Bioregulator Peptides: Epitalon, Cortagen, Prostamax, Vesugen, Livagen

May 9, 2026 · Education

Bioregulators are short peptides — usually 2 to 4 amino acids — isolated or synthesized to mirror naturally occurring signals in specific organs. The class came out of Russian Khavinson Institute gerontology research starting in the 1970s and has more long-term human data than most modern peptides.

How they work (briefly)

Each bioregulator is associated with a specific tissue. The hypothesis from Khavinson’s research is that these short peptides bind directly to DNA in the cell nucleus and modulate gene expression toward a more youthful pattern. Mechanistic details are still debated, but the clinical observations are: course-based dosing produces benefits that persist months after stopping.

Epitalon (Pineal — Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly)

Function: pineal gland support, melatonin restoration, telomerase activation in animal studies.
Protocol: 5-10 mg subQ daily for 10-20 consecutive days, repeated 1-2 times per year.
Most-studied bioregulator. Multi-decade Russian human cohort data showing reduced age-related mortality.
Best-known applications: sleep quality (especially in older adults), longevity stacks.

Cortagen (Cortex — Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro)

Function: cerebral cortex support, cognitive function, post-stroke recovery research.
Protocol: 1-2 mg subQ or oral daily for 10 days, repeat 2-4 times per year.
Often combined with Cerebrolysin or Semax for cognitive applications.

Prostamax (Prostate — Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro)

Function: prostate health, urologic symptoms, BPH support in studies.
Protocol: 1-2 mg subQ daily for 10 days, repeat every 6 months.
Of interest to men over 50 dealing with prostate-related symptoms.

Vesugen (Vascular — Lys-Glu-Asp)

Function: endothelial / vascular support, cardiovascular research.
Protocol: 1-2 mg subQ daily for 10 days, repeated 2x/year.
Often paired with Epitalon in cardiovascular longevity stacks.

Livagen (Liver — Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala)

Function: hepatic / immune support, white blood cell normalization in research.
Protocol: 1-2 mg subQ daily for 10 days, repeated 2x/year.
Used in protocols targeting fatty liver, hepatitis recovery, and immune restoration.

The bioregulator approach

What makes this class different:

Course-based. Not continuous use. 10-20 day courses, then nothing for months.
Low doses. Most are 1-10 mg per dose, much smaller than peptides like BPC-157.
Long lag. Effects persist for months after a course ends — the gene-expression hypothesis explains this.
Tissue-specific. You pick a course based on the organ you want to support.
Stackable. Multiple bioregulators in the same course window is common (e.g., Epitalon + Vesugen + Livagen for general aging support).

What the evidence looks like

Bioregulators have unusual evidence profiles — lots of long-term Russian/Eastern European clinical observation, less Western randomized-controlled-trial data. The Khavinson cohort studies (multi-decade observational) show reduced mortality, but they’re not blinded RCTs. Reasonable people can disagree about how much weight to give the evidence; what’s less debatable is the safety profile, which is excellent across decades.

Common longevity stack

Epitalon (pineal/general aging) — 10 mg/day x 20 days, March and September
Vesugen (vascular) — 2 mg/day x 10 days, alongside Epitalon
Livagen (immune/hepatic) — 2 mg/day x 10 days, alongside
Add Prostamax for men 50+, or Cortagen if cognitive support is the focus

Reference content only. Bioregulators are research compounds; consult a knowledgeable provider before any protocol.