Longevity & mitochondrial
Humanin
Also called HN, HNG (S14G analogue)
Humanin is a small peptide made from genetic code inside the mitochondria. It was discovered in 2001 while scientists searched for factors that protect brain cells from Alzheimer's-type damage. Blood levels fall with age, which has made it interesting for aging research, but it has not been tested as a treatment in people.
Overview
Humanin is a small peptide made from genetic code inside the mitochondria. It was discovered in 2001 while scientists searched for factors that protect brain cells from Alzheimer's-type damage. Blood levels fall with age, which has made it interesting for aging research, but it has not been tested as a treatment in people.
How it works
Proposed, from cell and animal studies. Humanin binds the cell-death protein Bax and blocks it from moving to mitochondria, reducing cell death signals. Outside cells it acts on FPRL-1 receptors and a proposed CNTF receptor/WSX-1/gp130 complex that switches on JAK2/STAT3 survival signaling. It also binds IGFBP-3. A modified version (HNG, Ser14→Gly) is reported to be over 1,000 times more potent in cell protection assays.
What research shows
- Cell and rodent studies show protection against Alzheimer's-related toxicity, oxidative stress and other injuries (review) 1.
- Human observational data: circulating humanin falls with age; lower levels are linked to poorer coronary endothelial function; it is found in human plasma, CSF and carotid plaques 1.
- No published human treatment trials of humanin or its analogues were found in this review.
Doses studied in people
No published human dosing data; humanin has not been given to people in published clinical trials.
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.
Community-described protocol
Commonly reported, not studiedOne week
Twice weekly · Subcutaneous injection
Syringe units (U-100)
Dose by week
Supplies for one course (estimate)
Counts only. This site does not sell or link to supplies.
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
- No human safety data; long-term safety is unknown.
- 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; investigational/research use only.
- Compounding
- Not on FDA's 503A nominations list (May 2026) and not named on FDA's Category 2 page 23.
- Sports (WADA)
- Not named. 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
- None identified.
Rules change often. See Legal status of peptides for how these categories work.
History
Identified in 2001 by Hashimoto and colleagues in Japan using a 'death-trap' screen of brain tissue from a person with Alzheimer's disease. It became the founding member of the 'mitochondrial-derived peptides', a family that later included MOTS-c.
Common questions
Is humanin FDA-approved?
What does the research show?
Cell and rodent studies show it protects against Alzheimer's-related toxicity, oxidative stress and other injuries 1. No human treatment trials were found.
Do humanin levels change with age?
Yes. Observational studies show blood levels fall with age, and lower levels are linked to poorer function of the heart's blood vessels 1.
Has humanin been tested in people?
Not as a treatment. It has not been given to people in published clinical trials, so there is no human dosing or safety data.
What is HNG?
HNG is a modified humanin with one amino acid swapped, reported to be over 1,000 times more potent in cell protection tests 1.
Is humanin banned in sport?
It is not named on WADA's 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
MOTS-c
mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c · MOTSc
MOTS-c is a small peptide made from instructions in mitochondrial DNA, the cell's 'power plant' genes.
SS-31 (elamipretide)
elamipretide · Forzinity
SS-31, now called elamipretide, is a small lab-made peptide that travels to the mitochondria, the cell's power plants.
Epitalon
epithalon · epithalone
Epitalon is a tiny four-amino-acid peptide made in the lab, modeled on an extract from the pineal gland.
Sources
- Gong Z, Tas E, Muzumdar R. Humanin and age-related diseases: a new link? Front Endocrinol 2014;5:210 PubMed review
- FDA: Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A (updated May 14, 2026) Regulatory
- FDA: Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (content current as of 04/22/2026) Regulatory
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List (official English text, Dutch Treaty Series Trb. 2026, 25) Regulatory
Last reviewed 2026-10-25 · How we research · Found an error? See our corrections policy.