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PeptideLimited humanNot FDA approved

Vesugen

Lys-Glu-Asp tripeptide

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 32 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

Vesugen is a three amino acid peptide from the Khavinson group in St. Petersburg, sold online for blood vessels and healthy aging. Its human evidence is a handful of small Russian studies, with 22 to 300 people each and no placebo group described.[1][2] There is no good proof that it protects blood vessels, slows aging or sharpens memory in people.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

Vesugen is the trade name for KED, a chain of three amino acids: lysine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. The developer's group calls KED a peptide that protects blood vessels.[3] PubMed indexes studies of Vesugen under the chemical name lysyl glutamyl aspartic acid.[21] A dish study from the group names Vesugen as KED directly.[22]

It is one of the short peptide bioregulators from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Many papers use the lab code T-38 for the same tripeptide.[18] More recently the group has studied it for brain aging and Alzheimer's disease.[20][23]

Name
Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp tripeptide)
Other names
KED, vezugen, T-38, lysyl glutamyl aspartic acid
Type
Peptide
Sequence
KED

What it does in the body

Vesugen is a lab made chain of three amino acids, lysine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. It is not a known natural hormone and has no known receptor. Its developers say it enters cells and switches genes on or off, mainly in the cells that line blood vessels, but this comes from their own lab and computer work.[3][4]

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.

Heart and blood vessels

Measured in people

In vessel lining cells taken from people with hardened or renarrowed arteries, KED brought endothelin 1, a signal that tightens blood vessels, back to normal and raised sirtuin 1.[5] In aging vessel cell cultures, the same tripeptide under the code T-38 raised a cell renewal marker and lowered p53 and E selectin, a sticky protein that helps plaque form.[6] In 41 people after surgery for blocked leg arteries, leg blood flow on ultrasound was reported to improve, with no comparison group.[7] In the developers' patent, 12 older adults with easy skin bruising, called senile purpura, were compared with 11 given salt water instead, and fewer treated people had an abnormal clotting test, 14.3% versus 43.8%.[8]

Sexual function

Measured in people

In 41 men with erection problems caused by hardened arteries, Vesugen alone was reported to improve blood flow in the main artery of the penis. The study had no control group and the summary gives no numbers.[2]

Brain and mood

Measured in people

In mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease, KED prevented the loss of dendritic spines, the tiny contact points nerve cells use to talk to each other.[9] In nerve cells made from the skin cells of elderly donors, it increased the branching of nerve cell fibers.[10] In brain cortex cells in a dish, it raised serotonin, a mood and sleep chemical.[11] In people, the only data are stress and mood scores in truck drivers taking it with a related peptide.[12]

Energy and cells

Measured in people

In about 30 adults aged 41 to 83, measures of biological age improved after treatment, but oxidative stress, a kind of chemical wear on cells, went up and CD34 blood stem cells went down.[1] In human gum and tooth ligament stem cells kept in culture for a long time, KED lowered two aging genes, p16 and p21, by about 1.8 to 3.2 times.[13]

Skin and hair

Lab finding

In skin tissue taken from old rats and kept alive in a dish, T-38 boosted cell growth and lowered p53, a protein linked to cell death.[14] In aging human skin cells in a dish, KED lowered MMP9, an enzyme that breaks down skin structure, and raised a cell renewal marker.[15] No study has tested it on skin in living animals or people.

Gut

Seen in animals

In rats aged early by radiation, a tripeptide indexed as KED was linked to repair of blood flow in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, and more lining cell renewal.[16] In a similar model, T-38 helped the damaged pancreas repair itself, according to a short summary with no numbers.[17]

Immune system

Lab finding

In spleen tissue from young and old rats grown in a dish, T-38 boosted tissue growth and blocked the growth slowing effect of the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide.[18]

How it works

The group's main idea is that very short peptides enter cells and change which genes are switched on.

  • In blood vessel lining cells from young and old rats grown in a dish, Vesugen raised a marker of cell growth that normally falls with age, and computer models suggested it touches the control region of that marker's gene.[4]
  • In vessel lining cells taken from people with hardened or renarrowed arteries, KED brought endothelin 1 back to normal levels and raised sirtuin 1, a protein tied to DNA repair.[5]
  • A 2026 review by the group repeats these vessel cell findings.[24]
  • In a dish study of aging human pancreas and airway cells from embryos and of prostate fibroblasts, KED raised cell maturity markers in the fibroblasts, the cells that make connective tissue.[22]
  • In human stem cells aged in culture, KED lowered FOXO1, an aging related gene, by 1.6 to 2.3 times.[25] In human tooth ligament stem cells, KED alone raised the nerve growth markers GAP43 and Nestin.[26]
  • Computer docking by the group suggests KED fits a DNA stretch in the gene for the enzyme that makes serotonin.[11]

This mechanism is a hypothesis from one research group and has not been confirmed by others.

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

Cell and animal studies, nearly all from one group

  • In blood vessel cells from aging rats grown in a dish, it increased signs of cell renewal.[4]
  • In tissue from the rat pineal gland grown in a dish, KED increased signs of cell renewal and lowered p53, a protein tied to cell aging, with a stronger effect in tissue from old animals. The same paper reported changes in learning scores in honey bees.[27]
  • In mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease, KED injected into the belly from 2 to 4 months of age prevented the loss of dendritic spines, the tiny contact points nerve cells use to talk to each other.[9]
  • In old rats aged early by radiation, T-38 helped the damaged pancreas repair itself, and a related report linked the tripeptide to repair of the duodenum.[17][16]
  • In skin tissue from old rats, T-38 was the tripeptide with the clearest growth boost among five tested.[14]
  • In spleen tissue from rats, T-38 protected growth against the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide.[18]
  • In the developers' patent, 45 rats with gum disease were split into three groups of 15. Treated rats had better small vessel blood flow in the gums than rats given salt water. The same patent reports that rat artery tissue grew about 24% more in a dish.[8]

Limit: Most studies are small, published in Russian or translated journals, and come from the developer's own group with no independent replication.

Human studies

Several small Russian studies with weak designs

  • In 41 people who had surgery for blocked leg arteries, mostly from hardened arteries, Vesugen alone was reported to improve leg blood flow on exam and ultrasound. Results were compared before and after treatment, with no control group.[7]
  • In 41 men with erection problems caused by hardened arteries, Vesugen alone was reported to improve blood flow in the main artery of the penis. No control group or numbers are given.[2]
  • In about 30 people aged 41 to 83 with several chronic illnesses and a stable brain disorder, Vesugen and a related peptide, pinealon, were reported to slow measures of biological age, with Vesugen doing better. The same study measured more oxidative stress and fewer CD34 blood stem cells after treatment.[1]
  • A study compared 150 truck drivers with 150 metal workers. Drivers who took pinealon, Vesugen or both had better stress, mood and adaptation scores, with the pair working best. The workers were a comparison group, not a placebo group.[12]
  • In 110 people of different ages, researchers compared carbon dioxide baths, high pressure oxygen, massage and peptide pills. Combining Vesugen and pinealon gave the biggest improvement in biological age scores. There was no placebo group.[19]
  • In men exposed to job hazards, including truck drivers, a short report used a work ability score and concluded that peptides including KED might help keep people able to work. It gives no numbers.[21]
  • In 22 older people with mouth sores after treatment for throat and mouth cancer, adding Vesugen and a dietary supplement to standard care was reported to work better, with no numbers given.[28]
  • The developers' US patent describes small patient groups. In young adults with fragile skin capillaries from low vitamin levels, skin bleeding spots after a cuff test fell from 30 to 47 down to 6 to 8, while controls did not change, though the group sizes given do not add up. In 23 people aged 70 to 82 with senile purpura, 12 treated people did better on clotting tests than 11 people given salt water. No side effects are listed.[8]
  • A 2021 review by the group says KED taken by mouth improved memory and attention in older adults with mild brain function problems, but gives no study size.[20]
  • Lab studies used human cells, such as vessel lining cells from artery patients and skin cells from elderly donors turned into nerve cells, which is not the same as people taking it.[5][10]

Limit: The summaries describe no placebo group or blinding, the studies are small, and all are linked to the developer's network.

Claims check

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

Improves circulation and protects blood vessels

Mixed results

Two reports from the same team, each covering 41 people, one in blocked leg arteries and one in artery related erection problems, described better blood flow before and after treatment with no control group, and it is not clear from the summaries whether these were the same patients.[7][2] The rest of the support comes from vessel cells in a dish and from small, unpublished patient groups in the developers' patent.[5][6][8] No placebo controlled trial exists.

Slows aging

Mixed results

In about 30 adults aged 41 to 83, biological age scores improved, but oxidative stress went up and blood stem cells went down.[1] In 110 people, the Vesugen and pinealon pair improved biological age scores more than spa style treatments, with no placebo.[19] Biological age scores are not proof of longer or healthier life.

Sharpens memory and protects the brain

Mixed results

A review by the developer's group says KED by mouth improved memory and attention in older adults but gives no study size.[20] In mice bred to get Alzheimer's disease, it protected nerve cell contact points.[9] No independent human trial has tested memory.

Helps erections

Mixed results

One study of 41 men with erection problems from hardened arteries reported better blood flow in the penis after Vesugen, with no control group and no numbers in the summary.[2] Proven treatments exist for this condition.

Reduces stress and improves mood

Mixed results

In a study of 150 truck drivers compared with 150 metal workers, drivers given pinealon, Vesugen or both had better stress and mood scores, with the pair working best.[12] There was no placebo and the effect of Vesugen alone is unclear.

Improves skin

Only in animals

In skin tissue from old rats and in aging human skin cells, all grown in a dish, KED boosted cell renewal and lowered an enzyme that breaks down skin structure.[14][15] No study has tested skin in people.

Lowers blood pressure

Not tested

We found no study that measured blood pressure after Vesugen in animals or people. The vessel claims rest on blood flow scans and on vessel cells in a dish.[7][5]

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.[29]
  • Possible blood effects. In one small study, oxidative stress rose and CD34 blood stem cells fell after treatment, which the authors read as reduced blood cell production.[1] In the patent's six month test in 96 guinea pigs, white blood cell counts were about 19% to 24% higher in treated animals, though the authors said there were no meaningful changes.[8]
  • Side effects not reported. The human studies do not describe side effects in their summaries, so how often problems occur is unknown.[7][12]
  • Not a substitute for heart care. People with artery disease or erection problems need proven treatment. The studies in these conditions were small and from the developer's network.[2][7]
  • Banned in sport. WADA bans unapproved drugs at all times, in and out of competition, and keeps that rule in its 2027 list.[30][31]

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, or on FDA's list of substances nominated for pharmacy compounding as updated May 14, 2026.[29][32] WADA does not name Vesugen, but its 2026 list and its 2027 list, in force January 1, 2027, ban 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.[30][31]

Sources

  1. Meshchaninov VN, Tkachenko EL, Zharkov SV, Gavrilov IV, Katyreva IuE. [Effect of synthetic peptides on aging of patients with chronic polymorbidity and organic brain syndrome of the central nervous system in remission]. Adv Gerontol. 2015;28(1):62-7. PMID 26390612
  2. Kitachev KV, Sazonov AB, Kozlov KL, Petrov KIu, Sliusarev AS, Khavinson VKh. [The efficacy of peptide bioregulators of vessels in lower limbs chronic arterial insufficiency treatment in old and elderly people]. Adv Gerontol. 2014;27(1):156-9. PMID 25051774
  3. Khavinson VK, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR. Peptide Regulation of Gene Expression: A Systematic Review. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7053. PMC8619776
  4. Khavinson VKh, Tarnovskaia SI, Lin'kova NS, Guton EO, Elashkina EV. [Epigenetic aspects of peptidergic regulation of vascular endothelial cell proliferation during aging]. Adv Gerontol. 2014;27(1):108-14. PMID 25051766
  5. Kozlov KL, Bolotov II, Linkova NS, Drobintseva AO, Khavinson VKh, Dyakonov MM, Kozina LS. [Molecular aspects of vasoprotective peptide KED activity during atherosclerosis and restenosis]. Adv Gerontol. 2016;29(4):646-650. PMID 28539025
  6. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Evlashkina EV, Durnova AO, Kozlov KL, Gutop OE. Molecular aspects of anti-atherosclerotic effects of short peptides. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2014;158(1):159-63. PMID 25408528
  7. Kitachov KV, et al. [The role of vasoactive peptid in lower limbs chronic arterial insufficiency treatment]. Adv Gerontol. 2013;26(2):292-296. PMID 28976154
  8. Khavinson VKh, Grigoriev EI, Malinin VV, Ryzhak GA. Peptide, pharmaceutical composition, and a method of treating microcirculation disorders. US Patent 7,851,449 B2. Granted December 14, 2010. US Patent 7851449
  9. Khavinson V, et al. Neuroprotective Effects of Tripeptides, Epigenetic Regulators in Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021;14(6):515. PMID 34071923
  10. Kraskovskaya N, Linkova N, Sakhenberg E, Krieger D, Polyakova V, Medvedev D, Krasichkov A, Khotin M, Ryzhak G. Short Peptides Protect Fibroblast-Derived Induced Neurons from Age-Related Changes. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(21):11363. PMID 39518916
  11. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Tarnovskaya SI, Umnov RS, Elashkina EV, Durnova AO. Short peptides stimulate serotonin expression in cells of brain cortex. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2014;157(1):77-80. PMID 24909721
  12. Bashkireva AS, Artamonova VG. [The peptide correction of neurotic disorders among professional truck-drivers]. Adv Gerontol. 2012;25(4):718-28. PMID 23734521
  13. Sinjari B, Diomede F, Khavinson V, Mironova E, Linkova N, Trofimova S, Trubiani O, Caputi S. Short Peptides Protect Oral Stem Cells from Ageing. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2020;16(1):159-166. PMID 31677028
  14. Voicekhovskaya MA, Chalisova NI, Kontsevaya EA, Ryzhak GA. Effect of bioregulatory tripeptides on the culture of skin cells from young and old rats. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2012;152(3):357-9. PMID 22803085
  15. Lin'kova NS, Drobintseva AO, Orlova OA, Kuznetsova EP, Polyakova VO, Kvetnoy IM, Khavinson VKh. Peptide Regulation of Skin Fibroblast Functions during Their Aging In Vitro. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2016;161(1):175-8. PMID 27259496
  16. Trofimov AV. [Tripeptide restorates structure of duodenum at accelerated aging]. Adv Gerontol. 2011;24(3):511-4. PMID 22184986
  17. Ryzhak AP, Kvetnoi IM, Emanuel' VL. [Peptidergic regulation of the pancreas function in the experimental model of rats with accelerated aging]. Adv Gerontol. 2008;21(2):240-5. PMID 18942368
  18. Chalisova NI, Lesnyak VV, Oganezova EV, Rizhak GA. Protective effect of tripeptide in the presence of cyclophosphamide on the growth of cultured lymphoid tissue from rats of different age. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2008;145(6):748-50. PMID 19110568
  19. Myakotnykh VS, et al. [Comparative analysis of different methods of geroprotective]. Adv Gerontol. 2016;29(4):594-601. PMID 28539017
  20. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Umnov RS. Peptide KED: Molecular-Genetic Aspects of Neurogenesis Regulation in Alzheimer's Disease. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2021;171(2):190-193. PMID 34173097
  21. Bashkireva AS, Kachan EY. [Assessment of work ability index in evaluation of small peptides geroprotective effect]. Adv Gerontol. 2015;28(3):510-512. PMID 28509489
  22. Khavinson VKh, Linkova NS, Polyakova VO, Kheifets OV, Tarnovskaya SI, Kvetnoy IM. Peptides tissue-specifically stimulate cell differentiation during their aging. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2012;153(1):148-51. PMID 22808515
  23. Ilina AR, Popovich IG, Ryzhak GA, Khavinson VK. [Prospects for use of short peptides in pharmacotherapeutic correction of Alzheimer's disease]. Adv Gerontol. 2024;37(1-2):10-20. PMID 38944767
  24. Ryzhak GA, et al. [Peptidergic regulation of age-related alterations in the cardiovascular system]. Adv Gerontol. 2026;39(4):492-501. PMID 42935327
  25. Ashapkin V, Khavinson V, Shilovsky G, Linkova N, Vanuyshin B. Gene expression in human mesenchymal stem cell aging cultures: modulation by short peptides. Mol Biol Rep. 2020;47(6):4323-4329. PMID 32399807
  26. Caputi S, Trubiani O, Sinjari B, Trofimova S, Diomede F, Linkova N, Diatlova A, Khavinson V. Effect of short peptides on neuronal differentiation of stem cells. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2019;33:2058738419828613. PMID 30791821
  27. Chalisova NI, Lopatina NG, Kamishev NG, Linkova NS, Koncevaya EA, Dudkov AV, Kozina LS, Khavinson VKh, Titkov YS. Effect of tripeptide Lys-Glu-Asp on physiological activity of neuroimmunoendocrine system cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2012;153(4):569-72. PMID 22977872
  28. Filippova EV. [Treatment of chemical stomatitis in people of advanced and senile age]. Adv Gerontol. 2013;26(2):288-291. PMID 28976153
  29. 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
  30. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Code International Standard. In force January 1, 2026. WADA 2026
  31. World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2027. In force January 1, 2027. WADA 2027
  32. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Updated May 14, 2026. FDA 503A list
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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