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Longevity peptides: Epitalon, MOTS-c and NAD+ in 2026.

Peptide Chooser editorial team. Checked 2 Nov 2026.

Short answer

Epitalon and MOTS-c are not FDA approved for any use.1 In July 2026 the FDA proposed not to let pharmacies use either one.2 The studies in people are thin: for Epitalon, small old studies on sleep hormone levels; for MOTS-c, the FDA found no human data.34 NAD+ is not a peptide but a coenzyme the body makes, and a 2026 review found no trial with health outcomes for NAD+ shots or drips.56

Which longevity products do we track?

Our longevity page lists three:

  • Epitalon: Not approved; FDA proposed excluding it from compounding (Jul 2026). A four-amino-acid peptide sold as an "anti-aging" shot; human evidence is thin and old. Reviewed by the FDA in July 2026; proposed exclusion.
  • MOTS-c: Not approved; FDA proposed excluding it from compounding (Jul 2026). A "mitochondrial" peptide sold for energy; animal studies only. Same July 2026 review.
  • NAD+ injections: Not a peptide; compounded, not FDA approved. Not a peptide: a vitamin-B3-derived molecule sold by clinics as shots or drips for energy.

What is the FDA status of each?

  • Epitalon: not approved for any use.1 Our database records that its nomination for pharmacy compounding was withdrawn.4
  • MOTS-c: not approved for any use.1 Our database records that its nomination for pharmacy compounding was withdrawn.4

On 23 and 24 July 2026 the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviewed both, with BPC-157 and TB-500, and the FDA proposed not to allow pharmacies to use them.2

Our database records NAD+ as pharmacy-made: pharmacies may compound it while the FDA reviews it; no approved product.8 Category 1 is the FDA's interim group of ingredients pharmacies may use while it reviews them.9

What studies exist in people?

Epitalon is a lab-made peptide of four amino acids. The human studies are small and old. One 2007 paper, in Russian, reported that Epitalon and a pineal gland extract raised night-time melatonin, the sleep hormone, in elderly people.3 That is a hormone level, not a longer or healthier life.

MOTS-c is sold as a "mitochondrial" peptide. The FDA says it found no data on MOTS-c given to people by any route.4 The research we found is in animals and cells, or measures the body's own MOTS-c in blood; we found no trial of MOTS-c as a treatment.

NAD+: a 2026 review found 33 studies in people of NAD+ boosters, mostly pills of its building blocks. They raised NAD-related levels in blood, but effects on health were mixed and often absent. It found no trial with health outcomes for NAD+ given into a vein or a muscle.6

What does "NAD+ is not a peptide" mean?

A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. NAD+ is not: it is a coenzyme, a helper molecule the body uses to turn food into energy and to repair DNA. Its levels fall with age in animals and people, which is why it is sold for aging.5

That is why our longevity page shows NAD+ with its own chip, "Not a peptide", next to the peptides. Clinics sell it as shots or drips, which a pharmacy makes; that is not an FDA-approved product.

What does the FDA say about the risks?

For Epitalon, the FDA says it may set off an immune reaction when given some ways and that it found no safety information for the proposed use.4 For MOTS-c, it lists a significant risk of an immune reaction and no human data.4 In both cases the FDA does not know whether the product would cause harm.

What do they cost?

58 shops we track list Epitalon; the middle price across their listings is $3.00 per mg.7 69 shops we track list MOTS-c; the middle price across their listings is $3.97 per mg.7 74 shops we track list NAD+; the middle price across their listings is $0.12 per mg.7

A low price per mg says nothing about what is in the vial. Our guide on how to check a seller yourself shows what to look for before you buy.

None of this is medical advice. A doctor can tell you what fits your health goals.

What to do next

Compare longevity optionsAre peptides safe? guide

Sources

  1. Drugs@FDA, searched through openFDA for BPC-157, GHK-Cu (also as copper tripeptide and prezatide) and TB-500 (also as thymosin beta-4): no approved product, 2 Nov 2026: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm
  2. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting, 23 and 24 Jul 2026 (BPC-157, TB-500, MOTS-c, epitalon): https://www.fda.gov/media/193342/download
  3. Korkushko OV et al., Normalizing effect of the pineal gland peptides on the daily melatonin rhythm in old monkeys and elderly people (in Russian), Adv Gerontol 20(1), 2007, PubMed 17969590: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17969590/
  4. FDA, Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks, current as of 22 Apr 2026: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
  5. Covarrubias AJ et al., NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing, Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 22(2), 2021, PubMed 33353981: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33353981/
  6. Gallagher C, Emmanuel OO, NAD+ supplementation for anti-aging and wellness: a systematic review, Ageing Res Rev 116, 2026, PubMed 41655607: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41655607/
  7. Peptide Chooser database: the research-use and cosmetic peptide shops we check, 2 Nov 2026. Their prices and checks are in the seller windows on our goal pages
  8. FDA, 503A Categories Update for Interim Policy on Compounding Using Bulk Drug Substances (the category lists): https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
  9. FDA, Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act, current as of 14 May 2026: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding-under-section-503a-fdc-act