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D2C Peptides

Research goal

Peptides and sleep

No peptide on this page has been shown in a modern controlled trial to help people fall or stay asleep.27 The delta sleep peptide (DSIP) rests on small, conflicting insomnia studies that FDA called inconclusive in 2026.2 The large modern trials concern sleep apnea, a breathing disorder, not insomnia.2729 This page maps what published sources report on each compound searched with sleep, and makes no promise.

This page summarizes published sources for information only. It is not medical advice and does not tell anyone to use a product. Questions about your own health belong with a licensed clinician. For questions about an order or a product, contact us.

Why sleep and growth hormone come up together

Much of the interest in peptides for sleep traces back to growth hormone (GH). In pooled laboratory studies of 149 healthy men aged 16 to 83, the amount of GH released tracked the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep at every age.6 Between ages 16 to 25 and ages 36 to 50, deep sleep fell from 18.9% to 3.4% of sleep time, and GH output fell by 372 micrograms per decade.6 That is an association. It does not show that raising GH improves sleep, and the one GH treatment study in these sources found less total sleep, not more.13

Compounds studied for sleep

DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)

DSIP is a 9-amino-acid peptide first isolated in 1977 from the blood of rabbits after electrical stimulation of the thalamus, and its international drug name is emideltide.12 FDA counted 209 people given it by intravenous injection in published studies, each for 1 to 15 days.2 Small insomnia studies by one group reported better sleep, but two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies by other groups judged the benefit of little clinical significance or unlikely to be major.234 FDA's 2026 review called the evidence inconclusive and at best preliminary, and on July 24, 2026 its compounding advisory committee voted 7 to 6, with 1 abstention, against recommending it.25 Read What is DSIP?, or see DSIP for sale for the research vial.

Epithalon

No study has tested epitalon, the spelling FDA uses, on sleep itself.7 In old rhesus monkeys, 10 days of injections raised evening melatonin more than 4-fold.78 Among 40 night-shift women with low melatonin output, those given a sublingual spray for 20 days had a 1.7-fold rise in a urine melatonin metabolite, while the placebo group did not change.79 None of the studies FDA reviewed measured sleep behavior or sleep brain waves, and FDA concluded there is a lack of evidence that it works for insomnia.7 An FDA advisory committee still voted 7 to 4, with 1 abstention, to recommend it for compounding for insomnia, a vote that does not bind FDA.10 Read What is Epithalon?, or see Epithalon for sale.

GHRP-6

In a placebo-controlled study of healthy men, four intravenous doses of GHRP-6 during the night raised stage 2 sleep from about 245 to 270 minutes.11 Deep slow-wave sleep did not change.11 The same doses raised night-time ACTH and cortisol.11 A 2026 review places GHRP-6 among peptides with only short, mechanistic human studies and no controlled efficacy trials.12 Read What is GHRP-6?, or see GHRP-6 for sale.

HGH

GH and deep sleep decline together with age, as described above.6 In the one treatment study in these sources, 8 adults aged 20 to 30 with isolated GH deficiency took GH for 6 months.13 Total sleep time fell, REM sleep rose, and deep sleep did not change significantly.13 Read What is HGH?, or see HGH for sale.

Sermorelin

No sermorelin trial with sleep outcomes was found.14 In a 16-week trial of a closely related GHRH analog in 19 adults aged 55 to 71, questionnaire-rated sleep quality did not change in men or women.14 Read What is Sermorelin?, or see Sermorelin for sale.

Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin's only FDA-approved use is reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy.15 A planned phase 2 trial of GHRH for sleep in service members with brain injury and insomnia was withdrawn before enrolling anyone.16 A 2026 pilot of low-dose GHRH tracked sleep, fatigue and other measures and found no significant changes.17 Read What is Tesamorelin?, or see Tesamorelin for sale.

Ipamorelin

No clinical trial has tested ipamorelin for sleep.18 In its phase 2 trial in people recovering from bowel surgery, insomnia was reported in 10.7% of those given ipamorelin against 5.2% on placebo.18 FDA's review also documented clinics marketing it for better sleep.18 Read What is Ipamorelin?, or see Ipamorelin for sale.

CJC-1295

No study of any CJC-1295 form has measured sleep, although websites reviewed by FDA claim it improves sleep quality.19 The one overnight study of CJC-1295 with DAC drew blood every 20 minutes for 12 hours to track GH pulses and did not assess sleep.20 Read What is CJC-1295 with DAC?, What is CJC-1295 No DAC? and What is CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin?, or see CJC-1295 with DAC for sale, CJC-1295 No DAC for sale and CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin for sale.

Selank

Selank is not a sleep medicine: its Russian label lists sleep disturbances among the anxiety symptoms it is used for, and no published study found measured sleep.21 In a 2015 Russian study of 70 patients with anxiety, adding Selank to phenazepam reduced that drug's side effects, which included sedation and longer sleep.22 Read What is Selank?, or see Selank for sale.

Pinealon

No study has tested Pinealon on sleep in people.24 In rat pineal gland cultures it did not reproduce epitalon's effects on the cells.23 A 2026 orthopedics review groups pinealon with epithalon and DSIP as agents said to target circadian and mitochondrial regulators, while noting a lack of clinical trials.24 Read What is Pinealon?, or see Pinealon for sale.

NAD+

No NAD+ injection study reviewed for this site reported sleep outcomes. One registered, placebo-controlled trial compares intravenous NAD+ with intravenous nicotinamide riboside in healthy adults and lists a validated sleep scale among its outcomes, but no results are posted on its registry record.25 Read What is NAD+?, or see NAD+ for sale.

Tirzepatide

The evidence covers obstructive sleep apnea, a breathing disorder, not insomnia.26 In December 2024 FDA approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.26 In the two SURMOUNT-OSA trials, breathing interruptions fell by 25.3 and 29.3 events per hour at 52 weeks, against 5.3 and 5.5 on placebo.2728 Read What is Tirzepatide?.

Retatrutide

Retatrutide is investigational, and FDA states it has not been found safe and effective for any condition.30 In the phase 3 TRIUMPH-1-OSA trial of 243 adults without diabetes, breathing interruptions fell by 22.9 to 34.3 events per hour at 80 weeks across three doses, against 9.9 on placebo.29 It has not been studied as a sleep aid, and insomnia was among the effects self-reported online by people using unapproved retatrutide, a finding the authors call hypothesis-generating.31 Read What is Retatrutide?.

How to read this research

Four questions sort most of the findings above. First, was sleep itself measured? A rise in melatonin or growth hormone is a marker, not better sleep, and in GH-deficient adults GH treatment shortened total sleep.13 Second, who ran the study, and did anyone repeat it? The positive DSIP results came from one research group, and placebo-controlled studies by other groups did not confirm them.2 Third, do the route and product match what is studied? FDA found no effectiveness study of DSIP given under the skin, the route proposed for compounding today.2 Fourth, which sleep problem is it? Sleep apnea trials count breathing interruptions per hour, which says nothing about falling or staying asleep.2729 A committee vote is not an approval either: the epitalon vote was nonbinding.10 Each profile page linked above gives the compound's regulatory status, side effects and full source list. For weighing research on unapproved compounds in general, see the safety basics guide.

Other research goals

Frequently asked questions

Is DSIP good for sleep?

The evidence is mixed and old: human studies date back to 1981, and the two placebo-controlled insomnia studies were published in 1987 and 1992.234 Small intravenous studies by one research group reported better sleep in chronic insomnia, while those two double-blind studies by other groups found little or no benefit.234 FDA's 2026 review called the results inconclusive and at best preliminary.2 Every human study it found gave DSIP by vein, so neither the under-the-skin route proposed for compounding nor the nasal sprays sold online have been tested.2

Does Epithalon make you sleepy?

No study has measured drowsiness or sleep after epitalon.7 Its human studies looked at melatonin markers, clock genes and an eye disease instead.7 In night-shift women with low melatonin output, 20 days of a sublingual spray raised a urine melatonin metabolite 1.7-fold, with no change on placebo.79 FDA's 2026 review concluded there is a lack of evidence that it works for insomnia.7 Whether it causes sleepiness or improves sleep is unknown.

Does Selank keep you up?

No study measuring sleep on Selank was found.2122 Its Russian label lists sleep disturbances among the anxiety symptoms it is used for, and it does not list insomnia as a side effect.21 In a 2015 study of 70 anxiety patients, adding Selank to phenazepam was linked to fewer phenazepam side effects, including sedation and longer sleep.22 Neither source tracked sleep directly, so its effect on sleep in either direction is unmeasured.

Is Zepbound used for sleep apnea?

Yes. FDA approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) in December 2024 for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, and called it the first medicine for the condition.26 In the two SURMOUNT-OSA trials, breathing interruptions fell by 25.3 and 29.3 events per hour over 52 weeks, against about 5 on placebo.2728 It treats a breathing disorder, not insomnia, and it is a prescription medicine whose dose the prescriber sets.26

Do growth hormone peptides improve deep sleep?

Not in the studies found. Growth hormone output tracks deep sleep, but that is an association.6 Four night-time doses of GHRP-6 lengthened lighter stage 2 sleep by about 25 minutes and left deep sleep unchanged.11 Six months of growth hormone in deficient young adults shortened total sleep, raised REM sleep and did not change deep sleep.13 A related GHRH analog given for 16 weeks did not change sleep quality.14

Written by D2C Peptides Editorial Team.

Pending qualified review.

Updated .

Sources

  1. Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a still unresolved riddle (Kovalzon and Strekalova). Journal of Neurochemistry (abstract via PubMed, NLM), 2006.
  2. FDA Briefing Document, PCAC July 23-24, 2026: Emideltide-Related Bulk Drug Substances (dated 5/11/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  3. Study of delta sleep-inducing peptide efficacy in improving sleep on short-term administration to chronic insomniacs (Monti et al.). International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Research (abstract via PubMed, NLM), 1987.
  4. Effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide on sleep of chronic insomniac patients. A double-blind study (Bes et al.). Neuropsychobiology (abstract via PubMed, NLM), 1992.
  5. FDA Panel Backs 6 Peptides for Compounding (Steinzor). AJMC (The American Journal of Managed Care), 2026.
  6. Age-related changes in slow wave sleep and REM sleep and relationship with growth hormone and cortisol levels in healthy men (Van Cauter et al.). JAMA (PubMed abstract), 2000.
  7. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 23-24, 2026: Evaluation of Epitalon-Related Bulk Drug Substances (Epitalon (Free Base) and Epitalon Acetate) for Inclusion on the 503A Bulk Drug Substances List (memo dated 5/12/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  8. Goncharova ND, Khavinson VK, Lapin BA. Regulatory effect of Epithalon on production of melatonin and cortisol in old monkeys. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2001;131(4):394-6. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine; abstract via PubMed, NLM, 2001.
  9. Ivko OM, Linkova NS, et al. AEDG peptide regulates human circadian rhythms genes expression during pineal gland accelerated aging. Adv Gerontol. 2020;33(3):429-435 (Russian; English abstract). Advances in Gerontology (Uspekhi Gerontologii); abstract via PubMed, NLM, 2020.
  10. FDA committee recommends looser restrictions for several peptides (Emma Bascom, July 24, 2026). Healio, 2026.
  11. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 stimulates sleep, growth hormone, ACTH and cortisol release in normal man (Frieboes RM et al.; PMID 7617137). Neuroendocrinology (abstract via NCBI PubMed E-utilities), 1995.
  12. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration (Dominikowski A et al.; full text). Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2026.
  13. Astrom C et al. The influence of growth hormone on sleep in adults with growth hormone deficiency (PMID 2225491, doi 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1990.tb03886.x): participants and findings. Clinical Endocrinology, via PubMed (NCBI E-utilities), 1990.
  14. Endocrine and metabolic effects of long-term administration of [Nle27]growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-29)-NH2 in age-advanced men and women (Khorram et al.), quality of life and safety. J Clin Endocrinol Metab (PubMed abstract PMID 9141536, via NCBI E-utilities), 1997.
  15. EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection, prescribing information (revised 3/2025). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine (label by Theratechnologies), 2025.
  16. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02931474, GHRH for sleep after traumatic brain injury (withdrawn). ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2026.
  17. GHRH, cognition and brain connectivity pilot (Stewart CE et al., 2026): results. eNeurologicalSci (PubMed abstract via NCBI E-utilities), 2026.
  18. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting, October 29, 2024: Ipamorelin-Related Bulk Drug Substances (Ipamorelin (free base) and Ipamorelin Acetate), including FDA Evaluation dated 8/19/2024. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024.
  19. FDA Briefing Document, PCAC December 4, 2024, CJC-1295 evaluation (PDF page 25, claims made on websites). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, 2024.
  20. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog (Ionescu M, Frohman LA), PubMed PMID 17018654. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (abstract via NCBI PubMed E-utilities), 2006.
  21. Селанк (капли назальные, 0.15%): инструкция по медицинскому применению (Selank nasal drops 0.15%: instructions for medical use). RLS Encyclopedia of Medicines (rlsnet.ru), reproducing the Russian instruction for medical use, 2025.
  22. [Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank]. Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (PubMed 26356395), 2015.
  23. Khavinson VKh, et al. Effect of short peptides on expression of signaling molecules in organotypic pineal cell culture. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2011;152(1):138-41. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine; record via PubMed (NLM), 2011.
  24. Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2026;10(1):e25.00236. JAAOS Global Research and Reviews; record via PubMed (NLM), 2026.
  25. NCT06382688: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing IV Niagen (nicotinamide riboside chloride) with IV NAD+ in healthy adults (arms and outcomes). ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024.
  26. FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (news release). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024.
  27. Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity (SURMOUNT-OSA), PMID 38912654: trial 1. New England Journal of Medicine (via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2024.
  28. Same source as 27: SURMOUNT-OSA abstract: trial 2 (PMID 38912654).
  29. Retatrutide Once Weekly for Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. New England Journal of Medicine (PubMed record, National Library of Medicine), 2026.
  30. FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  31. Self-Reported Adverse Effects Among Social Media Users Taking Nonapproved Retatrutide. JAMA Network Open (PubMed Central full text), 2026.