.
Limitations and applicability. Study concerns melatonin/cortisol measures, not demonstrated improvement in sleep.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Sleep rhythm
Restored melatonin rhythms in older animals.
Original label: animal. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record epitalon:benefit:2 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
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Preclinical rodent survival experiments
Review of “Longer lifespan in rodents”
Specific rodent studies from the developer-associated group reported survival effects; human lifespan extension is unestablished.
Limitations and applicability. Effects depend on strain, controls and survival analysis. Keep developer-group attribution and no human extrapolation.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Longer lifespan in rodents
Rodent studies from the developer’s group reported longer lifespans.
Original label: animal. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record epitalon:benefit:3 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
The research in detail
Evidence category
Mostly animal and cell studies
The commonly cited telomerase finding came from cultured human fetal fibroblasts; rodent work also exists. These results do not show lifespan extension or clinical benefit in people. In July 2026 the PCAC committee recommended epitalon for possible 503A list inclusion, contrary to FDA staff’s recommendation; the vote is nonbinding and does not approve a drug.
Evidence is assessed claim by claim above. Regulatory approval, study design, findings and relevance are separate questions; there is no single evidence score.
Risks and unknowns. What to know first.
Collected cautions follow. These are not an exhaustive or independently validated safety assessment; claim references do not automatically support every caution.
- Little safety data.
- Telomerase activation is a theoretical cancer concern, since cancer cells rely on it to keep dividing.
What people report
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User reports
Evening doses keep some users awake; one user reported insomnia lasting over a year after 20 days of N-acetyl epitalon plus pinealon (cause uncertain).
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon & Pinealon induced insomnia/circadian shift” (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Vivid dreams, stress dreams and nightmares are commonly reported.
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Nightmares and stress dreams with Epithalon?” (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Headaches at 1 mg a day (one user, who lowered the dose).
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon Experience” (opens in a new tab)
Show all 13 cautionsShow fewer cautions
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User reports
Low mood after 10 days at 1 mg a day (one user).
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Any known link between Epitalon and depression?” (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
A racing heart during exercise at higher doses, but not at about 100 mcg (one long-time user).
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Newbie help: Epitalon use” (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Blurred vision after about 10 days of a nasal spray (one report; others suggested a contaminated spray).
Source: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon - Blurred vision” (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Light-headedness and an unpleasant stomach feeling after two weeks at 15 mg a day injected (one user).
Source: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 30) (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Painful blisters or ulcers under the tongue from sublingual epitalon tablets (one user).
Source: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 32) (opens in a new tab)
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Regulator
FDA lists epitalon among bulk substances that may pose safety risks in compounding: possible immune reactions from aggregation and impurities, and no safety information for the proposed route.
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Regulator
FDA’s review found no human safety studies and no adverse-event reports, and warned that switching on telomerase could in theory raise cancer risk with long exposure.
Source: FDA briefing document on epitalon (PCAC, July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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Study
A 2026 review (preprint) says human dose-ranging, pharmacokinetic and dedicated safety studies are still unavailable, epithalamin results cannot be applied to epitalon, and long-term cancer safety is unresolved.
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Regulator
In July 2026 an FDA advisory committee narrowly voted to add epitalon (reviewed for insomnia) to the list of substances compounding pharmacies may use, against FDA staff advice; the vote is advisory, not final.
Source: AJMC, FDA panel backs 6 peptides for compounding (opens in a new tab)
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Regulator
In 2020 Tailor Made Compounding, the Kentucky pharmacy whose catalog lists the every-third-day protocol, pleaded guilty to distributing unapproved new drugs, including epitalon.
Source: US Department of Justice press release, October 29, 2020 (opens in a new tab)
Published dosing records. What the trials used.
Historical label and trial records for the named product, route, population and indication. These records are not a personal schedule or a validated regimen for a catalog vial. Source attribution does not establish applicability.
Under-tongue study
Small randomized, placebo-controlled study in middle-aged women who worked night shifts and had low melatonin output (Advances in Gerontology, 2020, in Russian)
Source: Ivko et al., Uspekhi Gerontologii (Advances in Gerontology), 2020 (opens in a new tab)
- Days 1–20 (total per day)
- 0.5 mg
- How
- Spray under the tongue
- How often
- Twice a day (morning and midday, before meals), 3 sprays each time
- How long
- 20 days in the study
- This was a spray under the tongue, not an injection. No injected dose has been established.
- The 0.5 mg is the total for each day; the paper does not state the amount per spray.
- The spray was a dietary-supplement product (Epitalon Solution-Spray, Nanopep, France).
- Forty women were split at random into two equal groups: peptide spray or saltwater spray.
- The study measured a melatonin breakdown product in urine and clock-gene activity in blood cells, not health outcomes.
These doses were tested in clinical trials under medical supervision. They aren’t approved for use, and a research vial is not the product that was tested.
Community protocols. Reported online. Not clinically validated.
Community reports Collection date: 30 Sep 2026The most common protocol is a short course of 5–10 mg a day (often 10 mg a day for 10 days) injected under the skin, repeated once or twice a year.
More about this
A large second camp uses 100–500 mcg a day (some up to 1 mg) for sleep, often for longer; doses in circulation differ about 100-fold, and sprays, drops and capsules are also used.
Short daily course (“Khavinson protocol”)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Practitioner: Ben Greenfield (biohacking coach and podcaster), blog article, 2017
- Clinic: Body Rejuvenation MD (clinic), Epitalon page
- Review: FDA briefing document on epitalon (Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 2026), describing clinic websites
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon Experience” thread (2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 5–10 mg a day (the most repeated version is 10 mg a day)
- How often
- Once a day, or split into two injections (morning and late afternoon)
- Route
- Injection under the skin; some inject into a muscle, as in the Russian studies
- Timing
- Often at bedtime; others split it morning and late afternoon
- How long
- 10–20 days (about 100 mg per course; 10 mg × 10 days or 5 mg × 20 days)
- Cycle
- Repeated once or twice a year, usually 4–6 months apart
- Mixing
- Depends on vial size (10–50 mg vials are sold); for example, a 50 mg vial with 3 mL water gives 5 mg in 0.3 mL (30 units)
- 10 mg a day for 10 days, twice a year, is the version most often called the Khavinson or “Russian” protocol; 5 mg a day for 20 days is the common alternative.
- Clinic websites reviewed by the FDA gave 5–10 mg a day, used in cycles; one recommended a course every 4 months.
- Many forum users now argue these doses are far too high for synthetic epitalon (see the low-dose protocol and flags).
Sources (4)
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PractitionerBen Greenfield (biohacking coach and podcaster), blog article, 2017 (opens in a new tab)
“Dosage: 5-10mg per day Frequency of injection: 1 injection per day for low dose, 2 injections per day for high dose (divided between morning and late afternoon).”
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ClinicBody Rejuvenation MD (clinic), Epitalon page (opens in a new tab)
“Common dosages range from 5 to 10mg per day. These are typically administered in cycles. For instance, one might use Epitalon for 20 days”
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“with doses ranging from 5 mg to 10 mg per day”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon Experience” thread (2026) (opens in a new tab)
“The standard protocol is 10mg/day for 10 days or 5mg/day for 20 days. Repeat every 6 months.”
Low daily dose (“microdose”) for sleep
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides post quoting podcaster Nathalie Niddam (“Dosing wars”)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon Russian study ‘mistranslation’” thread (2023)
- Vendor: Tailor Made Compounding peptide catalog, dosing chart row
- Practitioner: Koniver Wellness (Dr. Craig Koniver’s practice), Epitalon page
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 100–500 mcg a day (some go up to 1 mg)
- How often
- Once a day
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- Timing
- Disputed: some inject 1–2 hours before bed, but many switch to the morning or late afternoon because evening doses keep them awake
- How long
- Usually 10–20 days; some run it for 1–3 months or longer
- Cycle
- Varies: 10–20 day courses 2–3 times a year, or 5 days on and 2 off for months (see also the monthly 10-day cycle)
- Ramp
- Some start at 100 mcg and step up by about 100 mcg a week
- Mixing
- A 10 mg vial with 1 mL bacteriostatic water gives 100 mcg per insulin-syringe unit
- Backers say the 10 mg “Khavinson” dose was for epithalamin (a calf pineal-gland extract), not synthetic epitalon, which they say is about 100 times stronger. That potency figure is repeated widely but not verified.
- A compounding pharmacy chart (Tailor Made Compounding) lists a 3,000 mcg/mL vial at 0.1 mL a day, which is 300 mcg a day; the same chart row lists tendon repair as the use, which looks like a copy error.
- Dr. Craig Koniver’s clinic says it used a low bedtime dose for circadian rhythm, often with pinealon and selank, but gives no amount.
- Reports conflict: some users feel nothing at microdoses and move up to 5–10 mg; others say only low doses improve their sleep.
Sources (4)
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ForumReddit r/Peptides post quoting podcaster Nathalie Niddam (“Dosing wars”) (opens in a new tab)
“Epitalon - 100mcg and up (many people will go up to 1mg a day)”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon Russian study ‘mistranslation’” thread (2023) (opens in a new tab)
“Average doses of Epithalon are around 100mcg to 500mcg. 10mg is a total waste.”
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VendorTailor Made Compounding peptide catalog, dosing chart row (opens in a new tab)
“Epitalon 5mL at 3000mcg/mL 0.1mL daily”
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PractitionerKoniver Wellness (Dr. Craig Koniver’s practice), Epitalon page (opens in a new tab)
“Used at a low dose at bedtime, it became one of our most versatile tools for helping a body that had lost its natural day-night rhythm find it again.”
Show all 10 protocolsShow fewer protocols
Every-third-day course (“Ukrainian protocol”)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Vendor: Tailor Made Compounding peptide catalog (US compounding pharmacy), Epitalon fact sheet
- Practitioner: Jay Campbell (author and peptide educator), citing the International Peptide Society
- Vendor: Peptides.org (vendor-referral site), citing the International Peptide Society’s “Ukrainian Protocol”
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon more than 10 days?”
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 10 mg per injection (50 mg per course)
- How often
- Every third day (one version: every fourth day, on days 1, 5, 9, 13 and 17)
- Route
- Injection under the skin or into a muscle
- How long
- About 15–17 days (5 injections)
- Cycle
- Twice a year (about every 6 months)
- Mixing
- The Tailor Made Compounding pharmacy sold it ready-mixed at 10 mg/mL in a 5 mL vial
- A US compounding pharmacy’s peptide catalog (Tailor Made Compounding, Kentucky) listed this as its suggested dosage.
- The name “Ukrainian protocol” is used inconsistently: some forum users apply it to 5 mg a day for 20 days instead.
Sources (4)
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“Suggested dosage: Inject 10mg every 3 days for 15 days - repeat twice yearly.”
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PractitionerJay Campbell (author and peptide educator), citing the International Peptide Society (opens in a new tab)
“10 mg of Epitalon injected intramuscularly every THIRD day until you reach 50 mg total, done once every six months”
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“Frequency: Administer 10mg on days 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 of the 17-day treatment course.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon more than 10 days?” (opens in a new tab)
“Ukraine Academy Medical Sciences says “50mg total, (10mg IM every 3rd day every 6 months).”
Monthly 10-day microdose cycle
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Why is epithalon so rarely mentioned here?” (2025)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “1 Week of Epitalon” (2025)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon Experience” (2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 100 mcg (0.1 mg) a day
- How often
- Once a day
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- How long
- 10 days, then 20 days off
- Cycle
- Every month, indefinitely
- Mixing
- A 10 mg vial with 1 mL bacteriostatic water gives 100 mcg per insulin-syringe unit
- Promoted by a Reddit user, from their own experiments, as avoiding the tolerance and sleep problems they had at larger doses; others now repeat it as the “normal protocol”.
Sources (3)
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Why is epithalon so rarely mentioned here?” (2025) (opens in a new tab)
“10 days every month. Each day 0.1 mg. Repeat forever.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “1 Week of Epitalon” (2025) (opens in a new tab)
“Normal protocol is 100 mcg every 10 days on 20 days off.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon Experience” (2026) (opens in a new tab)
“1) 10 days on, then 20 days off. Basically, 10 days every month.”
1 mg every evening, long term
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Podcast: Bulletproof Radio #678 (Dave Asprey) with Dr. Heather Smith-Fernandez, transcript
- Practitioner: Jay Campbell (author and peptide educator), Epitalon article
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, comment by a peptide seller (biolabshop) on the Smith-Fernandez thread
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon- Another dosing/cycle Thread” (2025)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 1 mg (10 units of a 10 mg/mL solution)
- How often
- Once a day
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- Timing
- In the evening
- How long
- Long term, with occasional breaks; variants run 1 mg for 20 days every 3 months, or on weekdays only
- Mixing
- 10 mg/mL solution (10 units = 1 mg)
- Attributed to Dr. Heather Smith-Fernandez on Dave Asprey’s podcast; the transcript’s show notes convert her 10 units to 1 mg.
- A European peptide seller posting on Reddit said it recommends 1 mg daily to its customers.
Sources (4)
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“Epitalon, just 10 units a day in the evening and you can use that long term.”
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PractitionerJay Campbell (author and peptide educator), Epitalon article (opens in a new tab)
“Dr. Heather Smith-Fernandez: 1 mg of Epitalon injected subcutaneously every night.”
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“I’ve been doing 1mg daily for over two years now, and also recommending this to our biolabshop.eu biolabshop.co.uk clients”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon- Another dosing/cycle Thread” (2025) (opens in a new tab)
“But I run epi 1mg per day for 20 days every 3 months.”
Under-the-tongue spray (commercial product)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Vendor: CosmicNootropic (vendor), Epitalon spray directions
- Vendor: Profound Health (vendor), Epitalon sublingual spray
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 0.5 mg a day (6 sprays of about 83 mcg)
- How often
- Twice a day (3 sprays each time)
- Route
- Under the tongue (sublingual spray)
- Timing
- Before meals, morning and afternoon
- How long
- 20 days
- Cycle
- Repeat every 4–6 months
- Mixing
- Ready-made spray
- This matches a 2021 Russian study in night-shift workers that used this spray at 0.5 mg a day for 20 days.
- Other sellers’ sprays are stronger (for example 200–400 mcg per spray), so spray counts are not comparable between products.
Sources (2)
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VendorCosmicNootropic (vendor), Epitalon spray directions (opens in a new tab)
“Spray 3 times under the tongue twice per day before the meal in the morning and in the afternoon. The course duration is 20 days.”
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VendorProfound Health (vendor), Epitalon sublingual spray (opens in a new tab)
“The recommended daily amount of Epitalon® is 0.5 mg (500 mcg), which is provided in six sprays per day.”
Nasal spray
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Vendor: AV Peptide (vendor), Epitalon Nasal Spray 10 mg/10 mL
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon Acetate – Spray Solution” (2025)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, same thread
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 45)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- Usually about 100 mcg–1 mg a day; one forum user used 3 mg twice a day
- How often
- Once or twice a day (1–2 sprays for ready-made products)
- Route
- Nasal spray (ready-made or homemade from vials)
- Timing
- Usually 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed
- How long
- 10 days to about 50 days
- Cycle
- For example 10 days a month or 10 days a quarter
- Mixing
- One ready-made spray is 10 mg in 10 mL, about 100 doses
- Spray strength varies by product (about 100 mcg to 400 mcg per spray), so spray counts are not comparable.
- The modified form N-acetyl epitalon amidate is often sold for nasal use.
Sources (4)
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VendorAV Peptide (vendor), Epitalon Nasal Spray 10 mg/10 mL (opens in a new tab)
“Recommended dosage: 1–2 sprays per day.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epitalon Acetate – Spray Solution” (2025) (opens in a new tab)
“The protocols I have seen are anywhere from 100-1000mcg for 10 days monthly-a could times a year. I’m doing 10-days once a quarter.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, same thread (opens in a new tab)
“I took mine at night right before bed. Mine was 200mcg/spray and I did 5 sprays.”
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ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 45) (opens in a new tab)
“I am on day four of using Awakebrain’s epitalon via their nasal spray bottles at 3 mg. twice a day”
Oral capsules
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Review: FDA briefing document on epitalon (products found online)
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 44)
- Forum: Longecity forum, “Peptide Bioregulators (Russian)” thread (page 2, 2015)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon dosage” (2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- Capsules of 1–3.3 mg; reports range from 1–2 mg a day to a claimed 10 mg a day
- How often
- Once or twice a day
- Route
- Oral (swallowed capsules, sometimes enteric-coated)
- How long
- For example 21-day courses
- Cycle
- One user took a 1-week break between courses
- Several research-peptide sellers sell 3 mg or 3.3 mg capsules; some add an absorption enhancer (sodium caprate).
- Many forum users doubt a swallowed peptide is absorbed; one claim is that oral use needs 10 mg a day versus 100 mcg injected.
- Peptide Sciences, a large US research-peptide seller, began selling enteric-coated epitalon capsules around 2023.
Sources (4)
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ReviewFDA briefing document on epitalon (products found online) (opens in a new tab)
“3 mg and 3.3 mg capsules; and an oral spray”
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ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 44) (opens in a new tab)
“I take 2mg a day, orally, 1 in morning and 1 at night.”
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ForumLongecity forum, “Peptide Bioregulators (Russian)” thread (page 2, 2015) (opens in a new tab)
“I’m just about to finish a 21 day course of the 1 mg dose in digestive resistant capsules (#6).”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, “Epithalon dosage” (2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Oral is 10mg daily for 10 days , subq is 100mcg 10 days”
Homemade under-the-tongue drops (older forum practice)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 17)
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 22)
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 3)
- Forum: Longecity forum, “Peptide Bioregulators (Russian)” thread (page 2, 2015)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 1–3 mg a day (a few used up to 5 mg)
- How often
- Once a day
- Route
- Under the tongue (drops)
- Timing
- Usually at bedtime
- How long
- Weeks to months
- Cycle
- For example 3–4 weeks on, then 1–2 weeks off; some took it continuously
- Mixing
- Powder dissolved in distilled water with a little alcohol (vodka or wine, about 5–7%), kept in the fridge
- Mainly Longecity users in about 2011–2016, dosing group-buy bulk powder by the drop or using pre-dosed sublingual products; some ran 21-day courses with 1-week breaks.
Sources (4)
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ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 17) (opens in a new tab)
“We take it for 3 to 4 weeks then off for a week or two. She takes 1 mg and I take 3 mg each evening before bed, sublingually.”
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ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 22) (opens in a new tab)
“My wife takes 4 drops, about 1mg and I take 12 drops, about 3mg, daily before bedtime, sublingually.”
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ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 3) (opens in a new tab)
“Experimenting between 1.5 and 3mg sublingual before bed.”
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ForumLongecity forum, “Peptide Bioregulators (Russian)” thread (page 2, 2015) (opens in a new tab)
“a 21 day course of the 1 mg sublingual dose once per day (#4), followed by a 1 week wash-out”
Very high daily dose
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Longecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 30)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, “1 Week of Epitalon” (2025)
- Practitioner: Jay Campbell (author), user testimonial quoted in Epitalon article
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 15–20 mg a day
- How often
- Once a day, or 3 times a day
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- How long
- About 1–2 weeks
- Ramp
- One user built up to 15 mg a day gradually
- Mixing
- One testimonial: 15 mg vial in 2.1 mL bacteriostatic water, 70 units (about 5 mg) per injection
- Scattered individual reports only; one user who reached 15 mg a day felt unwell (see cautions).
Sources (3)
-
ForumLongecity forum, Epitalon thread (page 30) (opens in a new tab)
“I had slowly built up my daily sub-q dosage until I was at 15mg a day. I was at 15mg/day for 2 weeks straight.”
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, “1 Week of Epitalon” (2025) (opens in a new tab)
“Been running 20mgs/night pre bed”
-
PractitionerJay Campbell (author), user testimonial quoted in Epitalon article (opens in a new tab)
“I took a 15 mg bottle and diluted it in 2.1 mL of bacteriostatic water. Did a subcutaneous injection of 70 units 3 times per day for 7 days straight.”
Where the numbers come from
The popular “Khavinson protocol” (10 mg a day into a muscle for 10 days, 100 mg per course, twice a year) comes from Russian studies of epithalamin, a calf pineal-gland extract, not synthetic epitalon: Khavinson and Morozov (2002) gave epithalamin and thymalin at 10 mg a day into a muscle for 10 days. The every-third-day version (10 mg every 3 days, 50 mg per course) is attributed by practitioners to the Kyiv (Ukrainian) epithalamin studies; the Tailor Made catalog cites one of them (Korkushko et al., 2011). Books (William Seeds, Peptide Protocols), the International Peptide Society and biohacking blogs (Ben Greenfield, 2017) carried these numbers over to synthetic epitalon, and a US compounding pharmacy sold 10 mg/mL and 3,000 mcg/mL vials, matching the two products later nominated to the FDA. The microdose camp scales down from a monkey study of synthetic epitalon (10 mcg per animal a day into a muscle; about 2 mcg/kg by forum estimates). The sublingual spray copies a 2021 study (0.5 mg a day for 20 days).
Home-made sprays and serums
Home-made nasal spray. Community recipes. Not tested.
Original source recordsHide
Epitalon is sold ready-made as a nasal spray (for example 10 mg in 10 mL), and a few users make their own; common use is 1–2 sprays at night, though some say mornings are better for sleep. Community only; the only intranasal research is in rats.
Best evidence: Rat studies of intranasal epitalon (Russia, 2006–2007). Otherwise community only (Reddit, 2023–2026).
Ready-made vendor spray, 10 mg in 10 mL
Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/Due_Back_9244 (post, 2023-11-27)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/Tenzky (comment, 2023-11-27)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/Ok_Direction4392 (post, 2026-06-16)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/evethedog (comment, 2026-06-16)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/larkspur82 (comment, 2025-11-12)
- Forum: Reddit r/Nootropics, u/Fit-Cucumber1171 (post, 2025-08-21)
- Forum: Reddit r/Nootropics, u/GALACTON (comment, 2025-08-22)
Batch: 10 mL
Ingredients and methodHide the recipe
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Epitalon | 10 mg | Active |
- How it’s used
- Suggested 2 sprays at night; another user takes 1 spray per nostril about 2 hours before bed; another says mornings work better, as evening use can make it harder to fall asleep.
- One user made an epitalon spray at home for their father, alongside a DSIP spray made by the method described under DSIP.
Not stated: the amount per dose.
Sources (7)
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/Due_Back_9244 (post, 2023-11-27) (opens in a new tab)
“The EPITHALON has 10mg in 10ml Sprayer bottle. How much Sprays per day would you use? Thought about 2x in the evening?”
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/Tenzky (comment, 2023-11-27) (opens in a new tab)
“Yeah 2 sprays at night should be ok.”
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/Ok_Direction4392 (post, 2026-06-16) (opens in a new tab)
“Epitalon: 1 spray per nostril ~2 hours before bed”
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/evethedog (comment, 2026-06-16) (opens in a new tab)
“Epitalon works much better for sleep for many when taken in the morning, harder sleep onset is a pretty common side effect of evening administration”
-
ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/larkspur82 (comment, 2025-11-12) (opens in a new tab)
“I have made a dsip and a epithalon nasal spray for my dad.”
-
ForumReddit r/Nootropics, u/Fit-Cucumber1171 (post, 2025-08-21) (opens in a new tab)
“provides a nasal spray bottle with the content inside.”
-
ForumReddit r/Nootropics, u/GALACTON (comment, 2025-08-22) (opens in a new tab)
“Yes it works. I’ve used it.”
Intranasal epitalon in rats (reference, not a home recipe)
Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.
- Study: Sibarov et al. Effects of intranasal administration of epitalon on neuron activity in the rat neocortex – Neurosci Behav Physiol (2007)
- Study: Sibarov et al. – Neurosci Behav Physiol (2007)
Ingredients and methodHide the recipe
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Epitalon | 30 nanograms per rat | Active |
- How it’s used
- Single dose in anaesthetised rats.
Sources (2)
-
“Intranasal administration of epitalon was selected as a noninvasive means of applying the agent to the CNS by bypassing the blood-brain barrier.”
-
StudySibarov et al. – Neurosci Behav Physiol (2007) (opens in a new tab)
“recording of neuron activity to 30 min after doses of 30 ng per animal.”
How the method was put together, step by step with its sources
Editorial synthesis and reported strength comparison
This synthesized method combines source records. It has not been validated for preparation, sterility, compatibility, absorption or storage. Select a reported strength to inspect the arithmetic; no strength is selected for you.
No amounts were found in the reviewed recipe records for this one. What was found is under “Original source records”.
The general method for home-made nasal sprays, with its sources
Good to know
- Bacteriostatic water contains 0.9–1.1% benzyl alcohol as a preservative. Its label covers mixing injections, not nasal use; EU labels warn of allergic reactions.
- Some use store-bought saline nasal spray for its preservatives: often benzalkonium chloride, which can irritate the nose with long use, and sometimes benzyl alcohol.
- Never tap water: it is not sterile, and CDC researchers warn against it for nasal rinsing.
What people report
-
Regulator
FDA lists epitalon among bulk substances that may present significant compounding risks (possible immune reactions from aggregation and impurities; no safety information for the proposed route).
-
User reports
One user found DSIP and epitalon nasal sprays made sleep lighter and more broken.
Source: Reddit r/Peptides – ‘DSIP and Epitalon making sleep worse’ (2026) (opens in a new tab)
Research notes
Doses in circulation differ about 100-fold (100 mcg vs 10 mg a day) and the forums actively dispute them. The 10 mg “Khavinson” figures come from studies of epithalamin (calf pineal extract), not synthetic epitalon (checked in the Russian 2002 paper); the claim that synthetic epitalon is “100 times stronger” and stories of a mistranslation or misplaced decimal point are unverified. “Ukrainian protocol” means different things on different sites (10 mg every 3–4 days vs 5 mg a day for 20 days). The Tailor Made chart row (300 mcg a day, “tendon repair”) looks like a copy error next to its own fact sheet (10 mg every 3 days). Timing advice conflicts (bedtime vs morning). Many dosing pages are AI-written SEO sites; they were avoided except peptides.org, used only for its citation of the International Peptide Society. Regulatory status is in flux after the July 2026 advisory vote.
Nasal spray
The rat study used 30 nanograms per animal; there are no human dose data for nasal epitalon.
What it is. In plain English.
A four-amino-acid “longevity” peptide from Soviet-era research on pineal gland extracts.
A synthetic tetrapeptide designed to mimic epithalamin, an extract of the pineal gland. Developed by Vladimir Khavinson in St. Petersburg.
It’s claimed to switch on telomerase, the enzyme that rebuilds the protective caps on chromosomes, and to restore melatonin rhythms in older animals.
Reviewed 2026-10-01.
Structure. A computed model.
, not measured
No experimental structure of Epitalon is in the . This is a computed model of its four amino acids, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly: a shape calculated from their atoms and bonds. Carbon atoms are lime green, nitrogen blue and oxygen red; hydrogen atoms aren’t drawn. Its formula and bonds were checked against the molecule’s known structure.
Good to know
- It is one possible shape: a flexible molecule like this one moves and can take others.
PubChem CID 219042. Rendered with Mol* (Sehnal et al., 2021).
Specs. The facts at a glance.
- Length
- 4 amino acids
- Sequence
- AEDG
- Sold as
- Epitalon 10 mg
- Regulatory status
- Not an FDA-approved drug. In July 2026 the advisory committee recommended epitalon for possible 503A bulk-list inclusion over FDA staff’s contrary recommendation; FDA had not made a final list decision as of October 1, 2026. The vote is not drug approval.
- Also known as
- Epithalon; synthetic epithalamin
Sources. What this page rests on.
Every source behind this page, with what it says and when it was checked, is in the Source library.
Epitalon in the Source library
Original overview and research notes · annotated 2026-10-01
Historical collection text. Read alongside the claim corrections above; identity or evidence qualifications may supersede this wording.
Anti-aging (claimed)
A four-amino-acid “longevity” peptide from Soviet-era research on pineal gland extracts.
A synthetic tetrapeptide designed to mimic epithalamin, an extract of the pineal gland. Developed by Vladimir Khavinson in St. Petersburg.
It’s claimed to switch on telomerase, the enzyme that rebuilds the protective caps on chromosomes, and to restore melatonin rhythms in older animals.
Cell studies reported telomere lengthening in human fibroblasts, and rodent studies reported longer lifespans. Nearly all the work comes from the developer’s own group and hasn’t been independently replicated in controlled human trials.
Original status record: Not approved. Research chemical. In July 2026 an FDA advisory panel voted to recommend allowing pharmacies to compound it, against FDA staff advice; the FDA has not decided.