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PeptideLab onlyNot FDA approved

Prostamax

Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro tetrapeptide

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 13 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

Prostamax is a four amino acid peptide from the Khavinson group, sold for prostate health, libido and aging. Its studies look at chromosomes in blood cells from older adults and rat tissue in a dish. No study we found tests whether it helps the prostate in animals or people.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

Prostamax is the group's name for KEDP, a chain of four amino acids: lysine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and proline.[1][2] It is part of the short peptide bioregulator family from St. Petersburg.

Do not confuse it with prostatilen, an older extract from cattle prostate glands that the same group tested in men in the early 1990s.[3] Prostatilen products are still studied in Russia, but those results do not apply to Prostamax.[4]

Sellers say it supports the prostate, sex drive and healthy aging. The sections below check each claim against the published studies.

Name
Prostamax (Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro tetrapeptide)
Other names
KEDP
Type
Peptide
Sequence
KEDP

How it works

The group says Prostamax loosens tightly packed DNA so silenced genes can turn back on.

  • In blood cells from people aged 75 to 88, Prostamax and other short peptides loosened tightly wound DNA and activated genes that make ribosomes, the cell's protein factories.[5]
  • Heat tests on blood cell DNA showed small shifts that the authors read as relaxed DNA packing.[6]
  • In test tube work, KEDP, which carries both positive and negative charges, changed how easily DNA strands came apart.[7]
  • A computer modeling study predicted KEDP is among the peptides most likely to be carried into cells by known transporter proteins.[8]

These are lab measurements on DNA structure, not proof of any health effect.

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

Cells in a dish only

  • In blood cells from people aged 75 to 86, Prostamax roughly doubled sister chromatid exchanges, from 5.9 to 12.0 per cell, and raised active ribosome gene sites from about 1 to 2.5 per cell. The authors saw this as opened up DNA.[2]
  • A heat based test of blood cells from older people studied Prostamax alongside copper and cadmium. Copper packed DNA more tightly and cadmium loosened it, showing how sensitive these lab measures are.[11]
  • In prostate and other tissue from young and old rats grown in a dish, Prostamax and sister peptides boosted tissue growth.[9]
  • Much of the chromosome work came from a team in Tbilisi, Georgia, that worked with Khavinson.[2][5]

Limit: These are small lab studies in Russian or translated journals, with no tests in living animals and no independent replication.

Human studies

No human studies

  • We found no published clinical trials of Prostamax in people.[10]
  • Human studies of the older prostatilen extract, such as a 1991 report on 307 men with prostatitis, had no control group and test a different product, so they do not apply to this peptide.[3]

Limit: There is no evidence that it helps the prostate or that it is safe in people.

Claims check

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

Shrinks an enlarged prostate and eases urinary symptoms

Not tested

No study we found tested Prostamax for an enlarged prostate, in animals or people. The only prostate work is rat prostate tissue in a dish, where it boosted tissue growth, which is not what someone with an enlarged prostate wants.[9]

Calms prostatitis

Not tested

No study tested Prostamax for prostatitis. Studies of prostatilen, a different cattle prostate extract, reported symptom relief in men, but they had no placebo group and do not apply to this peptide.[3][4]

Boosts libido and erections

Not tested

No study tested Prostamax for sex drive or erections. A 2026 study of 50 men with prostatitis given a prostatilen product reported better erection scores, but it had no comparison group and tested a different product.[4]

Rejuvenates aging DNA

Only in animals

In blood cells from people aged 75 to 86, Prostamax roughly doubled sister chromatid exchanges, swaps of material between copies of a chromosome, from about 5.9 to 12.0 per cell, and loosened packed DNA.[2] The authors read this as reopened genes, but whether it is good or bad for health is unknown. This was done on cells in a dish, not in people.

Safe because it is a natural peptide

Not tested

No human safety study has been published.[10] Lab work shows it changes how DNA is packed, and what that means over time is unknown.[2]

Known risks and side effects

  • Unregulated products. It is sold online outside pharmacies with no FDA review, so what is in the vial or capsule, how pure it is, and how much it holds are unknown.[12]
  • Effects on chromosomes unclear. Lab work shows it changes how DNA is packed and doubles chromosome swaps in blood cells, and what that means for health is unknown.[2]
  • Prostate growth signal. In rat prostate tissue in a dish it boosted growth. Whether it could do the same in a man's prostate has never been studied.[9]
  • No human safety data. No human trials have been published. Men with prostate symptoms should get checked by a doctor rather than rely on it.[1]
  • Banned in sport. WADA bans unapproved drugs at all times, in and out of competition.[13]

Regulatory status

Today: It is not approved by the FDA for any use. It is not named on FDA's list of risky bulk substances for compounding as updated April 22, 2026.[12] WADA bans at all times any drug not approved by a government health agency for human use, so athletes should treat it as banned unless their anti doping agency says otherwise.[13]

Sources

  1. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Tarnovskaya SI. Short Peptides Regulate Gene Expression. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2016;162(2):288-292. PMID 27909961
  2. Dzhokhadze TA, Buadze TZh, Gaiozishvili MN, Baratashvili NA, Lezhava TA. [Deheterochromatinization of the chromatin in old age induced by oligopeptide bioregulator (Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro)]. Georgian Med News. 2012;(212):76-82. PMID 23221144
  3. Tkachuk VN, Gorbachev AG, Khavinson VKh. [The use of prostatilen in treating patients with chronic prostatitis]. Urol Nefrol (Mosk). 1991;(6):40-3. PMID 1823682
  4. Borovets SYu, Rybalov MA, Slesarevskaya MN, Al-Shukri SKh. [Effect of prostate-derived complex peptide preparations on erectile function in patients with chronic prostatitis]. Urologiia. 2026;(2):92-98. PMID 42417303
  5. Khavinson VKh, Lezhava TA, Malinin VV. Effects of short peptides on lymphocyte chromatin in senile subjects. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2004;137(1):78-81. PMID 15085253
  6. Meskhi T, Khachidze D, Barbakadze Sh, Madzhagaladze G, Gorgoshidze M, Monaselidze D, Lezhava T, Tadumadze N. [The influence of the peptide bioregulator prostamax on heterochromatin of human lymphocytes in situ]. Biofizika. 2004;49(6):1091-3. PMID 15612551
  7. Solovyev AY, Tarnovskaya SI, Chernova IA, Shataeva LK, Skorik YA. The interaction of amino acids, peptides, and proteins with DNA. Int J Biol Macromol. 2015;78:39-45. PMID 25841380
  8. Khavinson VK, Linkova NS, Rudskoy AI, Petukhov MG. Feasibility of Transport of 26 Biologically Active Ultrashort Peptides via LAT and PEPT Family Transporters. Biomolecules. 2023;13(3):552. PMID 36979488
  9. Zakutskii AN, Chalisova NI, Ryzhak GA, Aniskina AI, Filippov SV, Zeziulin PN. [The tissue-specific effect of synthetic peptides-biologic regulators in organotypic tissues culture in young and old rats]. Adv Gerontol. 2006;19:93-6. PMID 17152728
  10. Khavinson VK, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR. Peptide Regulation of Gene Expression: A Systematic Review. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7053. PMC8619776
  11. Kiladze M, Gorgoshidze M, Monaselidze J, Jokhadze T, Lezhava T. Microcalorimetric study of human blood lymphocytes culture at presence of copper, cadmium and prostamax. Georgian Med News. 2009;(168):104-7. PMID 19359734
  12. 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
  13. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Code International Standard. In force January 1, 2026. WADA 2026
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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