Kisspeptin 10 -Everything you need to know.

Kisspeptin (a.k.a. metastin) is a naturally occurring protein in humans that plays an important role in hormone signalling during puberty and reproduction. It is also thought to alter mood and behaviour, promote angiogenesis, and regulate kidney function. The peptide has also been found in the brain and suppresses tumour growth and metastasis (spread). The peptide is of greatest scientific interest for its ability to influence the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

Chemical Name: Kisspeptin-10 (Kp-10), Metastin (45-54)

Unit Quantity: 1 vial
CAS: 374675-21-5
Molecular Weight: 1302.45

Source: PubChem

Boosting Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is synthesized in and released from GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus. It is the first hormone released in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and controls the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary gland.  GnRH is the primary driver of puberty and controls the maturation of gametes in the genitals. It is used therapeutically to control menstruation in select settings, as a treatment for precocious puberty, and as a continuous infusion in certain types of cancer.

Boosting Testosterone

By affecting circulating levels of LH and FSH, kisspeptin can alter testosterone levels. This alteration, however, appears to be sex-specific. In men, kisspeptin increases testosterone levels while in women it has no discernible impact on testosterone. In one study, 6 men were administered a derivative of kisspeptin via IV. They showed a significant increase in plasma testosterone levels (nearly 3-fold) after just 90 minutes. A different analogue of kisspeptin has been found to alter the pulse frequency of LH in men, suggesting that kisspeptin helps to fine-tune the normal pulsatile release of sex hormones. A study of healthy men given kisspeptin-10 revealed a rapid and dose-dependent increase in serum LH levels and a concomitant increase in testosterone levels. Kisspeptin-10 appears to achieve this feat by increasing the pulsatile release of LH. If given at high enough doses, kisspeptin-10 causes such rapid pulsation as to obscure individual pulses entirely, resulting in continuous LH release. This finding opens the door for potential uses of kisspeptin and its analogues in a variety of settings from pregnancy to low testosterone levels and more.

Energy Balance

Kisspeptin neurons have long been known to be sensitive to the energy status of an individual. Both under-nutrition and severe over-nutrition can blunt the action of kisspeptin neurons in stimulating GnRH release. In fact, drastic changes in energy balance can lead to infertility in both men and women, a process that appears to be mediated by kisspeptin.

So it is well understood that kisspeptin production and release are sensitive to energy balance. What is becoming clearer, however, is that kisspeptin may regulate energy balance. This finding arose through the observation of mice in which the kisspeptin receptor (Kiss1r) was removed via genetic manipulation. These mice showed increased adiposity and reduced energy expenditure. It turns out that the kisspeptin receptor is found in adipose (fat) tissue and brown adipose tissue[3]. It should not come as a surprise that kisspeptin plays a role in energy balance as energy status and reproductive fitness have always been tightly linked. It seems that kisspeptin may be one link that helps to explain the neurochemical control that leads to energy-modulating behaviour in relation to reproduction.

Impact on Mood

Just like reproduction and energy status are interconnected, so too are reproduction and emotion interconnected. Given the role of kisspeptin in both reproduction and energy homeostasis, researchers questioned how the peptide might influence emotion and behaviour. To test this connection, they compared kisspeptin to placebo administration in 29 healthy heterosexual men. Individuals given kisspeptin showed enhanced limbic brain activity. In particular, the individuals showed increased reward-seeking behaviour, increased drive, and improved overall mood[8]. It would appear that kisspeptin plays a role in integrating sexual and emotional brain processing with the overall process of reproduction. These findings help to further our understanding of mood, inspiration, and drive not just as they relate to sex, but as they relate to human behaviour in general.

Kisspeptin 10 Dosage

For best results it is recommended to use 2mcg per 1kg of body weight this means if you are:

80kg you would use 140mcg daily
100kg you would use 200mcg daily
120kg you would use 240mcg daily

Mix 2 ml of solution with each vial of Kisspeptin 10. (two full insulin syringes of solution.)
Only mix one bottle at a time and keep refrigerated once reconstituted.

As an example:

5iu = 125mcg
6iu = 150mcg
7iu = 175mcg
8iu = 200mcg
9iu = 225mcg
10iu = 250mcg

Kisspeptin-10 Summary

Kisspeptin is a peptide that acts primarily but not exclusively, in the brain to control hormone secretion as it relates to human reproduction. There is a great deal of interest in understanding how kisspeptin influences everything from testosterone levels to sex-related behaviours like drive and motivation.

For years it has also been understood that kisspeptin has the potential to influence the growth and metastasis of cancerous cells. Studies have been somewhat contradictory, however, leading to periods of waxing and waning interest in using kisspeptin as a treatment in chemotherapy regimens. The ability of the peptide to influence metastasis may be linked to its role in vascular growth and functioning. Right now, kisspeptin is the subject of a number of intensive trials aimed at deepening our understanding of this versatile and potentially life-saving peptide.

Referenced Citations

[1] W. S. Dhillo et al., “Kisspeptin-54 stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis in human males,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., vol. 90, no. 12, pp. 6609–6615, Dec. 2005, doi: 10.1210/jc.2005-1468.

[2] J. T. George et al., “Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., vol. 96, no. 8, pp. E1228-1236, Aug. 2011, doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-0089.

[3] C. J. L. Harter, G. S. Kavanagh, and J. T. Smith, “The role of kisspeptin neurons in reproduction and metabolism,” J. Endocrinol., vol. 238, no. 3, pp. R173–R183, 2018, doi: 10.1530/JOE-18-0108.

[4] E. J. Mead, J. J. Maguire, R. E. Kuc, and A. P. Davenport, “Kisspeptins: a multifunctional peptide system with a role in reproduction, cancer and the cardiovascular system,” Br. J. Pharmacol., vol. 151, no. 8, pp. 1143–1153, Aug. 2007, doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707295.

[5] T. Ly, S. Harihar, and D. R. Welch, “KISS1 in metastatic cancer research and treatment: potential and paradoxes,” Cancer Metastasis Rev., Mar. 2020, doi: 10.1007/s10555-020-09868-9.

[6] P. Pazarci et al., “The effects of daylight exposure on melatonin levels, Kiss1 expression, and melanoma formation in mice,” Croat. Med. J., vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 55–61, Feb. 2020.

[7] E. Gibula-Tarlowska and J. H. Kotlinska, “Kissorphin improves spatial memory and cognitive flexibility impairment induced by ethanol treatment in the Barnes maze task in rats,” Behav. Pharmacol., vol. 31, no. 2 & 3, pp. 272–282, Apr. 2020, doi: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000557.

[8] A. N. Comninos et al., “Kisspeptin modulates sexual and emotional brain processing in humans,” J. Clin. Invest., vol. 127, no. 2, pp. 709–719, doi: 10.1172/JCI89519.

[9] M. Bhattacharya and A. V. Babwah, “Kisspeptin: Beyond the Brain,” Endocrinology, vol. 156, no. 4, pp. 1218–1227, Apr. 2015, doi: 10.1210/en.2014-1915.

[10] Antitumor efficacy of Kisspeptin in human malignant mesothelioma cells. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922395/

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