DSIP
What do these badges mean?
Evidence tier
- AHuman-validated — Human trials showing positive results and good safety.
- BAnimal-grade — No human trials yet, but solid animal/preclinical evidence of effect and safety.
- CAnecdotal — No human or animal trials — only anecdotal/observational reports.
- DInsufficient evidence — No or insufficient evidence (encyclopedia only — never recommended by the builder).
Safety light
- 🟢 Green — Only mild, manageable side effects; reasonable safety data.
- 🟡 Yellow — Needs active management, has a meaningful contraindication/interaction, or has thin long-term data.
- 🔴 Red — Risk of a hospital-level event — treat with serious caution.
What is it?
DSIP — Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide — is one of the few sleep compounds that isn’t a drug bolted onto your nervous system from the outside. It’s a naturally occurring neuropeptide your own brain makes. It was discovered in 1977 when Schoenenberger and Monnier pulled it from the blood of rabbits whose brains had been stimulated into deep, delta-wave (slow-wave) sleep — and named it for exactly what it appeared to do: induce delta sleep.
Structurally it’s a nine-amino-acid peptide (Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu) exact sequence. The pitch is appealing: a signal the body already uses to organize deep sleep, given back to you. The honest reality is more interesting and more humble than the marketing — DSIP has a real but thin human track record, and the evidence is genuinely mixed. This article gives you the real picture so you can decide with your eyes open.
DSIP sits at the sleep anchor of the OHM cognitive/sleep cluster. Where Selank calms the mental noise that keeps you up and Semax is daytime clarity, DSIP is aimed straight at sleep itself — specifically at sleep architecture (how deep and how consolidated), not at sedation.
What does it do in my body?
Here’s the part most write-ups skip: DSIP’s mechanism is genuinely under-characterized, and the honest sources say so. A 2009 anaesthesia study flatly noted DSIP “lacks documented intrinsic biological activity in controlled studies” (PMID 19142086) — meaning there is no clean, agreed-upon receptor story for it the way there is for, say, a benzodiazepine or melatonin.
What’s proposed, across the literature:
- Modulation of delta-wave (slow-wave) sleep architecture — the original rationale and the namesake effect. The idea is that DSIP nudges sleep toward deeper, more consolidated stages rather than knocking you unconscious. mechanism.
- HPA-axis / stress-hormone modulation — DSIP has been studied for effects on the cortisol/ACTH stress axis. The human data here are themselves mixed: one study found DSIP decreased ACTH (Chiodera 1994, PMID 7698722) while another found no effect on CRH- or meal-induced ACTH/cortisol (Späth-Schwalbe 1995, PMID 7777652). So the “stress-buffering” story is plausible but unproven.
- Possible weak opiate-receptor activity — proposed off the back of the withdrawal-syndrome work (below), where DSIP blunted somatic withdrawal symptoms. mechanism.
- Antioxidant / stress-protective / thermoregulatory effects in preclinical models.
The takeaway: DSIP behaves like a sleep- and stress-modulator — it seems to do more in a disturbed system than a healthy one — but the receptor-level mechanism is an open question, not settled science. That uncertainty is part of why it grades Tier C.
How can it help me?
- Best fit: People chasing deeper, more consolidated sleep — especially when stress, a shifted sleep phase, or “wired-but-tired” is the limiter. The peptide for the sleep-architecture question, not the knock-you-out question.
- Where the science stands: Small and old: a handful of 1980s–early-90s human studies (mostly one investigator group), split between positive open-label results and weak/null double-blind results. No modern RCT. Tier C.
The full evidence — every human, animal, and lab study, graded — is one tap away: use the See the deeper science → toggle at the top.
Is it dangerous? What are the side effects?
DSIP is one of the more benign molecules in its record — the limitation is evidence, not toxicity.
- Headache — the one AE that actually shows up (a few patients in the Dick withdrawal cohort). Usually minor.
- No dependence, no tolerance, no withdrawal, no morning hangover/sedation documented — unlike sleeping pills, this is not a CNS-depressant profile.
- No hepatotoxicity or cardiovascular signal in the (small) human record.
- The realistic “side effect” for most people is simpler: it may just not do much. The double-blind data make that a genuine possibility, so don’t keep chasing the dose upward if a fair trial does nothing.
Storage: refrigerate after reconstitution; protect from light; use within the typical compounding/label window.
Regulatory status: US: Not FDA-approved for any indication. Not a controlled substance. As of September 29, 2023, FDA placed DSIP (nominated as “Emideltide”) on the Category 2 bulk-drug-substances list — substances FDA has flagged with significant-safety-concern questions, which means it is not permitted for 503A compounding. (Semax and Selank acetate were added in the same action.) Practically: DSIP is not available through a compounding pharmacy the way some peptides are — it’s accessible only through the research-chemical channel, “not for human consumption.” This is an active regulatory area; the broader peptide-compounding question is on the FDA’s pharmacy-compounding advisory agenda.
Part 1 — How to reconstitute it
What you'll need: bacteriostatic water (sterile, preserved water you mix the powder with) and a separate, larger reconstitution syringe just for mixing — not the small syringe you inject with.
Reconstitution. DSIP ships as a lyophilized powder. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water; refrigerate after mixing; protect from light.
How to mix it
- Tilt the vial and let the bacteriostatic water run slowly down the inside glass wall — never squirt it straight onto the powder.
- Swirl gently to dissolve. Never shake — shaking can damage the peptide.
- Store the reconstituted vial refrigerated and out of light.
- Use it within the beyond-use window your source specifies — reconstituted peptides are commonly used within a few weeks; confirm the window for your specific peptide.
Use the free reconstitution calculator to turn any vial size + water volume into exact units on an insulin syringe.
Part 2 — Typical dosing
The doses and schedules here are for educational and informational purposes only. These peptides are sold for research use only and are not FDA-approved drugs. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before beginning any protocol.
The syringe. Use a 0.3 mL U-100 insulin syringe — it's sized for these small subcutaneous doses. Inject subcutaneously (into the fat just under the skin) and rotate injection sites.
Route. The 1980s clinical studies used intravenous DSIP in a clinical setting. The modern at-home community route is subcutaneous injection — that’s a real gap to be aware of: the home protocol isn’t the route the trials validated.
Community-standard protocol (vendor-monograph / practitioner tier —, not trial-derived):
- Dose: ~100–250 mcg, most commonly starting at 100 mcg and titrating up by response.
- Timing: 30–60 minutes before bed, once nightly.
- Cycle: typically run in short blocks (roughly 1–4 weeks) rather than indefinitely, then assess. against a primary protocol source.
What to expect — and what not to. DSIP is not a sedative. It won’t drop you like a benzodiazepine or a strong dose of trazodone. The reported effect is deeper, more consolidated sleep and easier mornings — and given the evidence, it’s reasonable to treat your own response over 1–2 weeks as the real test. If nothing changes, it isn’t working for you; the data say that’s a real possibility.
Turning milligrams into syringe units. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL, so 1 unit = 0.01 mL. At a concentration of C mg/mL, a dose of D mg = D ÷ C mL = (D ÷ C) × 100 units. Example: at 5 mg/mL, a 0.5 mg dose = 0.1 mL = 10 units. Your exact units depend on your own vial's mg and how much bacteriostatic water you added — use the same concentration you mixed above.
What should I avoid combining — and what's synergistic?
Stacking. DSIP pairs logically with the rest of the OHM sleep/circadian toolkit: with Selank when anxiety is what’s keeping you awake (calm the noise, then deepen the sleep), and conceptually alongside circadian foundations (light discipline, melatonin timing). Epithalon is the other Russian-school sleep/longevity-adjacent peptide worth knowing in this cluster. No controlled trial validates any DSIP combination — trial DSIP on its own first.
How can I buy this?
DSIP is carried by AminoClub — use code OHM for 20% off. As always, buy only from a source that publishes third-party Certificates of Analysis (COAs) confirming identity and >99% purity.
When you use my coupon code to buy peptides with these sellers, you enjoy a discount off retail price, and I make a small commission which helps me to continue to offer this peptide educational site to you for free. I only have affiliate relationships with peptide manufacturers that show evidence that their peptides are 100% manufactured in the US, 3rd party lab tested for purity, transparent COAs posted on their websites, and that have good customer service.
| Best fit | People chasing deeper, more consolidated sleep — especially when stress, a shifted sleep phase, or “wired-but-tired” is the limiter. The peptide for the sleep-architecture question, not the knock-you-out question. |
| Evidence base | Small and old: a handful of 1980s–early-90s human studies (mostly one investigator group), split between positive open-label results and weak/null double-blind results. No modern RCT. Tier C. |
| Typical use | ~100–250 mcg subcutaneously, 30–60 min before bed (community/vendor-monograph protocol — the original trials used IV in clinical settings) |
| Safety | Benign in the human record — main reported AE is occasional headache; no dependence, tolerance, or sedation hangover. Safety yellow on thinness of data, not on any harm signal |
| Regulatory | US: not FDA-approved. FDA Category 2 (Sept 2023) — restricted from 503A compounding. Research-chemical channel only |
What it is
DSIP — Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide — is one of the few sleep compounds that isn’t a drug bolted onto your nervous system from the outside. It’s a naturally occurring neuropeptide your own brain makes. It was discovered in 1977 when Schoenenberger and Monnier pulled it from the blood of rabbits whose brains had been stimulated into deep, delta-wave (slow-wave) sleep — and named it for exactly what it appeared to do: induce delta sleep.
Structurally it’s a nine-amino-acid peptide (Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu) exact sequence. The pitch is appealing: a signal the body already uses to organize deep sleep, given back to you. The honest reality is more interesting and more humble than the marketing — DSIP has a real but thin human track record, and the evidence is genuinely mixed. This article gives you the real picture so you can decide with your eyes open.
DSIP sits at the sleep anchor of the OHM cognitive/sleep cluster. Where Selank calms the mental noise that keeps you up and Semax is daytime clarity, DSIP is aimed straight at sleep itself — specifically at sleep architecture (how deep and how consolidated), not at sedation.
How it works
Here’s the part most write-ups skip: DSIP’s mechanism is genuinely under-characterized, and the honest sources say so. A 2009 anaesthesia study flatly noted DSIP “lacks documented intrinsic biological activity in controlled studies” (PMID 19142086) — meaning there is no clean, agreed-upon receptor story for it the way there is for, say, a benzodiazepine or melatonin.
What’s proposed, across the literature:
- Modulation of delta-wave (slow-wave) sleep architecture — the original rationale and the namesake effect. The idea is that DSIP nudges sleep toward deeper, more consolidated stages rather than knocking you unconscious. mechanism.
- HPA-axis / stress-hormone modulation — DSIP has been studied for effects on the cortisol/ACTH stress axis. The human data here are themselves mixed: one study found DSIP decreased ACTH (Chiodera 1994, PMID 7698722) while another found no effect on CRH- or meal-induced ACTH/cortisol (Späth-Schwalbe 1995, PMID 7777652). So the “stress-buffering” story is plausible but unproven.
- Possible weak opiate-receptor activity — proposed off the back of the withdrawal-syndrome work (below), where DSIP blunted somatic withdrawal symptoms. mechanism.
- Antioxidant / stress-protective / thermoregulatory effects in preclinical models.
The takeaway: DSIP behaves like a sleep- and stress-modulator — it seems to do more in a disturbed system than a healthy one — but the receptor-level mechanism is an open question, not settled science. That uncertainty is part of why it grades Tier C.
What the research shows
DSIP’s human literature is small, mostly from the 1980s and early 1990s, dominated by one investigator group, and split down the middle. Both halves below are real and both matter.
The positive signal (open-label / single-arm — weaker designs):
- Schneider-Helmert & Schoenenberger 1981 — synthetic DSIP in 6 chronic insomniacs produced longer sleep, higher sleep quality, fewer interruptions, slightly more REM, and no daytime sedation (PMID 7028502).
- Kaeser 1984 — 7 severe-insomnia patients given 10 DSIP injections; sleep normalized in 6 of 7 over a 3–7 month follow-up, with improved daytime mood and performance (PMID 6391926).
- Schneider-Helmert 1987 — 14 chronic insomniacs over 7 nights: improved night-sleep efficiency and daytime alertness (PMID 3622582).
- Schneider-Helmert et al. 1987 — a delayed-sleep-phase case where DSIP advanced the main sleep phase by 5 hours and enabled an abrupt, clean withdrawal from a sleeping pill (flunitrazepam) (PMID 3582201). This “phase-shifting” result is the most distinctive thing in the DSIP file.
The counterweight (the better-controlled, double-blind designs — and they’re more sobering):
- Bes et al. 1992 — double-blind, 16 chronic insomniacs over 5 nights: DSIP showed only weak effects on sleep efficiency and latency, “unlikely to provide major therapeutic benefit” for chronic insomnia (PMID 1299794).
- Monti et al. 1987 — DSIP increased NREM and stage-2 sleep, but the differences from placebo lacked clinical significance (PMID 3583493).
- Pomfrett et al. 2009 — as an anaesthesia adjunct (n=24), DSIP paradoxically reduced anaesthetic depth and delta rhythm (PMID 19142086).
Beyond sleep — two genuinely interesting human signals:
- Withdrawal syndromes. Dick, Grandjean & Tissot 1983 gave IV DSIP to patients in alcohol and opiate withdrawal (49 evaluable); 48 of 49 improved, with rapid onset and lasting relief of the physical withdrawal symptoms, and no major side effects (PMID 6328354).
- Chronic pain. Larbig et al. 1984 — a 7-patient pilot in migraine, vasomotor headache, tinnitus, and psychogenic pain: IV DSIP significantly lowered pain in 6 of 7, with concurrent improvement in depressive symptoms (PMID 6548970).
The honest bottom line. The strongest sleep results come from one research group in open or low-sample designs; the moment you move to rigorous double-blind testing, the effect shrinks to weak or not-clinically-meaningful. The withdrawal and pain pilots are intriguing but tiny. There is no modern, well-powered RCT of DSIP. That is precisely a Tier C picture — real, suggestive, under-powered, and unresolved. DSIP earns its place as the named delta-sleep neuropeptide and the sleep anchor of this cluster; it does not earn the “clinically proven sleep aid” label, and OHM won’t give it one.
Real-world protocol
The doses and schedules here are for educational and informational purposes only. DSIP is sold for research use only and is not an FDA-approved drug. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before beginning any protocol.
Route. The 1980s clinical studies used intravenous DSIP in a clinical setting. The modern at-home community route is subcutaneous injection — that’s a real gap to be aware of: the home protocol isn’t the route the trials validated.
Reconstitution. DSIP ships as a lyophilized powder. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water; refrigerate after mixing; protect from light.
Community-standard protocol (vendor-monograph / practitioner tier —, not trial-derived):
- Dose: ~100–250 mcg, most commonly starting at 100 mcg and titrating up by response.
- Timing: 30–60 minutes before bed, once nightly.
- Cycle: typically run in short blocks (roughly 1–4 weeks) rather than indefinitely, then assess. against a primary protocol source.
What to expect — and what not to. DSIP is not a sedative. It won’t drop you like a benzodiazepine or a strong dose of trazodone. The reported effect is deeper, more consolidated sleep and easier mornings — and given the evidence, it’s reasonable to treat your own response over 1–2 weeks as the real test. If nothing changes, it isn’t working for you; the data say that’s a real possibility.
Stacking. DSIP pairs logically with the rest of the OHM sleep/circadian toolkit: with Selank when anxiety is what’s keeping you awake (calm the noise, then deepen the sleep), and conceptually alongside circadian foundations (light discipline, melatonin timing). Epithalon is the other Russian-school sleep/longevity-adjacent peptide worth knowing in this cluster. No controlled trial validates any DSIP combination — trial DSIP on its own first.
Side effects & management
DSIP is one of the more benign molecules in its record — the limitation is evidence, not toxicity.
- Headache — the one AE that actually shows up (a few patients in the Dick withdrawal cohort). Usually minor.
- No dependence, no tolerance, no withdrawal, no morning hangover/sedation documented — unlike sleeping pills, this is not a CNS-depressant profile.
- No hepatotoxicity or cardiovascular signal in the (small) human record.
- The realistic “side effect” for most people is simpler: it may just not do much. The double-blind data make that a genuine possibility, so don’t keep chasing the dose upward if a fair trial does nothing.
Storage: refrigerate after reconstitution; protect from light; use within the typical compounding/label window.
Regulatory status
US: Not FDA-approved for any indication. Not a controlled substance. As of September 29, 2023, FDA placed DSIP (nominated as “Emideltide”) on the Category 2 bulk-drug-substances list — substances FDA has flagged with significant-safety-concern questions, which means it is not permitted for 503A compounding. (Semax and Selank acetate were added in the same action.) Practically: DSIP is not available through a compounding pharmacy the way some peptides are — it’s accessible only through the research-chemical channel, “not for human consumption.” This is an active regulatory area; the broader peptide-compounding question is on the FDA’s pharmacy-compounding advisory agenda.
Sources
- research note backing this article (peptidelist scrape + PubMed verification + FDA Category 2 confirmation).
- thepeptidelist.com directory entry (30 studies cited / 16 human; site grade “moderate”); its 10 key-study PMIDs were independently confirmed.
- sleep-PRIMARY / Tier C / safety-yellow grading.
- PubMed primary literature: 7028502 (Schneider-Helmert 1981), 6391926 (Kaeser 1984), 3622582 (Schneider-Helmert 1987), 3582201 (phase-shift case 1987), 6328354 (Dick 1983, withdrawal), 6548970 (Larbig 1984, pain), 1299794 (Bes 1992, double-blind weak), 3583493 (Monti 1987, not clinically significant), 19142086 (Pomfrett 2009), 7777652 / 7698722 / 8475226 / 8175965 / 9606527 / 1475566 (endocrine + correlational).
- FDA Category 2, Sept 29 2023: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
Related: Selank · Semax · Epithalon · Cognitive peptides cluster — Dihexa, Pinealon, Cortagen.