Kisspeptin-10
KISS1R agonist
libido
erectile function
fertility
hormonal balance
emotional balance
motivation
The upstream switch of the reproductive axis. It signals the hypothalamus to release GnRH — one step earlier than anything else here acts.
Goal profile
SEXUAL
4/4 axes
MOOD
2/8 axes
Evidence
2001
first described
411
indexed studies
How strong the evidence is
Early human data
Placebo-controlled human physiology work with brain imaging, published by academic groups with nothing to sell. Entirely confined to research settings.
Highest study design
open-label human use
Human studies
34
Replication
several groups, one country
Regulatory status
not approved anywhere
Last reviewed
2026-08-14
The bar is derived from these five facts, not set by hand. Human study counts follow the weekly PubMed refresh; the rest change only when a trial is published or a regulator acts.
How strong the effect is
strength 2 of 5 · weight 0.30
Noticeable but modest
A physiological signal with no clinical outcome.
What's unique
It acts one step above everything else hormonal here — on the hypothalamus itself, not the gonads.
Unexpected positive evidence
Brain-imaging trials in men with low desire found arousal circuitry changed before any hormone did.
Benefits
acts one step above every other hormonal item here — on the hypothalamus itself
Libido · immediate
natural, pulsatile GnRH release instead of continuous stimulation
Hormonal balance · from week 3
restores the upstream signal in functional hypothalamic suppression
Libido · immediate
arousal circuitry switched back on where desire has gone quiet
Motivation · from week 6
reproductive function and libido supported at the origin of the axis
Libido · immediate
signalling stays physiological — no receptor saturation
Libido · immediate
Timeline
First doses · hours
Effects arrive and leave inside the hour — the half-life is minutes. Brief flushing and a small blood-pressure dip are the common physical signs.
Weeks 1–2
Dosed two to three times a week, arousal and desire respond before hormone levels visibly change. Trial imaging showed brain circuitry shifting first.
Weeks 2–8
The studied window. LH and testosterone respond in men with suppressed axes. Daily dosing works against you here — spacing preserves the response.
Post-cycle
Nothing carries over. The axis returns to its own rhythm within days, which is also the safety argument for it.
Risks
Short-term
Flushing and a brief blood-pressure dip. The half-life is minutes, so effects arrive and leave inside the hour.
Long-term
Unknown past trial durations. Daily dosing risks receptor desensitisation — the opposite of the intent.
Tolerance & withdrawal
Real. Space the doses; do not run it daily.
Dosing
Dose
50–200 mcg per injection
100 mcg is the usual research bolus; the volume is tiny, so draw slowly.
Route
Subcutaneous — abdomen
A shallow belly shot. The volume is so small that technique matters more than site.
Timing
Morning or evening
No established preference — most dose in the evening out of habit.
Frequency
2–3× a week
Two or three times a week. Continuous dosing defeats the pulsatile mechanism.
Cycle
4–8 weeks
Short blocks with real breaks — the axis responds to pulses, not to a constant signal.
Duration
Pulsed courses
Continuous dosing defeats the mechanism, so it is used in bursts and then dropped.
Forms
injectable
~100%
+ Full dose delivered; nothing lost to first-pass
− Daily needles, sites, sharps disposal
Refrigerate 2–8 °C after reconstitution
nasal
Product-specific
+ A needle-free route listed in the source catalog
− Absorption and safety cannot be inferred from the injectable form
Follow the specific product storage instructions
Nasal forms are listed in the source catalog; this does not establish approval, efficacy or equivalent absorption. HEIVE injection calculations do not apply to nasal forms.
Sources
411 indexed papers in the source catalog snapshot; not a live PubMed count
Catalog evidence category: known. This is an editorial classification, not a clinical review.
Community anecdotes do not establish safety or efficacy.
Primary regulatory sources are linked below; clinical literature has not been independently reviewed for this FAQ.
FAQ
Kisspeptin-10 (KISS1R agonist) is a decapeptide (10 amino acids). The HEIVE catalog describes it as: The upstream switch of the reproductive axis. It signals the hypothalamus to release GnRH — one step earlier than anything else here acts. It is also known as KP-10 and Metastin.
Regulatory sources checked: . Source verification only; no clinician review is claimed.