Follistatin vs KPV
Side-by-side comparison of key properties, dosing, and research.
Anabolic & IGF
FollistatinImmune SupportRecovery & Repair
KPV- Summary
- Follistatin is an endogenous glycoprotein that acts as a potent inhibitor of myostatin and activin, two proteins that limit muscle growth. By binding and neutralizing myostatin, follistatin removes the primary brake on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, enabling significant muscle growth beyond normal physiological limits. It is distinct from its isoforms Follistatin 315 and Follistatin 344 in tissue distribution and binding affinity.
- KPV is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory tripeptide derived from the C-terminal of alpha-MSH. It powerfully suppresses intestinal and systemic inflammation via melanocortin receptors, making it valuable for IBD, gut healing, and wound repair.
- Half-Life
- ~3–5 hours (endogenous form)
- Short half-life (~15–30 minutes), but effects persist longer due to receptor-level anti-inflammatory cascades
- Admin Route
- IM, SubQ
- Oral, SubQ, Topical
- Research
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- Typical Dose
- 50–100 mcg per injection site
- 500 mcg – 1 mg
- Frequency
- Every other day or 2–3x per week
- Once to twice daily
- Key Benefits
- Potent myostatin inhibition enabling supraphysiological muscle growth
- Increases skeletal muscle mass and fiber size
- May accelerate recovery from muscle injury
- Potential benefits in muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia
- Synergistic with IGF-1 and growth hormone in anabolic protocols
- Animal studies show dramatic increases in muscle mass
- Reduces muscle fibrosis in dystrophic models
- Reduces intestinal inflammation (IBD, Crohn's, colitis)
- Promotes gut mucosal healing and barrier integrity
- Accelerates wound healing topically
- Suppresses systemic inflammatory cytokines
- Antimicrobial properties against pathogens
- Reduces neuroinflammation when administered systemically
- May improve symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions
- Side Effects
- Potential for excessive muscle growth if doses are not controlled
- FSH suppression with implications for fertility in women
- Theoretical risk of cardiac hypertrophy with prolonged high-dose use
- Limited human safety data available
- +1 more
- Generally very well tolerated
- Mild injection site reactions (SC)
- Rare: transient flushing
- Stacks With
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