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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 protocol is borrowed from Epitalon - there is no Pinealon-specific clinical trial. 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 users start at 2.5 mg to test tolerance. | Max observed in research: No published max - biohacker community consensus, not clinical data, settles around 10 mg per day based on Epitalon precedent. |
| Maintenance dose: 5 to 10 mg daily during the 10-day pulse cycle. | |
| Frequency: Daily during a 10-day cycle. Most protocols repeat every 4 to 6 months. | Half-life: Short - estimated under 30 minutes in plasma. Tissue effects are believed to outlast clearance. |
Titration (how to ramp the dose)
Most users skip formal titration (slow ramp-up). The cycle is short.
Cycle length and time off
On cycle: 10 days per cycle, mirroring the Epitalon protocol.
Off cycle: 4 to 6 months between cycles.
Timing notes: Time of day does not matter much. Some users inject in the morning to align with the cognitive-support claim. Inject in stomach or thigh fat.
What's commonly prescribed (per published protocols and clinical write-ups)
US compounding pharmacies will fill Pinealon as a lyophilized (freeze-dried, shelf-stable) vial, typically 20 mg. Not FDA-approved for any indication. Most US doctors will not prescribe it; longevity clinics sometimes do.
Source: prescribing labels, published protocols, and clinical write-ups. We have not independently tested each prescriber pattern.
Reconstitution (mixing the vial)
Lyophilized 20 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 20 mg per 2 mL, every 0.05 mL on the syringe equals 0.5 mg, so a 5 mg dose is 0.5 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. What fits which user, and what to watch for.
No clean US path
No vetted US vendor
Fits: You're already deep into the Khavinson short-peptide protocols and working with a clinic that imports them.
Watch: Pinealon evidence is mostly Russian-language research and small-N studies. We're not aware of a US compounding pharmacy that handles it cleanly. We are tracking, not endorsing.
(pending) Visit No vetted US vendor ->We're evaluating vendor partnerships across this category. When we have an active affiliate relationship, we disclose it here clearly. As of now: placeholder or pending status per vendor above. Affiliate links don't change our editorial take. We only recommend what we'd actually use.
Drug interactions to watch
- No documented drug interactions in the published research.
- Theoretical interaction with other neuroactive peptides (Selank, Semax) - sparse data.
Who should not take this (contraindications)
- Active cancer (no human safety data).
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (no safety data).
- Known hypersensitivity to the peptide.
Common side effects
- Mild fatigue or sedation in the first few days (anecdotal).
- Injection-site soreness or small bruising.
- Vivid dreams (less consistent than Epitalon).
Serious side effects (call a doctor)
- No serious side effects documented in published research; human data is thin.
- Allergic reaction (hives, swelling) - rare but stop and call your doctor.
What to monitor while you're on it
- Subjective cognitive symptom log during and after the cycle.
- If running for long-term cognitive goals, consider baseline neuropsych testing - hard to do well at home.
- 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., Pinealon BBB-crossing cell-culture work (2012)
- Arutjunyan et al., oxidative-stress animal model (2013)
- 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 Pinealon directory entry - status, sourcing, studies, what to skip
- Pinealon for cognitive support
- Pinealon for neuroprotection
- Pinealon for stacking with Selank
- What are peptides - if you skipped the foundation
- How peptides actually work - mechanism in plain English
- Subscribe to the dispatch
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Last reviewed · 2026-05-07 · Page generated by Protocol One matrix engine. 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.