Humanin
updated
Humanin is a short peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, first found in 2001 in surviving brain tissue of an Alzheimer patient. It is promoted for brain protection, metabolism and anti-aging. In cells and rodents it protected neurons and improved insulin sensitivity, though many headline results, such as a mouse stroke study cutting infarct size from 56.2% to 26.1%, used the stronger analogue HNG. Human studies only measure natural humanin, which falls with age; no trial has given native humanin to people. Graded C for extensive cell and animal research without human administration.
mitochondrial-derived peptide family name
- Encoded within mitochondrial MT-RNR2
- Reported as 21 or 24 residues depending translation context
- Human studies mainly measure endogenous peptide
- No FDA-approved Humanin drug in the cited records
Is “Humanin” one unambiguous drug molecule?
No. Native mitochondrial translation is often described as a 21-residue peptide, while a 24-residue nuclear-coded form and modified analogues such as HNG also appear in research. Results apply only to the sequence and modification that a study tested.
source: Discovery paper · neuronal cell models, Hashimoto Y et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001.
source: HNG analogue · animal metabolic study, Muzumdar RH et al. PLoS One, 2009.
Has synthetic native Humanin been tested as a treatment in people?
The cited clinical records include no credible trial administering native Humanin. Human studies measure endogenous peptide concentrations after disease or exercise; those observations do not establish dose, absorption, efficacy, or safety.
Do higher or lower Humanin levels show what an injection would do?
No. A biomarker may reflect disease, age, fitness, kidney function, or assay behavior. Changing it pharmacologically can have different effects from observing it.
source: Human study · plasma measurement only, Voigt A et al. Scientific Reports, 2016.
source: Exercise study · endogenous response, Woodhead JST et al. American Journal of Physiology, 2021.
source: Human study · plasma measurement only
source: Exercise study · endogenous response
source: ClinicalTrials.gov · observational measurement only, ClinicalTrials.gov records for Humanin.
What does Humanin do in experiments?
Native Humanin and stronger analogues show anti-apoptotic, neuroprotective, metabolic, and stress-response activity in cell and animal models. Analogue results must remain labeled because sequence changes can materially change potency and exposure.
These cell and animal findings do not establish treatment of Alzheimer disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, frailty, or aging in people.
What is known about Humanin side effects, and what are the main safety unknowns?
Native Humanin has no adequate administered-human safety record. Pharmacokinetics, immune effects, repeated exposure, pregnancy, glucose interactions, cancer biology, and product quality remain uncharacterized.
- Analogue transfer: HNG and colivelin are not native Humanin and may be substantially more potent.
- Metabolic effects: interaction with insulin or glucose-lowering treatment has not been characterized in people.
- Cell survival: anti-apoptotic activity has not been linked to a human cancer rate, and administered-human safety data are absent.
Is Humanin FDA approved?
The cited FDA and clinical records include no approved native Humanin drug, prescribing label, or credible administered-human trial.
Studies and sources
Discovery paper · neuronal cell models
Cell study
Hashimoto Y et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001.
The study identified Humanin through protection of cultured neuronal cells from Alzheimer-related toxic insults. It established a research peptide and cell-survival phenotype, not a human treatment effect.
- Participants / model
- Cultured neuronal cell systems
- Treatment
- Humanin expression or peptide exposure
- Study design
- Discovery and cell-mechanism study
HNG analogue · animal metabolic study
Animal and cell study
Muzumdar RH et al. PLoS One, 2009.
A potent Humanin analogue improved insulin-related measures in rodent models. The intervention was an analogue, not a clinical administration of native Humanin.
- Participants / model
- Rodent metabolic models and experimental systems
- Treatment
- Potent Humanin analogue
- Study design
- Preclinical metabolic study
Human study · plasma measurement only
Cross-sectional biomarker study
Voigt A et al. Scientific Reports, 2016.
Investigators measured circulating Humanin in 81 clinic participants with or without impaired fasting glucose. No one was assigned synthetic Humanin, so the association does not establish treatment efficacy or pharmacokinetics.
- Participants / model
- 58 controls and 23 people with impaired fasting glucose
- Treatment
- No Humanin administration; plasma measurement
- Study design
- Cross-sectional observational study
Exercise study · endogenous response
Human physiology study
Woodhead JST et al. American Journal of Physiology, 2021.
Thirty participants were assigned endurance exercise, resistance exercise, or control. Circulating Humanin increased after acute endurance exercise. The study measured the body’s own peptide and did not test a Humanin product.
- Participants / model
- 30 adults in endurance, resistance, or control groups
- Treatment
- Exercise, not Humanin administration
- Study design
- Controlled human physiology study
ClinicalTrials.gov · observational measurement only
Clinical trial registry
ClinicalTrials.gov records for Humanin.
The cited records measure plasma or tissue Humanin in kidney injury, COPD, exercise, or related conditions. They include no credible record administering native Humanin as an intervention.
Read the original sourceWhy is Humanin in C tier?
C reflects extensive cell and animal research on native Humanin and stronger analogues. No trial has administered native Humanin to people, and human biomarker studies do not establish a treatment effect.
how tiers are graded: methodology · every cited source · about reptides.
Research reference, not medical advice. Entries distinguish product labels, study doses and reported protocols. Check the linked source for the product, route and population.