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PeptideLimited humanNot FDA approved

Kisspeptin-10

Kisspeptin-10 (kisspeptin 112-121)

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 29 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

Kisspeptin-10 is the shortest active piece of kisspeptin, a natural brain signal that switches on the reproductive hormone system. Small hospital studies show it can raise LH and testosterone in men for hours to days, but a nonstop supply made the body stop responding, and it barely works in women at some points of the cycle. It is not approved for any use, FDA lists it as a compounding substance with safety concerns, and WADA bans it in male athletes.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

Kisspeptins are a family of peptides cut from one larger precursor protein. The body makes forms that are 54, 14, 13 and 10 amino acids long. Kisspeptin-10 is the 10 amino acid form.[1]

Kisspeptin-10 is the smallest piece of kisspeptin that still has full activity.[2] PubChem lists its formula as C63H83N17O14.[3]

The gene behind kisspeptin was first found in 1996 as a gene that held back the spread of melanoma, a skin cancer, which is why kisspeptin is also called metastin.[4] People born with broken versions of the kisspeptin gene or its receptor develop hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, meaning the brain never sends the signals needed for puberty and normal sex hormone levels.[1]

In research it is given into a vein or under the skin, usually in hospital studies that last hours to days. It is mainly a research tool for testing how the hormone system works.[5][6]

Name
Kisspeptin-10 (Kisspeptin-10 (kisspeptin 112-121))
Other names
KP-10, metastin 45-54, kisspeptin 112-121
Type
Peptide
Formula
C63H83N17O14

What it does in the body

Kisspeptin is a natural signal made by nerve cells in the hypothalamus, the brain's hormone control area, and in large amounts by the placenta. It acts on one receptor, KISS1R (also called GPR54), which switches on GnRH, the master signal of the reproductive system.[1][7]

This is the biology, area by area. A change measured in the body, like a higher blood level, does not always mean a person feels a benefit. The claims check below covers that.

Hormones

Well established

Kisspeptin binds KISS1R on GnRH nerve cells. They release GnRH, which tells the pituitary gland to release LH and FSH, the hormones that run the testes and ovaries. One group of kisspeptin cells sets the normal hormone pulse rhythm and another drives the surge that triggers ovulation.[1] In men, a shot of kisspeptin-10 into a vein quickly raised LH.[2]

Testes and testosterone

Measured in people

In 4 men with diabetes and low testosterone, an 11 hour drip raised LH about fivefold and testosterone by about a third.[8] In healthy men, 8 hour sessions under the skin raised testosterone, and a 5 day nonstop supply kept it raised even as LH fell back.[6] In older men, LH rose after a shot but testosterone did not, which suggests aging testes respond less.[9]

Ovaries and the menstrual cycle

Measured in people

In 31 healthy women, a shot into a vein set off LH pulses in every woman in the second half of the cycle and just before ovulation, but in only about half of women early in the cycle.[10] In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a 7 hour drip raised LH about two and a half times, even while they took a pill that blocks neurokinin B, another brain signal.[11] In two women whose periods had stopped, a drip restarted hormone signals from the brain to the ovaries.[12]

Puberty

Measured in people

In 15 teens with delayed puberty, about half had a clear LH response to one shot and half did not, and researchers are testing whether this can tell a late bloomer from a lasting hormone problem.[13] People who lack working kisspeptin signals do not go through puberty on their own.[1]

Pregnancy and placenta

Measured in people

The placenta makes kisspeptin, and blood levels rise sharply during a healthy pregnancy. Low or abnormal levels have been linked to miscarriage and pre eclampsia, a high blood pressure problem of pregnancy.[7] The original 1996 gene study found the highest activity in placenta.[4]

Heart and blood vessels

Seen in animals

In strips of human coronary artery and umbilical vein tested in the lab, kisspeptin-10 tightened the vessel walls.[14] In mice prone to clogged arteries, four weeks of kisspeptin-10 sped up plaque buildup, and in rats it slowed new vessel growth after blocked leg blood flow.[15][16] These effects have not been studied in living people.

Cancer cells

Seen in animals

In lab cells, kisspeptin-10 slowed the movement of breast cancer cells, and in mice carrying human breast tumors it slowed tumor growth.[17] This fits the gene's first known role in holding back cancer spread, but it has not been tested as a cancer treatment in people.[4]

How it works

Kisspeptin sits at the top of the reproductive hormone chain.[1]

  • It binds a receptor called KISS1R (also called GPR54) on GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus, a brain area that controls hormones.[1]
  • Those neurons release GnRH, which tells the pituitary gland to release LH and FSH. LH and FSH then drive the testes and ovaries.[1]
  • Kisspeptin cells in one brain area set the normal pulse rhythm of GnRH, and cells in another area drive the surge that triggers ovulation.[1]
  • Another brain signal, neurokinin B, works upstream. When men took a pill that blocks neurokinin B, their LH and testosterone fell, but kisspeptin-10 could still trigger LH, showing kisspeptin acts further down the chain.[18]

The basic pathway is well established. How giving extra kisspeptin-10 from outside affects this system over weeks or months is not known.

What the research shows

We keep animal and human evidence apart. A result in animals is a reason to study something in people, not proof that it works in people.

Animal and lab studies

Animal work shows kisspeptin is essential for fertility, with some blood vessel warnings

  • Mice bred without kisspeptin or its receptor are infertile.[1]
  • Putting the receptor back only into GnRH neurons restored fertility in mice that lacked it, which shows those neurons are the key target.[1]
  • In animals, blocking kisspeptin prevents the hormone surge that normally comes before ovulation.[1]
  • In heifers, human kisspeptin-10 given into a vein raised LH and led to ovulation in 11 of 18 animals, versus none of 6 controls.[21]
  • In mice prone to artery disease, a four week infusion of kisspeptin-10 sped up plaque growth and made plaques less stable. A drug blocking its receptor reversed this.[15]
  • In mice after a stroke, kisspeptin-10 reduced leaking of the blood brain barrier and nerve problems.[24]

Limit: Most of these studies explain how the natural system works or test single effects. They do not test kisspeptin-10 as a treatment over months.

Human studies

Small, short hormone studies in volunteers

  • Healthy men: in a 2011 study, kisspeptin-10 given into a vein quickly raised LH. A long drip raised LH and testosterone and made LH pulses more frequent. Each test group had only 4 to 6 men.[2]
  • Men and women compared: a second 2011 study found that kisspeptin-10 raised LH and FSH in men and in women just before ovulation, but did not change them in women early in the menstrual cycle.[20]
  • Women across the cycle: in 31 healthy women given one shot into a vein, LH pulses followed right away in all women tested in the second half of the cycle or just before ovulation, but in only about half of those tested early in the cycle. A larger amount did not help.[10]
  • Men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone: in 5 men, a single shot into a vein raised LH about as much as in 7 healthy men. In 4 of them, an 11 hour drip raised LH about fivefold and testosterone by about a third.[8]
  • Against other hormones: in 3 hour drips given to healthy men, 5 per group, kisspeptin-10 and the longer kisspeptin-54 raised LH about equally, while GnRH itself was about three times stronger than kisspeptin-10.[25]
  • Longer use in men: a 2026 randomized, placebo controlled study used pumps that slowly delivered kisspeptin-10 under the skin. Eight hour sessions raised LH, FSH and testosterone. A nonstop supply for 5 days kept testosterone up, but LH and FSH fell back to placebo levels, a sign the body had stopped responding. Daily 8 hour sessions for 12 days kept LH higher, though the rise on day 12 was smaller than on day 1.[6]
  • Age: after a single shot into a vein, LH rose in young, middle aged and older men, but testosterone rose only in the youngest group.[9]
  • Teens with delayed puberty: in 15 teens given one shot into a vein, 7 had a clear LH response, 7 had none and 1 was in between. No major side effects or lab changes were seen.[13]
  • Women with polycystic ovary syndrome: in a small randomized study, a 7 hour drip of kisspeptin-10 raised LH about two and a half times, even after a week on a pill that blocks neurokinin B.[11]
  • Women without periods: in two women whose periods had stopped because of high prolactin, a 12 hour drip raised LH, FSH, estradiol and testosterone.[12]
  • Brain signal studies: in 6 healthy men, a neurokinin B blocking pill cut testosterone by about 70%, yet kisspeptin-10 still raised LH.[18] In 4 men, another brain hormone called GnIH did not blunt the LH response to kisspeptin-10.[26]
  • Other measures: a single shot in 12 healthy adults did not change vasopressin, a water balance hormone.[27] In 8 normal weight and 8 obese men, a single injection raised irisin, a hormone linked to fat metabolism, but body fat was not measured.[22]
  • A U.S. research hospital has registered a study that uses kisspeptin-10 to probe hormone signaling in people with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, as a test of brain function rather than a treatment.[5] A 2017 brain scan study in 29 men that reported changes in sexual and emotional brain activity used kisspeptin-54, so it does not directly apply to kisspeptin-10.[19]

Limit: Human studies are tiny, last hours to 12 days, and were done in hospitals with research grade peptide. Their summaries rarely report side effects, and no trial has tested kisspeptin-10 as a treatment.

Claims check

The most common claims about this compound, and what studies actually found. Verdicts rate the evidence, not whether you should use it.

Raises testosterone naturally

Mixed results

Drips and slow pumps raised testosterone in healthy men and in 4 men with diabetes and low testosterone, for hours to days.[2][8][6] But a nonstop supply made LH fall back to placebo levels by day 5, even though testosterone stayed raised, and in older men a single shot raised LH without raising testosterone.[6][9] Every study was small.

Restarts hormones after steroid or testosterone shutdown

Not tested

No study has given kisspeptin-10 to men recovering from steroid or testosterone use. Studies so far were in healthy men, men with diabetes, teens with late puberty and people with rare hormone conditions.[6][8][13][5]

Boosts libido and sexual desire

Not tested

No study has measured libido after kisspeptin-10. A brain scan study in 29 men that found changes in sexual and emotional brain responses used the longer form, kisspeptin-54.[19]

Improves fertility and ovulation in women

Mixed results

Kisspeptin-10 raised LH in women in the second half of the cycle and just before ovulation, but often not early in the cycle.[20][10] In two women whose periods had stopped, a 12 hour drip restarted hormone signals, and in women with polycystic ovary syndrome a drip raised LH.[12][11] No study has tested pregnancy or ovulation rates in women. In cattle, it triggered ovulation in 11 of 18 heifers.[21]

Burns fat and boosts metabolism

Not tested

No study has measured fat loss or weight. One uncontrolled study found a single injection raised irisin, a hormone linked to metabolism, in 16 men, but this does not show any change in body fat.[22]

Safe for long term use

Not tested

The longest human study lasted 12 days, and its summary did not report side effects.[6] FDA has said there is too little safety data to know whether it would harm people.[23] In mice, weeks of kisspeptin-10 sped up artery plaque buildup.[15]

Known risks and side effects

  • FDA safety concerns. FDA placed kisspeptin-10 in Category 2 for compounding in September 2023, citing possible immune reactions, impurity problems and too little safety data to know whether it would harm people.[23]
  • The body stops responding. In a 2026 study, a nonstop supply for 5 days made LH and FSH fall back to placebo levels.[6] A higher constant drip in 2011 also blurred normal LH pulses, a reminder that this system depends on rhythm, not just amount.[20]
  • Unknown long term and blood vessel effects. No human study has lasted longer than 12 days, and study summaries rarely list side effects.[6][2] In lab tests kisspeptins tightened human artery strips, and in mice weeks of kisspeptin-10 sped up artery plaque, effects never checked in people.[14][15]
  • Unregulated online products. Kisspeptin-10 sold online is not an approved drug. Purity, strength and sterility are not checked by FDA, and the agency has said it lacks the safety data to support its use.[23]
  • Banned in sport. WADA bans kisspeptin and drugs that act like it in male athletes, in and out of competition, on both the 2026 and 2027 lists.[28][29]

Regulatory status

Today: Kisspeptin-10 is not FDA approved for any use. FDA lists it in Category 2 of the 503A bulk drug substances list, and the page updated April 22, 2026 still includes it.[23] WADA bans it in male athletes now and on the 2027 list.[28][29]

  1. FDA added kisspeptin-10 to Category 2 of the 503A bulk drug substances list, meaning it raised significant safety concerns for compounding.[23]
  2. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List took effect. It bans kisspeptin and its agonists in males at all times.[28]
  3. FDA updated its Category 2 page, and kisspeptin-10 remained in Category 2.[23]
  4. The 2027 WADA Prohibited List takes effect and keeps kisspeptin and its agonist analogues banned in males.[29]

Sources

  1. Lee EB, Dilower I, Marsh CA, Wolfe MW, Masumi S, Upadhyaya S, Rumi MAK. Sexual Dimorphism in Kisspeptin Signaling. Cells. 2022;11(7):1146. PMID 35406710
  2. George JT, Veldhuis JD, Roseweir AK, Newton CL, Faccenda E, Millar RP, Anderson RA. Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(8):E1228-E1236. PMID 21632807
  3. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 25240297, Kisspeptin-10. PubChem CID 25240297
  4. Lee JH, Miele ME, Hicks DJ, Phillips KK, Trent JM, Weissman BE, Welch DR. KiSS-1, a novel human malignant melanoma metastasis-suppressor gene. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996;88(23):1731-1737. PMID 8944003
  5. Massachusetts General Hospital. Kisspeptin Physiology in the Human. Study protocol, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04648969. NCT04648969
  6. Yeung AC, Phylactou M, Koysombat K, Tsoutsouki J, Nyunt SW, Young M, et al. Chronic subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 stimulates gonadotropin secretion for 12 days in healthy men. Eur J Endocrinol. 2026;195(2):206-216. PMID 42549827
  7. Tsoutsouki J, Patel B, Comninos AN, Dhillo WS, et al. Kisspeptin in the Prediction of Pregnancy Complications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:942664. PMID 35928889
  8. George JT, Veldhuis JD, Tena-Sempere M, Millar RP, Anderson RA. 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. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013;79(1):100-104. PMID 23153270
  9. Ullah H, Nabi G, Zubair H, Ullah R, Shahab M. Age-dependent changes in the reproductive axis responsiveness to kisspeptin-10 administration in healthy men. Andrologia. 2019;51(4):e13219. PMID 30590872
  10. Chan YM, Butler JP, Sidhoum VF, Pinnell NE, et al. Kisspeptin Administration to Women: A Window into Endogenous Kisspeptin Secretion and GnRH Responsiveness across the Menstrual Cycle. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97(8):E1458-E1467. PMID 22577171
  11. Skorupskaite K, George JT, Veldhuis JD, Millar RP, et al. Kisspeptin and neurokinin B interactions in modulating gonadotropin secretion in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2020;35(6):1421-1431. PMID 32510130
  12. Millar RP, Sonigo C, Anderson RA, George J, Maione L, Brailly-Tabard S, et al. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Reactivation by Kisspeptin-10 in Hyperprolactinemic Women With Chronic Amenorrhea. J Endocr Soc. 2017;1(11):1362-1371. PMID 29264460
  13. Chan YM, Lippincott MF, Kusa TO, Seminara SB. Divergent responses to kisspeptin in children with delayed puberty. JCI Insight. 2018;3(8):e99109. doi:10.1172/jci.insight.99109
  14. Mead EJ, Maguire JJ, Kuc RE, Davenport AP. Kisspeptins are novel potent vasoconstrictors in humans, with a discrete localization of their receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 54, to atherosclerosis-prone vessels. Endocrinology. 2007;148(1):140-147. PMID 17023533
  15. Sato K, Shirai R, Hontani M, Shinooka R, et al. Potent Vasoconstrictor Kisspeptin-10 Induces Atherosclerotic Plaque Progression and Instability: Reversal by its Receptor GPR54 Antagonist. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(4):e005790. PMID 28411243
  16. Usui S, Iso Y, Sasai M, Mizukami T, et al. Kisspeptin-10 induces endothelial cellular senescence and impaired endothelial cell growth. Clin Sci (Lond). 2014;127(1):47-55. PMID 24405415
  17. Song GQ, Zhao Y. Kisspeptin-10 inhibits the migration of breast cancer cells by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Oncol Rep. 2015;33(2):669-674. PMID 25420482
  18. Skorupskaite K, George JT, Veldhuis JD, Millar RP, et al. Neurokinin 3 receptor antagonism decreases gonadotropin and testosterone secretion in healthy men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2017;87(6):748-756. PMID 28802064
  19. Comninos AN, Wall MB, Demetriou L, et al. Kisspeptin modulates sexual and emotional brain processing in humans. J Clin Invest. 2017;127(2):709-719. JCI 2017
  20. Jayasena CN, Nijher GMK, Comninos AN, Abbara A, Januszewski A, Vaal ML, et al. The Effects of Kisspeptin-10 on Reproductive Hormone Release Show Sexual Dimorphism in Humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(12):E1963-E1972. doi:10.1210/jc.2011-1408
  21. Leonardi CEP, Dias FCF, Adams GP, Araujo ER, et al. Kisspeptin induces ovulation in heifers under low plasma progesterone concentrations. Theriogenology. 2020;141:26-34. PMID 31494459
  22. Shamas S, Rani S, Afsheen S, Shahab M, Ejaz R, Sadia H, et al. Changes in irisin release in response to peripheral kisspeptin-10 administration in healthy and obese adult men. Acta Endocrinol (Buchar). 2019;15(3):283-288. PMID 32010344
  23. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. Content current as of April 22, 2026. FDA
  24. Li L, Guo Y, Zhao K, et al. Kisspeptin-10 Preserves the Blood-Brain Barrier's Integrity Post-Stroke by Augmenting Claudin-10 Expression. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2025;52(11):e70079. PMID 41022671
  25. Jayasena CN, Abbara A, Narayanaswamy S, Comninos AN, Ratnasabapathy R, Bassett P, et al. Direct comparison of the effects of intravenous kisspeptin-10, kisspeptin-54 and GnRH on gonadotrophin secretion in healthy men. Hum Reprod. 2015;30(8):1934-1941. PMID 26089302
  26. George JT, Hendrikse M, Veldhuis JD, Clarke IJ, et al. Effect of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone on luteinizing hormone secretion in humans. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2017;86(5):731-738. PMID 28186349
  27. Galbiati F, Plessow F, Plummer L, Campbell MB, Nazarloo S, Carter CS, et al. Intravenous kisspeptin 112-121 bolus does not acutely impact circulating vasopressin in humans. J Neuroendocrinol. 2026;38(1):e70114. PMID 41273106
  28. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, section S2.2.1. WADA 2026
  29. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2027 Prohibited List, section S2.2.1. In force January 1, 2027. WADA 2027
Medical disclaimer

This page is educational information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from a licensed medical provider. Do not use this page to decide whether to take any substance. Talk to a licensed medical provider first.

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