Humanin
Clinical reviewer: Jacob Moore, MD · Last checked September 22, 2026
What is the humanin peptide?
Humanin is a short mitochondrial-derived peptide first identified in 2001 that protects cells from stress-induced death in laboratory studies. Human research so far measures the body's own circulating humanin, for instance after exercise, rather than testing humanin given as a therapy. It is not FDA-approved and is not on FDA's 503A category lists.
What is humanin, and where was it discovered?
Humanin was identified in 2001 through a screen for genes that block neuronal cell death caused by familial Alzheimer's disease genes and amyloid-beta, in cell-culture experiments [1]. A 2023 systematic review describes it as a mitochondrial-derived peptide, encoded by mitochondrial DNA, that plays a cytoprotective role preserving mitochondrial function and cell viability under stress and senescence, though it notes the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully clarified [2].
What does human research on humanin actually measure?
No trial giving humanin to people was found in our search as of September 2026; the human studies that do exist measure the body's own circulating humanin, not an administered dose. One 2021 study reported that acute endurance exercise stimulates circulating levels of mitochondrial-derived peptides in people [3].
Is humanin FDA-approved or regulated in sport?
Humanin does not appear on FDA's Category 1, 2 or 3 compounding lists, and no humanin product is FDA-approved. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List does not name humanin, but its S0 section says that "Any pharmacological substance which is not addressed by any of the subsequent sections of the List and with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use" is "prohibited at all times" [4]. MOTS-c, a different mitochondrial-derived peptide, is named there as an AMPK activator [4].
Related terms
Sources
- Hashimoto Y et al. A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Abeta. PNAS, 2001.
- Coradduzza D et al. Humanin and its pathophysiological roles in aging, a systematic review. Biology, 2023.
- von Walden F et al. Acute endurance exercise stimulates circulating levels of mitochondrial-derived peptides in humans. J Appl Physiol, 2021.
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List, effective 1 January 2026.
This entry is for education and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.
