Which peptides have been tested in people, and how often
For every peptide we cover, the number of clinical trials in people that PubMed has indexed and the number of studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Counted from the two registries by script, not typed by hand, with the most recent studies listed on each peptide's own page.
For many peptides sold for wellness, the record of published trials in people is thin or empty. The table below counts, for each peptide we cover, the trials PubMed has indexed and the studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, and every figure comes straight from those two registries.
Of the 31 peptides we cover, 7 have no published clinical trial in people, and 6 of those (AOD-9604, dihexa, IGF-1 LR3, KPV, MOTS-c and PTD-DBM) have no registered trial either. Another 10 have fewer than five.
The count
Select a peptide to see its most recent studies on its own page.
Counted from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov on October 9, 2026.
| Peptide | Published trials in people | of which randomized | Registered trials | with posted results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOD-9604 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Argireline | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| BPC-157 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cerebrolysin | more than 80 | more than 60 | more than 30 | 3 |
| CJC-1295 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dihexa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Epitalon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GHK-Cu | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Glutathione | more than 100 | more than 100 | more than 70 | more than 10 |
| IGF-1 LR3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ipamorelin | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Kisspeptin | 40 | 21 | 20 | 5 |
| KPV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Liraglutide | more than 600 | more than 500 | more than 400 | more than 100 |
| Matrixyl | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Melanotan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| MOTS-c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAD+ | 23 | 11 | 14 | 0 |
| Oxytocin | more than 500 | more than 500 | more than 300 | more than 90 |
| PT-141 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 4 |
| PTD-DBM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Retatrutide | 9 | 8 | 32 | 2 |
| Selank | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Semaglutide | more than 300 | more than 300 | more than 500 | more than 100 |
| Semax | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sermorelin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS-31 | 17 | 16 | 30 | 14 |
| TB-500 | 6 | 6 | 19 | 9 |
| Tesamorelin | 24 | 22 | 19 | 9 |
| Thymalin | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tirzepatide | more than 100 | more than 100 | more than 200 | more than 40 |
Five of these have lists too long to read entry by entry: cerebrolysin, liraglutide, oxytocin, semaglutide and tirzepatide. We sampled those lists rather than reading every entry, so their figures are rounded down.
What counts as a trial
Published trials are articles that PubMed's indexers have tagged both as a study in humans [1] and as a clinical trial, meaning participants were assigned to receive an intervention so its effects could be measured [2]. The randomized column is the subset also tagged as a randomized controlled trial [2]. Newly added articles wait to be indexed with these tags, so the newest papers reach the count late [3].
Registered trials are interventional studies on ClinicalTrials.gov, in any status, in which the peptide is listed as one of the interventions [4]. A registration is a plan filed before a study starts. The column beside it counts the studies that have posted results.
People had to be given the peptide. Several of these molecules are also made by the body, and many studies measure them in blood without giving them to anyone. Those studies are not counted. It was the largest single source of error in our first count: every one of the MOTS-c trials PubMed returned measured it in blood, and none gave it.
What we left out, and why
Some names cover more than one product, so each count follows what its page is about. Oxytocin is counted from studies of intranasal use, because obstetric use would swamp the figure and is not what the page covers. NAD+ means NAD+ itself, not the precursors sold to raise it. Melanotan means Melanotan II. TB-500 includes trials of thymosin beta-4, the protein it is derived from. Sermorelin is searched by name only, because the same peptide is used as a diagnostic test in endocrine research.
Registrations we could not verify are not counted. In February and March 2026 one sponsor, Hudson Biotech, filed seven registrations, for BPC-157, TB-500, MOTS-c, GHK-Cu, Melanotan II, tesamorelin and retatrutide, all at a single hospital, and one of them is titled "Mock Study" [5]. None has posted results. They stay out until results or a publication can be checked.
Every study we removed by hand has a recorded reason, and a recount applies the same removals.
How to read a zero
A zero in the published column means no trial in people has reached a journal that PubMed indexes as a clinical trial. It does not mean nobody has taken the peptide, and it does not mean the peptide has been shown not to work. It means there is no trial to point to.
Two gaps in the registries make zeros more likely for some peptides than others. Selank, semax and thymalin were developed and studied mainly in Russia, and a trial published in a journal PubMed does not index cannot appear here. And ClinicalTrials.gov is one registry among many; trials run elsewhere may be registered only in a national registry, which the World Health Organization gathers into a separate search portal [6]. We search the two sources most readers can check for themselves.
Frequently asked
Does a registered trial mean a peptide works?
No. A registration records that someone planned a study. Many registered trials are withdrawn, stop early, or finish without publishing, which is why the table counts posted results separately and why published trials are a different column.
Why is the count lower than a PubMed search for the name?
A plain search returns everything that mentions the peptide: animal studies, laboratory work, reviews and opinion. This page counts only reports of trials in which people were given it.
How often are the counts updated?
The counts are recounted from both registries when this page is updated, and the date above the table is the date of the last count. The figures on each peptide's page come from the same count.
References
- National Library of Medicine — MeSH descriptor "Humans".
- National Library of Medicine — Publication characteristics (publication types) with scope notes, including Clinical Trial and Randomized Controlled Trial.
- PubMed Help — citation status subsets, including citations waiting to be indexed with MeSH terms.
- ClinicalTrials.gov — About the API.
- ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07481734, "Tesamorelin for Reduction of Liver Fat in Adults With Fatty Liver Disease (Mock Study)", sponsor Hudson Biotech.
- World Health Organization — International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.
Editorial note: Informational only — not medical advice. A count of trials says how much a peptide has been studied in people, not whether it is safe or effective for you. Decisions about any treatment should be made with a licensed healthcare provider familiar with your medical history.