Comparison
Clomiphene vs Semax
Side-by-side of Clomiphene and Semax. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
Semax
Semax peptide benefits: nootropic ACTH(4-10) analog without corticotropic activity. Cognitive enhancement, neuroprotection, intranasal dosing, Russian stroke.
Effects at a glance
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
Semax
- •Synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH(4-10) developed in Russia in the 1980s
- •Approved in Russia for ischemic stroke, cognitive impairment, and cerebrovascular disorders
- •Lacks the corticotropic activity of native ACTH due to the Pro-Gly-Pro stabilizing tail
- •Russian RCTs report improved cognitive recovery in acute ischemic stroke versus standard care
- •Modulates BDNF and NGF expression and dopaminergic signaling in preclinical models
- •Standard route is intranasal; not FDA approved; research-use-only outside Russia
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Clomiphene | Semax |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | peptide |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, ACTH(4-10) Pro-Gly-Pro analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 0.6 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 2-3x daily (intranasal) |
| Routes | oral | intranasal |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 813.94 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C37H51N9O10S |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | Modulates BDNF and NGF expression in hippocampus and cortex, enhances dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling, and reduces oxidative stress markers in preclinical ischemia models. Lacks corticotropic activity of native ACTH. |
| Legal status | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | Approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive disorders; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market elsewhere |
| WADA status | banned | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 80714-61-0 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 9811102 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q4413083 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(moderate)
Semax
Common side effects
- mild nasal irritation
- transient mild headache
- rare mild euphoria or activation
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- acute psychotic disorder
- severe hypertension (caution due to mild activating effect)
Interactions
- stimulants (caffeine, amphetamines): potential additive activation; monitor for overstimulation(minor)
- antipsychotics: theoretical antagonism via dopaminergic modulation(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Clomiphene comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, prescription-only, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Semax is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Semax.
- → If your priority is long-term neuroprotection, pick Semax.
Edge case: Clomiphene is contraindicated in pregnancy; Semax is the safer pick if that applies.
Default choice: Clomiphene. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Semax only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Clomiphene and Semax?
Clomiphene and Semax differ in category (pharmaceutical vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or Semax?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; Semax half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene with Semax?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper