What is kisspeptin?
Short answer
Kisspeptin is a family of peptides made from one human gene, KISS1, that sits upstream of the hormone axis governing reproduction. The full-length form is kisspeptin-54; the catalog form is kisspeptin-10, a ten-amino-acid fragment. The human studies among the studies cited here used kisspeptin-54. Kisspeptin is not FDA-approved for any use; it is prescribed only as a compounded medication, and compounded medications are not FDA-approved. It is prohibited in sport.
| Type | Naturally occurring signalling peptide; kisspeptin-10 is a 10-amino-acid fragment of kisspeptin-54 |
|---|---|
| Origin | Product of the human KISS1 gene, first described as metastin |
| Also known as | Kisspeptin-10, KP-10, metastin |
| Evidence to date | Human physiology studies and a phase 2 IVF study of kisspeptin-54; kisspeptin-10 data is smaller |
| Form in this catalog | Kisspeptin-10, subcutaneous injection, supplied already reconstituted |
| Regulatory status | Compounded medication; not FDA-approved for any use |
| Anti-doping | Prohibited (WADA S2, kisspeptin and agonist analogues; the entry is written for male athletes) |
| Prescription units | Written in micrograms; the kisspeptin calculator converts label strength to units |
| Study type | Sources |
|---|---|
| Human clinical trials | 2 |
| Other human studies | 0 |
| Animal and lab studies | 0 |
| Review articles | 1 |
Where does kisspeptin come from?
Kisspeptin is not one molecule but a family of peptides cut from a single precursor protein encoded by the human KISS1 gene. The gene was first described in cancer research, where its product was named metastin for its reported role in suppressing the spread of melanoma cells, and only later was the same peptide found to be a central signal in reproductive physiology. All members of the family share the same short tail of amino acids, which is the part that binds the kisspeptin receptor, known as KISS1R or GPR54.
Kisspeptin-54 is the full-length processed peptide, 54 amino acids long. Kisspeptin-10 is the final ten amino acids of that chain, which retain the receptor-binding region and are far easier to synthesize. The two are often discussed as if interchangeable, but they are different molecules with different sizes and different clearance, and the research record is not evenly split between them. The compounded form in this catalog is kisspeptin-10.
What has kisspeptin been studied for?
Kisspeptin research centres on its place at the top of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis: it acts on the neurons that release gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn drives the pituitary hormones that regulate the gonads. A 2012 review in Physiological Reviews summarizes the physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms of kisspeptins in reproduction, including their involvement in puberty and in the feedback loops that sex hormones exert on the brain.
Kisspeptin-54, not kisspeptin-10, is the form used in the human studies among the studies cited here. A 2005 placebo-controlled crossover study in six healthy men examined whether kisspeptin-54 stimulated the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. A 2014 phase 2 study examined kisspeptin-54 as a trigger for egg maturation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Both are small, mechanism-focused studies in specific settings; neither tested kisspeptin-10, neither addressed athletic or general wellness use, and neither is a basis for claims about hormone levels in a patient reading this page.
| Area | Type of evidence | What the studies examined |
|---|---|---|
| Reproductive physiology | Review | Physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms of kisspeptins, 2012 |
| Hormone axis in men | Placebo-controlled crossover study (six healthy men) | Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal response to kisspeptin-54, 2005 |
| Egg maturation in IVF | Phase 2 clinical study (women undergoing IVF) | Kisspeptin-54 as an oocyte maturation trigger, 2014 |
| Kisspeptin-10 specifically | Smaller data set; none among the studies cited here | Not covered by the studies above |
Get Kisspeptin prescribed, pre-mixed
How is kisspeptin prescribed?
Kisspeptin is prescribed through Peptides.build as a compounded kisspeptin-10 protocol: a licensed US provider reviews an online intake and, if appropriate, writes a prescription that a licensed 503A pharmacy fills. It is a subcutaneous injection and ships already reconstituted with the concentration printed on the pharmacy label, so there is no powder to mix.
Kisspeptin touches the hormonal axis more directly than most compounds in this catalog, which is why provider review matters more here rather than less. Baseline laboratory work and a reproductive and endocrine history are usually part of the intake conversation, and a diagnosed hormonal condition is a clinician conversation first. It is prescribed on its own; it does not appear in any blend in the catalog. The dose and schedule are set by the provider and not published on this site.
Is kisspeptin FDA-approved or allowed in sport?
Kisspeptin is not FDA-approved for any use. No branded kisspeptin product, in either the 10 or the 54 form, has been approved in the US, so the only route to a patient is a prescription for a compounded medication, and compounded medications are not reviewed or approved by the FDA the way mass-manufactured drugs are.
Kisspeptin is prohibited in sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists kisspeptin and its agonist analogues under S2, among the releasing factors of the reproductive hormone axis, and that entry is written for male athletes. Drug-tested athletes of any sex should check with their governing body before a prescription is filled.
How are kisspeptin doses measured?
Kisspeptin-10 prescriptions are written in micrograms, and the amount drawn depends on the concentration on the vial. A pre-mixed pharmacy vial prints that concentration in mg/mL, and because kisspeptin-10 amounts are small, a dilute vial keeps the draw readable on a syringe. The free kisspeptin calculator on this site converts a prescribed dose and a label strength into units on a U-100 insulin syringe. It performs arithmetic only and does not recommend a dose.
Prescribed Kisspeptin vs research peptides: what is different?
Prescribed Kisspeptin is not a research chemical. It is a prescription medication: a licensed US provider reviews your intake first, and a licensed 503A pharmacy compounds it for you by name. Vials sold online as “research use only” skip both steps. What you pay for here is that review, a pharmacy you can name, and a label that says what is in the vial.
A research seller’s certificate of analysis is a document the seller controls: it chooses the lab and the sample, and a PDF can be reused, edited or re-dated. No regulator checks it.
| Point | Prescribed through Peptides.build | Research use only |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Online intake reviewed by a licensed US provider; prescribed only when appropriate. | No prescription and no clinical review of whether it suits you. |
| How it's labeled | A prescription medication compounded for you by name. | Commonly sold labeled “research use only, not for human consumption.” |
| Who prepares it | A licensed 503A US compounding pharmacy under state and federal oversight. | Unregulated suppliers, often with no verifiable chain of custody. |
| Testing | Third-party tested. | Certificates of analysis are self-reported when provided at all. |
| Purity and identity | Prepared to a prescription for a specific patient. | Purity, strength, and even identity are unverified by any independent party. |
This compares two care models, not two products. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and we do not claim otherwise. What a prescription adds is a licensed provider deciding whether a protocol is appropriate for you and a licensed pharmacy preparing it. Read the full guide to research vs prescription peptides.
Kisspeptin FAQ
What is the difference between kisspeptin-10 and kisspeptin-54?
Both come from the same KISS1 gene product and share the receptor-binding tail. Kisspeptin-54 is the full-length peptide and the form used in the human studies cited here; kisspeptin-10 is a ten-amino-acid fragment that is easier to synthesize and is the form in this catalog.
Is kisspeptin a hormone?
Kisspeptin is a signalling peptide produced in the body that acts upstream of the reproductive hormone axis, on the neurons that release gonadotropin-releasing hormone. It is not testosterone, estrogen or any gonadal hormone, and it does not supply those hormones.
Has kisspeptin been tested in humans?
Yes, in small mechanism-focused studies of kisspeptin-54: a placebo-controlled crossover study in six healthy men and a phase 2 study in women undergoing IVF. Kisspeptin-10 has a smaller data set, and no studies among the studies cited here used it.
Is kisspeptin FDA-approved?
No. Kisspeptin is not FDA-approved for any use. It reaches patients in the US only as a compounded medication prescribed by a licensed provider and prepared by a licensed 503A pharmacy, and compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Is kisspeptin banned in sport?
Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists kisspeptin and its agonist analogues under S2, with the entry written for male athletes. Drug-tested athletes should check with their governing body.
Kisspeptin through Peptides.build
A licensed US provider reviews a short online intake and decides whether a protocol is appropriate. A US 503A pharmacy prepares it already reconstituted, labels the concentration and ships it cold-chain. Dosing is set by the provider and is not published on this site.
Start your Kisspeptin visit · from $158/moReferences
- Kisspeptin-54 stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis in human males. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2005. doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1468Study type: Placebo-controlled crossover study (six healthy men)
- Kisspeptins and reproduction: physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms. Physiological Reviews, 2012. doi:10.1152/physrev.00037.2010Study type: Review
- Kisspeptin-54 triggers egg maturation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2014. doi:10.1172/JCI75730Study type: Phase 2 clinical study (women undergoing IVF)
Citations are listed with their study type so the evidence can be weighed. Review articles summarize other studies; animal and in vitro findings do not describe outcomes in people.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Kisspeptin is not FDA-approved for any use, and compounded medications are not FDA-approved. No results are implied or guaranteed. Talk to a licensed provider about your own history before starting any protocol.