The plain-English version
Most users run 5 to 10 milligrams (a small subQ shot) daily for 10 days, then stop and wait 4 to 6 months before repeating. The dosing comes from Russian gerontology papers, not US clinical trials. Always with a doctor.
Route: subcutaneous injection. Evidence tier for the dose: Weak anecdotal. Anecdotal reports exist but without strong mechanistic backing for this specific use.
The dose at a glance
| What's typical | What's the max in research |
|---|---|
| Starting dose: 5 mg subQ (under-the-skin shot) daily for 10 days. Some clinicians start at 2.5 mg to test tolerance. | Max observed in research: Russian lab protocols cap at 10 mg per day. No published higher-dose data exists - biohacker community consensus, not clinical data, sets practical ceilings. |
| Maintenance dose: 5 to 10 mg daily during the 10-day pulse cycle. | |
| Frequency: Daily during a 10-day cycle. Most protocols repeat the cycle every 4 to 6 months. | Half-life: Short - estimated under 30 minutes in plasma. The pulsed-cycle approach exists because tissue effects are believed to outlast plasma clearance. |
Titration (how to ramp the dose)
Most users skip formal titration (slow ramp-up). The cycle is short enough that titration is rarely useful.
Cycle length and time off
On cycle: 10 days of daily injection per cycle. This is the canonical Russian protocol.
Off cycle: 4 to 6 months between cycles. Some longevity protocols do 2 cycles per year (every 6 months).
Timing notes: Many users inject before bed because of the pineal-gland mechanism and the sleep-quality anecdotes. Inject in stomach or thigh fat.
What's commonly prescribed (per published protocols and clinical write-ups)
US compounding pharmacies dispense Epitalon (also spelled Epithalon) as lyophilized (freeze-dried, shelf-stable) vials, typically 10 mg or 50 mg. Not FDA-approved for any indication - prescribed off-label by longevity-focused clinics. Most US doctors will not prescribe it.
Source: prescribing labels, published protocols, and clinical write-ups. We have not independently tested each prescriber pattern.
Reconstitution (mixing the vial)
Lyophilized 10 mg vials reconstitute (mix back into liquid) with exactly 2 mL of bacteriostatic water (sterile water with preservative, the kind compounding pharmacies sell for reconstituting peptides). At 10 mg per 2 mL, every 0.2 mL on the syringe equals 1 mg, so a 5 mg dose is 1.0 mL. If your pharmacy filled the vial with a different volume, recalculate from the mg/mL printed on your vial label - not from this page. Store reconstituted vial in the fridge, use within 30 days.
Reconstitution = mixing freeze-dried (lyophilized) powder with bacteriostatic water (sterile water with preservative) so you can draw a dose into a syringe.
Where to get it
Honest take on where to source this peptide. Open the free account first; that's how we get credited even if you skip the code at checkout.
Compounded peptide vendor
Limitless Biotech
Fits: You already know what research-grade peptides are and you've decided this is the route you want. Limitless is the second vendor we have an affiliate link with for this category; we earn a commission if you buy through it.
Watch: Limitless's products are labeled "For Research Only" and are not FDA-approved for human use. The FDA has been actively issuing warning letters against vendors in this category in 2025 and 2026. Limitless is not a 503A or 503B compounding pharmacy. If you want a prescribing doctor and a real pharmacy, this is not that route.
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Step 2
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Compounded peptide vendor
Apollo Peptide Sciences
Fits: You already know what research-grade peptides are and you've decided this is the route you want. Apollo is the vendor we have an affiliate link with for this category; we earn a commission if you buy through it.
Watch: Apollo's products are labeled "For Research Only" and are not FDA-approved for human use. The FDA has been actively issuing warning letters against vendors in this category in 2025 and 2026. Apollo claims third-party COA testing but we have not been able to verify a per-batch lab-named report on their product pages. They are not a 503A or 503B compounding pharmacy. If you want a prescribing doctor and a real pharmacy, this is not that route.
Step 1 Shop Apollo Peptide Sciences ->Affiliate relationships are disclosed per FTC rules. Editorial take is independent of any commercial relationship; we only recommend what we'd actually use.
Drug interactions to watch
- No documented drug interactions in the published research.
- Theoretical interaction with melatonin supplements (both touch the pineal gland) - separate by several hours.
Who should not take this (contraindications)
- Active cancer (no human safety data either way).
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (no safety data).
- Known hypersensitivity to the peptide.
Common side effects
- Vivid dreams during the 10-day cycle (consistent anecdotal report).
- Mild injection-site soreness or bruising.
- Transient drowsiness in the first few days.
Serious side effects (call a doctor)
- No serious side effects documented in published research, but human data is thin.
- Allergic reaction (hives, swelling) - rare but stop and call your doctor.
What to monitor while you're on it
- Sleep quality log during and after the cycle (most useful subjective measure).
- If running for longevity goals, baseline IGF-1 and inflammation panel (CRP) and re-test annually.
- Track injection-site reactions in a notes app.
How to stop
Just stop at the end of the 10-day cycle. No taper needed.
Where this dosing comes from
- Khavinson et al., telomerase activation cell-culture work (2003)
- Khavinson, 6-year mortality study in older adults (2011) - Russian, not replicated in Western trials
- Korkushko et al., sleep architecture in older adults (2007)
- US compounding pharmacy formularies (Tailor Made, Strive)
- Biohacker community consensus, not clinical data, for cycle frequency and stacking
Where these doses come from
These doses are reported by users and clinics, but the evidence base is genuinely thin. We are tracking, not endorsing.
Always work with a real prescriber. Don't self-prescribe.
Safety reminder: None of this replaces a doctor. Peptides are gray-market in the US for most uses. Talk to a real prescriber before you change anything.
Where to go next
- Full Epitalon directory entry - status, sourcing, studies, what to skip
- Calculate your reconstitution math - exact units on your syringe, URL-shareable
- Epitalon for telomere support
- Epitalon for sleep quality
- Epitalon for anti-aging
- What are peptides - if you skipped the foundation
- How peptides actually work - mechanism in plain English
- Subscribe to the dispatch
None of this replaces a doctor. Peptides are gray-market in the US for most uses. Talk to a real prescriber before you change anything.