Peptide & Hormone Therapies for Health, Performance & Longevity | Dr. Craig Koniver
A long interview in which a clinician describes how he uses GLP-1 drugs, BPC-157, growth hormone secretagogues, NAD and other compounds in his practice, plus the FDA and sourcing questions.
With Dr. Craig Koniver (medical doctor)
Key moments
Tap a moment to play the video from there.
- 7:37What a peptide isKoniver defines peptides as short amino acid chains and says the body makes a very large number of them, with far fewer used therapeutically.
- 9:37GLP-1 drugs and micro-dosingKoniver explains off-label prescribing and why he uses compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide at very low starting doses to keep weight loss slow.
- 18:43BPC-157 uses and dosingKoniver says BPC-157 is his most used peptide and describes his 5 days on, 2 days off schedule, with doses rising from 500 to 5,000 micrograms a day.
- 34:48Gray market and compounding pharmaciesThe two discuss research-only products, endotoxin concerns and how regulated compounding pharmacies differ.
- 46:35Growth hormone releasing peptidesKoniver compares ipamorelin and GHRP-6, then tesamorelin, sermorelin and stacking several peptides into one injection.
- 1:24:47Pinealon, glycine and REM sleepHuberman describes his own tracked sleep results with pinealon and glycine, and Koniver explains why he pairs them.
- 1:44:17Methylene blue for cognitionKoniver describes oral methylene blue, the dose he suggests and its effects on urine and mitochondria.
- 1:50:20NAD infusions and alternativesKoniver explains his 750 milligram infusion protocol, maintenance schedule and how he ranks injections, NR and sublingual NMN.
- 2:10:57FDA removal and pharma motivesHuberman asks why the FDA pulled certain peptides, and Koniver says he thinks it is partly oversight and partly commercial interest.
What the video says
This is a roughly two and a half hour conversation between Andrew Huberman and Dr. Craig Koniver, a physician who describes his work as performance medicine. Koniver draws on his own clinic experience, and the talk is not a review of trial evidence. It also covers hormone therapy, a few non-peptide supplements, trust in medicine and mindset, but most of the time goes to peptides.
Koniver starts by defining peptides as short chains of amino acids. He then discusses GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, saying he prefers compounded micro-doses so that weight loss stays slow and muscle is preserved. He says he has also seen inflammation markers fall in some autoimmune patients. He calls BPC-157 the peptide he uses most, describes his dosing schedule and injection routes, and says it pairs well with growth hormone releasing peptides. After the FDA moved it off the compounding list, he says his clinic uses pentadeca arginate as a close substitute.
A large section separates compounded peptides prescribed by a physician from gray market products labeled for research use only. Koniver and Huberman raise concerns about purity, endotoxin and serious reactions. The growth hormone secretagogues each get a description of their character: ipamorelin, GHRP-6, hexarelin, sermorelin and tesamorelin, with doses and timing, along with MK-677. Huberman shares his own experience with pinealon and glycine and REM sleep. Koniver also discusses thymosin alpha-1, cerebrolysin, methylene blue and NAD infusions, where he says he has seen more benefit than from any other agent. Later chapters cover PT-141 and the FDA's role.
Huberman notes in the introduction that three peptides discussed as removed were reallowed shortly before release. Everything about outcomes, doses and safety is Koniver's account of his own practice.
On each compound
Semaglutide9:37
Koniver says it was approved for type 2 diabetes and is now widely used for weight loss. He says he uses compounded micro-doses and has seen inflammation markers fall in some patients.
See how your DNA reads SemaglutideTirzepatide15:49
Koniver says his clinic has mainly used tirzepatide, which he calls a version 2.0 of semaglutide, in compounded low doses. He says losing 2 pounds or less a week avoided muscle loss in his patients.
See how your DNA reads TirzepatideBPC-15718:43
Koniver calls it very anti-inflammatory and his most used peptide, dosed at 500 to 5,000 micrograms daily, 5 days on and 2 off. He says injection worked better than oral, even for gut issues, and Huberman notes there are few human studies.
See how your DNA reads BPC-157Ipamorelin46:35
Koniver describes it as the cleanest growth hormone releasing peptide, with 100 micrograms as the maximum dose, taken at bedtime. He warns that flushing is not a sign of efficacy and that higher doses have caused severe reactions.
See how your DNA reads IpamorelinGHRP-650:00
Koniver says it also affects prolactin and cortisol and raises appetite. He sees it as suited to people trying to gain mass, and Huberman says most listeners would likely avoid it.
See how your DNA reads GHRP-6CJC-129554:17
Koniver says it was traditionally added to extend growth hormone release and that the FDA had just taken it off the compounding list. Huberman says in the intro that it was later reallowed.
See how your DNA reads CJC-1295Sermorelin54:17
Koniver says it has a broad dosing range, from 200 to 3,000 micrograms, depending on goals. He also describes a compounded combination of tirzepatide and sermorelin aimed at offsetting muscle loss.
See how your DNA reads SermorelinTesamorelin54:17
Koniver says it targets visceral fat, is FDA approved for that in HIV-related lipodystrophy, and is dosed around 2 milligrams. He says he has seen it work better in women than in men.
See how your DNA reads TesamorelinHexarelin1:19:32
Koniver describes it as an energy and endurance growth hormone releasing peptide taken in the morning at 100 micrograms. He says it does not raise appetite in his experience.
See how your DNA reads HexarelinThymosin Alpha-11:41:18
Koniver says it was the best peptide he had seen for immune modulation, used for autoimmune conditions and long covid at 5,000 micrograms a day. He says the FDA has removed it from compounding.
See how your DNA reads Thymosin Alpha-1Cerebrolysin1:42:42
Koniver says it has long been used after stroke or brain injury, mostly in his London clinic. He says some patients felt low for a day or two, so he mostly stopped using it.
See how your DNA reads CerebrolysinDihexa1:44:12
Koniver mentions it as another compound the FDA removed and describes it as supposedly the most potent way to raise brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
See how your DNA reads DihexaEpithalon1:27:23
Koniver says his clinic used to combine it with pinealon for circadian rhythm, but that it was put on the do not compound list.
See how your DNA reads EpithalonNAD+1:50:20
Koniver says NAD infusions have been the most impactful agent he has used, citing a 750 milligram loading series of five treatments in 10 days. Huberman shares his own post-infusion covid recovery as an anecdote only.
See how your DNA reads NAD+PT-1412:07:53
Huberman and Koniver say it is a melanocortin pathway peptide with an FDA approved form for low libido in women. Koniver says its dosing window is narrow, with nausea if the dose is too high.
See how your DNA reads PT-141Melanotan II2:09:13
Koniver discusses melanotan as a melanocyte stimulating hormone raiser that may support immune response and energy. He notes it causes an orange-looking tan that many people dislike.
See how your DNA reads Melanotan IIWhat this video doesn’t settle
- Almost every outcome and dose is Koniver's clinical impression from his own patients, with no control group or published data shown.
- Huberman and Koniver both say BPC-157 evidence is mostly preclinical and human studies are scarce, so its effects in people are not established here.
- The FDA status of several peptides changes within the video, and the ending update on which were reallowed is stated by Huberman without detail.
Questions this video answers
What does Koniver say BPC-157 is used for?
He says he uses it with almost every patient for inflammation, stiffness, joint and tendon problems and recovery, and reports good clinical results. Huberman notes that the human data are thin.
What is the alternative to BPC-157 mentioned in this video?
Koniver names pentadeca arginate, which he describes as the same structure as BPC-157 with one amino acid substitution. He says his clinic starts at 250 to 500 micrograms and typically uses 500 micrograms injected Monday through Friday.
Why do Huberman and Koniver warn about research-only peptides?
They say products labeled not for human consumption have no established purity and may contain endotoxin. Koniver says patients have had anaphylactic reactions and recommends physician-prescribed compounded products.
How does Koniver say he reduces muscle loss on GLP-1 drugs?
He says he starts with micro-doses so weight loss stays at 2 pounds a week or less, and encourages adequate protein and resistance training. He also describes a compounded tirzepatide and sermorelin combination.
What dose of NAD does Koniver describe?
He describes a 750 milligram IV loading series of five treatments in 10 days, then monthly maintenance. He also mentions 100 milligram subcutaneous injections, 5 days on and 2 off.
Video by Andrew Huberman on YouTube, embedded as published. The summary is written by PeptidesDNA from the video; every claim in it is the speaker’s. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the creator. Not medical advice.
