Open data

Approved for one use, taken for another

Some peptides people buy as research vials are real, FDA-approved drugs. Just not for the reason people take them. Here is each approved use next to the protocols guides and forums publish.

Data as of Oct 24, 2026. Part of the Peptide Evidence Index. License CC BY 4.0.

7 peptides in our dataset are FDA approved, but for a narrower use than people take them for: SS-31, Oxytocin, Tesamorelin, Gonadorelin, PT-141, Melanotan 1 and Somatropin (HGH).

Link to this number

Guide and community protocols, by use

Each bar is one peptide's guide and community dose protocols. Studies and labels are left out.

Other use
Approved use

SS-3126 of 26
Oxytocin8 of 8
Tesamorelin8 of 8
Gonadorelin7 of 7
PT-1414 of 5
Melanotan 14 of 4
Somatropin (HGH)4 of 4

Approved use vs what people run

SS-31

26 of 26 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Forzinity

Forzinity: Accelerated approval (2025-09-19) to improve muscle strength in Barth syndrome patients weighing at least 30 kg.

SS-31: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Barth syndrome (FDA label)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Barth syndrome, severe kidney impairment (FDA label)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Barth syndrome trial (TAZPOWER)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Mitochondrial myopathy trial (MMPOWER-2)	Study or regulator	Other use
Mitochondrial myopathy trial (MMPOWER-3)	Study or regulator	Other use
Nuclear-DNA mitochondrial disease trial (NuPower)	Study or regulator	Other use
Heart failure trial (SPIHF-201)	Study or regulator	Other use
Dry AMD trial (ReCLAIM-2)	Study or regulator	Other use
Single IV infusion in older adults	Study or regulator	Other use
Microdose	Community	Other use
Low daily, about 2 mg	Community	Other use
The 4 mg floor	Community	Other use
Short block before MOTS-c	Community	Other use
Ramp with MOTS-c	Community	Other use
5 mg daily	Community	Other use
10 mg every other day	Community	Other use
Chronic fatigue, 10 mg daily	Community	Other use
20 mg weekdays	Community	Other use
High daily	Community	Other use
Prescribed twice weekly	Community	Other use
Low tier	Guides	Other use
Standard tier	Guides	Other use
Upper tier	Guides	Other use
Community low, several times a week	Community	Other use
Community common cluster	Community	Other use
Community higher daily	Community	Other use
Vial-math schedule	Guides	Other use
Vial-math advanced	Guides	Other use
Bodybuilding	Guides	Other use
Grey-market summary	Guides	Other use
Trial-anchored, tolerance check first	Guides	Other use
Trial-anchored ramp	Guides	Other use
Advanced (guide)	Guides	Other use
Conservative to standard (guide)	Guides	Other use
Weight-based (guide)	Guides	Other use

Oxytocin

8 of 8 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Pitocin and Syntocinon

Pitocin: Injection, 10 USP units per mL, IV or IM, hospital use for labor and postpartum bleeding

Syntocinon: Nasal solution, 40 USP units per mL; listed as discontinued in the US

Oxytocin: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Bleeding after birth, FDA label (Pitocin IM)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Social cognition research, single nasal dose (trial range)	Study or regulator	Other use
Sex and partner bonding, single dose before sex (trial dose)	Study or regulator	Other use
Female sexual dysfunction, on demand before sex (trial dose)	Study or regulator	Other use
Weight loss in obesity, four times daily (trial dose)	Study or regulator	Other use
Social ease or anxiety, on demand (guide protocol)	Guides	Other use
Intimacy, before sex (guide protocol)	Guides	Other use
Social and mood, standard nasal use (community)	Community	Other use
Low daily dose for anxiety (community)	Community	Other use
Compounded sublingual troche (community)	Community	Other use
Subcutaneous research vial, self-logged doses (community)	Community	Other use
Subcutaneous research vial, guide-collected ranges (community)	Community	Other use
Research vial, vendor reference dose	Guides	Other use

Tesamorelin

8 of 8 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Egrifta, Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR

Egrifta: Original form, approved November 10, 2010 (BLA 022505). Sold in 1 mg and 2 mg vials.

Egrifta SV: 2 mg vial. Daily dose of 1.4 mg, the same exposure as the original 2 mg dose.

Egrifta WR: 11.6 mg vial. Daily dose of 1.28 mg; one vial covers 7 daily doses. Label supplement dated March 2025.

Tesamorelin: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Phase 3 trials (original Egrifta)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Egrifta SV label dose	Study or regulator	Approved use
Egrifta WR label dose	Study or regulator	Approved use
Forum convention	Community	Other use
Self-logged doses	Community	Other use
Tolerance-check start	Guides	Other use
Morning protocol	Guides	Other use
IGF-1 guided bedtime dose	Guides	Other use
Daily or 5 on, 2 off	Guides	Other use
Tesamorelin plus ipamorelin 1:1 blend (tesamorelin amount)	Guides	Other use
Tesamorelin plus ipamorelin 1:1 blend (total blend)	Guides	Other use

Gonadorelin

7 of 7 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Factrel and Lutrepulse

Factrel: Pituitary function test, 100 mcg SC or IV. Approved 1982; all strengths discontinued.

Lutrepulse: Pulsatile pump kit with 0.8 and 3.2 mg vials. Approved 1989 as an orphan drug; discontinued.

Gonadorelin: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Pituitary function test, Factrel label	Study or regulator	Approved use
Fertility in men with CHH, pump (trial)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Ovulation in hypothalamic amenorrhea, subQ pump (trial)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Ovulation in hypothalamic amenorrhea, IV pump (trial)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Pump dose range (reference works)	Guides	Other use
TRT add-on (guides)	Guides	Other use
Step-up course from a 2 mg vial (guide)	Guides	Other use
Short daily course (guide)	Guides	Other use
TRT add-on, community use	Community	Other use
Low-dose TRT add-on, community use	Community	Other use
Restart after a cycle (PCT), community use	Community	Other use

PT-141

4 of 5 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Vyleesi

Vyleesi: 1.75 mg autoinjector, used as needed before sex, for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD.

PT-141: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Low sexual desire in women, Vyleesi label dose	Study or regulator	Approved use
Women, label dose from a vial (guides)	Guides	Approved use
Men, on-demand dose (guides)	Guides	Other use
First dose or tolerance test (guides)	Guides	Other use
Men and couples, community use	Community	Other use
Erections in men, subQ phase 1/2 trial	Study or regulator	Other use
Erections in men, intranasal trials	Study or regulator	Other use
Men who failed sildenafil, intranasal trial	Study or regulator	Other use
Daily step-up protocol (guide outlier)	Guides	Other use

Melanotan 1

4 of 4 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Scenesse

Scenesse: 16 mg bioresorbable implant every 2 months for adults with EPP; EU authorisation 2014, US approval 2019.

Melanotan 1: every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
EPP, Scenesse label	Study or regulator	Approved use
EPP, phase 3 trials	Study or regulator	Approved use
Tanning, early trial injections	Study or regulator	Other use
Tanning and UV protection, trial courses	Study or regulator	Other use
Tanning, loading (guide)	Guides	Other use
Tanning, maintenance (guide)	Guides	Other use
Tanning, loading (community)	Community	Other use
Tanning, maintenance (community)	Community	Other use

Somatropin (HGH)

4 of 4 guide and community protocols target another use

Approved as Genotropin, Norditropin, Omnitrope, Humatrope, Zomacton, Serostim, Nutropin AQ and Saizen

Genotropin: Lyophilized two-chamber cartridges and MiniQuick; children's growth disorders and adult GHD

Norditropin: FlexPro prefilled pens; children's growth disorders and adult GHD

Omnitrope: Cartridges and a 5.8 mg vial; children's growth disorders and adult GHD

Humatrope: Cartridges for HumatroPen; children's growth disorders and adult GHD

Zomacton: 5 mg and 10 mg vials; children's growth disorders and adult GHD

Serostim: HIV-associated wasting or cachexia in adults

Nutropin AQ: Listed in Drugs@FDA with prescription products

Saizen: Listed in Drugs@FDA with prescription products

Somatropin (HGH): every dose protocol with its origin and whether it targets the approved use
Protocol goal	From	Use
Adult GH deficiency, label start (non-weight-based)	Study or regulator	Approved use
Adult GH deficiency, Norditropin weight-based	Study or regulator	Approved use
Adult GH deficiency, Humatrope or Zomacton weight-based	Study or regulator	Approved use
Pediatric GH deficiency, Norditropin label	Study or regulator	Approved use
Pediatric GH deficiency, Humatrope label	Study or regulator	Approved use
HIV wasting or cachexia, Serostim label	Study or regulator	Approved use
Anti-aging or wellness (community)	Community	Other use
Fat loss or recomposition (community)	Community	Other use
Bodybuilding (community)	Community	Other use
Start low and step up (community)	Community	Other use

Liraglutide, Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are approved for the main use people take them for, so they are not counted here. For the GLP-1s the open question is the dose: see GLP-1 doses vs the strengths that exist.

How it is counted

Which peptides: every compound whose FDA status in our records is “approved for another use”: the molecule is an approved drug, but for a narrower use than people take it for.

Approved use is matched on each protocol's goal against the label's indication. Every protocol and its match is listed above, so you can check each call.

Guide and community protocols are those whose weakest source is a guide, a reference work, a community or the media. Trials and labels are listed but not counted.

Every number on this page is computed in code from the same records that build our peptide pages; no model writes one. Full rules on the methodology page, and the whole dataset is free to download.

Licensed CC BY 4.0. Reuse any number, including in commercial work. Credit “TruePeptideSource” and link to this page.

Cite this dataset

TruePeptideSource. (2026). Approved for one use, taken for another (Peptide Evidence Index, version 2026-10-24) [Data set]. https://truepeptidesource.com/data/approved-for-other-uses