Anti-Aging Peptides
Peptides studied for longevity, cellular health, and age-related processes
About This Category
Anti-aging peptides target the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying cellular senescence, telomere shortening, extracellular matrix degradation, and the accumulation of senescent cells - processes collectively associated with organismal aging. Unlike broad antioxidant approaches, these compounds interact with specific molecular pathways that govern cellular lifespan, tissue remodeling, and the inflammatory burden of aged tissues (sometimes called 'inflammaging').
Epithalon (Epitalon) is a synthetic tetrapeptide analog of epithalamin, a peptide isolated from the bovine pineal gland. Research has focused on its apparent ability to activate telomerase - the enzyme that rebuilds telomeric DNA - a mechanism with profound implications for cellular replication potential. FOXO4-DRI is a D-amino acid retro-inverso peptide designed to disrupt the FOXO4-p53 interaction that protects senescent cells from apoptosis; as a senolytic agent, it represents a mechanistically distinct approach to clearing the accumulation of dysfunctional cells. GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide naturally present in human plasma, shown to modulate hundreds of genes related to tissue remodeling, antioxidant defense, and inflammatory regulation. SNAP-8 is an octapeptide that competes with SNAP-25 at the neuromuscular junction to inhibit vesicle fusion, reducing the depth of expression lines at the skin surface.
This category spans research from the molecular biology of aging to cosmetic dermatology, unified by the focus on reversing or mitigating age-associated biological changes. The breadth of GHK-Cu's genomic effects and FOXO4-DRI's senolytic mechanism represent two of the most mechanistically interesting areas of current longevity peptide research.
Key Mechanisms
- Telomerase activation (epithalon/telomere biology)
- Senolytic apoptosis via FOXO4-p53 disruption
- Copper-mediated extracellular matrix gene modulation
- Collagen and elastin synthesis upregulation
- Neuromuscular junction SNAP-25 competition
- Antioxidant gene expression (GHK-Cu genomic effects)
Peptides in Anti-Aging
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is a copper complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, studied in cell and animal models of matrix remodeling and wound repair.
Epithalon
Epithalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide based on the natural peptide Epithalamin produced by the pineal gland. It has been studied for effects on telomerase activity and longevity.
SNAP-8
SNAP-8 is a synthetic peptide designed to reduce wrinkles by modulating neuromuscular junction activity. It is an extension of the hexapeptide Argireline.
FOXO4-DRI
FOXO4-DRI is a senolytic peptide designed to selectively induce apoptosis in senescent cells by disrupting the FOXO4-p53 interaction.
SS-31
SS-31 (elamipretide) is a synthetic, cell-permeable tetrapeptide that targets the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds the phospholipid cardiolipin. It is studied as a mitochondrial bioenergetics agent and was approved by the FDA in 2025 for Barth syndrome under the brand name Forzinity.
Glutathione
Glutathione is an endogenous tripeptide (gamma-Glu-Cys-Gly) that functions as the principal intracellular antioxidant in human cells, researched via oral, liposomal, intravenous, and intranasal routes.
Humanin
Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded in the mitochondrial genome (MT-RNR2) with cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic activity studied mainly in Alzheimer's disease and aging research.
Klotho
Klotho is a 1012-amino-acid transmembrane protein encoded by an aging-suppressor gene; its shed extracellular domain circulates like a hormone and is studied in aging, cognition, and phosphate biology.
AHK-Cu
AHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-3) is the copper complex of the tripeptide Ala-His-Lys, a synthetic analog of GHK-Cu studied for hair follicle and skin applications.