Comparison
Epitalon vs GHRP-2
Side-by-side of Epitalon and GHRP-2. 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.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
GHRP-2
GHRP-2 peptide (pralmorelin, KP-102) is a synthetic hexapeptide ghrelin-receptor agonist that triggers pulsatile growth hormone release via the pituitary.
Effects at a glance
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
GHRP-2
- •Hexapeptide ghrelin-receptor agonist that stimulates pulsatile GH release within 15 to 30 minutes
- •Strongest appetite signal among GHRPs at standard doses; centrally mediated via NPY/AgRP
- •Produces measurable cortisol and prolactin rise (more than ipamorelin, less than GHRP-6)
- •Approved in Japan as pralmorelin for GH-deficiency diagnostic provocation; not FDA approved
- •Anecdotal protocols use 100 to 300 mcg subcutaneously 2 to 3 times daily on an empty stomach
- •Banned by WADA under S2; detection methods validated in accredited labs
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Epitalon | GHRP-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) | Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2, Pralmorelin, KP-102, GPA-748 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 5 | 0.1 |
| Dosing frequency | daily during cycle | 2-3x daily |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal | subcutaneous, intranasal, intravenous |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 | 817.97 |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | C45H55N9O6 |
| Mechanism | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. | Hexapeptide agonist of the growth-hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). Suppresses hypothalamic somatostatin tone and stimulates pituitary somatotrophs, producing a pulsatile GH release with secondary cortisol, prolactin, and ACTH elevation. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU | Not FDA approved; approved in Japan as pralmorelin (diagnostic); research-use-only grey market in US/EU; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | unknown | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Not scheduled in US (research chemical); approved diagnostic in Japan |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 | 158861-67-7 |
| PubChem CID | 219042 | 9919072 |
| Wikidata | Q5384126 | Q7235681 |
Safety profile
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
GHRP-2
Common side effects
- acute hunger
- head pressure or flushing
- water retention
- vivid dreams
- tingling at injection site
- transient lethargy
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- history of pituitary tumor
- uncontrolled diabetes
- severe insulin resistance
Interactions
- CJC-1295: synergistic GH release; commonly co-administered for larger pulse(minor)
- sermorelin: additive GH release via parallel GHRH and ghrelin pathways(minor)
- insulin: sustained GH can blunt insulin sensitivity over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH response and amplify cortisol load(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
GHRP-2 comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, research-only / gray-market sourcing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick GHRP-2.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick GHRP-2.
Default choice: GHRP-2. Wider use case, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Epitalon 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 Epitalon and GHRP-2?
Epitalon and GHRP-2 differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Epitalon or GHRP-2?
Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours; GHRP-2 half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Epitalon with GHRP-2?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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