Humanin: The Mitochondrial Peptide Studied for Neuroprotection
A mitochondrial-derived peptide discovered protecting neurons from Alzheimer's-linked toxicity — cell and rodent data only, no human trial exists.
What is Humanin?
Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA, first discovered in surviving brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients, where it protected neurons in culture from amyloid-beta toxicity. It's the most-studied member of the mitochondrial-derived peptide family (alongside MOTS-c) and acts as a cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory signal in cell and rodent models. In humans, circulating humanin levels naturally decline with age and correlate with metabolic and mitochondrial health — the basis of longevity interest — but that's observational association, not a measured treatment effect. No trial has ever administered humanin to people.
Quick facts
- Sequence
- 24 amino acids, encoded within mitochondrial DNA (16S rRNA region)
- Class
- Mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP family, alongside MOTS-c)
- Brand Names
- No trademarked brand — sold as a research compound
- Legal Status
- Not FDA-approved for human use — research use only (RUO). No human trials have been conducted
- Category
- Longevity & Healthspan
- Storage
- Store the lyophilized vial refrigerated (2-8°C) or at -20°C, away from light. Once reconstituted, keep refrigerated at 2-8°C and use promptly.
Dosing at a glance
5mg vial + 2mL bacteriostatic water = 2500mcg/mL. Run the numbers in the reconstitution calculator.
Doses shown are those reported in published research, not a recommendation.
What the evidence supports
| Claim | Grade | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroprotection | Cgrade | Hashimoto 2001 (PNAS): humanin protects neurons from amyloid-beta toxicity in vitro; cell + rodent models only, no human trial. |
| Longevity / Mitochondrial Health | Cgrade | Circulating levels decline with age and track metabolic/mitochondrial health in observational human data — association only, no interventional trial. |
Humanin Mechanism of Action
A Peptide Encoded Inside Mitochondria
Humanin is unusual among peptides in that it's encoded within mitochondrial DNA itself (the 16S rRNA region), not nuclear DNA — placing it, along with MOTS-c, in the small 'mitochondrial-derived peptide' family. It acts as a cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory signal, discovered specifically for its ability to rescue neurons from amyloid-beta toxicity in cell culture.
Cytoprotection Across Cell and Rodent Models
Beyond its original neuroprotective discovery, humanin has shown cytoprotective effects across various cell and rodent models of stress and injury, consistent with a broader role in cellular stress response tied to mitochondrial signaling — though this breadth of preclinical interest hasn't yet translated to human trial data.
Humanin Dosage and Protocols
Research Protocol Range
Research-vendor dosing commonly runs 1-2mg subcutaneous daily. Since no human trial has ever been conducted, this range reflects informal research-community convention only, not clinically validated guidance.
Humanin Side Effects and Safety
No Human Safety Data
Because no human trial exists, humanin has no characterized human side-effect profile. Active malignancy is treated as a precautionary contraindication given its cytoprotective mechanism, which theoretically could protect damaged cells indiscriminately.
Humanin Research Evidence
Discovered Protecting Neurons, Still Preclinical
Humanin was first identified by Hashimoto et al. (2001, PNAS) in surviving brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients, where it protected neurons from amyloid-beta toxicity in vitro. That protective signal has held up across subsequent cell and rodent models of Alzheimer's and stroke — but two decades later, no human trial of humanin exists.
The Longevity Case Is Observational, Not Interventional
Separately, human observational data shows circulating humanin levels naturally decline with age and correlate with metabolic and mitochondrial health markers — the basis for longevity interest. This is association, not a measured treatment benefit; no study has given humanin to people and measured an outcome.
Humanin Stacking and Combinations
Humanin + MOTS-c
Humanin is frequently paired with MOTS-c in mitochondrial-health/longevity research protocols, since both belong to the same mitochondrial-derived peptide family and are positioned around similar cellular-energy themes. No formal combination trial data exists.
Humanin Pharmacokinetics
Not Established in Humans
No human pharmacokinetic study — absorption, half-life, clearance — has been published for humanin. All available data comes from cell-culture and rodent models rather than living humans.
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
Trials and reviews
- Hashimoto et al. — humanin discoveryPNAS2001
Protects neurons from amyloid-beta toxicity in vitro (cell + rodent)
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical Humanin dose?
Published research protocols report 1–2 mg, 1x daily. This is the range described in the literature, not a recommendation.
What is the half-life of Humanin?
Not established in humans.
Is Humanin backed by strong evidence?
Humanin carries a REGEN research grade of C. REGEN Research Tier C — cell/rodent neuroprotection data plus human observational (not interventional) association.
How is Humanin administered?
Routes reported in the literature: subcutaneous.
Who should avoid Humanin?
Contraindications noted in the literature include pregnancy, active malignancy.
References
- A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Abeta · Hashimoto Y, et al. · 2001