Kisspeptin-10
Kisspeptin-10 (Metastin fragment)
Also called Kisspeptin-10, KP-10, metastin, KISS1
The master switch upstream of your sex hormones
Kisspeptin sits one step further up the chain than most hormone peptides. It is the signal that tells your brain to start the whole reproductive cascade, and without it puberty does not happen at all. It has been studied for fertility, and separately for what it does to attraction and desire, which is the part that gets attention.
A signaling peptide that sits at the very top of the reproductive hormone axis. Kisspeptin-10 stimulates the hypothalamus to release GnRH, which in turn drives LH and FSH and ultimately testosterone or estrogen — making it a research tool for libido, fertility and hormonal signaling that works by amplifying your own production rather than replacing it.
- Half-life
- ~4 min (native), extended in analogs
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection
- Typical dose
- Research-dependent
- Availability
- Research-only
Human trials published, with more underway
What people use Kisspeptin-10 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.
- Libido and desire
- The reason it circulates outside clinics. Imaging studies at Imperial College found it changed activity in the brain regions handling attraction and arousal, which is a different mechanism from anything acting on blood flow.
- Fertility and testosterone
- Where the serious clinical work is. Because it sits upstream of the whole chain, it can restart hormone production in people whose signal has gone quiet.
Mechanism of Action
How Kisspeptin-10 works
Kisspeptin-10 triggers the reproductive cascade from the top down:
- KISS1R (GPR54) activation — binds kisspeptin receptors on hypothalamic GnRH neurons, the master trigger for the entire reproductive axis.
- GnRH release — drives a pulse of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which signals the pituitary.
- LH and FSH surge — the pituitary responds with luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, stimulating the gonads.
- Endogenous sex-hormone production — the gonads increase testosterone or estrogen output. Because it amplifies your own axis, response depends heavily on downstream receptor and enzyme genetics.
Kisspeptin-10 dosage calculator
Enter what is in your vial, how much water you added, and the dose you are using. 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
10 units
on a 0.5 mL insulin syringe (0.1 mL)
- Strength once mixed
- 5 mg/mL
- Doses in the vial
- 20
10 mg in 2 mL makes 5 mg/mL. A 500 mcg dose is 0.1 mL of that, which is 10 units.
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 Kisspeptin-10 is not prescribed by us. Dosing belongs with a qualified clinician.
Kisspeptin-10 side effects: what people reported
Quiet in the trials, helped by the fact that it disappears from the body within minutes.
What people report
- Injection-site reactions
- Mild flushing
- Headache
- Occasional nausea
Worth keeping an eye on
- Its life in the body is measured in minutes, so effects are brief and people often conclude it did nothing
- It sits at the top of the hormone chain, so pushing it moves testosterone and oestrogen downstream. That is the point, and it is also why casual use is a poor idea
Source: Clinical research at Imperial College London and related fertility work. This is a summary of published findings, not a complete safety profile and not medical advice. Kisspeptin-10 should only be considered with a qualified clinician who knows your history.
Your Genetics & Kisspeptin-10
The genes involved in how Kisspeptin-10 works
Kisspeptin-10 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.
A common variant in the FSH receptor. It is studied almost entirely in IVF, where a clinician is titrating a prescribed gonadotropin dose, and that setting does not transfer to this compound. We do not use it to predict anything about you.
The Trp8Arg variant alters LH structure and activity. Since Kisspeptin-10 works through an LH surge, this variant influences how effectively that signal reaches the gonads.
The PvuII variant shapes estrogen-receptor signaling and the feedback loop that regulates the reproductive axis, influencing how the system responds to a kisspeptin-driven surge.
Aromatase converts testosterone to estrogen. CYP19A1 variants set how much of any kisspeptin-driven testosterone rise is aromatized, shaping the net hormonal outcome.
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 Kisspeptin-10 is most often paired with, and why:
Gonadorelin
HPG Axis StackModerate EvidenceGonadorelin (GnRH)
A synthetic form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that directly stimulates the pituitary to release LH and FSH. Because it acts one step below kisspeptin and is given in pulses, gonadorelin is widely used to maintain testicular function and fertility — restarting the downstream hormone cascade without replacing the hormones themselves.
4
Gene variants
30+
Studies
PT-141
Sexual Health StackStrong EvidencePT-141 (Bremelanotide)
An injection taken before sex, approved as Vyleesi for low sexual desire in premenopausal women. Viagra and its relatives work on blood flow; this works on wanting, acting on the part of the brain that sets drives like hunger and arousal. That is why it can help where the plumbing was never the problem.
Sourcing & access
Where to buy Kisspeptin-10
Kisspeptin-10 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.
Kisspeptin-10
The master switch upstream of your sex hormones
$59.99at Swiss Chems
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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 Kisspeptin-10
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.
- Upstream means everything downstream moves
- This is not a local effect. It is the master switch for the reproductive axis, and nudging it changes hormones you may not have intended to change.
- It clears in minutes
- Which is why clinical work uses infusions rather than a single injection, and why expectations set by an injection are often disappointed.
Last updated
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Kisspeptin-10 different from taking testosterone?
Testosterone replaces the hormone directly and suppresses your natural production through feedback. Kisspeptin-10 works at the very top of the axis — it stimulates your own GnRH, LH and FSH, so the body makes more of its own hormones rather than shutting down. That's why it's studied for fertility, where preserving natural signaling matters.
Why does response to Kisspeptin-10 vary so much?
Because it acts upstream, the final effect depends on every downstream step — your LH and FSH receptor genetics, estrogen-receptor feedback, and aromatase activity. Two people can get the same kisspeptin pulse and end up with different testosterone or estrogen outcomes based on those variants.
Does genetics affect Kisspeptin-10 response?
Yes. FSHR and LHB variants set how strongly the gonadotropin surge reaches the gonads, ESR1 shapes the feedback loop, and CYP19A1 (aromatase) influences the testosterone-to-estrogen balance. These are genetic factors researchers link to hormonal response.
Learn more about Kisspeptin-10
Your next move
Two ways forward with Kisspeptin-10.
Not sure it's for you?
How does Kisspeptin-10 relate to your genes?
Your report scores Kisspeptin-10 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 — $99Already decided?
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