Humanin

01 What is Humanin?

Humanin was discovered in 2001 from a screen of genes that protect against Alzheimer's disease — and the name is not accidental. It is a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA (like MOTS-c), and it appears to be one of your body's endogenous neuroprotection systems. When neurons are stressed, humanin levels increase to prevent cell death. The research paints humanin as a survival signal. It protects against amyloid-beta toxicity (the hallmark of Alzheimer's), oxidative stress, and metabolic insults. Circulating humanin levels decline with age — and higher levels correlate with better cognitive function and longer lifespan in human observational studies. Centenarians tend to have higher humanin levels than age-matched controls. For the biohacking community, humanin represents the frontier of mitochondrial medicine. The idea that your mitochondria produce their own protective peptides — and that supplementing these peptides might slow ageing — is paradigm-shifting. We are very early in understanding this, but the biological plausibility is high.

02 How Does It Work?

Humanin operates through multiple protective pathways: 1. Binds IGFBP-3 — preventing IGFBP-3-induced apoptosis. 2. Activates STAT3 signalling — promoting cell survival and anti-inflammatory gene expression. 3. Binds BAX — preventing BAX-mediated mitochondrial membrane permeabilisation and apoptosis. 4. Interacts with formyl peptide receptors — triggering cytoprotective intracellular cascades. The net effect is potent cytoprotection: cells exposed to various death signals survive when humanin is present. This is particularly relevant in neurons exposed to amyloid-beta and other neurotoxic insults.

03 What Does The Research Say?

Alzheimer's: Humanin and its analogues (HNG is a potent synthetic version) protect against amyloid-beta toxicity in multiple cell and animal models. Reduces cognitive decline in Alzheimer's mouse models. Ageing: Human observational studies show humanin declines with age. Higher levels associate with better metabolic health, cognitive function, and longevity. Centenarian studies show preserved humanin levels. Metabolic: Humanin improves insulin sensitivity and reduces atherosclerosis in animal models. No completed human interventional trials with exogenous humanin. All data is preclinical or observational.

04 Reported Dosages

There is no established human dosing protocol. This peptide is in very early stages of therapeutic development. Research peptide suppliers offer it, and some biohackers experiment with subcutaneous injection at microgram doses (1-5mg), but there is essentially zero clinical guidance. DISCLAIMER: This is firmly in the experimental category. No human clinical trials have been completed. The risk-benefit ratio is genuinely unknown. Approach with extreme caution.

05 Side Effects & Risks

Unknown in humans at supplemental doses. Preclinical data does not suggest obvious toxicity, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Being an endogenous peptide with cytoprotective function, theoretical risks include: interference with normal apoptotic clearance of damaged cells, potential tumour-protective effects (preventing cancer cell death). These are theoretical but worth considering.

06 Legal Status