Humanin
Humanin (Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide)
Also called Humanin, HN, mitochondrial-derived peptide
The mitochondrial longevity peptide
Humanin was found by accident, in the brain tissue of an Alzheimer's patient, in the cells that had survived when the ones around them had not. It is coded by mitochondrial DNA rather than the DNA in your cell nucleus, and it appears to be a survival signal cells send when under stress.
A small peptide encoded inside mitochondrial DNA — one of the first 'mitochondrial-derived peptides' — that acts as a cytoprotective, metabolic and longevity signal. It's drawn attention because higher humanin levels track with longevity. The crucial genetic nuance: its marquee cognitive/longevity benefit is APOE4-dependent in the research, so the strongest published effect largely disappears in people who don't carry APOE4.
- Route
- Subcutaneous
- Typical dose
- 1–5 mg (estimated)
- Availability
- Research-only
Early research, mostly in the lab so far
What people use Humanin for
Reported uses, roughly in order of how often they are the reason someone goes looking. Whether it works for any of them is a separate question, answered under each one.
- Neuroprotection
- The reason it was discovered and the bulk of the research. In laboratory work it protects neurons from the kind of damage seen in Alzheimer's, which is why it is being studied there.
- Ageing
- Levels fall with age, and people who live unusually long tend to have higher levels. It is one of the more interesting correlations in longevity research and it is still a correlation.
- Metabolic health
- It improves insulin sensitivity in animal work, alongside its mitochondrial cousin MOTS-c.
Mechanism of Action
How Humanin works
Humanin is a signal from your mitochondria to the rest of the cell:
- Cytoprotection — protects neurons and other cells from apoptosis and oxidative/metabolic stress
- Metabolic signaling — improves insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function, part of why higher levels associate with healthier aging
- Longevity association — circulating humanin declines with age, and higher levels track with exceptional longevity in human studies
- APOE4-dependent cognitive effect — the standout neuroprotective/longevity benefit in the literature is driven by a humanin variant whose effect is conditional on APOE4 — and fades in non-APOE4 carriers
Humanin dosage calculator
Opens at 1 mg, from the doses reported for Humanin. Change any box to match your own vial. It works out where to pull the plunger to.
How much is in the vial?
Printed on the label, in milligrams
How much water did you add?
Bacteriostatic water, in millilitres
What dose are you taking?
The dose you already intend to use
Which syringe?
Barrel size, printed on the wrapper
Draw to
20 units
on a 0.5 mL insulin syringe (0.2 mL)
- Strength once mixed
- 5 mg/mL
- Doses in the vial
- 10
10 mg in 2 mL makes 5 mg/mL. A 1 mg dose is 0.2 mL of that, which is 20 units.
Want a rounder number? Adding 1 mL instead would put this dose at exactly 10 units, which is easier to draw accurately.
This is arithmetic, not advice. It converts a dose you already have into a mark on a syringe. It does not tell you what dose to take, and Humanin is not prescribed by us. Dosing belongs with a qualified clinician.
Humanin side effects: what people reported
Almost nothing to report, because almost nobody has taken it. This is a research compound in the genuine sense rather than the marketing sense.
What is known
- Injection-site reactions, in the small amount of reported use
- No established human side-effect profile
Worth knowing
- It is a cell-survival signal. Helping stressed cells survive is good when they are neurons and less obviously good when they are not, which is the theoretical question hanging over it
Source: Animal and cell studies. No human trial. This is a summary of published findings, not a complete safety profile and not medical advice. Humanin should only be considered with a qualified clinician who knows your history.
Your Genetics & Humanin
The genes involved in how Humanin works
Humanin works through the receptors these genes build, and the genes vary from person to person. Researchers have linked some of that variation to differences in how people respond. A DNA report tells you which versions you carry.
APOE · ••
The decisive marker. Humanin's marquee cognitive/longevity benefit in the literature is APOE4-dependent — strong in e4 carriers and largely absent in non-e4 (e.g. e3/e3) individuals. Your APOE status is the single best predictor of whether the headline effect applies to you.
SOD2 · ••
The Ala16Val variant sets how efficiently the mitochondrial antioxidant SOD2 is imported. It gives a weak residual mitochondrial-stress angle that humanin's cytoprotection could touch, independent of APOE.
Humanin is encoded within the mitochondrial MT-RNR2 region. Mitochondrial haplogroup and variation here influence baseline humanin production and the cellular context it acts in.
The dots after each gene are where your own result goes. Your report fills them in with the two letters you carry at that position.
Which variants do you carry?
Upload your DNA data, or get tested through our partner, to find out.
Commonly combined with
What Humanin is most often paired with, and why:
MOTS-c
Mitochondrial StackEmerging EvidenceMitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA Type-c
A peptide written not in your own genome but in the tiny separate one your mitochondria carry, a leftover from when they were free-living bacteria. It behaves like an exercise signal: it switches on the same fuel-burning pathway a hard workout does. Levels fall with age, which is why it turns up in longevity conversations, and essentially all of the good data is in mice.
3
Gene variants
25+
Studies
SS-31
Mito Protection StackModerate EvidenceSS-31 (Elamipretide / Bendavia / MTP-131)
A peptide that goes to one specific place: the inner membrane of your mitochondria, where it binds a fat called cardiolipin. It is the rare compound here that is a genuine pharmaceutical, tested in real trials, and its honest record includes a large trial that failed. Also known as elamipretide.
4
Gene variants
50+
Studies
Epithalon
Longevity StackEmerging EvidenceEpitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly)
A synthetic tetrapeptide based on the natural pineal gland peptide epithalamin. Epithalon activates telomerase, the enzyme that maintains telomere length, potentially slowing cellular aging. Discovered by Professor Vladimir Khavinson, it remains one of the most studied anti-aging peptides in gerontology.
3
Gene variants
20+
Studies
Sourcing & access
Where to buy Humanin
Humanin is sold as a research compound, not a licensed medicine, so quality and legal status vary widely by country and vendor. If you're sourcing it, treat independent purity testing as non-negotiable.
- Insist on a recent third-party Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the exact batch — labs like Janoshik verify purity and identity.
- Check the legal status where you live before ordering — it differs from country to country.
- Reconstitute correctly with bacteriostatic water and start at a conservative dose.
Before you buy: see whether your DNA actually responds to Humanin, and at what dose. Analyze my DNA — $99 →
Educational information only, not medical advice. Some outbound links are affiliate links (disclosed, at no extra cost to you). Most peptides are not FDA-approved — consult a qualified professional and check your local laws before purchasing.
Worth knowing before you consider Humanin
Interactions and situations where there is a specific reason to be careful. Where the honest answer is that nobody has studied something, it says so and says what that leaves open.
- There is no human data at all
- Not thin data. None. Everything interesting about this compound comes from cells and animals, and it has never been through a human trial.
- Interesting is not the same as ready
- The discovery story is genuinely remarkable and that is not a reason to inject it. Those are separate questions.
Last updated
Frequently Asked Questions
What is humanin used for?
Humanin is a mitochondrial-derived peptide explored for longevity, metabolic health and neuroprotection. It acts as a cytoprotective and metabolic signal, and higher natural levels are associated with healthier human aging.
Does humanin work for everyone?
Not equally. Its most-cited cognitive/longevity benefit is APOE4-dependent in the research — meaning the strongest published effect largely disappears in people who aren't APOE4 carriers. Your APOE genotype is the key thing to know before expecting the headline benefit.
Is humanin legal?
Humanin is not approved by any major regulator and remains research/experimental only. Access and regulatory status vary by country.
Learn more about Humanin
Your next move
Two ways forward with Humanin.
Not sure it's for you?
How does Humanin relate to your genes?
Your report scores Humanin against your receptor, pharmacogene and pathway variants and shows the genetic markers relevant to it, with commonly cited dosing information to review with a clinician.
Analyze my DNA — $99