WhatPeptide

IGF-1 DES

A naturally occurring 67-amino-acid truncated variant of IGF-1 missing the N-terminal Gly-Pro-Glu tripeptide. First isolated from bovine colostrum and human brain. Approximately 10-fold more potent than full-length IGF-1 due to ~100-fold reduced binding to IGF binding proteins, resulting in greater free peptide bioavailability.

Animal studies only Unregulated Growth Factor

Written by WhatPeptide Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-03-18

Half-life

~20-30 minutes (very short due to negligible IGFBP buffering; cf. IGF-1 LR3 at ~20+ hours)

Dosage range

Animal research: 3-30 mcg/day SC in mice (Gillespie et al., PMID 2280209); 20-270 mcg/kg IV in pigs/marmosets. No established human clinical dosing.

Administration

Subcutaneous injection

Research level

Animal only

How IGF-1 DES works

Binds IGF-1R with comparable affinity to native IGF-1, activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR (protein synthesis) and MAPK/ERK (proliferation) pathways. Enhanced potency derives from ~100-fold reduced binding to IGFBPs (particularly IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5) due to removal of the critical Glu3 residue (Francis et al., PMID 1378742).

Also known as: Des(1-3) IGF-1, Des(1-3)IGF-I, des-IGF-1, Truncated IGF-1, IGF-1 (4-70)

Research relevance

Muscle Growth
Moderate relevance 65
Recovery & Healing
Some relevance 40
Injury Rehab
Some relevance 30

Side effects & safety

Hypoglycemia (2-3× more potent than IGF-1 at lowering blood sugar) Organ hypertrophy (kidney, heart, liver at higher doses) Gut hypertrophy (up to 45% increase in gut weight in rats) Theoretical cancer proliferation risk via IGF-1R/PI3K/Akt/mTOR Localized tissue overgrowth at injection site

Contraindications

Active malignancy (IGF-1R signaling promotes proliferation)
Diabetes/hypoglycemia risk
Cardiac hypertrophy
Pregnancy

Consult a healthcare provider before use if any of these apply to you.

FAQ

What is IGF-1 DES? +
A naturally occurring 67-amino-acid truncated variant of IGF-1 missing the N-terminal Gly-Pro-Glu tripeptide. First isolated from bovine colostrum and human brain. Approximately 10-fold more potent than full-length IGF-1 due to ~100-fold reduced binding to IGF binding proteins, resulting in greater free peptide bioavailability. Its mechanism of action is based primarily on animal and in-vitro studies.
What is IGF-1 DES researched for? +
IGF-1 DES has the strongest research relevance for Muscle Growth, Recovery & Healing, Injury Rehab. Evidence is based primarily on animal and in-vitro studies.
What are the side effects of IGF-1 DES? +
Reported side effects include Hypoglycemia (2-3× more potent than IGF-1 at lowering blood sugar), Organ hypertrophy (kidney, heart, liver at higher doses), Gut hypertrophy (up to 45% increase in gut weight in rats), Theoretical cancer proliferation risk via IGF-1R/PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Localized tissue overgrowth at injection site. Key contraindications: Active malignancy (IGF-1R signaling promotes proliferation); Diabetes/hypoglycemia risk; Cardiac hypertrophy; Pregnancy.
Is IGF-1 DES FDA approved? +
IGF-1 DES is not FDA-approved. It is available as a research compound or through compounding pharmacies in some jurisdictions.
How is IGF-1 DES administered? +
IGF-1 DES is typically administered via subcutaneous route. Researched dosage range: Animal research: 3-30 mcg/day SC in mice (Gillespie et al., PMID 2280209); 20-270 mcg/kg IV in pigs/marmosets. No established human clinical dosing.. Half-life: ~20-30 minutes (very short due to negligible IGFBP buffering; cf. IGF-1 LR3 at ~20+ hours).

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