Kisspeptin-10
Reproductive-axis trigger · KISS1R (GPR54) agonist · the active fragment of kisspeptin
Kisspeptin-10 (KP-10) is the ten-amino-acid active piece of kisspeptin, the "go" switch at the top of the reproductive hormone chain. People run it to raise their own LH (luteinizing hormone) and testosterone. In men, research shows a clean, dose-dependent rise in LH.
At a glance
- Dose
- 50–100 mcg per pulse (25–50 mcg to start)
- How often
- Once a day, or twice a day for a stronger pulse
- How
- A small injection under the skin, rotating sites
- When
- Morning, to ride the body's natural LH peak
- Cycle
- 2–4 weeks on, then 2–3 weeks off
The 30-second versionEverything on this page, fast
Reproductive-axis trigger · LH and testosterone · Libido · Pulsed dosing
The "go" switch at the top of the reproductive hormone chain. Research shows KP-10 raises your own LH and, in men, testosterone, a clean, dose-dependent rise, and kisspeptin shifts the brain's response to sexual and emotional cues, by firing one step above GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) instead of replacing it.
The basics
- A 10-amino-acid peptide that switches on KISS1R (GPR54) at the top of the brain-to-gonad hormone chain, so the body releases GnRH, then LH, then testosterone.
- Very short-lived (plasma half-life ~4 minutes), so it works as a brief pulse, not a sustained driver.
Why people use it
- Raises your own LH and testosterone. It fires the axis from the top, so the body's own LH pulses do the work (shown in men, dose-dependent).
- A brain-side effect on desire. On brain scans (fMRI), kisspeptin shifted responses to sexual and emotional cues, a separate arm from the hormone rise.
- The top rung of a full-axis stack. It sits above GnRH, so it pairs with the pituitary and gonad rungs.
- Pulsed, not continuous. Its biology rewards brief, spaced doses, so people run it in 2–4 week blocks with breaks.
Stacks well with
- Gonadorelin is the pituitary rung. KP-10 triggers the GnRH pulse; gonadorelin is that GnRH, one step lower.
- hCG is the gonad rung. It mimics LH at the testis or ovary, the bottom of the axis KP-10 fires at the top.
Good to know
- Pulsed, not continuous. Cycling and washouts keep the response, because unbroken daily dosing dulls it.
- In women the response follows the cycle. It stimulates the pre-ovulatory phase but barely the early follicular phase.
- Well tolerated in research, with mild, passing effects such as flushing.
What it does
The reproductive-axis trigger people run to raise their own LH and testosterone.
- Raises your own LH and testosteroneIn human research, KP-10 drives a clean, dose-dependent rise in LH and, in men, testosterone.
- Works with your own axisIt fires the axis from the top, so your own LH pulses do the work. Infusions sped those pulses up.
- A brain-side effect on desire cuesOn fMRI scans of 29 men, kisspeptin modulated brain activity to sexual and emotional cues, apart from the hormone rise.
- Kisspeptin-54 matured eggs in IVFIn 53 IVF (in vitro fertilization) patients, a kisspeptin-54 trigger matured eggs, with viable pregnancies and low ovarian over-stimulation risk.
- The top rung of an axis stackIt sits one step above GnRH, so it pairs with Gonadorelin at the pituitary and hCG at the gonad.
Sources:PMID 21632807PMID 16174713PMID 28112678PMID 21976724
How it works
Fires the top of the axis. KP-10 switches on KISS1R (GPR54), a receptor on the brain's GnRH neurons. They release GnRH, and the pituitary answers with LH and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which drive the gonads.
Works in pulses. Short KP-10 doses and low-dose infusions raise LH and speed up natural LH pulses. Steady high exposure dulls the axis instead, as continuous GnRH-agonist drugs do.
Follows the hormonal state. It stimulates men and pre-ovulatory women but not women in the early follicular phase, because sex-steroid levels gate it.
Reaches the desire circuits. KISS1R also sits in the brain's emotion centers. On fMRI brain scans, kisspeptin changed how they responded to sexual and emotional cues, apart from any hormone rise.
Sources:PMID 21632807PMID 21976724PMID 26089302PMID 28112678
How to dose it
Most people run KP-10 as a small injection under the skin, once or twice a day.
Dose tiersThe common range is 50–100 mcg per pulse, once or twice a day.
- Low / introductory:
- 25–50 mcg per pulse once daily. The starting point, to gauge your response and tolerance.
- Standard:
- 50–100 mcg per pulse, once or twice daily. The range most people report.
- Higher / twice-daily split:
- 100 mcg twice daily (~8–12 h apart) for a stronger pulse. Keep doses apart to mirror the natural LH pulse interval.
How to injectIt goes into the fat under the skin. Rotate sites and space the pulses.
- Injection site:
- Belly (a couple of inches clear of the navel), love handles or outer thigh. Rotate sites to avoid irritation and fatty lumps.
- Measuring the dose:
- At 5 mg in 2 mL bacteriostatic water, 25, 50 and 100 mcg take 1, 2 and 4 units on a U-100 syringe. The calculator does other vials.
- Time of day:
- Morning for once-daily dosing, when LH pulses peak in men. For a twice-daily split, space doses ~10–12 hours apart (8 AM and 8 PM).
- Food window:
- Meals don't matter. Food doesn't compete with it for absorption.
Cycle and breaksShort blocks with breaks keep the axis responsive, since steady use dulls it.
- Standard cycle:
- 2–4 weeks of daily use, then reassess. Shorter than most peptides, since the GnRH axis dulls fast (tachyphylaxis).
- Washout:
- 2–3 weeks off. Check LH and testosterone in the break. A return to baseline shows the axis is not suppressed.
- Pulsed, not continuous:
- Many run 5 days on / 2 days off within a 2–4-week block, instead of unbroken daily dosing, to keep the axis sensitive.
Mixing the vialThe default mix is 5 mg with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water.
- Mixing:
- 5 mg + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 2,500 mcg/mL. On a U-100 (1 mL) syringe, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mcg take 1, 2, 3 and 4 units.
- Why 2 mL:
- The calculator opens on 2 mL, where every tier takes a 1–4 unit draw. More water makes each draw larger.
Best time to take it
Implied best time
Morning (or per protocol)
Most people dose KP-10 in the morning, when the body's own LH pulses run highest.
- LH pulses run naturally higher in the morning in men, so a morning dose lands at the peak of the axis's own rhythm.
- With a plasma half-life of ~4 minutes, it works as a brief pulse. Twice-daily splits sit ~10–12 hours apart (8 AM and 8 PM).
- In women the response follows the cycle more than the clock. It stimulates the pre-ovulatory phase but barely the early follicular phase.
Sources:PMID 21976724PMID 21632807
What to stack it with
KP-10 fires the top of the hormone axis. Its partners work lower, at the pituitary and gonad.
KP-10 + GonadorelinKP-10 triggers the GnRH pulse. Gonadorelin is that GnRH, one step lower.
- Why it works:
- KP-10 tells the brain to release GnRH. Gonadorelin hands GnRH straight to the pituitary.
- The protocol:
- KP-10 50–100 mcg in the morning, gonadorelin 100–200 mcg ~6–8 h later. Keep both pulsed, never continuous.
- Outcome:
- People run it for axis recovery after coming off testosterone. Both press one axis, so run shorter cycles and longer washouts.
KP-10 + hCGhCG mimics LH at the testes or ovaries, the bottom of the axis.
- Why it works:
- hCG binds LH receptors in the testes or ovaries and drives hormone output directly, bypassing the upper axis.
- The protocol:
- KP-10 50–100 mcg daily or every other day, plus hCG 250–500 IU every 3–4 days.
- Outcome:
- People run it for testosterone maintenance, post-cycle support and fertility. KP-10 adds the upstream signal hCG lacks.
KP-10 + Gonadorelin + hCGThe full ladder. KP-10 works at the brain, gonadorelin at the pituitary, hCG at the gonad.
- Why it works:
- Each hits its own level, so dropping one leaves two working. The most aggressive axis-support stack.
- The protocol:
- KP-10 50–100 mcg mornings, gonadorelin 100 mcg ~6 h later, hCG 250–500 IU every 3–4 days. 2–3 weeks on, minimum 2 weeks off.
- Outcome:
- People run it in post-cycle or TRT-pause (testosterone replacement) protocols. Dulling risk peaks here; check LH and testosterone at washout.
Support nutrients
KP-10 presses the trigger. A fed, rested, stocked axis answers.
Fuel the axisLow body fat or a deep calorie deficit stalls the axis.
- Why it matters:
- Low energy suppresses GnRH and LH, as in under-fuelled athletes and under-eating men.
- What people do:
- Eat enough and hold a healthy body fat (typically ≥10–12% for men, ≥17–22% for women) before and during a run.
Keep cortisol downChronic stress raises cortisol, which brakes the axis where KP-10 acts.
- Why it matters:
- Cortisol slows GnRH pulses and blunts LH. Stress-driven prolactin adds another brake.
- What people do:
- Sleep 7–9 hours, manage stress. Ashwagandha (KSM-66, 300–600 mg twice daily with meals) lowers cortisol, supports LH in men. Phosphatidylserine 400–800 mg/day with meals is used to blunt exercise cortisol.
Hormone building blocksSex hormones are built from cholesterol; don't cut fat hard.
- Why it matters:
- Zinc is a testosterone-synthesis cofactor. Vitamin D helps regulate it. Magnesium and boron free up testosterone.
- Zinc and copper:
- Zinc 15–30 mg/day (picolinate or bisglycinate, with a meal) + 1–2 mg copper against depletion.
- Vitamin D, magnesium, boron:
- Vitamin D 2,000–5,000 IU/day with a fatty meal, to 50–80 ng/mL. Magnesium glycinate 300–400 mg nightly. Boron 3–10 mg/day with a meal.
Cycling protects the responseCycling, not a nutrient, keeps the receptor from dulling.
- Why it matters:
- Overdosing or skipping breaks dulls the receptor. Otherwise research finds it well tolerated.
- What people do:
- Run the 2–4-week on / 2–3-week off cycle. Check LH and testosterone at washout start and end.
Dose calculator
Reconstitution calculator
Calculated for a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe (100 units/mL).
Units per dose
4 units
Draw this many units on a U-100 syringe
Each unit holds 25 mcg
- Volume per dose
- 0.04 mL
- Doses per vial
- 50
- Concentration
- 2.5 mg/mL
One vial lasts
- Daily
- 50 days
- Every other day
- 100 days
- 5×/week
- 70 days
Research use only. Not for human consumption. Outputs are reference values based on research literature. Verify all measurements independently.
Side effects and what to watch
What people notice. Little. Across the human trials, including hormone, brain-scan, low-desire (HSDD) and IVF studies, kisspeptin was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events attributed to it. Reported effects were mild and passing, such as occasional flushing or minor infusion effects.
Worth knowing. The published trials were small and short-term.
Competing? Treat it as prohibited. It falls under S2, the peptide-hormone class the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) bans at all times.
Common questions
How is kisspeptin-10 dosed?
Most people run 50–100 mcg per pulse under the skin, once or twice a day, starting at 25–50 mcg. The higher tier is 100 mcg twice daily (~8–12 h apart).
What is the difference between KP-10 and KP-54?
KP-10 is the ten-amino-acid active end of kisspeptin. KP-54 is the 54-amino-acid circulating form. Both hit the same receptor, but KP-54 lasts much longer in the blood and is used in most fertility trials.
Does it raise testosterone?
In men, yes. Given into a vein, KP-10 drives a clean, dose-dependent LH rise, and kisspeptin-54 raised LH, FSH and testosterone in the first human study. The effect is a brief pulse, so people run it pulsed and cycled.
Does it work the same in women?
It follows the cycle. KP-10 stimulates women in the pre-ovulatory phase but barely in the early follicular phase, because the ovary's hormonal state gates the brain's response.
Can I take it continuously for a bigger effect?
No. The axis runs on pulses, and steady high exposure dulls it. People run brief pulses in 2–4 week blocks with 2–3 week breaks.
How long does it last?
KP-10's plasma half-life is only minutes, though the hormone response plays out over one to two hours. So it is dosed as a pulse. KP-54 lasts much longer.
Deep dive
Doses used in studies · Molecular identity · References
10From the researchDoses used in studies
These are the doses used in human studies. The model column shows whether each study used KP-10 or the longer kisspeptin-54 (KP-54).
| Dose | Route | Model | Outcome | Sources: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01–3.0 µg/kg IV bolus; 4 µg/kg/h infusion (22.5 h) | IV | Human men, KP-10 (n=6 bolus arm) | Dose-dependent LH rise (peak ~1 µg/kg); infusion increased LH pulse frequency | PMID 21632807 |
| Single bolus / phase comparison | IV | Human men & women, KP-10 | Stimulates LH/FSH in men and pre-ovulatory women; FAILS in early-follicular women (sexual dimorphism) | PMID 21976724 |
| 0.1 / 0.3 / 1.0 nmol/kg/h (3 h each) | IV continuous | Human men, KP-10 vs KP-54 vs GnRH | GnRH more potent than either kisspeptin isoform; KP-10 and KP-54 produced SIMILAR gonadotropin output; the paper explicitly finds no isoform difference in men, contrary to rodent work | PMID 26089302 |
| 90-min infusion | IV | Human men, KP-54 (n=6) | ↑ LH, FSH and testosterone vs saline (first-in-human HPG stimulation) | PMID 16174713 |
| Infusion (fMRI paradigm) | IV | Human, 29 healthy heterosexual young men, kisspeptin vs vehicle | Modulated limbic brain activity to sexual and emotional stimuli (fMRI). No women were studied here; the HSDD work is a separate trial | PMID 28112678 |
| Single bolus (trigger) | SC | Human women, IVF, KP-54 (n=53) | Triggered oocyte maturation with viable pregnancies; low ovarian-hyperstimulation risk | PMID 25036713 |
11ChemistryMolecular identity
- Molecular weight
- 1302.4 g/mol
- Molecular formula
- C63H83N17O14
- Monoisotopic mass
- 1301.6305 Da
- CAS / UNII
- 374675-21-5 · FS1N52VS3S
- Sequence
- Tyr-Asn-Trp-Asn-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-Arg-Phe-NH2 (YNWNSFGLRF-NH2, 10 AA)PubChem CID 25240297
- Structure / class
- C-terminally amidated RFamide decapeptide; C-terminal fragment of kisspeptin-54PubChem CID 25240297
- Molecular target
- KISS1R / GPR54 agonist (on GnRH neurons)PMID 21632807
- Half-life
- ~4 min plasma (3.8 ± 0.3 min, IV in men)PMID 21976724Half-life curve →
- Brand / approval
- None. Investigational; not approved anywhereResearch literature
- Anti-doping status
- Prohibited at all times by inference (WADA S2 peptide hormones / testosterone-stimulating peptides)WADA 2026
12Primary sourcesReferences
- PubChem CID 25240297PubChem CID 25240297 (Kisspeptin-10)
- PMID 21632807George et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011 (KP-10 ↑LH + pulse frequency in men)
- PMID 21976724Jayasena et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011 (sexually dimorphic KP-10 response)
- PMID 26089302Jayasena et al., Hum Reprod 2015 (KP-10 vs KP-54 vs GnRH head-to-head)
- PMID 16174713Dhillo et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005 (KP-54 first-in-human, ↑testosterone)
- PMID 28112678Comninos et al., J Clin Invest 2017 (kisspeptin modulates sexual brain processing)
- PMID 36287566Thurston et al., JAMA Netw Open 2022 (kisspeptin in HSDD women)
- PMID 25036713Jayasena et al., J Clin Invest 2014 (KP-54 IVF oocyte-maturation trigger)
- WADA 2026WADA 2026 Prohibited List (S2 peptide hormones; kisspeptin prohibited by inference)
Reviewed by Ki Researcher Team · Research use only · Not medical advice · Updated 2026-09-24