Humanin

Humanin is a short peptide made from a hidden gene inside mitochondria, the cell's energy-producing 'power plants,' and it's studied for protecting brain cells and for its role in longevity and metabolism signaling. A more potent lab-made version, HNG, also exists and is used in most of the research. It is a research compound only, not FDA-approved and not in active drug development, and most of the evidence for it comes from cells and animals, with very little human safety or dosing data.

Humanin has been studied mainly for neuroprotection and longevity, and most of that research is preclinical (cell and animal models) — it has been reported to protect neurons from toxic insults, reduce circulating free IGF-1, and extend lifespan in animals. Human pharmacokinetic and safety data are essentially absent, so dosing and half-life figures are estimates, not established human parameters.

Research compound — not FDA-approved, not investigational under any active registrational program. No FDA approval, no FDA-cleared clinical indication, not DEA-scheduled. Sold as a research-only peptide. Human pharmacokinetic data are limited; most evidence is preclinical (cell and animal models). Treat all dosing and half-life figures as estimates, not established human parameters.

Humanin is not FDA-approved and has essentially no controlled human safety data; research-supply purity and identity are not guaranteed. It is not named on the WADA Prohibited List (its sister peptide MOTS-c is named, but humanin is not) — however, a 2026 study reported that humanin can activate AMPK, which is the very pathway MOTS-c is listed under, so its status is not clear-cut. Anyone in tested sport should confirm against the current list before competing. VialWise is a research and educational reference, not medical advice — consult a licensed professional.

⚠️ For research and educational purposes only. Humanin is an unapproved research compound. There is no FDA-approved humanin product and no established human dose. Information in this entry is informational, not medical advice. Always confirm dose calculations with the in-app calculator and consult appropriate professional guidance before any protocol decisions.

⚠️ Human data are limited — dosing and half-life are estimates. Most humanin research is preclinical (cell culture and animal models). Half-life and dose figures in this entry are research-community and animal-derived estimates, not established human pharmacokinetic parameters. Treat them accordingly.

⚠️ Precision matters at low doses. Humanin and especially the HNG analog are dosed in micrograms. A one-unit mis-draw at a small dose is a large percentage error. Always verify draws against the in-app calculator and double-check the unit count on the syringe.

Humanin is a mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) — one of the first discovered — studied primarily for neuroprotection and metabolic/longevity signaling. It is a research compound with a substantial preclinical literature but limited human data.

Mechanism (from preclinical research). Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome (MT-RNR2 / 16S rRNA region), establishing mitochondria as endocrine-signaling organelles. In cell and animal models it protects neurons from amyloid-beta and other toxic insults, suppresses apoptosis across multiple cell types, modulates inflammatory signaling, and interacts with the insulin/IGF-1 axis — notably binding IGFBP-3 and reducing circulating free IGF-1 (a longevity-associated change in animal models). The more potent analog HNG (a single S14G substitution) is reported to be roughly 1000× more potent than native humanin in neuroprotection assays, which is why HNG research protocols use far smaller doses.

AMPK signaling (newer preclinical finding). A 2026 study in mouse and retinal-pigment-epithelium cell models reported that humanin activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylating ULK1 and Beclin1 to drive mitophagy.[⁶] This is a mechanistic finding in cells and animals, not a human result — but it matters for this entry's anti-doping section, because AMPK activation is the category its sister peptide MOTS-c is named under on the WADA Prohibited List. See the regulatory note under Contraindications & Warnings.

Human data (observational only). There is still no interventional human trial of humanin. The nearest human evidence is observational: in a 2026 case-control study, endogenous humanin and SHLP2 levels were significantly lower in the serum and placenta of pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes, and lower levels tracked with higher HOMA-IR and HbA1c.[⁵] That study measured naturally occurring humanin levels — it did not administer humanin to anyone, and it says nothing about what taking humanin would do.

Research interest. Humanin is studied in the contexts of Alzheimer's/neuroprotection, metabolic health, and longevity/healthspan (lifespan extension has been reported in animal models). It is frequently discussed alongside MOTS-c as part of an emerging mitochondrial-peptide signaling network. None of this constitutes evidence of safety or efficacy in humans — the human evidence base is thin.

Regulatory status. Humanin is not FDA-approved for any indication, is not under an active registrational program, and is not DEA-scheduled. It is sold as a research-only peptide. Research-supply products are unregulated and vary in purity and identity — the standard cautions for unapproved research peptides apply.

Commonly reported

• IGF-1 reduction — humanin lowers circulating free IGF-1 in models; the human consequences (positive or negative) are not characterized.
• Unknown immunogenicity and injection-site effects, as with any unapproved injectable peptide.
• Research-supply purity/identity risk — unregulated products may contain impurities.

Serious

• Any systemic allergic reaction (rash, swelling, difficulty breathing) following injection.
• Persistent or worsening injection-site reaction.
• Any unexpected systemic symptom — because there is no documented human adverse-event profile, the absence of known reactions is itself a caution, not reassurance. Treat anything unusual as a reason to stop and seek professional review.

No human safety characterization — the foundational caution. Absence of reported harms reflects absence of human study, not established safety.

IGF-1 axis interaction — humanin reduces free IGF-1 in models; implications for individuals with IGF-1-sensitive conditions are unknown.

Pregnancy/lactation — no data; avoid.

Unapproved research product — purity, identity, and sterility are not guaranteed.

Regulatory: not FDA-approved, not DEA-scheduled. WADA — humanin is not explicitly named in the WADA 2026 Prohibited List, a true negative verified against the archived list.[⁴] ⚠️ Do not treat that as clearance. Humanin cannot be placed safely outside S4.4.1 on the grounds that it is not an AMPK activator: a 2026 peer-reviewed study reported that humanin activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in preclinical models,[⁶] which is the exact category its sister mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c is named under (S4.4.1, activators of AMPK). Whether humanin is captured by that category is therefore ambiguous. Treat humanin as potentially prohibited, and confirm against the most recent annual edition and with your National Anti-Doping Organization before competition.

Peptide

A short chain of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Many compounds in this library are peptides.

Mitochondrial-derived peptide

A peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome that can act as a hormone-like signal.

Preclinical

Research done in cells or animals, before human clinical trials. Promising preclinical results don't always hold up in people.

Subcutaneous

An injection into the fatty layer just under the skin, rather than into a muscle or vein.

Investigational

Still being studied and not yet approved by regulators for general use.

1. Yen K, Mehta HH, Kim SJ, Lue YH, Hoang J, Guerrero N, Port J, Bi Q, Navarrete G, Brandhorst S, Lewis KN, Wan J, Swerdloff R, Mattison JA, Buffenstein R, Breton CV, Wang C, Longo V, Atzmon G, Wallace D, Barzilai N, Cohen P. (2020). The mitochondrial derived peptide humanin is a regulator of lifespan and healthspan. Aging (Albany NY), 12(12):11185–11199.(PMID 32575074)
2. Karachaliou CE, Livaniou E. (2023). Neuroprotective Action of Humanin and Humanin Analogues: Research Findings and Perspectives. Biology (Basel), 12(12):1534.(PMID 38132360)
3. Hashimoto Y, Niikura T, Tajima H, Yasukawa T, Sudo H, Ito Y, Kita Y, Kawasumi M, Kouyama K, Doyu M, Sobue G, Koide T, Tsuji S, Lang J, Kurokawa K, Nishimoto I. (2001). A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Abeta. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 98(11):6336–6341.(PMID 11371646)
4. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, International Standard (effective 1 January 2026). Canonical PDF: wada-ama.org (local archival copy `docs/legal/wada-2026-prohibited-list.txt`). Humanin is not listed — neither "humanin" nor "mitochondrial-derived peptide" / "MDP" / "MT-RNR2" appears anywhere in the list.
5. Dagli S, et al. (2026). Altered placental expression of small humanin-like peptides in gestational diabetes mellitus. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 131.(PMID 42453115)
6. Jang HY, et al. (2026). Humanin Mitigates Aβ-Induced Retinal Pigment Epithelium Injury via AMPK-Beclin1-Dependent Mitophagy. Aging Cell, 25(7):e70601.(PMID 42333946)

• MOTS-c — discussed together in this entry's stacks section
• SS-31 — same mechanism class
• Cartalax — shared research area
• Cerebrolysin — shared research area
• Cortagen — shared research area
• Epitalon — shared research area