Peptides for sleep

What does the evidence say about DSIP for sleep?

DSIP is a nonapeptide, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu, first isolated from rabbit cerebral venous blood in 1977 [3]. Reviewing it for compounding, FDA found no study evaluating effectiveness for chronic insomnia by the proposed subcutaneous route, only inconclusive intravenous data, and some short-term IV studies with unclear results [2]. A 2006 review concluded the link between DSIP and sleep is "extremely poorly documented and still weak" [3]. In July 2026, FDA's compounding advisory committee voted against adding DSIP, 6 yes to 7 no with 1 abstention [1]; the committee does not make law, and formal FDA rulemaking would still be required before any peptide could be added to the list [1].

What does the evidence say about epitalon for sleep?

Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) was nominated for compounding for insomnia, but FDA found "a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of epitalon ... for the proposed use of insomnia" and "no clinical data to support the safety of epitalon" in humans [4]. The one human study FDA reviewed gave 75 night-shift working women a sublingual epitalon spray and measured a melatonin-metabolite marker; it "did not evaluate sleep outcomes" [4]. FDA notes that FDA-approved drugs for insomnia already exist [2].