Epitalon

Khavinson demonstrated telomerase activation and telomere elongation in human somatic cells in vitro, and Anisimov extended rodent lifespan by 10–25% with reduced spontaneous tumour incidence, but there is no human longevity or clinical outcome trial. FDA reports zero FAERS adverse-event reports for it through December 2025, which FDA itself footnotes as a reflection of how little anyone reports, not as evidence of safety.

Epitalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide (alanyl-glutamyl-asparagyl-glycine) developed by Vladimir Khavinson at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It is based on epithalamin, a natural pineal gland peptide, and targets telomere shortening. It is run in short periodic courses of 10–20 days rather than continuously.

Every time a cell divides, the protective telomere caps on the ends of its chromosomes get slightly shorter. When they become critically short the cell stops dividing and enters senescence, which contributes to tissue ageing. Telomerase is the enzyme that can rebuild telomere length, and its activity declines with age. Khavinson's group demonstrated that Epitalon activates telomerase in human somatic cells, producing telomere elongation. In a fibroblast study, treated cells showed increased telomerase activity and divided beyond the normal Hayflick limit. The second mechanism is pineal: Epitalon stimulates the pineal gland to maintain healthy melatonin production, which declines with age and affects sleep quality, circadian rhythm and antioxidant defence.

• Course5–10 mg

  Once daily for 10–20 consecutive days

  Reported as a short course, 2–3 times per year, spaced 4–6 months apart, working out to roughly 100 mg across a cycle. The two shapes reported are 5 mg for 20 days or 10 mg for 10 days. Effects on telomerase activity are described as persisting beyond the dosing window. One caution about where the human end of this comes from: the tier-1 courses were given as epithalamin, the bovine pineal extract, not as the synthetic tetrapeptide, and they come from a single unreplicated Russian group. One outlying source gives 2 mg/day, five times lower.

Not established in available literature. Use the calculator with the figures printed on your own vial.
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1. 1
   First course

   Our sleep guide describes Epitalon as working gradually over its 10–20 day course rather than acutely, restoring sleep-wake cycling rather than inducing sleep.

2. 2
   After 1–2 courses

   The point at which our sleep guide describes circadian effects becoming apparent.

Absence from this list does NOT mean safety. It means lack of research.

Storage

Lyophilized powder: refrigerator 2–8°C, freezer −20°C for long-term storage. Reconstituted with bacteriostatic water: refrigerate and discard after 28 days.

Cost

Not established in available literature

1. 1
   Khavinson et al., 2003 · Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells, Bull Exp Biol Med 135(6)
2. 2
   Anisimov et al., 2003 · Effect of Epitalon on biomarkers of aging, life span and spontaneous tumor incidence in female SHR mice, Biogerontology 4(4)
3. 3
   ADDF Cognitive Vitality · Epithalamin and Epithalon review. The human courses are 10 mg intramuscularly for five days, repeated six-monthly over three years, and they used the bovine extract (dose review, 2026-08-17)

   Source
4. 4
   Peptide Dosing Protocols · epitalon, 5 mg for 20 days or 10 mg for 10 days (vendor tier, dose review 2026-08-17)

   Source