Neuro & cognitive

DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)

Also called emideltide, delta sleep-inducing peptide

DSIP is a small peptide first found in the 1970s in the blood of sleeping rabbits and named for its supposed ability to bring on deep sleep. Human studies in the 1980s and early 1990s tested it for insomnia, but it never became an approved medicine. In July 2026 an FDA advisory panel voted against allowing pharmacies to compound it.

Early human dataSome small human studies exist; evidence is limited.

All printable flashcards

Drawn from its published sequence: 9 residues, one bead each.

Overview

How it works

Unclear. DSIP was named for promoting slow-wave ('delta') sleep in animals, but how it acts — and whether it has a dedicated receptor — has never been established. Human sleep effects in controlled studies were inconsistent.

What research shows

Double-blind study of DSIP in chronic insomniac patients (published 1992) ⁵.
Study of short-term DSIP administration in chronic insomniacs (1987) ⁶.
Early review of DSIP (1984) summarizing animal and human work ⁷.
FDA staff reviews (June 2026) recommended against adding emideltide to the bulks list for opioid withdrawal, chronic insomnia or narcolepsy; the advisory committee voted 6–7 against, with some members citing the lack of quality evidence ²³⁸.

Doses studied in people

Old clinical studies exist, but their doses could not be verified from full text in this review; online dosing is not trial-derived.

Read this first: these are the amounts given to participants in published studies or written on official prescribing labels, reported for reference. They are not recommendations. Trial doses were chosen for specific patients under medical supervision, and a dose that is safe in one person can be harmful in another.

Weekly protocol

How the schedule looks week by week. Each chart says where it comes from: a prescribing label, a clinical trial, or a protocol commonly reported online.

Double-blind insomnia study (Bes 1992)

Clinical trial

One week

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7

Once daily, in the afternoon · Intravenous injection

Dose by week

25 nmol/kgwk 1

Course: 3 doses, before nights 3, 4 and 5 of a 5-night sleep-lab study
Note: Chronic insomnia patients; half received placebo. Weight-based IV dosing.
Source: Bes F et al. Effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide on sleep of chronic insomniac patients: a double-blind study. Neuropsychobiology 1992;26(4):193-197

Commonly reported protocol

Commonly reported, not studied

One week

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7

Once daily in the evening, before bed · Subcutaneous injection

Syringe units (U-100)

Vial Water added

Dose by week

100 mcgwk 1

150 mcgwk 2

200 mcgwk 3

250–300 mcgwk 4–8

Supplies for one course (estimate)

Counts only. This site does not sell or link to supplies.

Course: 8–12 weeks
Note: Another guide gives the same 100–300 mcg dose but shorter 10–30 day courses, nightly or every 2–3 days.
Source: PeptideDosages.com: DSIP (5 mg vial) dosage protocol
Also: Peptide Protocol Wiki: DSIP dosing protocols

Reference only, not a recommendation. Charts marked "commonly reported" describe what public sources say people use. They have not been tested in trials, and their safety and effect are unknown. Label and trial schedules were set for specific patients under medical supervision. Use the calculator only to understand the arithmetic.

Vial math

Many research vials hold 5 or 10 mg of powder. This table shows how much ends up in each mark on a U-100 insulin syringe for common amounts of added liquid. It is arithmetic only, not a dose.

Vial	Liquid added	Concentration	Per unit (0.01 mL)
5 mg	1 mL	5 mg/mL	50 mcg	Open in calculator
5 mg	2 mL	2.5 mg/mL	25 mcg	Open in calculator
5 mg	3 mL	1.67 mg/mL	16.7 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	1 mL	10 mg/mL	100 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	2 mL	5 mg/mL	50 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	3 mL	3.33 mg/mL	33.3 mcg	Open in calculator

More sizes: all vial sizes · How this works: Syringes and units · Reconstitution guide.

Safety

Long-term safety is unknown; human studies were small and short.
FDA advisory committee declined to recommend it (July 2026) based on lack of effectiveness evidence ²³.
Unregulated 'research' products may vary in purity and content.

Report side effects of any drug or product to the FDA through MedWatch. For a possible poisoning in the US, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Legal status

FDA: Not FDA-approved.
Compounding: Removed from 503A Category 2 in April 2026 (nomination withdrawn); PCAC voted 6–7 against adding emideltide to the 503A bulks list on July 24, 2026 ¹².
Sports (WADA): Not named on the 2026 List. Likely captured by S0 (non-approved substances, prohibited at all times) if it has no current government approval for human therapeutic use anywhere — confirm with your anti-doping organization ⁴.
Other: Not approved as a medicine in any major market found in this review.

Rules change often. See Legal status of peptides for how these categories work.

History

Isolated by Swiss researchers in the 1970s from rabbit blood. Several small clinical studies in chronic insomnia, including double-blind designs, were published in the 1980s–1990s. In the US it was nominated for compounding under the name emideltide; it was in FDA's Category 2 safety list until the nomination was withdrawn (removed April 2026). On July 24, 2026 the FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 6–7 (1 abstention) against recommending it for opioid withdrawal, chronic insomnia and narcolepsy.

Common questions

Is DSIP FDA-approved or legal to compound?

No. It is not FDA-approved, and in July 2026 an FDA advisory committee voted 6 to 7 against adding it (as emideltide) to the compounding list for opioid withdrawal, chronic insomnia and narcolepsy ¹².

Where does DSIP come from?

It was first isolated in the 1970s from the blood of rabbits during induced sleep, and named for its apparent ability to promote deep sleep ⁷.

Does DSIP help with sleep?

Small studies in people with chronic insomnia were published in the 1980s and 1990s, including a double-blind trial ⁵⁶. FDA staff recommended against it, and some advisory committee members cited a lack of quality evidence ²⁸.

What doses were studied in people?

Old clinical studies exist, but their doses could not be checked from full text in this review. Doses seen online are not from trials.

Is DSIP safe?

Human studies were small and short, so long-term safety is unknown. Products sold as 'research chemicals' may vary in purity and content.

Is DSIP banned in sport?

It is not named on WADA's 2026 list, but it is likely covered by the S0 'prohibited at all times' rule if no government anywhere has approved it for human use ⁴.

Related compounds

Longevity & mitochondrialPreclinical onlyFlashcard

Epitalon

epithalon · epithalone

Epitalon is a tiny four-amino-acid peptide made in the lab, modeled on an extract from the pineal gland.

Neuro & cognitiveEarly human dataFlashcard

Selank

TP-7 · selank acetate

Selank is a short lab-made peptide developed in Russia as an anti-anxiety medicine.

Neuro & cognitiveEarly human dataFlashcard

Semax

ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro · Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro

Semax is a lab-made peptide built from a small piece of the stress hormone ACTH, with three amino acids added so it lasts longer.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-25 · How we research · Found an error? See our corrections policy.