The grade board
Every compound with its headline use, the evidence grade for that use, safety, and legal access, side by side. The rows are not ranked against each other: a grade for weight loss and a grade for tendon repair answer different questions. Tap a column to sort.
Evidence is graded for the use shown, from A (several human trials or approved for that use) to D (not yet tested in people for that use). Safety runs A (well-tolerated) to F (harmful). How the grades work.
The third column, Legal, is deliberately not a grade. It answers a different question: whether there is any lawful way to get the thing. It moves when regulators move, and it never touches the two grades. When an FDA advisory committee recommended six of these peptides in July 2026, this column changed and not one grade did, because a vote about who may legally prepare a compound is not evidence that the compound works.
| The read | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Amino-1MQ | D | D | Research-only | For Fat loss and metabolic health in people: not tested in humans |
| AHK-Cu | D | B | Research-only | For Hair thinning and regrowth when applied to the scalp: not tested in humans |
| AOD-9604 | A | B | Research-only | For Fat loss in obese adults: did not work |
| ARA-290 | A | B | Research-only | For Nerve pain and nerve repair in neuropathy (trialed in sarcoidosis and type 2 diabetes only): mixed |
| BPC-157 | D | C | Advisory: yes | For Healing tendon, ligament and muscle injuries (injected): not tested in humans |
| Cagrilintide | A | B | Investigational | For Weight loss and appetite suppression in adults with overweight or obesity: worked |
| Cartalax | D | D | Research-only | For joint and cartilage support: not tested in humans |
| Cerebrolysin | B | C | Approved abroad | For Memory, focus and brain fog in healthy adults: mixed |
| CJC-1295 | D | C | Research-only | For Raising growth hormone for body composition, recovery and sleep with the no-DAC form (Modified GRF 1-29): not tested in humans |
| Dihexa | D | E | Under review | For Memory, focus and cognitive enhancement in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| DSIP | A | C | Advisory: no | For Falling asleep faster and sleeping deeper: mixed |
| Epitalon | D | C | Advisory: yes | For Longevity and anti-aging in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| GHK-Cu | B | B | Under review | For Topical GHK-Cu for skin quality and wrinkles: mixed |
| GHRP-2 | B | C | Approved abroad | For Raising growth hormone and IGF-I levels in adults: mixed |
| GHRP-6 | D | C | Research-only | For Body composition and recovery in healthy adults through a growth hormone boost: not tested in humans |
| Hexarelin | C | D | Research-only | For Raising growth hormone in healthy adults, the effect people are after: mixed |
| Ipamorelin | D | C | Research-only | For Body composition, recovery and sleep in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| Kisspeptin | A | C | Advisory: no | For Raising LH and testosterone in healthy men: mixed |
| KPV | D | C | Advisory: yes | For Gut and skin inflammation, and general recovery, in people: not tested in humans |
| LL-37 | D | E | Under review | For Injected (subcutaneous) use for immune support, Lyme or chronic infection, and gut healing: not tested in humans |
| Melanotan I | B | B | FDA-approved | For Sunless tanning in healthy adults (injectable): worked |
| Melanotan II | C | E | Under review | For Tanning: worked |
| MK-677 | B | E | Research-only | For Muscle and body composition in healthy older adults: mixed |
| MOTS-c | D | D | Advisory: yes | For Metabolic health, endurance and longevity in healthy or prediabetic adults: not tested in humans |
| NAD+ | D | C | Compoundable | For Energy, mental clarity and longevity in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| Pentadeca Arginate | D | D | Research-only | For Tendon, ligament and gut-lining repair: not tested in humans |
| Pinealon | D | C | Research-only | For Sleep and brain protection in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| PT-141 | A | C | FDA-approved | For Erections in men (off label): mixed |
| Retatrutide | A | C | Investigational | For Weight loss in adults with obesity: worked |
| Selank | A | B | Approved abroad | For Anxiety and stress: worked |
| Semaglutide | A | B | FDA-approved | For Weight loss in adults with obesity or overweight: worked |
| Semax | D | C | Advisory: yes | For Focus, memory and stress resilience in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| Sermorelin | B | B | Compoundable | For Better sleep, body composition and vitality in healthy adults (off label): mixed |
| SNAP-8 | D | B | Research-only | For Softening expression lines with a topical serum or cream: not tested in humans |
| SS-31 | D | B | FDA-approved | For Energy, recovery and longevity in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| Survodutide | A | B | Investigational | For Weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity: worked |
| TB-500 | D | D | Advisory: yes | For Tendon, muscle and injury repair and recovery in healthy or injured adults: not tested in humans |
| Tesamorelin | A | B | FDA-approved | For Body composition (belly fat) in adults without HIV lipodystrophy: mixed |
| Thymosin Alpha-1 | D | B | Approved abroad | For Immune support and fewer infections in healthy adults: not tested in humans |
| Thymulin | D | C | Research-only | For Immune support and anti-aging in healthy adults (injected): not tested in humans |
| Tirzepatide | A | B | FDA-approved | For Weight loss in adults with obesity or overweight: worked |
| VIP | C | C | Compoundable | For Nasal spray for CIRS (mold illness): not tested in humans |
Evidence, A to D
How far human testing has got for one use. Animal data does not move it.
Multiple human randomized controlled trials for that use, or FDA-approved for that use.
At least one human randomized controlled trial for that use.
Human pilot or observational studies only, for that use.
Animal, lab, mechanism on paper or anecdote only. No controlled human data for that use.
Safety, A to F
A composite roll-up, not an absence of bad news.
Extensive human safety data; benign, well-mapped profile.
Well-studied; real but manageable risks under monitoring.
No red flags observed, but human exposure is small.
Little or no human safety data exists either way.
Documented serious risks or major theoretical red flags.
Known to cause serious harm.
Grades are a read as of the last review and change as evidence changes. Nothing here is medical advice. Ground Truth takes no vendor money.