Peptides for men, ranked by human evidence

The peptides with real human evidence for men are approved prescription drugs: hCG for low testosterone caused by the pituitary, GLP-1 drugs for weight, teriparatide and abaloparatide for osteoporosis, and tesamorelin for HIV-related belly fat. For erections, the peptide options are either off-label or unlawful, and the standard erectile dysfunction drugs are not peptides at all. Testosterone itself is a steroid, not a peptide; our hypogonadism page covers it as standard care.

This list ranks the peptides men most often ask about by our evidence grades, with legal and WADA status for each. It is a reference, not a treatment plan.

How we ranked peptides for men

We ordered the list by three criteria, in this order:

1. Evidence grade. Human randomized trials first, then observational human data. Grades come from each peptide's record.
2. Lawful access. Within a grade, a drug approved for men ranks above one used off-label, which ranks above one with no lawful route.
3. Relevance to the three reasons men search: hormones and fertility, erections, and body composition.

Statuses were verified on September 22, 2026.

The ranking at a glance

• Approved for men, human trials: 1 hCG, 2 tirzepatide and semaglutide, 3 teriparatide and abaloparatide, 4 tesamorelin.
• Human trials, off-label or no lawful route: 5 bremelanotide (PT-141), 6 MK-677, 7 melanotan II.
• Observational human data: 8 gonadorelin, 9 kisspeptin-10.

1. hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: FDA approved biologic
• WADAWADA: Prohibited in males

hCG mimics LH, the pituitary signal that tells the testes to make testosterone and sperm. Pregnyl and Novarel are approved for men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, where the pituitary does not send that signal. [1] In a retrospective review of 26 men on testosterone therapy who also took hCG, testosterone levels rose, semen parameters held steady for more than a year, and none became azoospermic. [2] In 42 men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, hCG with hMG or pulsatile GnRH produced sperm in 54 of 57 treatment courses. [3]

hCG products became biologics in March 2020, and biologics cannot be compounded, so the compounded hCG once common in clinics is no longer lawful. [4] Only the approved brands remain; see the hCG cost page, hCG vs gonadorelin, and our infertility page.

2. Tirzepatide and semaglutide (GLP-1 drugs)

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: FDA approved
• WADAWADA: Not prohibited

For weight, tirzepatide and semaglutide have the largest trials of any peptides. In SURMOUNT-1, adults on the highest tirzepatide dose lost a mean 20.9% of body weight over 72 weeks versus 3.1% on placebo. [5] In STEP 1, semaglutide produced a mean 14.9% loss over 68 weeks versus 2.4%. [6] In SELECT, 17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease had a 20% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death on semaglutide. [7] See our obesity page and the full weight loss ranking.

3. Teriparatide and abaloparatide

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: FDA approved
• WADAWADA: Not prohibited

Osteoporosis is not only a women's disease. Teriparatide is approved for men with primary or hypogonadal osteoporosis at high risk of fracture. [8] Abaloparatide added an indication for men with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture in 2022. [9] Both build bone rather than just slowing its loss. See our osteoporosis page.

4. Tesamorelin (Egrifta)

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: FDA approved for HIV lipodystrophy
• WADAWADA: Prohibited

Tesamorelin is approved to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy. [11] In pooled phase 3 trials of 806 patients, visceral fat fell by 24 square centimeters at 26 weeks while it rose by 2 on placebo, with no change in fat under the skin. [10] It is the one growth hormone releasing peptide with a clear lawful prescription route, but use for body composition in men without HIV is off-label, and its trials did not measure muscle. See our HIV lipodystrophy page, the tesamorelin cost page, and does tesamorelin build muscle.

5. Bremelanotide (PT-141)

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: Approved for women only; off-label for men
• WADAWADA: Not prohibited

Bremelanotide acts on melanocortin receptors in the brain. In a double-blind trial of intranasal PT-141, healthy men and men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction had erectile responses. [12] In a randomized trial of men who had not responded to sildenafil, intranasal bremelanotide improved erectile function. [13] The intranasal program for men was never approved. The only approved product, Vyleesi, is an injection for premenopausal women with low sexual desire, and its label warns of transient increases in blood pressure. [14] See our erectile dysfunction page, PT-141 vs melanotan II, and, for the approved first-line option, sildenafil vs Viagra. For hair loss, see oral minoxidil for hair loss.

6. MK-677 (ibutamoren)

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT
• StatusRegulatory: FDA Category 2, cannot be compounded
• WADAWADA: Prohibited

MK-677 is an oral ghrelin mimetic, a small molecule rather than a peptide. In 24 obese men over 8 weeks, it raised growth hormone and IGF-1 and increased fat-free mass by about 3 kg without changing fat mass. [15] A trial in older adults after hip fracture was stopped early over a possible heart failure signal, [16] and FDA keeps it in Category 2, so no licensed pharmacy may compound it. [17] See tesamorelin vs MK-677 and the muscle growth ranking.

7. Melanotan II

• GradeEvidence: Human RCT (very small)
• StatusRegulatory: No lawful path
• WADAWADA: Prohibited

Melanotan II is best known as a tanning peptide, but its only trials were in erectile dysfunction. In 10 men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction, 8 had erections after a single injection. [18] In 10 men with organic risk factors, erections followed 12 of 19 injections, and severe nausea followed 4 of 19. [19] Case reports since then include new and darkening moles within 24 hours of a single injection. [20] It is not approved anywhere and has no lawful compounding route. Our melanotan 2 before and after post covers the safety record.

8. Gonadorelin

• GradeEvidence: Human observational
• StatusRegulatory: Component of discontinued approved drugs; compounded
• WADAWADA: Prohibited

Gonadorelin is synthetic GnRH, the hypothalamic signal above LH. Given in pulses by pump, it induced sperm production in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism about as well as hCG with hMG. [3] Because it was the active ingredient of approved products, 503A pharmacies compound it, and it became a common add-on to testosterone therapy after compounded hCG ended. [4] That add-on use, with intermittent injections rather than a pump, has not been tested in a published trial. See the gonadorelin cost page.

9. Kisspeptin-10

• GradeEvidence: Human observational
• StatusRegulatory: FDA Category 2, cannot be compounded
• WADAWADA: Prohibited

Kisspeptin-10 sits above GnRH in the reproductive hormone chain. In 15 healthy men, infusions raised LH, FSH, and testosterone, and daily 8-hour infusions kept those levels up for 12 days. [21] The only randomized trial in a patient group used a different form, kisspeptin-54, in 32 men with low sexual desire, and it increased sexual brain activity and penile tumescence. [22] Kisspeptin-10 remains in FDA Category 2, so no pharmacy may compound it. [17] See hCG vs kisspeptin-10.

Which peptides raise testosterone?

Only one has an approved label for it: hCG, in men whose low testosterone comes from the pituitary. [1] Gonadorelin and kisspeptin work further upstream, and their human data come from fertility clinics and small physiology studies, not from trials of men seeking higher testosterone. Our hypogonadism page explains the difference and the standard treatments.

Are peptides for men legal?

The approved drugs in items 1 to 4 are lawful with a prescription. Bremelanotide is lawful as Vyleesi but off-label in men, and gonadorelin is compounded under the approved-component pathway. MK-677, melanotan II, and kisspeptin-10 have no lawful route, and compounded hCG ended in 2020. [4] Our peptide legality hub covers federal categories and state rules.

Which peptides for men are banned in sport?

WADA prohibits chorionic gonadotrophin and LH releasing factors in male athletes, which covers hCG and gonadorelin; it also prohibits kisspeptin, as well as growth hormone releasing factors such as tesamorelin, secretagogues such as MK-677, and unapproved substances such as melanotan II. [23] The approved GLP-1 drugs, teriparatide, abaloparatide, and bremelanotide are not on the list.

The takeaway

The best peptides for men, judged by human evidence, are approved drugs with specific labels: hCG for pituitary-driven low testosterone and fertility, GLP-1 drugs for weight, and bone-building drugs for osteoporosis. The peptides marketed to men for testosterone, erections, or physique mostly lack trials, a lawful route, or both. We will re-rank this list when a published human trial changes a grade.