Injection
Community- Dose
- 500 mcg
- How often
- Once daily, 5 days on, 2 off
- How long
- 8 weeks
Most cited. Taken in the morning. Some guides use 250–375 mcg.
Draw 20 units5 mg + 2 mL
PreclinicalAnti-inflammatory peptide
KPV
Lys-Pro-Val, α-MSH (11–13)
- Common dose
- 200–500 mcg daily
- Cycle
- 8 weeks on, 8 off
- Vial sizes
- 5, 10 mg
- Typical draw
- 20 units5 mg with 2 mL, 500 mcg
The last three amino acids of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, studied for anti-inflammatory effects in the gut and skin.
Evidence. Cell and animal studies only, mainly colitis and skin models.
Status
- Approval
- Not approved as a drug in the US or EU.
- US compounding
- Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). On July 23, 2026 FDA’s advisory committee voted 8 to 6, 1 abstaining, to recommend adding it to the 503A bulks list; FDA staff had advised against.
- Sport (WADA 2026)
- Likely banned in sportNot named on WADA’s 2026 list, but its S0 rule bans drugs with no current human approval anywhere, at all times.
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
In cell and animal studies KPV is carried into gut lining cells and T cells by PepT1, a transporter for two- and three-amino-acid peptides, where it blocks two signaling switches, NF-kB and MAP kinase, that turn on inflammatory messengers. Oral KPV reduced colitis in two mouse models. FDA’s 2026 review concluded the melanocortin receptors its parent hormone uses are unlikely to be its target.
AnimalMainly from cell and animal studies; not shown in people.
Not known
Its actual target has not been identified, nothing is known about what reaches the blood, and whether any of the animal effects happen in people is untested.
Protocol
Community
Injection: 200–500 mcg once daily (500 mcg is most cited).
Community
Oral: 200 mcg–1 mg daily in 1–2 doses.
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection or oral (community)
- Timing
- Morning.
- Cycle
- No established cycle. One common pattern is 8 weeks on, 8 weeks off.
8 weeks on, 8 off, shown over 26 weeks
Common protocols
The ways KPV is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.
Oral (gut)
Community- Dose
- 500 mcg–1 mg
- How often
- Once daily, or split in two
- How long
- 8 weeks
On an empty stomach about 30 minutes before food, often as enteric-coated capsules.
Start low
Community- Dose
- 200 mcg
- How often
- Once daily
- How long
- Week 1, then the usual dose
Used to check tolerance before moving to 500 mcg.
Draw 8 units5 mg + 2 mL
Taking it
Where it goes
Under the skin of the belly or thigh, usually in the morning. Oral doses go on an empty stomach about 30 minutes before food.
If you miss a dose
No published guidance, and the guides checked don’t address it. Skip it and take the next dose on schedule; don’t double up.
What to expect
- Weeks 1–3
People using it for gut symptoms report changes within 1–3 weeks, if at all. Anecdotal only.
Community - Overall
No human study has measured KPV’s effects or timing. Expectations come from mouse colitis studies and user reports.
Community
Side effects and what to do
Injection-site redness, itch or swelling (community)
Mild and brief. Rotate sites.
Nausea or stomach upset with oral use (community)
Mostly in the first few days or at higher oral doses. A lower dose usually helps.
Mild headache (community)
Infrequent. Stop if it persists.
Unknown safety in people
No human trials exist. Avoid in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and check with a doctor if you take immune-suppressing drugs.
Stop and get medical help
Fever or chills, hives, face or throat swelling, trouble breathing, or a severe injection-site reaction (spreading redness, heat or pus).
Who should avoid it
No product label covers KPV, 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 FDA found no animal studies of effects on development or reproduction.
- Anyone taking immune-suppressing drugs
- PrecautionIt damps inflammatory signaling in animal studies, and no study has looked at adding it to drugs that already suppress the immune system.
- Anyone relying on product quality
- PrecautionFDA’s July 2026 review found it poorly characterized, with no certificate of analysis in the nomination and no data on impurities, clumping or microbial quality.
Interactions
No interaction studies have been published, and no product label lists any.
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
- Gut symptoms you’re targeting (pain, bloating, stool changes)
- Injection-site reactions
Often paired with
- BPC-157
The most common KPV pairing, mainly for gut issues: KPV calms inflammation, BPC-157 supports repair.
- GHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500
Premixed together as the KLOW blend. See KLOW.
Human studies
No published human studies of KPV turned up in our October 2026 review. The evidence note at the top of this page sums up what is known.
Limits of the evidence
FDA, reviewing KPV in July 2026, found no human exposure data by any route and no pharmacokinetic or toxicity studies. The evidence is cell work, two mouse colitis models, and a cadaver-skin test in which KPV barely crossed the outer skin layer. The injected and oral amounts quoted online have never been tested in a person.
Mixing your vial
| Vial | Water | Common dose | Draw | Strength | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 500 mcg | 20 units (0.20 mL) | 2.5 mg/mL | |
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 500 mcg | 10 units (0.10 mL) | 5 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 | 3 mL | |
| 200 mcg | |||
| 250 mcg | |||
| 300 mcg | |||
| 400 mcg | |||
| 500 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
- No reliable value has been published.
- Type
- Peptide, 3 amino acids
- Molecular weight
- 342.4 g/mol
- Formula
- C16H30N4O4
- Sequence
- KPV
- Storage before use
- Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage.
- After mixing or opening
- Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks.
- Molecule: PubChem CID 125672 (H-Lys-Pro-Val-OH, free acid)
- Storage: Community Common practice for research peptides; no approved label exists.
Every compound side by side: the half-life chart and the storage chart.
Cautions
- No completed human trials.
- Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Questions
What is KPV?
The last three amino acids of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, studied for anti-inflammatory effects in the gut and skin.
How does KPV work?
In cell and animal studies KPV is carried into gut lining cells and T cells by PepT1, a transporter for two- and three-amino-acid peptides, where it blocks two signaling switches, NF-kB and MAP kinase, that turn on inflammatory messengers. Oral KPV reduced colitis in two mouse models. FDA’s 2026 review concluded the melanocortin receptors its parent hormone uses are unlikely to be its target. Its actual target has not been identified, nothing is known about what reaches the blood, and whether any of the animal effects happen in people is untested.
Is KPV FDA-approved?
Not approved as a drug in the US or EU. Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). On July 23, 2026 FDA’s advisory committee voted 8 to 6, 1 abstaining, to recommend adding it to the 503A bulks list; FDA staff had advised against.
What is the usual KPV dose?
From community reports, not established: Injection: 200–500 mcg once daily (500 mcg is most cited). Oral: 200 mcg–1 mg daily in 1–2 doses. These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.
How much water do I mix KPV with?
There’s no single right amount, because the water only sets the strength. With 2 mL of bacteriostatic water in a 5 mg vial, the strength is 2.5 mg/mL, so 500 mcg is 20 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 KPV?
No product label covers KPV, so these come from human studies and from precautions based on how it works. Pregnancy or breastfeeding: No human safety data exist, and FDA found no animal studies of effects on development or reproduction. Anyone taking immune-suppressing drugs: It damps inflammatory signaling in animal studies, and no study has looked at adding it to drugs that already suppress the immune system. Anyone relying on product quality: FDA’s July 2026 review found it poorly characterized, with no certificate of analysis in the nomination and no data on impurities, clumping or microbial quality.
How should KPV be stored?
Before mixing: Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage. After mixing: Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks. This is common practice; no product label covers it.
Is KPV banned in sport?
Probably. Not named on WADA’s 2026 list, but its S0 rule bans drugs with no current human approval anywhere, at all times.
Has KPV been studied in people?
No published human studies turned up in our October 2026 review. The evidence note at the top of this page sums up what is known.
Sources
- Dalmasso et al., KPV reduces intestinal inflammation (Gastroenterology 2008) PMID 18061177
- FDA advisory committee backs 6 peptides for compounding (AJMC, July 2026)
For how it works, who should avoid it and the limits of the evidence
- FDA briefing document for KPV-related bulk drug substances, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (July 2026)
- Kannengiesser et al., KPV in two mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008) PMID 18092346
- Getting et al., the anti-inflammatory effect of KPV is unlikely to run through melanocortin receptors (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003) PMID 12750433
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.