Reviewed & approved by Dr. Nova Reyes · Last checked 2026-10-26. ← Back to Evidence Library

IGF-1 DES (des(1-3)IGF-1): what the evidence says

Name: IGF-1 DES (des(1-3)IGF-1)
Creator: Dr. Nova Reyes
Published: 2026-10-26

At a glance

What it is: a shortened natural form of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) missing its first three amino acids (Gly-Pro-Glu). It occurs naturally in colostrum, brain and uterus. Because it barely binds the proteins that normally hold IGF-1 in check, it is about 10 times more potent than IGF-1 on cells. ^{R1, R2}

What the evidence says: in rats and mice it boosted growth, gut and kidney recovery more than IGF-1. ^{R3, R4, R5} No human study exists. The approved IGF-1 drug, mecasermin, is a different molecule.

Biggest risks: low blood sugar (seen in mice), and cancer: mice engineered to make it in breast tissue developed breast tumors more often. ^{R6, R7}

Rating


Human Human evidence	None
Animal Animal / lab evidence	Rodent growth, gut-resection and kidney-failure models; cell studies ^{R3, R4, R5, R1}
Regulatory	Never approved · Not on FDA 503A or 503B bulk lists · WADA 2026: prohibited at all times as an IGF-1 analogue ^{R8, R9, R10}
Established human dose	None. Study details lists what studies used

Evidence verdict: Muscle growth or recovery in people: No human data · Growth and anabolic effects: Animal/lab only · Tumor promotion: Animal signal Card verdict: No human data (muscle-growth & gut claims rest on rat, mouse, and cell studies only) Card note: Cancer-growth signal in animals, see page

This page reports what studies used. It is not dosing advice.

Legend: HUMAN data · ANIMAL / LAB data · UNKNOWN · UNVERIFIED: not yet confirmed against a primary source

About the evidence: most animal work is from Australian academic groups (Ballard and colleagues, Adelaide) in the 1990s. The breast-tumor study is from a US academic lab. ^{R1, R7}

What is it?

A "free" IGF-1: binding proteins normally limit IGF-1, and this form escapes them, so it acts strongly but briefly. Related pages: IGF-1 LR3, MGF, MK-677.

Does it work?

Animal Growth (lit/lit mice): a tenth of the amount matched or beat IGF-1 for body length. ^R3
Animal Rats after gut surgery or kidney loss: better weight gain or nitrogen balance than IGF-1. ^{R5, R4}
Animal Muscle signaling: activated Akt and p70 S6K in mouse muscle, less so in old mice. ^R6
Unknown No human study.

Is it safe?

Animal Blood sugar: lowered glucose in mice. ^R6
Animal Cancer: 53% of mice making it in breast tissue developed breast cancer by 23 months; more with a p53 mutation. ^R7
Animal Rodents grew larger kidneys and hearts. ^R3
Unknown No human safety data.

Gray-market "research use only" IGF-1 DES: extra risks

A gray-market vial has no quality control and no guarantee of identity, strength or sterility. We test retail vials blind under the Open Peptide Standard; see /tests/. A passing test covers one batch on one date and does not mean the compound is safe. Anti-doping chemists note that IGF-1 analogues like this one were never approved and are sold as black-market bodybuilding products. ^R11

What we don't know

Unknown Any human effect or safety
Unknown Whether muscle growth would happen locally after injection in people

Is it legal?

US (FDA): never approved. Not on the 503A or 503B bulk lists, so there is no compounding route. ^{R8, R9}
Athletes: WADA 2026 S2.2 prohibits IGF-1 and its analogues at all times. Detection methods exist. ^{R10, R11} UNVERIFIED exact WADA subsection number.

Study details

These are amounts researchers used, not recommendations. | Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Citation | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Gillespie 1990 | lit/lit mice | Injection | 3 or 30 µg daily for 3 weeks | 3 weeks | More length than IGF-1 at low amount | [PMID 2280209](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2280209/) | | Martin 1991 | Rats with reduced kidney mass | Pump under skin | 0.9 mg/kg per day | 7 days | Better growth | [PMID 1928375](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1928375/) | | Lemmey 1991 | Rats after gut resection | Pump | 0.96 mg/kg per day | 7 days | More weight gain | [PMID 1996625](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1996625/) |

Full reference list (PubMed, CT.gov, FDA and WADA checked Oct 26, 2026)

^R1 Ballard FJ, et al. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 1996. PMID 8930132
^R2 Ross M, et al. Biochem J. 1989. PMID 2539101
^R3 Gillespie C, et al. J Endocrinol. 1990. PMID 2280209
^R4 Martin AA, et al. Am J Physiol. 1991. PMID 1928375
^R5 Lemmey AB, et al. Am J Physiol. 1991. PMID 1996625
^R6 Li M, et al. Mech Ageing Dev. 2003. PMID 12875741
^R7 Hadsell DL, et al. Oncogene. 2000. PMID 10702797
^R8 FDA, 503A bulk drug substances categories list (updated May 14, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
^R9 FDA, 503B bulk drug substances categories list (updated Mar 21, 2025). https://www.fda.gov/media/94164/download
^R10 WADA. The 2026 Prohibited List, S2.2.5 Caution section number and S2 growth factors. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
^R11 Mongongu C, et al. Drug Test Anal. 2021. PMID 33587816

Disclaimer

This page is for education and harm reduction, not medical advice or a recommendation to use IGF-1 DES (des(1-3)IGF-1). Talk to a clinician you trust, especially if you have diabetes, a history of cancer, eye disease from diabetes, are pregnant, or are a tested athlete. Report problems to FDA MedWatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch).