Metabolic Playbook
Research Compound Reference

Mechanism, trial history, and regulatory context for research peptides

Independent reference pages for 15 compounds including GLP-1 receptor agonists, healing peptides, growth hormone secretagogues, and related research chemicals. No medical advice. No dosing recommendations. Just the published research.

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Research use only. Compounds discussed on this site include approved medications, investigational drugs, and research peptides. Material sold as a research chemical is intended for laboratory use and is not cleared for human administration. This site does not provide medical advice.

Compounds by category

15 reference pages covering mechanism, clinical trial history, safety, and regulatory status.

GLP-1 & Metabolic

Semaglutide
Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist originally developed by Novo Nordisk.
Tirzepatide
First-in-class dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Eli Lilly.
Retatrutide
Investigational triple agonist of GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors.
Cagrilintide
Long-acting amylin receptor analog in clinical development by Novo Nordisk.
CagriSema
Investigational combination of a long-acting amylin analog and semaglutide.

Healing & Recovery

TB-500
Synthetic peptide related to the active region of thymosin beta-4.
GHK-Cu
Naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide found in human plasma.

Growth Hormone Axis

Ipamorelin
Selective growth hormone secretagogue that acts at the ghrelin receptor.
Tesamorelin
Stabilized growth hormone-releasing hormone analog approved for HIV lipodystrophy.
IGF-1 LR3
Engineered insulin-like growth factor 1 variant with extended half-life.

Immune & Longevity

Thymosin Alpha-1
28 amino acid peptide studied extensively as an immune modulator.
MOTS-c
16 amino acid peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome.

Melanocortin

Melanotan II
Synthetic nonselective melanocortin receptor agonist developed in academic research.
PT-141 (Bremelanotide)
FDA-approved melanocortin receptor agonist derived from melanotan II research.

Research Support

Bacteriostatic Water
Sterile diluent used to reconstitute lyophilized peptides in laboratory settings.

Long-form research articles

Deeper dives on compound families and what the published research actually shows.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: What the Research Shows
GLP-1 receptor agonists have become one of the most talked-about drug classes of the past decade. This article walks through what they are, how they work, and what the peer-reviewed clinical research actually shows. It covers the first-generation single agonists like semaglutide, the dual agonist tirzepatide, and the investigational triple agonist retatrutide.
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BPC-157 and TB-500: The Research Behind Healing Peptides
BPC-157 and TB-500 are two of the most discussed research peptides in recovery and sports medicine circles. Both are marketed informally as tissue repair peptides. This article walks through what the peer-reviewed literature actually shows, where the gaps are, and why the regulatory and anti-doping communities classify them the way they do.
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Growth Hormone Secretagogues: Ipamorelin, Tesamorelin, and the GH Axis
Growth hormone secretagogues are compounds that cause the pituitary gland to release more of its own stored growth hormone. Instead of administering growth hormone directly, they work upstream by activating the natural signaling pathways that control its release. This article covers how the growth hormone axis actually works, the two main receptor families drug developers have targeted, and what the published research shows about the best-known compounds in each family.
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Research sourcing

The compounds referenced on this site are listed by our partner, GLP1 Research Lab, a supplier of lyophilized peptides for laboratory use. Listings include compound identifiers relevant to research documentation.

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