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The performance and recovery shelf; anabolics, GH secretagogues, endurance agents, and the peptides athletes research.
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Phenylpiracetam (phenotropil, carphedon) is a phenylated derivative of piracetam, developed in Russia and used clinically as a nootropic, with reported effects on focus, physical endurance, and tolerance to cold and fatigue. The added phenyl group makes it considerably more potent than the parent racetam and confers a distinct mechanism, selective inhibition of the dopamine transporter, which is thought to underlie its stimulant-like, motivating properties. It was among the first cognitive enhancers prohibited in competitive sport, having been banned by anti-doping authorities in 1998.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant of the methylxanthine class and the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. A purine alkaloid found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao, and other plants, it is used to restore alertness, reduce fatigue, and sharpen concentration. It is legal and largely unregulated in most countries, and it also has established medical uses, including the treatment of apnea in premature infants.
Creatine is a nitrogen-containing organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates, where it helps recycle the cellular energy carrier adenosine triphosphate (ATP), chiefly in muscle and brain. The body makes it in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, and it is also obtained from animal foods such as meat and fish. First isolated from meat by the French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul in 1832, creatine is today one of the most widely studied and used dietary supplements, valued mainly for improving strength and high-intensity exercise performance.
Modafiendz is a fluorinated, N-methylated analog of the wakefulness agent modafinil, marketed online as a next-generation nootropic alternative. It is built around the same eugeroic blueprint that made modafinil a favorite for focus and sustained alertness, with structural tweaks intended to modify its activity. Because the analog itself has not been formally studied, it is best understood as an experimental research chemical riding on the well-mapped pharmacology of its parent.
Paraxanthine is what caffeine mostly becomes. Around 70 to 80 percent of a caffeine dose is converted by the liver enzyme CYP1A2 into paraxanthine, so for most of the time a coffee is working, the compound doing the work is this one [14]. Selling it directly is an attempt to skip a step that varies enormously between people: CYP1A2 activity differs several-fold across individuals, which is a large part of why the same espresso is pleasant for one person and unpleasant for another. Human trials are small but real, and they point at improved cognition at modest doses with less of the sleep disruption caffeine causes [4][6]. It is the most credible caffeine alternative on this site, and the evidence base behind it is still thin and largely tied to the company selling it.
Roxadustat is a landmark oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), the first-in-class agent approved to treat the anemia of chronic kidney disease. By stabilizing the body's own low-oxygen signaling, it raises endogenous erythropoietin and improves iron handling to rebuild red blood cell mass without injections. Backed by large Phase 3 trials, it offers a convenient, physiology-based alternative to traditional erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, and its capacity to lift oxygen-carrying capacity has made it a compound of keen interest for endurance performance.
Modafinil is a prescription wakefulness-promoting drug, approved in the United States in 1998 for excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work disorder. It works mainly by blocking the dopamine transporter, the protein that clears dopamine out of the synapse; human brain imaging confirms it occupies roughly half of those transporters at ordinary doses, although it binds them far more weakly than classic stimulants do. The evidence that it reduces sleepiness in the three approved sleep disorders is strong and rests on large placebo-controlled trials, but the evidence that it improves thinking in healthy, well-rested people is much weaker; the best meta-analysis found only a small overall effect confined to one narrow memory task. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States, banned in competition by WADA, and carries warnings for rare but serious skin reactions and for making hormonal birth control less reliable.
Armodafinil is the prescription wakefulness drug sold as Nuvigil; it is one of the two mirror-image halves of modafinil, the longer-lasting half, so it does much the same job at a somewhat lower dose. In the United States it is approved only to reduce excessive sleepiness in adults with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, or shift work disorder, and the evidence for those three uses is genuinely solid; several 12-week placebo-controlled trials show people stay awake longer, though the benefit is measured in a few extra minutes of resisting sleep rather than a cure. Its one well-supported molecular action is weak blockade of the dopamine transporter, which brain scans confirm happens at ordinary doses; the histamine and orexin explanations that circulate online come from studies of modafinil, not of armodafinil itself. Outside the sleep indications the record thins out fast and is often negative, including a clean phase 3 failure for cancer-related fatigue, and this is a Schedule IV controlled drug carrying a pregnancy registry signal for birth defects.
CE-123 is a next-generation, thiazole-based modafinil analogue engineered for selective dopamine transporter inhibition and cognitive enhancement. In preclinical studies it sharpens memory and cognitive flexibility while crossing into the brain far more effectively than modafinil, and with less impulsivity. For research focused on motivation, focus, and cognition, CE-123 is a standout modern nootropic candidate.
Bromantane is an adamantane-derived actoprotector that delivers clean, non-jittery energy by increasing the body's own dopamine synthesis rather than forcing a release. Prized for boosting physical and mental stamina while carrying a genuine anti-anxiety quality, it stands out as a rare stimulant that builds resilience without a crash or dependence. For those seeking durable drive and stress resistance, bromantane is a uniquely compelling choice.
ATX-304 is a direct, pan-AMPK activator, a small molecule that switches on AMP-activated protein kinase, the cell's master energy sensor and central regulator of metabolism. In preclinical studies it reprograms cellular metabolism toward fat oxidation and away from lipid synthesis, reducing body fat, cholesterol, and fatty liver, and it protects the kidney from injury by shifting energy metabolism [1][2]. As a next-generation metabolic activator it is an investigational compound of strong interest for obesity, fatty liver disease, and tissue protection, though it remains preclinical [2].
Cardarine (GW501516) is a selective PPAR-delta agonist prized in research for its dramatic effects on endurance and fat metabolism. In animal studies it reprograms muscle toward fat-burning, oxidative fibers and markedly extends running capacity, earning it the nickname exercise mimetic. It remains one of the most studied metabolic research chemicals for endurance and lipid science.
ITPP (myo-inositol trispyrophosphate) is a membrane-permeant allosteric effector of hemoglobin. Unlike the body's natural effectors, it crosses the red-cell membrane and binds within hemoglobin, lowering its oxygen affinity so that red cells release more oxygen into the tissues that need it most, an effect that adds to the physiological Bohr effect. In animal studies this raised hemoglobin's oxygen-release set point and substantially increased maximal exercise capacity in both healthy mice and mice with severe heart failure, and by relieving tissue hypoxia it also suppresses the hypoxia signal HIF-1-alpha and normalizes tumor blood vessels. It has drawn research interest across heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and oncology, and is also noted as an athletic doping agent.
Meldonium, marketed as Mildronate, is a clinically established anti-ischemic and cardioprotective agent engineered in Latvia to optimize how cells generate energy under metabolic stress. By restraining carnitine biosynthesis, it steers the heart toward more oxygen-efficient glucose metabolism, a property long valued in cardiovascular medicine and closely scrutinized in elite sport. Its distinctive metabolic profile has made it one of the most discussed performance modulators of the past decade.
Dapoxetine (marketed as Priligy) is a fast-acting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor developed specifically as the first on-demand medication for premature ejaculation [1]. In large Phase III trials it roughly tripled the time to ejaculation and improved control and satisfaction, working from the very first dose and clearing the body quickly to suit as-needed use [1][2]. Approved across Europe and much of Asia, dapoxetine is the best-evidenced pharmaceutical option for premature ejaculation available today.
CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin is a classic synergistic peptide pairing that combines a long-acting GHRH analogue with a highly selective growth hormone secretagogue. Together they stimulate growth hormone release through two complementary pathways, amplifying the natural, pulsatile GH signal cleanly and without raising stress hormones. For those exploring GH-axis support, this stack is among the most refined and popular combinations.
HERC (MTB) is a compounded amino acid blend engineered around the two levers endurance athletes care about most: blood flow and cellular energy. It pairs L-arginine and L-citrulline, which raise nitric oxide to widen vessels and improve muscle oxygenation, with L-carnitine, the carrier that ferries fatty acids into mitochondria for fuel, and L-glutamine for recovery and ammonia handling [1][2][6]. Each component rests on its own peer-reviewed evidence base, giving the blend a mechanistically grounded rationale [1][5][6]. It is supplied for laboratory research.
LGD-3303 is a non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that stands out for its pronounced effects on bone as well as muscle. In rodent studies it raised bone mineral density, stimulated new bone formation, and increased muscle mass while keeping prostate stimulation low, and it even added to the benefit of a standard bone drug. Orally active and strongly tissue-selective, LGD-3303 has a distinctive physique-and-bone profile that keeps it firmly on the radar of SARM research.
LGD-4033 + YK-11 is a research stack that pairs Ligandrol (LGD-4033), a selective androgen receptor modulator, with YK-11, a myostatin-modulating compound, to pursue muscle growth through two mechanisms at once. LGD-4033 activates the androgen receptor and has increased lean body mass in a human trial, while YK-11 raises follistatin to counteract myostatin, the natural brake on muscle growth. For researchers exploring maximal anabolic signaling, this dual-mechanism combination is a frequently discussed and potent pairing.
Lipo-MIC + NAD+ is a lipotropic injectable that pairs the fat-metabolizing MIC nutrients (methionine, inositol, and choline) with NAD+, the coenzyme at the center of cellular energy production. The MIC compounds help the liver package and export fat rather than store it, while NAD+ fuels mitochondrial energy metabolism and activates sirtuins involved in fat handling. Combining lipid support with a foundational energy coenzyme, it is a modern take on the classic lipotropic injection for those pursuing fat loss and vitality.
MNT (PMP) is a combination injectable and pre-workout formula that pairs nitric oxide precursors with a focused cognitive stack in a single shot. Arginine, citrulline, and the arginase inhibitor norvaline drive vasodilation and blood flow for a stronger pump, while citicoline, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, and trimethylglycine sharpen focus and support drive under load. It is engineered as a two-in-one performance blend that delivers physical pump and mental clarity together.
N163-166 (MOD6) is an orally active peptide engineered to switch the body's own testosterone production back on at its source. It targets VDAC1, a mitochondrial gatekeeper that governs the rate-limiting step of steroid synthesis, prompting the Leydig cells of the testes to make more testosterone rather than supplying an outside hormone. In male rats, VDAC1-derived oral peptides raised circulating testosterone specifically through the natural gonadal axis, and stabilizing modifications let this small peptide survive oral dosing [1]. It is an investigational research compound.
RGPU-95 is an experimental compound studied in Russian pharmacological research as a structural analog of fenotropil, better known as phenylpiracetam, a nootropic of the racetam family. In animal experiments it has shown anxiety-reducing and antidepressant-like effects, in some measures exceeding those of its parent compound. It is an obscure investigational substance with essentially no human data, and it is not an approved medicine or recognized supplement ingredient anywhere.
1,3-DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine, methylhexanamine) is a potent aliphatic amine stimulant that defined the golden era of hardcore pre-workouts, prized for driving energy, appetite suppression, and razor focus. Originally patented in the 1940s as a nasal decongestant, it delivers an amphetamine-adjacent lift through indirect adrenergic stimulation and a distinctive vasoconstrictive edge. Its reputation as one of the most intense stimulants ever sold in sports nutrition kept demand high even as regulators moved to restrict it.
1,4-DMAA (1,4-dimethylamylamine) is an experimental aliphatic amine stimulant that emerged as a next-generation successor to the banned 1,3-DMAA, marketed for the same hard-hitting pre-workout energy and focus. As a positional isomer of the classic DMAA molecule, it gives formulators a structurally distinct route to intense adrenergic stimulation. It remains a rare, sought-after ingredient in a handful of underground sports and weight-loss products, appealing to enthusiasts chasing the original DMAA experience.
AC-262536, also written AC-262,536, is a nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) first characterized by Acadia Pharmaceuticals. It acts as a partial agonist of the androgen receptor and was studied preclinically for its tissue-selective anabolic profile, producing muscle-building effects while showing comparatively weak activity on reproductive tissue such as the prostate.
ACE-031 (ramatercept) is a powerful myostatin-blocking biologic, a soluble decoy of the activin receptor type IIB that traps myostatin and related muscle-limiting proteins before they can signal. By lifting this natural brake on growth, a single dose produced measurable gains in lean muscle mass and thigh muscle volume in human trials. Originally developed as a therapy for muscular dystrophy, it remains one of the most sought-after experimental agents for dramatic, receptor-level muscle building.
ACP-105 is a potent nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) engineered to deliver the muscle- and bone-building benefits of androgens with greater tissue selectivity than testosterone. As a partial agonist at the androgen receptor, it was designed to drive anabolism in muscle and bone while limiting the unwanted effects tied to classic steroids. Its combination of anabolic potency and an intriguing signal for cognitive and neuroprotective effects has made it a standout among research-grade SARMs.
Aminotadalafil (2-aminotadalafil) is a synthetic analogue of the PDE5 inhibitor tadalafil, sharing the same core scaffold with a single 2-amino substitution on the diketopiperazine ring. By design it is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor intended to relax vascular smooth muscle and support erectile response through the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway. It is an unapproved research compound documented chiefly as an adulterant identified in dietary supplements and e-cigarette products, and it carries no established human efficacy or safety data [1][5].
Andarine (S-4) is a non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator derived from arylpropionamide chemistry that binds the androgen receptor with high affinity yet acts in a tissue-selective manner. In castrated and ovariectomized rodents it restored skeletal muscle mass and strength, raised bone mineral density, and reduced body fat while stimulating the prostate and seminal vesicles far less than dihydrotestosterone; this partial-agonist behavior in androgenic organs versus full-agonist activity in muscle and bone defines the SARM concept. Its favorable pharmacokinetics, including high oral bioavailability and predominantly hepatic phase I and II metabolism, once positioned it as a clinical candidate for muscle wasting and osteoporosis. It was never approved for human use, however, and is prohibited in sport, so it is documented largely through preclinical pharmacology and anti-doping detection studies rather than clinical trials.
Arginine, or L-arginine, is a conditionally essential amino acid that the body uses to build proteins and, importantly, as the raw material for making nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes and widens blood vessels. It also plays central roles in the urea cycle that clears ammonia and in the production of creatine. Healthy adults usually make enough arginine, but needs can rise during growth, illness, or injury; it is obtained from protein-rich foods and taken as a supplement for cardiovascular and exercise-related purposes.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a nucleoside triphosphate that serves as the primary energy-carrying molecule in all living cells, often described as the cell's energy currency. It is built from the nucleobase adenine, the sugar ribose, and a chain of three phosphate groups, and the energy held in its phosphate bonds is released and recaptured as the molecule is interconverted with adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Beyond energy transfer, ATP also acts as a signaling molecule and as a building block for nucleic acids.
ATPLEX is a formulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body's fundamental cellular energy currency, supplied as a supplement to support exercise performance and recovery. Oral ATP (typically as the disodium salt) does not raise blood ATP directly, but controlled trials show it improves muscular strength, power output, and blood flow and blunts performance declines during hard training [1][4]. It is used as an ergogenic aid for strength and repeated high-intensity efforts, backed by a small but consistent body of human trials [2].
Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid and the main building block the body uses to make carnosine, a compound stored in muscle that helps buffer the acid produced during hard exercise. Taken as a supplement over several weeks, it raises muscle carnosine levels and can modestly improve performance in high-intensity efforts lasting roughly one to several minutes. Its most familiar effect is a harmless skin tingling called paresthesia.
Betaine hydrochloride, commonly called betaine HCl, is the hydrochloride salt of betaine (trimethylglycine), a naturally occurring compound first identified in sugar beets. Unlike the parent molecule, the salt releases hydrochloric acid when it dissolves, and it has long been used as a supplemental source of stomach acid for people thought to have low gastric acidity [1][2]. It is sold as an over-the-counter digestive aid, most often in capsule form taken with meals [2]. The underlying betaine molecule separately acts as a methyl donor in the body and is used in medicine to treat the inherited disorder homocystinuria [3][4].
BrainMax is a Russian two ingredient capsule combining meldonium with emoxypine succinate, sold for fatigue, attention and recovery after illness; both ingredients have a substantial Russian literature and essentially no independent international evidence.
Capromorelin is a potent, orally active ghrelin receptor agonist and the first appetite stimulant of its class to earn FDA approval. By mimicking the body's own hunger hormone, it reliably drives food intake, body-weight gain, and growth hormone release. It is a well-characterized, clinically validated tool for stimulating appetite and supporting healthy weight.
Citrulline is a non-proteinogenic alpha-amino acid named after the watermelon, from which it was first isolated. In the body it is a key intermediate in the urea cycle and a precursor to the amino acid arginine, which is in turn used to make nitric oxide. It is sold as a dietary supplement, often marketed for blood flow and exercise performance, though the evidence for those uses is mixed.
CJC-1295 is a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue engineered to stimulate the body's own pulsatile release of growth hormone and IGF-I for days from a single dose. In clinical studies it produced sustained, dose-dependent increases in GH and IGF-I while preserving natural secretion patterns. For research into the GH-IGF-I axis, CJC-1295 is a uniquely long-lasting and elegant GHRH analogue.
This is a two peptide injectable blend of a growth hormone releasing hormone analogue and a ghrelin receptor agonist, sold as lyophilised powder for reconstitution and used to raise pulsatile growth hormone release.
Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that live as parasites of insects and other arthropods, with more than 200 described species distributed mainly across Asia. The genus is best known for the caterpillar fungus, long placed here but now reclassified as Ophiocordyceps sinensis, and for the type species Cordyceps militaris, both of which feature prominently in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. Interest in these fungi centers on bioactive constituents such as the nucleoside cordycepin and various polysaccharides, though rigorous human evidence for health claims remains limited.
D-aspartic acid is the D-enantiomer of aspartic acid and one of the few D-amino acids found naturally in mammals, concentrating in neuroendocrine tissues such as the brain, pituitary, and testes. Mechanistic work indicates that it participates in the release and synthesis of luteinizing hormone and testosterone, acting in the pituitary through cyclic GMP and in testicular Leydig cells by upregulating the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and modulating luteinizing hormone receptor trafficking, in concert with NMDA-receptor-mediated stimulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Despite this plausible endocrine role, controlled human trials tell a more sobering story; supplementation in resistance-trained men generally failed to raise testosterone, and a higher 6 g daily dose actually lowered total and free testosterone. It is therefore best characterized as a physiologically active amino acid whose marketed ergogenic and testosterone-boosting claims are not supported in trained populations.
DADA is diisopropylamine dichloroacetate, an old liver drug sold in Japan for decades as Liverall and also sold in the West under the discredited "vitamin B15" or pangamic acid label; it is a simple salt that separates in the body into diisopropylamine and dichloroacetate. The dichloroacetate half blocks an enzyme called pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, which pushes cells away from making lactate and toward burning fuel in the mitochondria; that single mechanism is why nearly all recent work on it is cancer and immune metabolism research in mice and cell dishes. Human evidence is thin; the only controlled human trial found is a 2005 Chinese study in fatty liver disease that compared 60 mg and 120 mg per day against each other with no placebo group, so it cannot show the drug beats doing nothing. It is not a dopamine drug, has no reported activity at dopamine receptors, and no study of any kind was found testing it for memory, mood, focus, or athletic performance.
Ecdysterone, also known as 20-hydroxyecdysone, is a naturally occurring steroid of the ecdysteroid class that serves as a molting hormone in insects and is also produced by many plants. Sold as a dietary supplement to athletes, it has drawn attention as a possible non-conventional anabolic agent. A controlled human study reported gains in muscle mass and strength, prompting researchers to recommend its addition to sports doping-control lists.
Erythropoietin is the glycoprotein hormone the kidneys release to tell bone marrow to make red cells; this product is the recombinant injectable version used to treat anaemia of chronic kidney disease, myelodysplasia and chemotherapy.
Fadogia agrestis is a shrub in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to West Africa, where its stem has a traditional reputation as an aphrodisiac. It has become popular as a dietary supplement marketed for raising testosterone and libido. The evidence behind those claims comes almost entirely from animal studies, and its safety in humans has not been established.
Follistatin 344 targets muscle growth at its source, binding and neutralizing myostatin, the very signal the body uses to cap how large muscles can become. In animal models, raising follistatin drives striking gains in lean mass alongside lower body fat, and the protein has been carried all the way into human gene-therapy trials for muscular dystrophy. For anyone fascinated by the most powerful lever in muscle biology, follistatin 344 is a cornerstone research tool with a genuinely remarkable track record.
GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) is a synthetic growth hormone secretagogue, a ghrelin-mimetic that binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) to trigger a pulse of the body's own growth hormone, and it also stimulates appetite and, to a lesser degree, ACTH and cortisol. Its growth-hormone response is reliable enough that it has been used clinically as a formal test of growth-hormone reserve, and it remains active by oral and intranasal routes. It is studied in the context of growth hormone deficiency, body composition, and recovery, and is used as a research peptide.
Gotratix is a capsule of peptide fractions extracted from skeletal muscle, specifically triceps tissue of young animals, sold as a supplement for muscular endurance and recovery; it is an organ extract and not a defined peptide.
GSK-2881078 is one of the best-documented SARMs in humans, which alone sets it apart in a class full of guesswork. Developed by GlaxoSmithKline as a non-steroidal, tissue-selective androgen receptor agonist, it produced clean, dose-dependent gains in lean mass in older men and women and was carried into a controlled trial in patients with COPD. For anyone seeking a selective androgen receptor modulator with genuine clinical evidence and a real pharmaceutical pedigree, GSK-2881078 sits near the top of the list.
GW-0742 is a potent PPAR-delta agonist and a close cousin of Cardarine, sitting right at the center of the "exercise in a bottle" conversation in metabolic research. By switching on the genes for fat burning and mitochondrial fuel use, it makes muscle lean on fat and spare glycogen, and in rodents the endurance and fat-loss numbers are genuinely eye-catching. As a proof of concept for activating the body's fat-burning machinery, GW-0742 is a fascinating and closely watched research compound.
HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a gonadotropin hormone that acts as a direct luteinizing hormone mimic, binding LH receptors on testicular Leydig cells to switch on the body's own testosterone and sperm production [1][2]. Because it drives the testes at the source, it is a cornerstone tool for preserving fertility and testicular function in men on hormone therapy and for restarting a suppressed axis [2][3]. Clinicians favor it precisely because it raises endogenous testosterone without the fertility penalty seen with testosterone replacement alone [2].
Hexarelin (examorelin) is a synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) to trigger a potent, reproducible, and largely somatostatin-resistant pulse of endogenous growth hormone, an effect that is strongest in pubertal children and young adults and blunted in the very young and elderly. What distinguishes it from other secretagogues is a second receptor: hexarelin binds the cardiac scavenger receptor CD36, through which it exerts growth-hormone-independent cardiovascular actions, including protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, attenuation of post-infarction heart failure via PTEN and Akt/mTOR modulation, and CD36-PPAR-gamma signaling relevant to lipid and energy metabolism. Some growth hormone secretagogues, including hexarelin, additionally show angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibiting activity that may contribute to their vascular effects. As a result it is one of the most thoroughly characterized peptides in its class, studied both as a growth hormone provocative agent and as an experimental cardioprotective compound.
Human growth hormone, abbreviated HGH and also called somatotropin, is a peptide hormone of 191 amino acids produced by the somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland. It drives growth during childhood and regulates metabolism throughout life, acting largely by prompting the liver and other tissues to make insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). A recombinant form, somatropin, is used medically to treat growth hormone deficiency and several other conditions, and it is also misused for anti-aging and athletic purposes.
HMB, short for beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyric acid, is a compound the body makes naturally from the essential amino acid leucine. A small fraction of dietary leucine is converted into HMB, which is studied for its role in preserving and building muscle. As a dietary supplement it is sold mainly in a calcium salt form and a free-acid form, and it is used by athletes and older adults for muscle support.
Hypoxen is a Russian synthetic polyphenolic antihypoxant sold to improve tolerance of low oxygen and of heavy physical or mental load; it is registered only in Russia and neighbouring states and has never been tested in a trial meeting international standards.
IGF-1 DES, formally des(1-3)IGF-I, is a naturally occurring truncated form of insulin-like growth factor 1 that is roughly 10-fold more potent than standard IGF-1 at stimulating cell growth and proliferation [1][4]. The single change, removal of the first three amino acids from the N-terminus, sharply lowers its affinity for the IGF-binding proteins that normally restrain IGF-1, so more of the peptide reaches its receptor in active form [1][4]. This makes IGF-1 DES a potent anabolic research peptide with a distinctive, well-documented mechanism for escaping the body's own IGF buffering system [1][4].
IGF-1 LR3 (Long[Arg3]IGF-I) is an engineered analog of insulin-like growth factor 1 built to slip past the binding proteins that normally hold IGF-1 in check, making it substantially more potent at driving cell growth [1][2]. It combines a single amino acid swap at position 3 (glutamate to arginine) with a 13-residue N-terminal extension, and together these changes sharply lower its affinity for the IGF-binding proteins while preserving strong activation of the IGF-1 receptor [1]. The result is a highly active anabolic research peptide widely used in cell culture and studied for its amplified, less-restrained IGF signaling [1][2].
Inosine is a purine nucleoside sold across the former Soviet bloc as a cardiac metabolic drug and in the West as a sports supplement; the controlled trials of its ergogenic claim were negative.
Ipamorelin is a selective growth hormone secretagogue, a pentapeptide that activates the ghrelin receptor to prompt a clean, pulsatile release of growth hormone [1]. Its signature advantage is selectivity: unlike earlier growth hormone-releasing peptides, it raises GH without meaningfully increasing cortisol or prolactin, even at doses far above those needed for GH release [1]. This clean profile, together with documented effects on metabolism and gastrointestinal motility, has made ipamorelin one of the most sought-after research peptides in its class [1][2][3].
Kisspeptin is a reproductive neuropeptide that sits at the very top of the hormonal axis controlling fertility, acting as the master switch that tells the brain to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) [1]. Discovered first as a cancer metastasis suppressor and later found to be essential for puberty, it has emerged as a versatile clinical tool: administered to people, kisspeptin enhances sexual and emotional brain processing, shows promise for low sexual desire, and can safely trigger egg maturation in IVF [1][2][5][6]. Its dual role in both the reproductive hormone cascade and the limbic brain makes it one of the most intriguing peptides in modern endocrinology [2][4].
Leucine is an essential branched-chain amino acid that the body uses to build proteins but cannot make on its own. Along with valine and isoleucine it belongs to the branched-chain group, and it is best known for switching on the cellular machinery that drives muscle protein synthesis. It is obtained from protein-rich foods and is a common ingredient in sports and clinical nutrition supplements.
Elcar is a Russian levocarnitine brand; carnitine carries long chain fatty acids into the mitochondrion and is given for primary and secondary carnitine deficiency.
LGD-2226 is a first-generation selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed to build muscle and bone with far less impact on the prostate than traditional androgens. In animal studies it increased muscle and bone mass and enhanced bone strength while sparing the prostate and preserving male sexual behavior, showcasing the tissue selectivity that defines the SARM class. Orally active and non-steroidal, LGD-2226 is a notable early example of the effort to capture the benefits of androgens while minimizing their drawbacks.
LGD-4033, also known as ligandrol or VK5211, is an investigational nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulator, a class of compounds abbreviated as SARM. It binds the androgen receptor, the same target acted on by testosterone, but is designed to stimulate muscle and bone while having weaker effects on other tissues. First described by Ligand Pharmaceuticals and later developed by Viking Therapeutics, it has been studied for muscle wasting but is not approved for any medical use, and it is banned in sport and sold illicitly to bodybuilders.
Maltodextrin is a rapidly-digested glucose polymer made by partially hydrolyzing starch (usually corn, rice, or potato) into short chains of glucose units. Because it is broken down at the intestinal brush border into pure glucose and absorbed through SGLT1, it behaves like fast carbohydrate fuel with a very high glycemic index but lower osmolality than an equal weight of straight glucose. Athletes use it intra- and post-workout to keep blood glucose up, spare muscle glycogen, and refill glycogen stores after hard sessions.
MGF, or Mechano Growth Factor, is a muscle-derived splice variant of IGF-1 that the body releases in response to mechanical loading and tissue damage. Prized in muscle biology for its role in activating satellite cells and driving local repair, its distinctive C-terminal peptide has become a focal point of regenerative and performance research. It remains one of the most scientifically interesting, and most actively debated, peptides in the growth factor field.
Mirodenafil is a potent, selective PDE5 inhibitor developed in South Korea, where it is approved and marketed for erectile dysfunction under the brand name Mvix. Backed by multiple randomized, placebo-controlled trials, it delivers reliable improvements in erectile function with a short-acting, on-demand profile and a favorable tolerability record. It stands as a well-studied, clinically validated member of the PDE5 inhibitor family beyond the familiar Western brands.
MK-777, also styled Acetamoren, is marketed as an orally active growth hormone secretagogue in the same putative family as the well-characterized Ibutamoren (MK-677), and is presented as a ghrelin receptor agonist intended to amplify natural growth hormone and IGF-1 output. No published scientific record specific to MK-777 could be identified, so it is best regarded as an experimental compound whose rationale rests entirely on the biology of the growth hormone secretagogue class rather than on any direct evidence. For that class, non-peptide secretagogues acting at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor can restore youthful pulsatile growth hormone secretion and raise IGF-1, as demonstrated for MK-677. The citations here are provided as class-level context and do not characterize MK-777 itself; independent verification of its identity, potency, and safety is lacking.
Power Duo ModaXL is a 250 mg tablet said to contain both modafinil and armodafinil in a single dose.
Modified GRF 1-29 is a synthetic peptide analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), built from the first 29 amino acids of GHRH with four amino acid substitutions that make it more resistant to breakdown. It is closely related to sermorelin and to CJC-1295; in fact it is the short-acting form of CJC-1295, lacking the albumin-binding attachment (the drug affinity complex, or DAC) that gives the latter its long duration. Like other GHRH analogs it prompts the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, and it is handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) is an acetylated, more water-soluble form of the amino acid L-tyrosine, originally introduced as a tyrosine source for intravenous nutrition. It is widely marketed as a nootropic on the premise that tyrosine is the precursor of the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. However, human and animal studies indicate that N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is converted to free tyrosine inefficiently, with much of an infused dose excreted unchanged in the urine.
Nortadalafil, also called demethyltadalafil or n-desmethyl tadalafil, is a close structural analog of the long-acting erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil. Like its parent it is a PDE5 inhibitor, blocking the enzyme that degrades cyclic GMP so that nitric oxide signaling persists, relaxing smooth muscle and improving blood flow with the extended duration tadalafil is known for [5][6]. It has been repeatedly identified by regulators as an adulterant in supplements [1][2], and, as with all PDE5 inhibitors, it must never be combined with nitrate medications.
Orexin-A, also known as hypocretin-1, is a 33-amino-acid neuropeptide produced by a small population of neurons in the lateral hypothalamus that is central to promoting wakefulness and arousal. It is one of two orexin peptides cut from a single precursor and signals through two G-protein-coupled receptors. Narcolepsy type 1 is essentially an orexin-deficiency disease, in which the roughly 70,000 orexin-producing neurons are selectively destroyed and cerebrospinal-fluid orexin becomes undetectable; this is the rationale for orexin-2 receptor agonists now in clinical trials as the first mechanism-based, replacement-style treatment rather than a symptomatic stimulant. Since its discovery in 1998 the orexin system has become a major target in sleep medicine.
Orexin-B, also known as hypocretin-2, is a 28-amino-acid neuropeptide made in the hypothalamus that, together with orexin-A, promotes wakefulness, arousal, and appetite. It is cut from the same precursor as orexin-A but lacks internal disulfide bonds and preferentially activates the orexin type 2 receptor. That receptor is the target of the dual orexin receptor antagonists suvorexant, lemborexant, and daridorexant, which treat insomnia by blocking the same signaling whose loss causes narcolepsy, making the two conditions pharmacological mirror images; one of these drugs was also reported to acutely lower tau and amyloid-beta in human cerebrospinal fluid. The orexin system was discovered in 1998.
Ostarine, known in drug development as enobosarm or MK-2866, is an investigational selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). SARMs are compounds designed to stimulate the androgen receptor in a tissue-selective way, aiming to build muscle and bone like anabolic steroids but with fewer effects on organs such as the prostate. Ostarine has been studied mainly for the muscle wasting associated with cancer and related conditions, but it is not approved as a medicine anywhere; it is prohibited in sport and has been the subject of regulatory warnings over its sale in bodybuilding and supplement products.
OTR-AC is an acetate ester of ostarine (enobosarm), the most clinically characterized selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) in development. It is designed to deliver enobosarm's muscle-selective, orally active anabolic signal, building lean mass and physical function while sparing the prostate and other tissues that traditional androgens affect [3][4]. In controlled trials, enobosarm consistently increased lean body mass in older adults and cancer patients [1][2], and the acetate ester form is marketed as more potent per milligram.
PEG-MGF is a stability-engineered form of mechano growth factor (MGF), a splice variant of the IGF-1 gene that is switched on in muscle by mechanical loading and damage. Its C-terminal peptide is proposed to act as an early trigger that activates satellite (muscle stem) cells for repair before systemic IGF-1 takes over, and attaching a polyethylene glycol group is intended to extend its very short circulating life. Whether the synthetic C-terminal MGF peptide has genuine biological activity is still scientifically disputed, with published studies on both sides, and PEG-MGF remains an unapproved research peptide.
PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a first-in-class libido peptide that works in the brain rather than the bloodstream, activating melanocortin pathways to spark sexual desire and arousal in both women and men [1][2]. Unlike erectile-focused drugs that act on blood vessels, it targets the central circuits of desire, and it is the active ingredient in Vyleesi, approved by the FDA in 2019 for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women [2][3]. A synthetic analog of the hormone alpha-MSH, PT-141 is prized as the rare desire-boosting agent backed by large randomized clinical trials [3][4].
RAD-150 (TLB-150 Benzoate) is a research chemical marketed as an ester form of the popular SARM RAD-140 (Testolone), promoted for building muscle and strength with a potentially longer-acting profile [1]. Like other selective androgen receptor modulators, it is intended to stimulate the androgen receptor in muscle and bone, but RAD-150 itself has no published pharmacological or clinical studies, so its profile is inferred from RAD-140 and the broader SARM class [1]. It is an unapproved, WADA-banned research chemical, and the RAD-140 family it is based on has been linked in case reports to serious cardiovascular harm [1][2][3].
Rhodiola rosea, commonly called golden root or roseroot, is a perennial flowering plant of the family Crassulaceae that grows in cold, high-altitude and Arctic regions. Its root has a long history of use in the traditional medicine of northern Europe and Asia, and it is popularly classed as an adaptogen, an herb said to help the body resist stress and fatigue. Its most characteristic studied constituents are the phenolic compounds rosavin and salidroside, though high-quality clinical evidence for its benefits is limited.
S-23 is a high-affinity, orally active selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) first characterized as a candidate for hormonal male contraception. It binds the androgen receptor as a full agonist and, in animal studies, builds lean muscle mass and bone mineral density while cutting fat, a tissue-selective anabolic profile that has drawn strong interest for body recomposition. It also potently and reversibly suppresses testosterone and sperm production, which is central to both its contraceptive rationale and its cautions.
Sildenafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor best known for treating erectile dysfunction, for which it was the first approved oral drug. Under a separate brand it is also used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. Discovered by Pfizer and approved in 1998, it is sold most famously as Viagra and, for lung disease, as Revatio.
Sodium bicarbonate is an inorganic salt with the formula NaHCO3, made up of a sodium cation and a bicarbonate anion, and is widely known as baking soda. It appears as a white crystalline powder with a faintly salty, alkaline taste and dissolves readily in water. Beyond its household and culinary roles, it is used medically as an antacid and to counter metabolic acidosis, and in sport it is taken as a buffering agent intended to improve high-intensity performance.
SR-9009, also known as Stenabolic, is a synthetic agonist of the nuclear receptors REV-ERB-alpha and REV-ERB-beta, core repressive components of the circadian clock that link the body's timekeeping to metabolism. By activating REV-ERB, it reprograms clock and metabolic gene expression across the hypothalamus, liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue; in mice it increases energy expenditure, reduces fat mass, improves dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, alters sleep architecture, and raises mitochondrial content and endurance capacity through the Rev-erb-alpha to LKB1-AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1alpha pathway. Pharmacological REV-ERB activation has also proven selectively lethal to cancer cells and oncogene-induced senescent cells by suppressing autophagy and de novo lipogenesis. Studies using conditional REV-ERB knockouts have shown that some of SR-9009's actions persist without the receptors, indicating REV-ERB-independent off-target effects and reinforcing its status as a research tool rather than an approved therapeutic.
SR-9011 is a synthetic agonist of the REV-ERB nuclear receptors and a close structural analogue of SR-9009. Acting on these circadian clock receptors, it reprograms fuel metabolism across the day, and in rodents it raises energy expenditure and fat oxidation while reducing body weight. It is widely used as a research tool for dissecting how the body clock connects to metabolism, immunity, sleep, and cell proliferation.
Superdrol, known generically as methasterone, is a synthetic, orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone. First prepared in the 1950s but never developed as a medicine, it later resurfaced as a designer steroid sold over the counter as a bodybuilding supplement. It is now a controlled substance and is noted chiefly for pronounced liver toxicity.
TB-500 is a synthetic peptide based on a fragment of thymosin beta-4, a naturally occurring actin-regulating protein involved in cell migration, angiogenesis, and tissue repair. By buffering the cell's pool of actin it promotes the cell movement that closes wounds and builds new blood vessels; notably, its parent protein was the first molecule shown to switch the dormant adult heart's outer layer back into its embryonic vessel-building program after injury. Thymosin beta-4 itself has been advanced into human trials for wound healing, dry eye, and cardiac repair, while TB-500 is used as a research peptide and is prohibited in sport.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone and the first therapy approved by the FDA specifically to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat, in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. By stimulating the body's own pulsatile release of growth hormone it lowers deep abdominal fat and raises IGF-1; beyond that, trials have shown it reduces liver fat in fatty liver disease and, by restoring more youthful pulsatile GH signaling, has improved muscle mitochondrial function and measures of cognition. It is marketed as Egrifta and given by daily injection.
Testosterone is the principal androgen and male sex hormone, a C19 steroid produced mainly by the Leydig cells of the testes in men and in smaller amounts by the ovaries and adrenal glands in women. It drives development of male reproductive tissue and secondary sexual characteristics and supports muscle and bone mass, red-blood-cell production, libido, and sperm formation. Synthesized in the body from cholesterol, testosterone is also manufactured as a medicine, used chiefly as replacement therapy for male hypogonadism, and is regulated as an anabolic-androgenic steroid because of its potential for misuse [1].
Testosterone undecanoate is a long-chain fatty acid ester of testosterone taken as an oral softgel; it is absorbed through intestinal lymphatics rather than the portal vein, which is what lets an oral androgen work at all.
Theacrine is a naturally occurring purine alkaloid, chemically 1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid, that is closely related to caffeine and found in the leaves of kucha tea (Camellia assamica var. kucha) and in the cupuacu fruit. It has stimulant-like properties and, like caffeine, acts on adenosine and dopamine signaling to influence energy, alertness, and locomotor activity [1]. Sold as a dietary supplement, often under the trade name TeaCrine, it has drawn attention as a longer-acting alternative to caffeine that appears less prone to tolerance with repeated use [2].
TMG (trimethylglycine, sold as betaine anhydrous) is a methyl donor; a small molecule that carries three methyl groups (CH3 chemical tags) it can hand off to other molecules. It comes originally from beets, and its headline job in the body is recycling homocysteine (an amino acid that damages blood vessels when it builds up too high) back into methionine, using an enzyme called BHMT (betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase). By feeding that reaction, TMG lowers homocysteine and supports the whole methylation system, which touches everything from DNA maintenance to neurotransmitter and mood chemistry. People take it for three main reasons: reliably lowering homocysteine, supporting liver health in fatty liver (NAFLD), and squeezing out a bit more strength and power in training. One point of confusion worth clearing up: TMG is chemically the exact same molecule as betaine, but it is NOT the same product as Betaine HCl; Betaine HCl is the hydrochloride salt people use to add stomach acid for digestion, while TMG/anhydrous betaine is the plain methylation form. Same core molecule, very different job.
Trekrezan is a Russian actoprotector and adaptogen (a synthetic agent that raises the body's nonspecific resistance to physical, thermal, and hypoxic stress) that also acts as an immunomodulator and antioxidant. Chemically it is tris(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium 2-methylphenoxyacetate, the triethanolamine salt of ortho-cresoxyacetic acid (molecular formula C15H25NO6), and the same active substance is marketed in agriculture and microbiology under the name Crezacin. It was developed by the school of academician Mikhail Voronkov at the Irkutsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and has been studied primarily in rodent models with a smaller body of human cold-exposure data. Rather than binding a single receptor, Trekrezan is characterized as an energy-stabilizing, meteoadaptogenic compound that shifts stressed tissue metabolism back toward aerobic ATP production, strengthens enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses, and modulates humoral immunity and hematopoiesis.
Trimetazidine is an anti-anginal metabolic agent that shifts cardiac energy production from fatty acid oxidation toward glucose oxidation; it is banned in sport and carries a movement disorder risk.
Urolithin A is a compound produced by gut bacteria from ellagitannins and ellagic acid, plant polyphenols found in foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and berries. It is not present in food itself but is formed in the gut, and people differ widely in how much they make, with some producing none. It has attracted research as an inducer of mitophagy, the recycling of damaged mitochondria, and is sold as a dietary supplement studied for mitochondrial health, muscle function and ageing [1][2].
The Wolverine Stack is a popular regenerative peptide combination that pairs BPC-157 with TB-500, named for the comic-book mutant famous for his near-instant healing. It brings together two of the most sought-after recovery peptides: BPC-157, a gastric peptide that accelerates tendon, ligament, muscle, and gut healing, and TB-500, a thymosin beta-4 peptide that drives cell migration and new blood vessel growth. Marketed to athletes and biohackers chasing faster injury recovery, the stack is prized for its complementary, tissue-repairing effects.
Yohimbine is an indole alkaloid obtained mainly from the bark of the West African tree Pausinystalia johimbe (yohimbe). Pharmacologically it acts chiefly as an antagonist of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, and it has a long history as a purported aphrodisiac and a treatment for erectile dysfunction. It is available in some countries as a prescription drug and elsewhere as a dietary supplement, though its stimulant-like cardiovascular effects and inconsistent product quality have raised safety concerns.
Thozalinone is a classic oxazolinone psychostimulant from the same chemical family as pemoline, originally developed in the 1960s as a mood-lifting antidepressant and appetite suppressant. It delivers amphetamine-like central stimulation and energizing, drive-boosting effects through dopaminergic pathways. A largely forgotten agent of the early psychopharmacology era, it has drawn renewed curiosity as a stimulant research chemical.
SLU-PP-915 is an orally active, chemically distinct pan-agonist of the estrogen-related receptors (ERR-alpha, beta, and gamma) and the successor to SLU-PP-332, engineered as a next-generation exercise mimetic. Activating these master regulators of endurance metabolism, it raises aerobic capacity, mitochondrial gene expression, and fat oxidation in animal studies, and it synergizes with actual exercise training. Its key advance over the earlier compound is oral bioavailability, making it a far more practical tool for chronic study of pharmacological exercise.
Epoetin alfa is a recombinant form of human erythropoietin, the hormone that drives red blood cell production, and it belongs to the class of drugs known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. Manufactured through recombinant DNA technology, it is given by injection to treat anemia arising from chronic kidney disease, cancer chemotherapy, certain HIV treatments, and other conditions. It is sold under brand names including Epogen and Procrit and appears on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.
Regular insulin, also called soluble or short-acting insulin, is human insulin with its natural, unmodified amino acid sequence, used to lower blood sugar in diabetes. Given by injection before meals or into a vein in the hospital, it begins working in about half an hour and lasts several hours, and it is a standard treatment for diabetic emergencies such as ketoacidosis and for dangerously high blood potassium. Modern regular insulin is produced by recombinant DNA technology, and it appears on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines.
Insulin lispro is a rapid-acting insulin analog used at mealtimes to control blood sugar in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It was the first insulin analog to be developed, created by swapping the order of two amino acids, lysine and proline, near the end of the insulin B chain so that the hormone is absorbed and acts faster than regular human insulin. Introduced by Eli Lilly in 1996 under the brand name Humalog, it is listed by the World Health Organization as an essential medicine.
Clenbuterol is used for fat loss, and that is the only reason most people encounter it, so it is worth being direct about what the evidence supports. It is a long-acting beta-2 agonist licensed in some countries as an asthma bronchodilator and widely used in veterinary medicine; it raises metabolic rate and drives lipolysis, and in livestock and rodents it reliably shifts body composition toward lean mass [32][31]. What is missing is the human version of that result. There is no controlled trial showing clenbuterol produces meaningful fat loss in healthy people, while there is a systematic review of case reports documenting what it does produce: tachycardia, arrhythmia, myocarditis and hospital admissions [14]. The gap between those two literatures is the whole story.
L-Carnitine is a naturally occurring quaternary ammonium compound that the body builds from the amino acids lysine and methionine. It plays a central part in energy metabolism by ferrying long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane, where they are broken down to release energy. Present in the highest amounts in red meat and other animal foods and also made internally, it is used medically to treat carnitine deficiency and is widely sold as a dietary supplement for heart, metabolic, and exercise-related purposes.
AICAR is the original exercise mimetic, an AMPK-activating compound famous for enhancing endurance without a single workout. In a landmark study, four weeks of AICAR alone boosted running endurance in sedentary mice by 44 percent, switching on the same metabolic genes that exercise activates. Coveted for its ability to reprogram muscle toward fat-burning, endurance, and improved glucose handling, it remains one of the most sought-after metabolic and performance compounds in research.
RAD-140, also known as testolone, is an experimental selective androgen receptor modulator, or SARM, a class of nonsteroidal compounds designed to stimulate muscle and bone growth while causing fewer of the unwanted effects of anabolic steroids. It was created by a pharmaceutical company as a potential treatment for conditions such as muscle wasting and, later, hormone-sensitive breast cancer, but it has not been approved for any medical use. Despite this, it is sold online and misused for bodybuilding, a practice associated with reports of liver and heart injury, and it is banned in sport by anti-doping authorities.
YK-11 is a synthetic steroidal SARM (selective androgen receptor modulator) famous in bodybuilding circles as a myostatin inhibitor, prized for its potential to push muscle growth past the body's natural limits. Uniquely among SARMs, it drives muscle cells to produce follistatin, a protein that blocks myostatin, the built-in brake on muscle size. This dual action as both an androgen receptor activator and a follistatin booster has made YK-11 one of the most talked-about compounds for lean mass, though it remains an experimental, unapproved research chemical.
SLU-PP-332 is the founding compound of the estrogen-related receptor (ERR) agonist class of exercise mimetics, a synthetic pan-agonist with the highest potency for ERR-alpha. By activating the nuclear receptors that master mitochondrial metabolism, it switches on a genetic program resembling acute aerobic exercise, boosting endurance, mitochondrial function, and fat oxidation in animal models. It is the molecule that opened the door to pharmacologically capturing the benefits of exercise.
MK-677, widely known as Ibutamoren, is an orally active, non-peptide growth hormone secretagogue that mimics the hunger hormone ghrelin at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor to amplify the body's own pulsatile production of growth hormone and IGF-1. In a two-year randomized controlled trial in older adults it restored growth hormone secretion into the young-adult range and significantly increased fat-free mass without serious adverse effects, and separate controlled studies show it raises IGF-1 in growth-hormone-deficient children, increases markers of bone turnover, and improves slow-wave and REM sleep. Because it is taken once daily by mouth rather than injected, it is among the most rigorously characterized compounds in the growth hormone space. Trials in frailer populations have been more equivocal, with the ghrelin-mimetic mechanism engaging its target reliably while functional and disease-modifying benefits, for example in hip-fracture recovery and Alzheimer disease, were not established; increased appetite, transient edema, and reduced insulin sensitivity are recognized effects.
Bemethyl, also known as bemitil, is a synthetic benzimidazole developed in the Soviet Union and classified as an actoprotector, a drug intended to boost physical working capacity and resistance to stress. Rather than scavenging free radicals directly, it works largely by increasing the cell's own synthesis of antioxidant and gluconeogenic enzymes, an RNA- and protein-synthesis-based mechanism that also supports energy metabolism and heat and hypoxia tolerance. Marketed in Russia under names such as Metaprot and reportedly used by Soviet athletes and cosmonauts, it is little known in Western medicine and is monitored, though not banned, in sport.
Dimethylglycine (DMG), or N,N-dimethylglycine, is a derivative of the amino acid glycine that occurs naturally as an intermediate in one-carbon metabolism, formed as choline and betaine are broken down, and is present in small amounts in foods such as beans, liver, and cereal grains. Beyond its role as a source of methyl groups, it doubles as an electron donor to the mitochondrial respiratory chain: the enzyme dimethylglycine dehydrogenase demethylates it to sarcosine and passes the resulting electrons to the electron-transfer flavoprotein, and loss of this enzyme causes a rare inborn error marked by a fishy body odor and raised creatine kinase. DMG is sold as a dietary supplement and has been promoted for athletic performance, immune function, and autism, though controlled studies have generally not supported these claims.
RAD-140 (Testolone) plus YK-11 is a popular bodybuilding stack that pairs two selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) sought for rapid gains in muscle mass and strength [1]. RAD-140 is a potent nonsteroidal androgen receptor agonist designed to drive muscle growth with fewer of the prostate and hormonal effects of testosterone, while YK-11 is a steroidal SARM marketed as a myostatin-modulating muscle-builder [1][7]. Both are investigational research chemicals, not approved drugs, and both are banned in sport; importantly, RAD-140 has been linked in case reports to serious cardiac harm, so the stack carries real risk [1][2][3].
5-alpha-Hydroxy-Laxogenin is a spirostanol brassinosteroid, a plant sterol, sold in supplements as a "natural anabolic" or adaptogen. Despite the marketing, solid human evidence that it builds muscle or acts like an anabolic steroid is essentially absent. It is best thought of as a plant-derived compound with claimed but unproven ergogenic effects.
Anadrol is a brand name for oxymetholone, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone. Introduced in the early 1960s, it is used medically to treat certain anemias by stimulating red blood cell production, and historically for conditions involving muscle wasting. Because it is 17-alpha-alkylated it can be taken by mouth, but it carries a notable risk of liver toxicity, and in many countries it is a controlled substance often misused for physique and performance enhancement.
Anavar is a brand name for oxandrolone, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid developed in the early 1960s. A derivative of dihydrotestosterone with an oxygen atom substituted into its steroid ring, it is taken by mouth and is known for a relatively high ratio of anabolic to androgenic activity. It has been used medically to help patients regain weight after trauma, surgery, or severe burns and in other catabolic conditions, and it is also misused for physique and performance enhancement.
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a group of three essential amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, named for the branched shape of their molecular side chains. They cannot be made by the body and must come from protein in the diet, and they make up a large share of the amino acids in muscle. They are sold widely as sports supplements for muscle growth and recovery, with leucine in particular acting as a trigger for muscle protein synthesis, though the value of taking them in isolation is debated.
Beetroot extract is a concentrated preparation from the root of the beet (Beta vulgaris), best known as a rich dietary source of inorganic nitrate. Once consumed, that nitrate is converted in the body into nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels, and this underpins beetroot's most studied effects: modest reductions in blood pressure and improvements in exercise efficiency and endurance. It also contains the red betalain pigment betanin and is sold as juice, powder, and concentrated shots.
BMS-564929 is a nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as an orally active candidate for age-related decline in muscle and strength. In laboratory studies it behaves as a potent androgen receptor agonist that favors skeletal muscle over the prostate, a tissue selectivity intended to separate the anabolic benefits of androgens from unwanted prostate stimulation. It advanced into early clinical testing but was never approved, and, like other SARMs, it has been prohibited in sport since 2008.
Casein is the main protein in milk, making up roughly 80 percent of the protein in cow's milk. It is a family of phosphoproteins that clump together into microscopic clusters called micelles, and it is the component of milk that curdles to form cheese. As a nutritional supplement, casein is valued as a slow-digesting protein that releases amino acids gradually over several hours, which has made it popular for muscle recovery and as a protein taken before sleep.
Cistanche is a genus of parasitic desert plants in the family Orobanchaceae whose dried fleshy stems have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Known in Chinese as rou cong rong and nicknamed desert ginseng, it is taken as a tonic said to support vitality, sexual function, and healthy aging. Its most studied constituents are phenylethanoid glycosides such as echinacoside and acteoside, though most of the supporting evidence to date comes from laboratory and animal research.
Citrulline malate is a compound that pairs the amino acid L-citrulline with malic acid, sold mainly as a sports-nutrition supplement. It is marketed to boost exercise performance, delay fatigue, and ease muscle soreness, combining citrulline's role in nitric oxide production with malate's part in cellular energy metabolism. Trial results are mixed, with some studies showing benefits for high-intensity exercise and others showing none.
Metandienone, more widely known by the former brand name Dianabol, is an orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid, a synthetic relative of the male hormone testosterone. Developed in the 1950s, it was among the first such steroids to be used widely by athletes and bodybuilders to build muscle and enhance performance. It has largely been withdrawn from legitimate medical use and is now encountered mainly as a non-medical performance-enhancing drug. In the United States and many other countries it is a controlled substance and is banned in competitive sport.
Dihydroboldenone (DHB), also known as 1-testosterone, is an anabolic-androgenic steroid; chemically it is the 5-alpha-reduced form of boldenone and a close relative of DHT. It is used in bodybuilding circles for lean, dry muscle gains and strength without estrogen conversion. It has a reputation for strong anabolic activity and, like most injectable steroids, for causing painful injection sites. It is a controlled substance in many countries and is not a supplement.
Epiandrosterone (3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one; also called isoandrosterone) is an endogenous 5-alpha-reduced steroid formed from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione, and it is the 3-beta-hydroxyl epimer of androsterone. It circulates in humans predominantly as its sulfate ester and functions as a weak neurosteroid (a steroid that acts on neuronal receptors rather than classical nuclear hormone receptors), producing only mild modulation of the GABA-A receptor (the brain's principal inhibitory chloride ion channel) while inhibiting glycine receptors (another inhibitory ligand-gated channel concentrated in the spinal cord and brainstem). Beyond the nervous system it is a well-characterized uncompetitive inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD, the rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway) and a recognized urinary marker of 5-alpha-reductase activity. Because it can be metabolized toward dihydrotestosterone (DHT, the most potent natural androgen), it is also sold over the counter as a non-methylated androgen prohormone.
Epicatechin is a flavanol, a type of plant polyphenol found in cocoa, tea, apples, and grapes. Its naturally predominant (-)-epicatechin form is thought to be the main compound behind the beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on blood vessels. It is studied chiefly for its ability to improve the function of the endothelium, the lining of blood vessels, largely by increasing the availability of nitric oxide.
Equipoise is a brand name for boldenone undecylenate, an anabolic-androgenic steroid given by injection. Chemically it is the undecylenate ester of boldenone, a synthetic relative of testosterone, and it works as a long-acting prodrug that releases boldenone slowly in the body. Once used briefly in human medicine, it is today marketed mainly for veterinary use in horses and is also used non-medically for muscle building. In many countries it is a controlled substance and is banned in competitive sport.
Ethomersol is a benzimidazole actoprotector and antihypoxant (5-ethoxy-2-ethylthio-1H-benzimidazole) developed within the Soviet military-medical pharmacology school as the lipophilic 5-ethoxy analog of bemitil. As an actoprotector it is designed to raise and sustain physical and mental work capacity under adverse conditions without increasing oxygen consumption or heat production, placing it in the same "synthetic adaptogen" class as bemitil and bromantane. It belongs to the aliphatic and cyclic aminothiol lineage synthesized by F.Yu. Rachinsky and studied under V.M. Vinogradov at the S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, alongside gutimin, amtizole and bemitil. Rather than acting on a classical receptor, it normalizes cellular energy metabolism during oxygen deficit, acts as a direct antioxidant, and stimulates adaptive protein synthesis, giving it combined antihypoxic, antioxidant, energotropic and reparative activity documented in preclinical models of hypoxia, toxic injury, and traumatic brain injury.
GLPG-0492 is an experimental non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed by the pharmaceutical company Galapagos. In preclinical studies it acted as a partial agonist of the androgen receptor, producing anabolic effects on skeletal muscle while largely sparing the prostate, and it was investigated for muscle-wasting conditions such as cachexia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy [1][2][4]. It advanced into early clinical evaluation but has not been approved for use as a medicine.
Glycerol, also called glycerine, is a simple sugar alcohol with three hydroxyl groups, a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, and syrupy liquid that mixes readily with water. It occurs naturally as the backbone of fats and oils, from which it is released during their breakdown, and it is produced on a large scale both from plant and animal fats and as a byproduct of soap and biodiesel manufacture. Because it strongly attracts and holds water, glycerol is used widely as a humectant and solvent in foods, medicines, and personal-care products, and it also serves niche roles in medicine and sports hydration.
GSK-2849466 is an experimental non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It was evaluated in an early-stage, phase I clinical trial that assessed its safety, tolerability, and pharmacological behavior in healthy men, in the context of possible use for muscle-wasting conditions such as cachexia [1][2]. It did not become an approved medicine and remains a research compound.
GSK-971086 is an experimental non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It was tested in an early-stage, phase I clinical trial that examined its safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in healthy men, with a view to conditions involving androgen deficiency and loss of muscle [1][2]. It did not reach approval and remains investigational.
GTX-027 is described as an experimental selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) associated with GTx, the company behind better-known compounds of this class such as enobosarm (ostarine) and andarine. Publicly verifiable information specific to GTX-027 is extremely limited; under that designation it does not appear in the indexed biomedical literature or in clinical-trial registries. It has not been approved and is best regarded as a thinly documented research designation within the SARM class [1][2][3].
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), also called somatomedin C, is a peptide hormone that is structurally close to insulin and serves as the principal mediator of growth hormone action. Produced chiefly by the liver but also locally in tissues, it signals through the IGF-1 receptor to drive cell proliferation, differentiation, and protein synthesis, and it feeds back on the hypothalamus and pituitary to help regulate the growth hormone axis. A notable feature is the alternative splicing of the IGF-1 gene in skeletal muscle to yield mechano growth factor, a variant rapidly induced by mechanical loading or injury that is associated with satellite (stem) cell activation and repair, though its distinct peptide activity remains debated. A recombinant form, mecasermin, is an approved therapy for children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency, and the hormone remains a central focus in research on aging, longevity, neuroprotection, and cancer risk.
Istradefylline is a selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonist used as an add-on to levodopa-based therapy in adults with Parkinson's disease. It is taken to reduce daily off episodes, the stretches of the day when dopaminergic medication wears off and motor symptoms return [1][2]. Structurally a xanthine derivative, it was the first drug of its class to reach the market and acts through a non-dopaminergic pathway distinct from conventional Parkinson's treatments [1].
A ketone ester is an ingestible compound, most commonly (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate, that rapidly and transiently raises blood D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) without requiring fasting or a ketogenic diet [1][2]. By delivering ketone bodies directly, it induces 'acute nutritional ketosis' and provides an alternative oxidative fuel to glucose, with studied applications in endurance performance, metabolic health and cognition [1][3].
Masteron is a brand name for drostanolone, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Introduced around 1960 and once used medically, chiefly as a secondary treatment for breast cancer in women, it is now encountered mainly as a non-medical performance and physique-enhancing drug and is a controlled substance in many countries [1][2]. It is usually supplied as an injectable ester such as drostanolone propionate, and because it derives from DHT it cannot be converted into estrogen [1].
MK-3984 is an experimental selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) developed by Merck. Like other SARMs it was designed to switch on the androgen receptor selectively in muscle and bone while largely sparing tissues such as the prostate, with the goal of treating conditions like muscle wasting and osteoporosis. It never reached clinical use, its development was discontinued, and today it is encountered mainly as a research chemical.
N-Acetyl Semax is an acetylated analog of Semax, a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro that is based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Developed and studied extensively in Russia, Semax is used there as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent, including in stroke and cognitive disorders, and appears on the Russian list of essential medicines. The N-acetyl modification is meant to improve stability; it is far less studied than the parent peptide, and neither form is approved in most countries.
Nandrolone, chemically 19-nortestosterone, is an anabolic-androgenic steroid closely related to testosterone. Usually given as a long-acting ester such as nandrolone decanoate (Deca-Durabolin), it has been used medically for conditions involving muscle wasting, anemia, and osteoporosis, and it is also one of the most widely misused steroids in bodybuilding and sport. It is a controlled substance in many countries and has been banned in athletic competition for decades.
ORG-43902 is an experimental small-molecule agonist of the luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor, developed by the pharmaceutical company Organon. Unlike the natural hormones that activate this receptor, which are large glycoproteins given by injection, ORG-43902 is a low-molecular-weight compound intended to be taken by mouth. It was investigated as a potential oral means of inducing ovulation in the setting of assisted reproduction. In an early clinical study a single oral dose was reported to trigger ovulation, but the compound has remained an investigational research agent rather than an approved medicine.
Pitolisant is a histamine H3 receptor antagonist and inverse agonist used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in adults with narcolepsy. By blocking the H3 autoreceptor it boosts the brain's own histamine signalling, which promotes wakefulness and places it among the wake-promoting agents sometimes called eugeroics. Marketed mainly as Wakix, it was approved in the European Union in 2016 and by the United States FDA in 2019, and it is unusual among narcolepsy drugs in not being classified as a controlled substance in the United States.
Primobolan is a brand name for metenolone (also spelled methenolone), an anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is sold in two forms, an oral acetate (Primobolan) and an injectable enanthate (Primobolan Depot), and medically it has been used mainly to treat certain anemias and muscle-wasting conditions. Metenolone produces modest muscle-building effects with relatively weak androgenic activity and, unlike many oral steroids, does not convert to estrogen and is not notably toxic to the liver; it is a controlled substance in many countries and is banned in sport.
Solriamfetol is an oral selective dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (a phenylalanine derivative) approved in the United States and European Union to improve wakefulness in adults with excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea. It is marketed as Sunosi and is a US Schedule IV controlled substance.
Suma, known botanically as Hebanthe eriantha and often as Pfaffia paniculata, is a South American vine of the amaranth family whose root is used in traditional Brazilian herbal medicine. Popularly called Brazilian ginseng and nicknamed para tudo, meaning for everything, it is taken as a general tonic and adaptogen and reputed aphrodisiac. Its root contains distinctive saponins known as pfaffosides along with plant sterols, and most research to date has been in cell and animal studies rather than human trials.
Trenbolone is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from nandrolone, developed for veterinary use to promote growth in cattle and never approved for humans [1][4]. It is a potent agonist of the androgen receptor and is used illicitly by some bodybuilders and athletes to build muscle, despite being a controlled substance in many countries [1]. It is typically administered as ester prodrugs such as trenbolone acetate.
Tribulus terrestris is a flowering plant in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, widely known as puncture vine, goathead or devil's-thorn for its hard, spiny fruit. Native to warm regions of southern Eurasia and Africa and now a widespread weed, it has a long history in traditional medicine and is sold today as a dietary supplement marketed for libido, athletic performance and testosterone support. Controlled research has not consistently shown that it raises testosterone in healthy men [1].
Chlorodehydromethyltestosterone, sold as Oral Turinabol and often shortened to turinabol, is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid taken by mouth. It is a chlorinated derivative of metandienone (Dianabol), designed to separate anabolic muscle-building effects from androgenic ones. Developed by the East German firm Jenapharm in the 1960s, it became notorious as the central drug of the state-sponsored doping of athletes in the former German Democratic Republic [1][2].
Turkesterone is a phytoecdysteroid, a plant steroid structurally related to the insect moulting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone, found most notably in the herb Ajuga turkestanica. It is chemically the 11-alpha-hydroxy analogue of 20-hydroxyecdysone and has been promoted as a natural dietary supplement for building muscle. Despite this marketing, its pharmacokinetics and effects in humans remain largely uncharacterised, and controlled human trials are lacking [1][2].
Urolithin B is one of the urolithins, compounds produced by gut bacteria from the ellagitannins and ellagic acid in foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and berries. Chemically it is a monohydroxy dibenzopyranone and a downstream product of the same microbial pathway that yields urolithin A. It has been studied mainly for effects on skeletal muscle, where laboratory and animal work suggests it can promote muscle growth [1][2].
Whey protein isolate is a dietary supplement made from whey, the liquid left over when milk is curdled during cheese production. It is a highly refined form of whey protein, processed to remove most of the fat and lactose so that the powder is typically over ninety percent protein by weight, which distinguishes it from the less concentrated whey protein concentrate. Rich in essential amino acids and particularly in leucine, it is widely used in sports nutrition and in clinical settings to support muscle protein synthesis.
Winstrol is a brand name for stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone. It is distinguished by a pyrazole ring fused to the steroid A-ring and by 17-alpha-alkylation, a modification that lets it remain active when taken by mouth. Introduced in 1962, it has been used medically for conditions such as hereditary angioedema and certain anemias, and it also became one of the most notorious performance-enhancing drugs in sport.
