Compound record · Cognition, mood & sleep
DSIP
Also Delta sleep-inducing peptide · Emideltide · Deltaran · Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu
Endogenous neuropeptide (nonapeptide)
1970s 'sleep peptide' with small, inconsistent human studies and no modern trials
Record reviewed 1 September 2026 · 5 references
- Class
- Endogenous nonapeptide, isolated 1977
- Route studied
- Intravenous (research only); injected/nasal products unstudied
- Human trials
- Small 1980s–1990s studies, largest n = 16
- Authorised
- Nowhere
- WADA
- Not on the Prohibited List
01 Overview
What DSIP is
Summary
Delta sleep-inducing peptide is a nine-amino-acid peptide isolated in 1977 from the cerebral venous blood of rabbits during electrically induced sleep. A handful of small double-blind studies in the 1980s and early 1990s gave it intravenously to people with insomnia or withdrawal syndromes, with weak and inconsistent effects. No receptor has been identified, no modern randomised trial exists, and it is not authorised as a medicine anywhere.
Mechanism
Unknown. DSIP crosses the blood–brain barrier and has been reported to modulate slow-wave sleep, stress-hormone release and pain thresholds in animals, but no specific receptor has been identified and later groups struggled to reproduce the original sleep-promoting findings.
02 Evidence by goal
What has been shown, for which goal
Grades follow one scale across the site. Preliminary overall means: early-phase human data or case series; findings need replication.
Sleep
PreliminarySmall double-blind studies (6–16 participants) of intravenous DSIP reported modestly higher sleep efficiency and shorter sleep latency in chronic insomnia, but the effects were weak, delayed by about an hour, and the 1992 replication concluded short-term treatment was unlikely to be of major benefit. No study has tested the injectable or nasal products sold today.
General wellbeing
InsufficientClaims of reduced stress, improved daytime alertness or pain relief rest on 1980s case series and animal work; there is no controlled human evidence for mood, energy or focus.
03 Regulatory status
Where it is authorised, and for what
Status is recorded per jurisdiction from regulator sources and reviewed by hand. It is never inferred from another region's decision.
United Kingdom
Not authorisedNot authorised as a medicine; sold only as an unregulated 'research chemical'.
No MHRA marketing authorisation for any indication.
04 Dosing research
What the evidence says about exposure
Published human studies and the doses, routes and durations they used — reported as research information, not a recommendation.
Research information — not a recommendation. These are the exposures used in published human studies, reported so you can see what has been tested. They are not dosing instructions and do not apply to any individual.
Study 01
Effects of DSIP in man — five double-blind intravenous studies
Schneider-Helmert D, Schoenenberger GA, Neuropsychobiology 1983;9:197–206 · Source
- Design
- Series of small double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with polysomnography
- Population
- Healthy volunteers and adults with chronic insomnia (groups of roughly 4–6)
- Participants
- Not reported
- Duration
- Single injections or up to four consecutive daily injections
- Route
- Intravenous
- Doses studied
- 25 nmol/kg body weight by slow intravenous injection (roughly 2 mg for a 70 kg adult)
- Outcome at this exposure
- Sleep induction was delayed by about an hour with effects lasting many hours; the authors reported normalisation of disturbed sleep after four consecutive injections in insomniacs and improved daytime alertness. Findings from this single group were not consistently reproduced by others.
- Adverse events observed
- Reported as well tolerated; slow injection was described as essential. Systematic safety reporting was minimal.
Study 02
DSIP in chronic insomnia — double-blind matched-pairs study
Bes F et al., Neuropsychobiology 1992;26:193–197
- Design
- Double-blind, placebo-controlled, matched-pairs parallel groups with five laboratory nights
- Population
- Adults (34–65 years) with chronic insomnia of at least three years
- Participants
- n = 16
- Duration
- 3 treatment nights
- Route
- Intravenous
- Doses studied
- 25 nmol/kg intravenously in the afternoon before each of three consecutive nights, versus glucose placebo
- Outcome at this exposure
- Higher sleep efficiency and shorter sleep latency versus placebo, but the effects were weak, partly attributable to change in the placebo group, and subjective sleep quality did not improve. The authors concluded short-term DSIP was not likely to be of major therapeutic benefit.
- Adverse events observed
- No adverse effects reported.
All human dosing data are 1980s–1990s intravenous research studies of at most 16 people. Nothing published supports the subcutaneous or nasal 'protocols' (typically 100–300 µg before bed) circulating online; these are a different, unstudied exposure.
05 Safety
Adverse effects and contraindications
Common effects seen in trials or reports, serious effects that warrant urgent review, and conditions under which use is not appropriate or needs assessment.
Common adverse effects
- Drowsiness or grogginess
- Headache
- Injection-site reactions
- Vivid dreams (anecdotal)
Serious adverse effects
- Immune reactions to peptide impurities in unregulated products (flagged by the FDA)
- Injection-related infection with non-sterile products
- Unknown long-term effects — no controlled data beyond a few days of use
Contraindications
- Sleep apnoeaCaution
Any compound promoted for sedation or deeper sleep warrants caution where sleep apnoea is present or suspected; effects on breathing during sleep have not been studied.
- Mental health conditionCaution
Depression and other mental-health conditions are common causes of insomnia and need assessment in their own right; DSIP has not been studied in these groups.
Do not use = should not be used · Caution = needs assessment
06 Interactions
Medicine classes that need review
Grouped by how seriously the combination should be taken. Class labels match the medicines questionnaire in the assessment.
- Major
- Moderate
- Minor
Moderate
Monitoring or dose review is usually advised.
Sedative / sleep medicine
Diazepam, zopiclone
Interactions are unstudied. Additive central nervous system depression with benzodiazepines, Z-drugs or other sedatives is a theoretical concern.
Opioid painkiller
Codeine, tramadol, morphine
Interactions are unstudied. DSIP was historically trialled in opiate withdrawal; combined sedation or respiratory effects with opioids cannot be excluded.
07 Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Status in pregnancy
No human or animal reproductive safety data; use in pregnancy or breastfeeding cannot be assessed.
08 Monitoring
What is usually monitored
Parameters that trials and product information track. A clinician decides what applies to an individual.
- 01Sleep diary or wearable data: sleep latency, night-time waking and total sleep time
- 02Daytime sleepiness and next-day functioning
- 03Breathing during sleep if there are any features of sleep apnoea
- 04Mood, given the overlap between insomnia and depression
09 Combinations
What is known about combining it
Notes on pairing with other compounds in the directory: whether the combination has been studied in people, and where mechanisms overlap.
Selank
No human studies
Overlap · Both have been associated with sedation or calming.
No human data on the combination; overlapping sedative-type effects are a theoretical concern.
Semax
No human studies
No human data; the compounds are marketed for opposing purposes (sleep versus daytime activation).
CJC-1295
No human studies
Overlap · Both are marketed in 'sleep and growth hormone' stacks, since GH release peaks in slow-wave sleep.
No human study has tested DSIP with any growth-hormone secretagogue; the sleep rationale is theoretical.
Ipamorelin
No human studies
Overlap · Both are marketed in 'sleep and growth hormone' stacks.
No human study has tested DSIP with any growth-hormone secretagogue.
Epitalon
No human studies
Overlap · Both are marketed for sleep via claimed effects on melatonin or circadian rhythm.
No combination data; neither compound has controlled modern human evidence for sleep.
Discuss any proposed combination with a qualified healthcare professional.
10 Source considerations
Supply, quality and legitimacy
How the compound reaches people in practice, and what that means for product quality.
- 01Every product available is an unregulated 'research chemical'; the FDA has specifically flagged immunogenicity and impurity risks for DSIP.
- 02The only human studies used pharmaceutical-grade material given intravenously in a laboratory; vials sold for home injection have no quality assurance.
- 03Labelled quantity and identity of online products are frequently unverified; independent certificates of analysis are rare.
11 Questions for your clinician
Take these to your appointment
Specific to this compound. The personal assessment adds questions drawn from your own history and medicines.
- 01Has the cause of my poor sleep (sleep apnoea, mood, pain, habits) been properly assessed?
- 02What evidence-based options — cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia or authorised medicines — should be tried first?
- 03Given that the human studies are decades old and inconsistent, what is realistically known about DSIP's benefits?
- 04How would this interact with my sedatives, painkillers or alcohol use?
- 05What would we monitor, and when would we stop?
The personal assessment tailors this list to your responses.
12 References
Sources behind this record
Regulator documents and peer-reviewed publications used to derive every grade and statement above.
- 01Schneider-Helmert D, Schoenenberger GA. Effects of DSIP in man. Neuropsychobiology 1983
- 02Bes F et al. Effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide on sleep of chronic insomniac patients: a double-blind study. Neuropsychobiology 1992;26:193–197
- 03Graf MV, Kastin AJ. Delta-sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 1984
- 04FDA — Bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks (503A Category 2)
- 05WADA 2026 Prohibited List
The Peptide Checkup provides educational information and a structured summary of published research and regulatory status. It is not medical advice, does not diagnose or treat any condition, and does not replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
Personal assessment
Check DSIP against your history
Seven minutes of structured questions about your goal, history and medicines, mapped against this record by a deterministic, clinician-reviewable rules engine. The report tells you when not to buy.