# Kisspeptin-10

- Canonical: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/
- Also called: KP-10, Metastin (45-54)
- Evidence grade: B (Randomized human trials). Small human physiology studies, including a 2026 randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study in 15 men; endpoints are hormone levels, not clinical outcomes.
- Status: Not FDA-approved · FDA compounding Category 2 (503A)
- PubChem CID: 25240297
- Updated: 2026-10-19 · Reviewed by: Residue Editorial Team

Kisspeptin-10 is the minimal kisspeptin sequence with full intrinsic bioactivity; kisspeptins stimulate GnRH and thus LH and FSH secretion [1]. In healthy men, intravenous boluses raised LH within 30 minutes, and infusions raised testosterone and LH pulse frequency [1]. Women respond differently depending on cycle phase and sex steroids [2][3]. FDA placed Kisspeptin-10 in compounding Category 2 in September 2023 [4].

## Key findings
- IV bolus in healthy men raised LH from 4.1 to 12.4 IU/L at 30 minutes at the maximal 1 µg/kg; 3 µg/kg gave a smaller response [1]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#kf-pmid-21632807)
- A 22.5-hour infusion at 4 µg/kg/h raised testosterone from 16.6 to 24.0 nmol/L [1]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#kf-pmid-21632807-2)
- Healthy women in the follicular phase showed no gonadotropin response even at high doses, but women in the preovulatory phase did [2]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#kf-pmid-21976724)
- In 2026, daily 8-hour subcutaneous infusions sustained LH increases over 12 days in healthy men, while continuous infusion for 5 days did not [5]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#kf-pmid-42549827)
- FDA added Kisspeptin-10 to Category 2 for 503A compounding on September 29, 2023, citing immunogenicity risk and limited safety information [4]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#kf-fda-cat2)

## Effects by system
- LH and testosterone (men) (grade B): Dose-dependent LH, FSH and testosterone increases with IV and SC dosing, sustained for 12 days with intermittent infusion [1][5]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#effect-lh-and-testosterone-men)
- Gonadotropins (women) (grade C): Response depends on cycle phase and sex-steroid exposure [2][3]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#effect-gonadotropins-women)
- Hypogonadism in type 2 diabetes (grade C): Raised LH pulse frequency and testosterone in 4–5 men [6]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#effect-hypogonadism-in-type-2-diabetes)
- Hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea (grade C): Reactivated gonadotropin secretion in 2 women [7]. (anchor: https://residue.info/c/kisspeptin-10/#effect-hyperprolactinemic-amenorrhea)

## What is kisspeptin-10?

Kisspeptins are hypothalamic peptides critical to human reproductive physiology [2]. Kisspeptin-10 is the minimal sequence with full intrinsic bioactivity [1]. PubChem lists the sequence YNWNSFGLRF and the synonym metastin 45-54 [8].

## How does kisspeptin-10 work?

Kisspeptins stimulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and thus the pituitary's release of LH and FSH [1]. Animal work suggests kisspeptin integrates metabolic signals with the reproductive axis [6], and in women its effect depends on sex-steroid feedback, with the pituitary an important site of estrogen feedback [3].

## What have studies found?

**Men.** In the first human dose-response study, intravenous boluses produced a rapid, dose-dependent LH rise, maximal at 1 µg/kg. Infusion raised LH pulse frequency, pulse size and testosterone [1]. A 2026 randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study found daily 8-hour subcutaneous infusions sustained higher LH for 12 days, whereas gonadotropins returned to vehicle levels during 5 days of continuous infusion [5].

**Women.** Healthy women in the follicular phase did not respond at doses that worked in men, but preovulatory women did [2]. Postmenopausal women had larger LH and FSH responses, and women on the combined pill had none [3].

**Disorders.** In men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone, an 11-hour infusion raised LH pulse frequency and testosterone [6]. In two women with hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea, a 12-hour infusion reactivated gonadotropin secretion [7].

**Registered trials.** ClinicalTrials.gov lists phase 1 and 2 studies of kisspeptin in reproductive disorders, alongside observational studies of natural levels [9].

FDA lists Kisspeptin-10 in Category 2 for 503A compounding, added on September 29, 2023. It cites possible immunogenicity, impurity and characterization complexities, and no or only limited safety information for the proposed routes, so FDA lacks sufficient information to know whether it would cause harm in humans [4].

## What is still unknown?

- **Clinical outcomes** such as fertility; published endpoints are hormone levels [5].
- **Long-term dosing.** The longest protocol we found ran 12 days [5].

## Frequently asked questions
**Is kisspeptin-10 FDA-approved?**
No. Drugs@FDA returned no application, and FDA placed Kisspeptin-10 in Category 2 for 503A compounding on September 29, 2023 [4].

**Does kisspeptin-10 raise testosterone?**
In small studies of healthy men, infusions raised testosterone along with LH [1][5], and an infusion raised testosterone in men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone [6]. These are short hormone studies, not treatment trials.

**What is kisspeptin-10?**
It is the 10-amino-acid form of kisspeptin, the shortest with full intrinsic activity [1]. PubChem lists it as metastin 45-54 [8].

**Why do women respond differently to kisspeptin-10?**
In studies, women in the early follicular phase showed little or no gonadotropin response, while preovulatory and postmenopausal women responded more, suggesting sex-steroid feedback shapes the response [2][3].


## Sources
[1] Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men. George JT et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21632807/
[2] The effects of kisspeptin-10 on reproductive hormone release show sexual dimorphism in humans. Jayasena CN et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21976724/
[3] Kisspeptin-10 stimulation of gonadotrophin secretion in women is modulated by sex steroid feedback. George JT et al. Hum Reprod. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22956346/
[4] Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. U.S. FDA, content current as of 04/22/2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
[5] Chronic subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 stimulates gonadotropin secretion for 12 days in healthy men. Yeung AC et al. Eur J Endocrinol. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42549827/
[6] Exploring the pathophysiology of hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes: kisspeptin-10 stimulates serum testosterone and LH secretion in men with type 2 diabetes and mild biochemical hypogonadism. George JT et al. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23153270/
[7] Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Reactivation by Kisspeptin-10 in Hyperprolactinemic Women With Chronic Amenorrhea. Millar RP et al. J Endocr Soc. 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29264460/
[8] PubChem compound record: Kisspeptin-10. C63H83N17O14 · MW 1302.4 g/mol. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/25240297
[9] ClinicalTrials.gov registry search: kisspeptin-10 OR kisspeptin. 36 registered studies at fetch. https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=kisspeptin-10%20OR%20kisspeptin

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