Research IV bolus
Trial- Dose
- 1 mcg/kg (0.01–3 tested)
- How often
- Single dose
- How long
- One-off test
LH peaked 30–45 min later. 3 mcg/kg gave a smaller rise than 1 mcg/kg, so more isn’t better (George 2011).
Human studiesReproductive-axis stimulator
Kisspeptin-10
KP-10, metastin 45–54
- Common dose
- 100 mcg daily
- Cycle
- 6 weeks on, 4 off
- Vial sizes
- 5, 10 mg
- Typical draw
- 5 units5 mg with 2.5 mL, 100 mcg
The 10-amino-acid active fragment of kisspeptin, the brain signal that switches on GnRH. It quickly raises LH and, in men, testosterone.
Evidence. Small human physiology studies, mostly IV, plus a 2026 randomized study of 12 days of dosing under the skin in 15 men. Never approved.
Status
- Approval
- Not approved as a drug in the US or EU.
- US compounding
- Still in FDA Category 2 for pharmacy compounding (503A) as of April 2026. In October 2024 FDA’s advisory committee voted 0 to 11 against adding it to the 503A bulks list. Not on the July 2026 agenda.
- Sport (WADA 2026)
- Restricted in sportS2.2.1 testosterone-stimulating peptides: kisspeptin and its agonist analogues are banned at all times in males. The rule applies to males only.
Category 2 is FDA’s list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding. The 503A bulks list adds substances that pharmacies may compound with. Advisory committee votes are advice; FDA makes the final decision. Sport status follows the WADA Prohibited List in force since January 1, 2026; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization. Checked October 5, 2026. Status of every compound.
How it works
Kisspeptin-10 binds the kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R) on brain cells that release GnRH, the hormone that tells the pituitary to release LH and FSH, which drive the testes and ovaries. People born without a working receptor don’t go through puberty. In human studies it raised LH within 30 minutes and, in men, testosterone, and a steady infusion made LH pulses more frequent.
TrialMainly from studies in people.
Not known
Whether once-daily injections keep working is unknown: steady exposure blunted the LH response by day 5, and the longest study lasted 12 days. Long-term effects on fertility and hormones are also untested.
Protocol
Trial
George 2011
IV bolus of 0.01–3 mcg/kg in men; the LH response peaked at 1 mcg/kg.
Community
50–200 mcg once daily by injection, most often 100 mcg.
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection (community); IV in most studies
- Cycle
- 4–6 weeks on, about 4 weeks off.
6 weeks on, 4 off, shown over 26 weeks
Common protocols
The ways Kisspeptin-10 is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.
Research IV infusion
Trial- Dose
- 1.5–4 mcg/kg per hour
- How often
- Continuous
- How long
- 9–22.5 hours
Raised LH pulse frequency and testosterone in healthy men. Hospital research only.
Community injection
Community- Dose
- 50–200 mcg (often 100 mcg)
- How often
- Once daily
- How long
- 4–6 weeks on, about 4 weeks off
Not tested in any trial. Subcutaneous use and this schedule rest on user reports.
Draw 2.5–10 units5 mg + 2.5 mL
Dosing by body weight
Trial0.01–3 mcg/kg. George 2011 IV bolus in men; LH peaked at 1 mcg/kg. Infusions ran at 1.5–4 mcg/kg per hour
At 70 kg, per dose0.7 mcg–210 mcg0–10.5 units at 5 mg + 2.5 mL
Taking it
Where it goes
Studies gave it into a vein (IV). Community use is subcutaneous injection (under the skin), rotating sites.
If you miss a dose
No published guidance. Don’t double up; resume the usual schedule.
What to expect
- 30–45 min after an IV dose
LH rises and peaks (George 2011, healthy men).
Trial - Over a 22.5-hour IV infusion
At 4 mcg/kg per hour, LH rose about fourfold and testosterone from 16.6 to 24.0 nmol/L.
Trial - Over 9 hours at 1.5 mcg/kg per hour
LH pulses became more frequent, from 0.7 to 1.0 per hour.
Trial
Side effects and what to do
None reported in small IV studies (George 2011)
Only a handful of men were studied, briefly. Effects of repeated daily injections are unknown.
Hormone swings: LH and testosterone rise after doses
This is the intended effect. The highest bolus dose gave a smaller LH rise, so more isn’t better.
Site redness, pain or infection (unregulated vials)
Use sterile technique. Spreading redness, heat or pus needs medical care.
Stop and get medical help
Get medical help for hives, swelling or trouble breathing, or a hot, spreading red injection site with fever.
Who should avoid it
No product label covers kisspeptin-10, so these come from human studies and from precautions based on how it works. Most important first.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- PrecautionNo human safety data exist, and it acts directly on the reproductive hormone system.
- Prostate or other hormone-sensitive cancer
- PrecautionIt raises LH and testosterone in men. Drugs that raise testosterone, such as hCG, are ruled out by their labels in prostate cancer and other testosterone-driven tumors.
- Anyone relying on product quality
- PrecautionIt isn’t an approved drug, so vials have no regulated standard for identity, purity or sterility. FDA flags possible immune reactions from impurities and says safety data are limited.
Interactions
No interaction studies have been published, and no product label lists any. In one small study, kisspeptin-10 didn’t significantly raise LH in 4 women taking the combined pill, which suppresses the hormone system.
Precaution: follows from how it works or from a related drug, and hasn’t been tested. This isn’t a complete list: a pharmacist or doctor can check a specific medicine or condition.
Tracking and pairing
Worth tracking
- LH
- Testosterone (men)
- Menstrual cycle changes (women)
Often paired with
Usually run on its own.
Human studies
5 key published human studies, with how many people took part. Animal studies aren’t listed here.
-
Daily 8-hour infusions kept LH, FSH and testosterone raised for 12 days; after 5 days of nonstop infusion LH and FSH were back to placebo levels.
- Design
- Randomized single-blind placebo-controlled study
- Dose
- Subcutaneous infusion 150 nmol/h for 8 hours daily (about 1.6 mg a day); also 180 nmol/h nonstop for 5 days
- Length
- 12 days
Yeung et al., Eur J Endocrinol 2026, PMID 42549827
-
LH rose in follicular-phase, postmenopausal and progestogen-implant users, but not in women on the combined pill; FSH rose only after menopause.
- Design
- Experimental physiology study
- Dose
- 0.3 mcg/kg IV bolus
- Length
- Single dose
George et al., Hum Reprod 2012, PMID 22956346
-
In men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone, the infusion raised LH from 3.9 to 20.7 IU/L and testosterone from 8.5 to 11.4 nmol/L.
- Design
- Proof-of-concept physiology study
- Dose
- 0.3 mcg/kg IV bolus; 4 mcg/kg/h IV infusion for 11 hours
- Length
- Single sessions
George et al., Clin Endocrinol 2013, PMID 23153270
-
LH peaked at 1 mcg/kg (4.1 to 12.4 IU/L, n=6), with less at 3 mcg/kg; a 22.5-hour infusion raised LH 5.4 to 20.8 IU/L and testosterone 16.6 to 24.0 nmol/L.
- Design
- Dose-response and infusion study in men
- Dose
- IV bolus 0.01–3 mcg/kg; infusion 1.5–4 mcg/kg/h
- Length
- Up to 22.5 hours
George et al., JCEM 2011, PMID 21632807
-
LH and FSH rose in men; no response in follicular-phase women even at high IV or SC doses, but a rise before ovulation (4–5 per group).
- Design
- Dose-response study in men and women
- Dose
- IV bolus up to 10 nmol/kg; SC bolus up to 32 nmol/kg in women
- Length
- Single doses and short infusions
Jayasena et al., JCEM 2011, PMID 21976724
Limits of the evidence
Kisspeptin-10’s human data come from small physiology studies in men and women, mostly single IV doses or infusions lasting hours, plus 15 men given infusions under the skin for up to 12 days. No study has tested once-daily injections, the way it is used outside research, or any use beyond 12 days. Purity of unregulated vials is untested.
Mixing your vial
| Vial | Water | Common dose | Draw | Strength | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 2.5 mL | 100 mcg | 5 units (0.05 mL) | 2 mg/mL | |
| 10 mg | 3 mL | 100 mcg | 3 units (0.03 mL) | 3.333 mg/mL |
Dose chart
Syringe units for common doses at different water volumes. Select a cell to open it in the calculator.
| Dose | Water added | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 2 mL | 2.5 mL | 3 mL | |
| 50 mcg | ||||
| 60 mcg | ||||
| 75 mcg | ||||
| 100 mcg | ||||
| 150 mcg | ||||
| 200 mcg | ||||
U-100 insulin syringe: 100 units is 1 mL. Draws over 100 units show in mL. Faded values are under 2 units, which is hard to measure. Check that your vial holds the larger volumes.
Datasheet
- Half-life
- about 4 minutes TrialPlasma half-life after IV dosing: 3.8 minutes in men and 4.1 minutes in women.
- Type
- Peptide, 10 amino acids
- Molecular weight
- 1,302.4 g/mol
- Formula
- C63H83N17O14
- Sequence
- YNWNSFGLRF-NH2
- Storage before use
- Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage, kept dry and away from light.
- After mixing or opening
- Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks.
- Half-life: Jayasena et al., JCEM 2011, PMID 21976724, as cited in the FDA PCAC briefing, Oct 2024
- Molecule: PubChem CID 25240297 (kisspeptin-10, human metastin 45-54)
- Storage: Community Common research-peptide practice; no manufacturer stability data found.
Every compound side by side: the half-life chart and the storage chart.
Cautions
- Constant exposure blunts the response. In men given nonstop kisspeptin-10 under the skin, LH and FSH were back to placebo levels by day 5, while daily 8-hour infusions kept them raised for 12 days.
- Very short half-life (about 4 minutes IV).
- Effects differ between men and women.
Questions
What is kisspeptin-10?
The 10-amino-acid active fragment of kisspeptin, the brain signal that switches on GnRH. It quickly raises LH and, in men, testosterone.
How does kisspeptin-10 work?
Kisspeptin-10 binds the kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R) on brain cells that release GnRH, the hormone that tells the pituitary to release LH and FSH, which drive the testes and ovaries. People born without a working receptor don’t go through puberty. In human studies it raised LH within 30 minutes and, in men, testosterone, and a steady infusion made LH pulses more frequent. Whether once-daily injections keep working is unknown: steady exposure blunted the LH response by day 5, and the longest study lasted 12 days. Long-term effects on fertility and hormones are also untested.
Is kisspeptin-10 FDA-approved?
Not approved as a drug in the US or EU. Still in FDA Category 2 for pharmacy compounding (503A) as of April 2026. In October 2024 FDA’s advisory committee voted 0 to 11 against adding it to the 503A bulks list. Not on the July 2026 agenda.
What is the usual kisspeptin-10 dose?
From human studies (George 2011): IV bolus of 0.01–3 mcg/kg in men; the LH response peaked at 1 mcg/kg. From community reports, not established: 50–200 mcg once daily by injection, most often 100 mcg. These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.
How much water do I mix kisspeptin-10 with?
There’s no single right amount, because the water only sets the strength. With 2.5 mL of bacteriostatic water in a 5 mg vial, the strength is 2 mg/mL, so 100 mcg is 5 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. More water makes small doses easier to measure. The dose chart above shows other volumes.
Who should avoid kisspeptin-10?
No product label covers kisspeptin-10, so these come from human studies and from precautions based on how it works. Pregnancy or breastfeeding: No human safety data exist, and it acts directly on the reproductive hormone system. Prostate or other hormone-sensitive cancer: It raises LH and testosterone in men. Drugs that raise testosterone, such as hCG, are ruled out by their labels in prostate cancer and other testosterone-driven tumors. Anyone relying on product quality: It isn’t an approved drug, so vials have no regulated standard for identity, purity or sterility. FDA flags possible immune reactions from impurities and says safety data are limited.
What is the half-life of kisspeptin-10?
About 4 minutes, measured in human studies. Plasma half-life after IV dosing: 3.8 minutes in men and 4.1 minutes in women.
How should kisspeptin-10 be stored?
Before mixing: Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage, kept dry and away from light. After mixing: Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks. This is common practice; no product label covers it.
Is kisspeptin-10 banned in sport?
In some cases. S2.2.1 testosterone-stimulating peptides: kisspeptin and its agonist analogues are banned at all times in males. The rule applies to males only.
Has kisspeptin-10 been studied in people?
Yes. The human studies section lists 5 published studies. Among them, from 2026: Daily 8-hour infusions kept LH, FSH and testosterone raised for 12 days; after 5 days of nonstop infusion LH and FSH were back to placebo levels.
Sources
- George et al., kisspeptin-10 stimulates LH in men (JCEM 2011) PMID 21632807
- Yeung et al., 12 days of subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 in men (Eur J Endocrinol 2026) PMID 42549827
- FDA advisory committee briefing: kisspeptin-10 (2024)
For the protocol details
- George et al., kisspeptin-10 stimulates LH and increases pulse frequency in men (JCEM 2011)
For how it works, who should avoid it and the limits of the evidence
- George et al., kisspeptin-10 responses in women by hormone status (Hum Reprod 2012) PMID 22956346
- Seminara et al., GPR54 receptor gene mutations and absent puberty (N Engl J Med 2003) PMID 14573733
- FDA, bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks: kisspeptin-10 (Apr 2026)
Doses tagged Community come from public dosing guides and user reports, checked against at least two of them. Those sites aren’t named here because many of them sell peptides or earn commissions on them.