Comparison
Epitalon vs Vitamin D3 + K2
Side-by-side of Epitalon and Vitamin D3 + K2. 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.
Vitamin D3 + K2
Vitamin D3 K2 supplement profile: cholecalciferol at 1000-4000 IU/day corrects deficiency, MK-7 directs calcium to bone, away from arteries.
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
Vitamin D3 + K2
- •Reduces non-vertebral fractures 10-20% in older adults at 800 IU/day or above when combined with calcium
- •VITAL trial showed neutral results on primary CV and cancer endpoints at 2000 IU/day over 5 years
- •Vitamin D supplementation reduces respiratory infection incidence ~10-20% in deficient populations
- •K2 MK-7 has 72-hour plasma half-life vs 1-2 hours for MK-4; once-daily dosing is sufficient
- •Synergy hypothesis is largely preclinical; dedicated combination RCTs are limited
- •Daily dosing outperforms bolus dosing for immune and infection outcomes
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Epitalon | Vitamin D3 + K2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) | cholecalciferol + menaquinone, D3/K2, vitamin D3 with MK-7 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 360 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 5 | 0.05 |
| Dosing frequency | daily during cycle | daily with a fat-containing meal |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 168 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 | 384.64 |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | C27H44O (D3); C46H64O2 (MK-7) |
| 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. | D3 converts to calcidiol then calcitriol, activating the vitamin D receptor (VDR) to increase intestinal calcium absorption and modulate immune and bone gene transcription. K2 carboxylates osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein, directing calcium toward bone and inhibiting vascular calcification. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU | Dietary supplement (global) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Recommended at standard doses for fetal bone development; consult clinician at higher doses |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 | 67-97-0 |
| PubChem CID | 219042 | 5280795 |
| Wikidata | Q5384126 | Q139347 |
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)
Vitamin D3 + K2
Common side effects
- GI upset at high doses
- headache (rare)
- hypercalcemia (only at sustained very high D3 doses)
Contraindications
- hypercalcemia
- sarcoidosis
- active hyperparathyroidism
- warfarin therapy (K2 component requires stable intake)
Interactions
- warfarin: K2 component can affect anticoagulation; maintain stable intake and inform anticoagulation clinic(moderate)
- thiazide diuretics: additive calcium retention; hypercalcemia risk with high-dose D3(moderate)
- digoxin and calcium channel blockers: additive effects from D3-induced hypercalcemia(moderate)
- glucocorticoids: reduced vitamin D efficacy and bone effects(moderate)
- cholestyramine and orlistat: bind fat-soluble vitamins; separate dosing by 2 to 4 hours(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Vitamin D3 + K2 comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is bone density, pick Vitamin D3 + K2.
- → If your priority is cardiovascular health, pick Vitamin D3 + K2.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Vitamin D3 + K2 is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Vitamin D3 + K2. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, 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 Vitamin D3 + K2?
Epitalon and Vitamin D3 + K2 differ in category (peptide vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Epitalon or Vitamin D3 + K2?
Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours; Vitamin D3 + K2 half-life is 360 hours.
Can you stack Epitalon with Vitamin D3 + K2?
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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