My 5-Peptide Longevity Stack (Full Breakdown)

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Been diving deep into the longevity side of peptides lately. These aren't the "sexy" fat loss or muscle building compounds—this is the boring maintenance stuff for long-term health.

When you look at what actually matters for aging at the cellular level, it comes down to a few key pillars:

Telomere maintenance
Mitochondrial function
Metabolic efficiency
Tissue regeneration
Immune competence

Each of these peptides targets one of those areas.

Epithalon — Telomere Support & Pineal Function

The granddaddy of anti-aging peptides. Developed by Professor Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology—the research goes back 35+ years. Studies show it activates telomerase (the enzyme that maintains telomere length), supports melatonin production, and increases antioxidant enzyme activity.

Protocol: The Russian protocol calls for twice-yearly administration (January & October). Either 5mg daily for 20 days or 10mg daily for 10 days—same 100mg total dose, different timing. Evening subq to align with natural melatonin release.

SS-31 (Elamipretide) — Mitochondrial Optimization

Targets the inner mitochondrial membrane specifically by binding to cardiolipin, a phospholipid essential for electron transport chain function. Research indicates that as we age, cardiolipin gets damaged and mitochondrial efficiency tanks. SS-31 stabilizes it, improves ATP production, and reduces reactive oxygen species.

Protocol: Literature suggests 1.25-5mg daily for 4-6 week cycles, twice a year (spring and fall). Morning subq to support daytime energy demands.

MOTS-C — Metabolic Regulation

One of the few mitochondrial-derived peptides identified—encoded in the mitochondrial genome, not nuclear DNA. Discovered in 2015 at USC. Functions as an exercise mimetic: activates AMPK, enhances insulin sensitivity, promotes fatty acid oxidation, and induces metabolic adaptations similar to training.

Protocol: Research protocols use 0.5-1mg, 5 days/week for 6-8 week cycles, 2-3x per year. Morning or pre-workout subq.

GHK-Cu — Tissue Regeneration

Naturally occurring tripeptide that declines significantly with age—from ~200 ng/mL at 20 to ~80 ng/mL by 60. Studies demonstrate it stimulates collagen production, modulates over 4,000 genes toward a "younger" expression pattern, reduces inflammatory cytokines, and attracts repair cells to damaged tissue.

Protocol: 1-2mg daily subq, year-round. Consistent baseline rather than cycling.

Thymosin Alpha-1 — Immune Modulation

The thymus shrinks as we age, and with it goes a lot of immune competence. Tα1 is a 28-amino acid peptide naturally produced by the thymus. Research shows it promotes T-cell maturation, enhances antigen presentation, balances immune responses, and increases natural killer cell activity.

Protocol: 1.5mg subq 2x/week, year-round. Consistent baseline for ongoing immune support.

The Yearly Structure

GHK-Cu and Thymosin Alpha-1 run year-round as the foundation. The others cycle in seasonally: