Peptides range from approved prescription drugs with large trials behind them, like semaglutide and tirzepatide, to compounds sold online with little more than animal data. This guide covers 14 of them: what each is, its regulatory status, what the evidence shows, and the known risks.
| Compound | Regulatory status | Evidence / notes |
|---|---|---|
| 💊 Semaglutide | FDA-approved (prescription) | Prescription only |
| 💊 Tirzepatide | FDA-approved (prescription) | Prescription only |
| 🧪 Retatrutide | Investigational — not approved | Phase 3 trials |
| 💜 PT-141 (Bremelanotide) | FDA-approved as Vyleesi | Prescription only |
| 📈 Sermorelin | Formerly FDA-approved; discontinued | Discontinued 2008 |
| 🩹 BPC-157 | Not FDA-approved | Mostly animal research |
| 🧬 TB-500 | Not FDA-approved | Animal research |
| 🌿 KPV | Not FDA-approved | Animal research |
| ⏳ Epithalon | Not FDA-approved | Limited, single-group research |
| ✨ GHK-Cu | Cosmetic ingredient; not an approved drug | Not an approved drug |
| 📈 CJC-1295 | Not FDA-approved | Limited human data |
| 📈 Ipamorelin | Not FDA-approved | Limited human data |
| 🧪 IGF-1 LR3 | Not approved for human use | Not approved for humans |
| ☀️ Melanotan II | Not approved; regulators have warned | Regulator warnings |
We do not publish doses, cycles or protocols. For approved drugs, doses come from the prescribing information and your prescriber. For unapproved compounds there is no established human dose, and the figures circulating online are mostly extrapolated from animal studies. Regulatory facts are dated, because peptide policy changed several times in 2026: FDA removed twelve peptides from its compounding Category 2 list in April, and an advisory committee recommended six for compounding in July, a recommendation FDA had not finalized as of this review.
Semaglutide vs tirzepatide · Tirzepatide vs retatrutide · BPC-157 vs TB-500 · CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin