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Benefits and uses

Kisspeptin-10 benefits and uses

Kisspeptin-10 has no approved medical use.1 In small human studies, given once or infused for up to 22.5 hours, it raised LH rapidly and raised testosterone in men during infusions.23 The better-known fertility and sexual-desire results come from the longer-lasting kisspeptin-54, not kisspeptin-10.45

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.

What kisspeptin-10 itself has shown

Each finding below comes from a small human study in which kisspeptin-10 was given into a vein.

  • Fast LH release (human trial, 6 healthy men, 2011): single IV doses caused a rapid, dose-dependent LH rise that peaked within 45 minutes, though the highest dose gave no significant rise.22726
  • More frequent LH pulses (human trial, 4 healthy men, 2011): a 9-hour infusion raised LH pulse frequency from 0.7 to 1.0 pulses per hour.283
  • Testosterone during infusions (human trials, 2011 and 2013): levels rose from 16.6 to 24.0 nmol/L over 22.5 hours in 4 healthy men.3 In 5 men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone, they rose from 8.5 to 11.4 nmol/L over 11 hours.6
  • A reset of the brain's hormone clock (human trial, 13 healthy men, 2011): one IV dose reset the timing of the GnRH pulse generator.1529
  • Rare inherited conditions (human trial, 4 patients, 2013): a 12-hour infusion restored pulsing LH release in all 4 patients with neurokinin B pathway defects and raised testosterone in the men.1630
  • Predicting puberty (observational study, 16 children, 2020): all 8 whose LH rose by 0.8 mIU/mL or more after a single IV test dose went on to progress through puberty.17
  • Women (human trial, 35 women, 2011): women in the follicular phase of the cycle showed no significant gonadotropin change, while women in the preovulatory phase had LH and FSH rises after a 10 nmol/kg IV dose.32731

Results from kisspeptin-54, a longer form

Kisspeptin-54 carries the same active end but lasts longer in the blood: its half-life is 27.6 minutes, against about 4 minutes for kisspeptin-10.18 These results come from kisspeptin-54, not kisspeptin-10:

  • IVF egg maturation (human trial, 53 women, 2014): a single injection under the skin matured eggs at every dose tested. Biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates were 40% and 23%, and 10 women gave birth to healthy babies.1920
  • Women at high risk of OHSS (phase 2 trial, 60 women, 2015): eggs matured in 95%, the live birth rate per embryo transfer was 45%, and no woman developed moderate, severe or critical OHSS.425
  • A second dose (phase 2 trial, 62 women, 2017): adding a dose 10 hours after the first raised the share of women with an egg yield of 60% or more from 45% to 71%.21
  • Low sexual desire in men (randomized trial, 32 men, 2023): one 75-minute infusion increased penile tumescence in response to sexual stimuli and 'happiness about sex' compared with placebo, at a single UK research center.58
  • Low sexual desire in women (randomized trial, 32 women, 2022): an infusion changed sexual and facial attraction processing in the brain, and the authors called for larger trials.1233
  • Mood (human study, 29 healthy young men, 2017): an infusion reduced negative mood and increased limbic brain responses to sexual and couple-bonding images.13
  • Insulin (human study, 15 healthy men, 2018): an infusion increased insulin release after an IV glucose load.22

Research on synthetic kisspeptin analogs

Longer-acting synthetic molecules that act on the same receptor have also been studied, two of them for the opposite effect: suppressing testosterone. Given continuously, TAK-683 suppressed testosterone below castration level in 4 of 5 men by day 7 at the top dose (human trial, 60 healthy men).934 TAK-448 did the same by day 8 in healthy men and was also tested in men with prostate cancer (two phase 1 studies).10 As MVT-602, TAK-448 produced an LH rise similar in size to kisspeptin-54 but much later, in 24 women (human study, 2020).2335

What has not been shown

  • Fertility outcomes with kisspeptin-10: its studies measured hormone levels, not pregnancies or sperm counts.37
  • Lasting effects: no kisspeptin-10 study reviewed gave it for longer than 22.5 hours, so there are no data on weeks of use.3
  • Weight loss: not shown. In 15 healthy men, kisspeptin-54 did not change gut hormones, appetite or food intake.22
  • Memory or thinking: not tested in the studies reviewed. The only related data are the mood and brain-imaging results with kisspeptin-54.13
  • Insulin with kisspeptin-10: a registered study in 14 men finished in January 2014 and has posted no results.24

The safety record is on Kisspeptin-10 side effects, and the doses these studies used are on Kisspeptin-10 dosage. The Kisspeptin-10 profile has the background and legal status. The men's health and women's health goal pages compare it with other compounds.

More on Kisspeptin-10

  • Kisspeptin-10 dosage

    Published dosing information for Kisspeptin-10 from clinical trials and published studies, with its source, and why it is not advice for you.

  • Kisspeptin-10 side effects

    Side effects of Kisspeptin-10 as reported in clinical trials and published studies, with links to the full profile. Reviewed by a qualified reviewer.

Kisspeptin-10 in the store

Kisspeptin-10 for sale: strengths, stock and shipping are on the product page.

For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Read the research use policy.

Frequently asked questions

Does kisspeptin raise testosterone levels?

In small studies of men, yes, during infusions. A 22.5-hour IV kisspeptin-10 infusion raised testosterone from 16.6 to 24.0 nmol/L in 4 healthy men.3 An 11-hour infusion raised it from 8.5 to 11.4 nmol/L in 5 men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone.6 Single IV doses gave only small rises,7 and a 75-minute kisspeptin-54 infusion did not change testosterone.8

Is kisspeptin good for testosterone?

A lasting benefit has not been shown, and steady exposure has had the opposite effect in some studies. The kisspeptin-10 testosterone studies lasted hours, not weeks.36 In healthy men, continuous dosing with long-acting kisspeptin analogs at the higher doses tested drove testosterone into the castration range by day 7 to 8,910 and continuous high-dose kisspeptin-10 suppressed LH pulses in monkeys.11 Other compounds are compared on peptides and testosterone.

How long does it take to feel kisspeptin?

The studies reviewed here did not describe a distinct feeling. What researchers measured was hormonal: LH rose rapidly after an IV kisspeptin-10 dose, peaking within 45 minutes in healthy men.226 Trials of 75-minute kisspeptin-54 infusions in 32 men and 32 women reported no side effects,812 and a study of 29 healthy young men found less negative mood alongside changes on brain scans.13

Can kisspeptin help with fertility?

The fertility evidence comes from IVF and used kisspeptin-54. One injection led to mature eggs in 95% of 60 women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), with a 45% live birth rate per embryo transfer and no moderate or severe OHSS.425 In 2015, the researchers said larger randomized trials against the triggers then in use were warranted.14

Written by D2C Peptides Editorial Team.

Pending qualified review.

Updated .

Sources

  1. DailyMed search results for kisspeptin. DailyMed, NIH/NLM, 2026.
  2. Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men (George et al.), abstract. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2011.
  3. Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men (George et al.): 22.5-hour infusion. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PMC), 2011.
  4. Efficacy of Kisspeptin-54 to Trigger Oocyte Maturation in Women at High Risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) During In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Therapy (Abbara et al.), abstract: design. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2015.
  5. Effects of Kisspeptin on Sexual Brain Processing and Penile Tumescence in Men With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial (Mills et al.), abstract. JAMA Network Open (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2023.
  6. Exploring the pathophysiology of hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes: kisspeptin-10 stimulates serum testosterone and LH secretion in men with type 2 diabetes and mild biochemical hypogonadism (George et al.). Clinical Endocrinology (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2013.
  7. The effects of kisspeptin-10 on reproductive hormone release show sexual dimorphism in humans (Jayasena et al.): testosterone and sex differences. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PMC), 2011.
  8. Effects of Kisspeptin on Sexual Brain Processing and Penile Tumescence in Men With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (Mills et al.): full text. JAMA Network Open (PMC), 2023.
  9. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of TAK-683, an investigational metastin analogue in healthy men (Scott et al.): results. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (PMC), 2013.
  10. Sustained exposure to the investigational Kisspeptin analog, TAK-448, down-regulates testosterone into the castration range in healthy males and in patients with prostate cancer: results from two phase 1 studies (MacLean et al.), abstract: results. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2014.
  11. Effect of continuous intravenous administration of human metastin 45-54 on the neuroendocrine activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in the adult male rhesus monkey (Ramaswamy et al.), abstract. Endocrinology (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2007.
  12. Effects of Kisspeptin Administration in Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial (Thurston et al.): design and safety. JAMA Network Open (PMC), 2022.
  13. Kisspeptin modulates sexual and emotional brain processing in humans (Comninos et al.): findings. Journal of Clinical Investigation (PMC), 2017.
  14. Efficacy of Kisspeptin-54 to Trigger Oocyte Maturation in Women at High Risk of OHSS During IVF Therapy (Abbara et al.): limitations and registration. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PMC), 2015.
  15. Kisspeptin Resets the Hypothalamic GnRH Clock in Men (Chan et al.): dose and safety. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PMC), 2011.
  16. Kisspeptin Restores Pulsatile LH Secretion in Patients with Neurokinin B Signaling Deficiencies (Young et al.): dosing and safety. Neuroendocrinology (PMC), 2013.
  17. Using Kisspeptin to Predict Pubertal Outcomes for Youth With Pubertal Delay (Chan et al.), abstract. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2020.
  18. Direct comparison of the effects of intravenous kisspeptin-10, kisspeptin-54 and GnRH on gonadotrophin secretion in healthy men (Jayasena et al.): half-life and route. Human Reproduction (PMC), 2015.
  19. Kisspeptin-54 triggers egg maturation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (Jayasena et al.), abstract: outcomes. Journal of Clinical Investigation (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2014.
  20. Kisspeptin-54 triggers egg maturation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (Jayasena et al.): LH timing and births. Journal of Clinical Investigation (PMC), 2014.
  21. A second dose of kisspeptin-54 improves oocyte maturation in women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a Phase 2 randomized controlled trial (Abbara et al.), abstract. Human Reproduction (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2017.
  22. The effects of kisspeptin on β-cell function, serum metabolites and appetite in humans (Izzi-Engbeaya et al.), abstract. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (PubMed record via NCBI E-utilities), 2018.
  23. Kisspeptin receptor agonist has therapeutic potential for female reproductive disorders (Abbara et al.): MVT-602. Journal of Clinical Investigation (PMC), 2020.
  24. NCT03771326: KP-10 and Insulin Secretion in Men. ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2014.
  25. Same source as 4: Efficacy of Kisspeptin-54 to Trigger Oocyte Maturation in Women at High Risk of OHSS During IVF Therapy (Abbara et al.), abstract: outcomes.
  26. Same source as 3: dose response.
  27. Same source as 3: bolus study.
  28. Same source as 3: 9-hour infusion.
  29. Same source as 15: participants.
  30. Same source as 16: results.
  31. Same source as 7: responses in women.
  32. Same source as 7: participants and doses.
  33. Same source as 12: Effects of Kisspeptin Administration in Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (Thurston et al.): findings.
  34. Same source as 9: Study of TAK-683, an investigational metastin analogue in healthy men (Scott et al.): participants and gonadotropins.
  35. Same source as 23: participants and safety.