Pinc PeptideThe girly peptide research blog

Longevity & wellness · 7 compounds · updated 8 October 2026

Best peptides for longevity, ranked by the human evidence

7 compounds are sold for longevity and wellness. We rank them by how strong the evidence in people is, not by popularity. 1 of the 7 is FDA-approved for some use; the rest are not.

The seven compounds on this page are sold or promoted for slower aging, more energy or general wellness1234567. SS-31 is elamipretide, which FDA approved in 2025 as Forzinity only for Barth syndrome, a rare inherited disease, although the agency’s clinical and statistical reviewers recommended against approval89. In the one placebo-controlled trial of SS-31 we found in healthy older adults, a single drip briefly raised a lab measure of muscle energy by a borderline margin10. FDA found no published study that gave MOTS-c to people, and a 2026 review of 113 studies found no outcome trial of NAD+ drips or shots for anti-aging34. FDA found only three studies that gave epitalon to people, and none measured telomeres, sleep quality, age-related disease or lifespan1. Sermorelin was once an approved US medicine for children who make too little growth hormone, until its maker stopped selling it in 2008; in older adults, its small trials found small effects that researchers said did not support routine use1112131415. Glutathione did no better than placebo in trials for Parkinson’s disease and cystic fibrosis161718. Thymalin, a Russian drug made from calf thymus glands, is promoted for longer life, but that claim rests on one report from its developers with unclear methods719.

In July 2026, FDA’s advisers voted to recommend letting pharmacies make epitalon and MOTS-c, against the advice of FDA staff; FDA had not acted on the votes by 8 October 2026132021222324. On 24 August 2026, FDA warned four online sellers that the ‘SS-31’ they sold was an unapproved drug6252627. Many samples sent for testing fail: Finnrick, a testing service, failed 41 of 61 NAD+ samples, 52 of 77 MOTS-c samples and 5 of 20 SS-31 samples it tested in 2026282930. People choose which samples to send, so the results are not a random survey31.

  1. SS-31 (elamipretide)

    BMixed resultsApproved as Forzinity; vials are not

    SS-31 is elamipretide, a lab-made peptide aimed at mitochondria, the cell’s power plants. FDA approved it in 2025 as Forzinity for a rare genetic disease83233. Most trials missed their main goals, and ‘SS-31’ vials sold online are not approved25343536.

    Does it work for anti-aging and energy? One drip in 39 healthy older adults gave a brief, borderline rise in a lab measure of muscle energy; endurance improved only in unplanned analyses10. No registered trial tests months of use in healthy people37.

  2. Glutathione

    BMixed resultsApproved in the Philippines with chemo; not US

    Glutathione is a natural antioxidant the body makes from three amino acids. Clinics sell drips and shots for lighter skin and wellness, but trials give little support38. In 2026, contaminated pharmacy vials sickened dozens of people239.

    Does it work for skin lightening? Pills and creams lightened skin moderately in small trials3840. A 2025 review said drips should not be used for this, because of lack of effect and side effects38.

  3. Thymalin

    BMixed resultsApproved in Russia as an injection; not in US

    Thymalin is a Russian prescription drug made from calf thymus glands: a mix of small peptides, not one molecule1941. Its human trials are small and mostly run by its developers, and it is not approved in the US74243.

    Does it work for immune support and slowing aging? In hospital COVID-19 patients, two small trials co-authored by one of its developers found faster drops in blood markers, and one found fewer deaths4142. Anti-aging claims rest on one developer report with unclear methods7.

  4. Sermorelin

    BMixed resultsNo longer approved (Geref, withdrawn 2009)

    Sermorelin is a lab-made piece of a brain hormone that tells the body to release growth hormone. Once approved in the US for children, it was discontinued in 2008, and its studies in adults are small and short1112.

    Does it work for anti-aging? In a 6-month trial against placebo in 89 older adults, some thinking tests improved13. The team’s other reports found less body fat but no better sleep, and said routine use was not yet supported1214.

  5. NAD+

    BUntestedApproved in China as an injection; not in US

    NAD+ is a helper molecule cells use to make energy, not a peptide. Clinics sell it as IV drips and shots for energy and anti-aging; 2026 reviews found no good evidence for those uses, and contaminated products have sickened people4444546.

    Does it work for anti-aging and energy? Two 2026 reviews found no good evidence that NAD+ drips or shots work for energy or anti-aging445. In a trial in 180 people with heart failure, heart pumping improved a little47.

  6. Epitalon

    BUntestedNot approved for any use

    Epitalon is a lab-made peptide of four amino acids, sold for longevity, telomeres and sleep1. Most of its research comes from one Russian group, and we found no controlled trial testing whether it slows aging in people148.

    Does it work for slowing aging and lengthening telomeres? We found no controlled trial that measured aging, telomeres or lifespan in people1. In the one placebo-controlled trial FDA found, 20 women given it for 20 days had more of a urine melatonin marker149.

  7. MOTS-c

    DUntestedNot approved for any use

    MOTS-c is a peptide the body makes, coded in the DNA of mitochondria, the cell’s power plants. Injections helped mice resist weight gain and run better, but FDA found no published study that gave it to people35051.

    Does it work for weight loss? FDA found no published study that gave it to people3. In mice, injections cut weight gain on a high-fat diet50.

How we ranked them

Compounds that trials show work for this goal come first, then those with mixed results, then those with no controlled human trial for this goal that has public results, and last those that trials found do not work. Within each group, the stronger the human evidence (tier A to E), the higher the place. Ties go to compounds FDA has approved as a medicine, then to those approved only in other countries, then to those whose US approval was withdrawn, then to peptides over non-peptide drugs, then to the winner of a trial that compared the two directly. Popularity, price and how a product is marketed play no part. A high place is not a recommendation to use anything.

How we grade evidence →

Head-to-head

Doses used in studies

Questions people ask

What is the best peptide for longevity?

We found no trial showing that any of the seven slows aging in people13471014. SS-31 tops this list because it is an approved medicine with a placebo-controlled trial in older adults, but that trial gave one drip to 39 people: a lab measure of muscle energy rose briefly by a borderline margin, and muscle endurance did not clearly improve10. Its approval, as Forzinity, covers only Barth syndrome, a rare inherited disease8. FDA found no published study that gave MOTS-c to people, a 2026 review of 113 studies found no outcome trial of NAD+ drips for anti-aging, none of the three epitalon studies FDA found measured telomeres or lifespan, and thymalin’s anti-aging claims rest on one developer report with unclear methods1347. Sermorelin’s small trials in older adults found small effects, which researchers said did not support its routine use in aging121314. Glutathione did no better than placebo in trials for Parkinson’s disease and cystic fibrosis, or in the largest trial on nerve damage from cancer drugs, although smaller, earlier trials looked protective1617185253.

Does epitalon slow aging?

Not shown: FDA found only three studies that gave epitalon to people, and none measured telomeres, sleep quality, age-related disease or lifespan1. The often-quoted study of 266 older people with lower death rates used epithalamin, an extract of calf pineal glands, not epitalon1754. Most of the research comes from one group in Russia, and a 2026 review said epitalon lacks independent Western validation148.

Are longevity peptides safe?

For most of them, safety in people is largely unknown: FDA found no study of epitalon’s safety in people and no human safety data for MOTS-c13. FDA says epitalon could, in theory, cause cancer with long-term use, because it switches on telomerase, an enzyme that lets cells keep dividing155. Contaminated NAD+ has caused chills, shaking and low blood pressure, and in 2026 drips made with supplement-grade glutathione put some people in the hospital394446. In the placebo-controlled Barth syndrome trial on SS-31’s US label, all 12 patients had injection-site redness while taking it, against 3 of 12 while on placebo; the label also warns of serious allergic reactions, and FDA has required new animal studies of its cancer risk833.

Sources

  1. 1July 23-24, 2026, Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee – FDA Briefing Document for Epitalon-Related Bulk Drug Substances (Epitalon (free base) and Epitalon acetate); FDA evaluation dated 12 May 2026 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jul 2026. fda.gov
  2. 2Adverse Events Linked to Injectable Glutathione Compounded with Dietary Supplement Grade Ingredient: Current Situation U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sep 2026. cdc.gov
  3. 3July 23-24, 2026, Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee – FDA Briefing Document for MOTS-c-Related Bulk Drug Substances (MOTS-c (free base) and MOTS-c acetate) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 11 May 2026. fda.gov
  4. 4NAD+ supplementation for anti-aging and wellness: A PRISMA-guided systematic review of preclinical and clinical evidence Ageing Research Reviews, Apr 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. 5Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency? (editorial) Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2006. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. 6Warning letter to Royal Peptides LLC (MARCS-CMS 734884) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 24 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  7. 7Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2003. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  8. 8Approval letter for NDA 215244, Forzinity (elamipretide) injection U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 19 Sep 2025. accessdata.fda.gov
  9. 9NDA 215244 Integrated Review (Forzinity, elamipretide) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CDER, 19 Sep 2025. accessdata.fda.gov
  10. 10In vivo mitochondrial ATP production is improved in older adult skeletal muscle after a single dose of elamipretide in a randomized trial PLOS ONE, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  11. 11Determination That GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.5 Milligrams Base/Vial and 1.0 Milligrams Base/Vial, and GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.05 Milligrams Base/Amp, Were Not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness (78 FR 14095) Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), 4 Mar 2013. federalregister.gov
  12. 12Growth hormone-releasing hormone and growth hormone secretagogues in normal aging Endocrine, Oct 2003. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  13. 13Growth hormone releasing hormone improves the cognition of healthy older adults Neurobiology of Aging, Feb 2006. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  14. 14Treating age-related changes in somatotrophic hormones, sleep, and cognition Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, Sep 2001. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  15. 15Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. et al.; Withdrawal of Approval of 92 New Drug Applications and 49 Abbreviated New Drug Applications (74 FR 23407) Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), 19 May 2009. federalregister.gov
  16. 16Phase IIb Study of Intranasal Glutathione in Parkinson’s Disease Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  17. 17Randomized, double-blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson’s disease Movement Disorders, 15 May 2009. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  18. 18Inhalation treatment with glutathione in patients with cystic fibrosis. A randomized clinical trial American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1 Jul 2013. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  19. 19Тималин (Thymalin), lyophilizate for intramuscular injection 10 mg: instructions for use Vidal Russia drug reference, 25 Mar 2025. vidal.ru
  20. 20Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (categories list) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 14 May 2026. fda.gov
  21. 21July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 6 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  22. 22PEPTIDE-L WAVE! PCAC Approves Four Bulk Drug Substances for the 503A List FDA Law Blog (Hyman, Phelps & McNamara), 24 Jul 2026. thefdalawblog.com
  23. 23The PEPTIDE-L Wave Rolls On! PCAC Adds Two More Bulk Drug Substances for the 503A List FDA Law Blog (Hyman, Phelps & McNamara), 28 Jul 2026. thefdalawblog.com
  24. 24Federal Register search: FDA documents mentioning “503A” published since 1 July 2026 Federal Register, accessed 8 Oct 2026. federalregister.gov
  25. 25Warning letter to Peak Performance Peptides (MARCS-CMS 735127) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 24 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  26. 26Warning letter to Peptide Partners LLC (MARCS-CMS 735063) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 24 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  27. 27Warning letter to TXP Innovations LLC dba Tex Peptides (MARCS-CMS 735067) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 24 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  28. 28MOTS-c: safety testing results and vendor ratings Finnrick, 24 Sep 2026. finnrick.com
  29. 29NAD+: safety testing results and vendor ratings Finnrick, 24 Sep 2026. finnrick.com
  30. 30SS-31: safety testing results and vendor ratings Finnrick, 17 Sep 2026. finnrick.com
  31. 31We’d Rather Buy the Future Than Wait For It Finnrick, 10 Jun 2026. finnrick.com
  32. 32Elamipretide (CID 11764719) PubChem, NCBI, accessed 7 Oct 2026. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  33. 33FORZINITY (elamipretide) injection prescribing information Stealth BioTherapeutics via DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 10 Dec 2025. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
  34. 34A phase 2/3 randomized clinical trial followed by an open-label extension to evaluate the effectiveness of elamipretide in Barth syndrome, a genetic disorder of mitochondrial cardiolipin metabolism Genetics in Medicine, Mar 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  35. 35Efficacy and Safety of Elamipretide in Individuals With Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy: The MMPOWER-3 Randomized Clinical Trial Neurology, 18 Jul 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  36. 36ReCLAIM-2: A Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial Evaluating Elamipretide in Age-related Macular Degeneration, Geographic Atrophy Growth, Visual Function, and Ellipsoid Zone Preservation Ophthalmology Science, Jan 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  37. 37ClinicalTrials.gov search: elamipretide, SS-31, MTP-131 or Bendavia (32 records, 30 of them elamipretide studies) ClinicalTrials.gov, accessed 7 Oct 2026. clinicaltrials.gov
  38. 38Glutathione as a skin-lightening agent and in melasma: a systematic review International Journal of Dermatology, Jun 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  39. 39FDA reminds compounders not to use dietary supplement grade glutathione for injectables U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 27 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  40. 40Glutathione as an oral whitening agent: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study Journal of Dermatological Treatment, Apr 2012. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  41. 41Results and Prospects of Using Activator of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation in Complex Therapy for Patients with COVID-19 Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, Feb 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  42. 42Peptide Drug Thymalin Regulates Immune Status in Severe COVID-19 Older Patients Advances in Gerontology, 2021. link.springer.com
  43. 43Drugs@FDA via openFDA: search for active ingredient thymalin (no matches) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), accessed 7 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov · data query
  44. 44FDA reminds compounders to use ingredients suitable for sterile compounding U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 30 Oct 2024. fda.gov
  45. 45Narrative review of intravenous NAD+ and NAD+ precursors in wellness and translational medicine Frontiers in Aging, 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  46. 46Warning letter to GenoGenix LLC (MARCS-CMS 718739) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 20 Jan 2026. fda.gov
  47. 47Effect of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide on Heart Failure Caused by Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, Jan 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  48. 48Therapeutic peptides in gerontology: mechanisms and applications for healthy aging Frontiers in Aging, 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  49. 49AEDG peptide regulates human circadian rhythms genes expression during pineal gland accelerated aging (in Russian; English version: Advances in Gerontology 2021;11(1):53-58) Uspekhi Gerontologii (Advances in Gerontology), 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  50. 50The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance Cell Metabolism, 3 Mar 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  51. 51MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis Nature Communications, 20 Jan 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  52. 52North Central Cancer Treatment Group/Alliance trial N08CA-the use of glutathione for prevention of paclitaxel/carboplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy: a phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study Cancer, 15 Jun 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  53. 53Neuroprotective effect of reduced glutathione on cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Journal of Clinical Oncology, Jan 1995. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  54. 54Identification of Peptide AEDG in the Polypeptide Complex of the Pineal Gland Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Nov 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  55. 55Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Jun 2003. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Not medical advice. Each compound page cites its sources for every claim above. All compounds in one table · Report an error.