{"id":"humanin","name":"Humanin","aliases":["HN","HNG (humanin analogue)","mitochondrial-derived peptide"],"url":"https://lyoresearch.com/compounds/humanin","class":{"id":"longevity-compounds","name":"Mitochondrial, antioxidant and longevity compounds","url":"https://lyoresearch.com/classes/longevity-compounds"},"summary":"Humanin is a small peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA, discovered in 2001, with cell-protective effects in laboratory models of Alzheimer's, diabetes and cardiovascular stress. In people, blood levels of humanin fall with age and vary with disease — but that is observation of the humanin people already have, not a test of giving more. No controlled human trial has administered it. It is not approved anywhere.","overall_grade":"D","overall_grade_meaning":"no human evidence","human_trials":"0 controlled","regulatory_status":"Not approved","molecule":{"formula":"C119H204N34O32S2","molecular_weight":"2687.2","cas":"330936-69-1","pubchem_cid":16131438,"note":null},"pharmacokinetics":{"basis":"none","route":"Injected as sold; no human administration study","half_life":"No human pharmacokinetic data","licensed_regimen":null,"product":null,"source":null},"outcomes":[{"outcome":"Cytoprotection / metabolic health","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"0 controlled","evidence":"Humanin protects neurons and other cells from stress in laboratory and animal models. Human work is observational — levels correlate with age and disease — and cannot show what supplementation would do.","references":[]},{"outcome":"Ageing / longevity","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Association only","evidence":"Higher circulating humanin has been associated with markers of health and with dietary patterns in cohort studies. Association in people who already have it is not an intervention result.","references":[]},{"outcome":"Safety in humans","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":true,"human_studies":"None","evidence":"No human dosing study of any kind, and therefore no safety data.","references":[]}],"regions":[{"region":"European Union","status":"Unauthorised medicinal product","note":"No marketing authorisation in any member state. Supplying it for human use is an offence under national medicines law; a 'research use only' label does not change that."},{"region":"United States","status":"Not approved","note":"Not an approved drug and not a dietary-supplement ingredient. Sold as a 'research chemical' outside the medical system; the FDA has warned against several compounds in this class."},{"region":"United Kingdom","status":"Unlicensed medicine","note":"Not licensed by the MHRA. Selling or supplying it for human use is an offence under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012."},{"region":"Australia","status":"Prescription-only / unapproved","note":"Not on the ARTG. Supply without a prescription is unlawful; imports are seized."},{"region":"Canada","status":"Not authorised","note":"No Drug Identification Number; selling it for human use is illegal."},{"region":"Sport (WADA)","status":"Prohibited at all times","note":"As a non-approved substance, humanin falls under WADA class S0 (non-approved substances) and is prohibited in and out of competition."}],"faq":[{"q":"Does humanin slow ageing?","a":"Unknown. The protective effects are from cell and animal studies. Human research so far measures naturally occurring humanin; it has never been given to people in a controlled trial."},{"q":"Is it the same idea as MOTS-c?","a":"Yes — both are peptides encoded in mitochondrial DNA, with interesting lab biology and no human intervention trials."}],"references":[{"cite":"Hashimoto Y, et al. A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Aβ (humanin).","where":"Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2001;98:6336–6341","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Hashimoto+humanin+rescue+factor+Alzheimer+2001+PNAS","note":"The discovery paper."},{"cite":"Observational human studies of circulating humanin with age, disease and diet.","where":"Various, e.g. Aging (Albany NY) and Front Nutr, 2018–2026","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=humanin+mitochondrial+derived+peptide+humans+plasma+aging","note":"Association studies; not interventions."}],"last_reviewed":"2026-09-03","literature_searched_to":"2026-09-03","changelog":[{"date":"2026-09-03","note":"Initial publication. All outcomes graded D on absence of human intervention trials."}],"license":"CC BY 4.0 — cite as “LYO Research” with a link.","methodology":"https://lyoresearch.com/methodology"}