IGF-1 DES
Des(1-3) IGF-1 · IGF-DES
Truncated, highly potent IGF-1 variant with very short half-life; site-injection research compound.
Key takeaways
- Truncated IGF-1 that barely binds IGF-binding proteins, leaving more free active hormone.
- Markedly more potent than full-length IGF-1 at the receptor in vitro.
- Very short half-life (~30 min); reported use is local site injection around training.
- No human studies; potency cuts both ways, including hypoglycemia and growth-signaling risk.
Overview
What it is
IGF-1 DES (des(1-3) IGF-1) is a truncated form of insulin-like growth factor 1 missing the first three N-terminal amino acids. Removing them cripples binding to IGF-binding proteins, so far more free hormone reaches the receptor, making DES markedly more potent than full-length IGF-1 in vitro.
Pharmacokinetics
Escaping the binding proteins also means no circulating reservoir: the estimated half-life is roughly 30 minutes with around 50% subcutaneous bioavailability. Reported use is site injection, aiming for local action before clearance.
What the evidence says
Everything rests on in vitro potency data and animal work. No human PK or clinical trials exist, community dosing is anecdotal, and IGF-1 DES is not an approved medication.
Reported dosing protocols
Protocols reported in research literature and clinic/community use — informational context, not a dosing recommendation.
| Use case | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local muscle growth (community) | 25–100 mcg per site | IM (site injection) | Once daily, around training | 4–6 weeks |
Pharmacokinetic summary
- Model tier
- Simple (t½ + F, Tmax estimated)
- Half-life
- 29 min
- Bioavailability
- 50%
- Typical dose
- 0.025–0.1 mg
Frequently asked questions
IGF-1 DES vs IGF-1 LR3 — what's the difference?
Both escape IGF-binding proteins, but they go opposite directions on duration. DES is short-acting (~30 minutes) and used for local site injection; LR3 lasts around 12 hours and acts systemically.
Why inject IGF-1 DES into specific muscles?
The short half-life means the peptide acts near the injection site before clearing, so community practice is to inject into the trained muscle. Whether that produces measurable local growth in humans has never been studied.
What are the main risks of IGF-1 DES?
IGF-1 is a potent growth signal: hypoglycemia is the acute risk, and promoting growth of pre-existing or undetected tumors is the theoretical long-term one. With no human trials, the true risk profile is uncharacterized.
References
- Estimated — Truncated IGF-1; markedly more potent and very short-acting.
- Int J Biochem Cell Biol 1996 — Des(1-3)IGF-I review — Review of the truncated IGF-I form, its enhanced potency, and binding-protein escape.
Related compounds
MGF (Mechano Growth Factor)
IGF-1 splice variant produced in response to mechanical load; involved in muscle repair signaling.
PEG-MGF (Pegylated MGF)
Pegylated mechano growth factor with extended half-life versus native MGF; used for recovery research.
IGF-1 LR3
Long-acting IGF-1 analog engineered to resist binding proteins; muscle-growth research compound.
Comments
Loading comments…