Epitalon
Also known as Epithalon · Epithalamin Tetrapeptide
A four-amino-acid peptide that upregulates telomerase activity and restores pineal circadian signalling — typically cycled 10 days, quarterly.
Definition
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide modelled on a fragment of a pineal-gland protein. Its most-studied mechanism is telomerase upregulation — the enzyme that maintains telomere length at the ends of chromosomes. It also restores age-related declines in pineal melatonin and entrains circadian-clock genes. The dosing convention is a 10-day course repeated every three months, which mirrors the Russian clinical research base.
How Meto uses it.
Epitalon sits in Meto's CLARIFY cognition-and-longevity stack alongside NAD+ and Selank, and is also available solo. The clinical cadence is unusual: 5–10 mg subcutaneous daily for 10 days, then nothing for roughly three months, then another 10-day cycle.
Safety notes
- Contraindicated in active malignancy — telomerase upregulation is a theoretical concern
- Avoid in pregnancy and lactation
- Most evidence base is Russian clinical research; Western RCTs are sparse
- Well-tolerated in practice — rare reports of mild injection-site reaction
Not a complete list — your clinician reviews your full history, labs and medications during intake. Nothing here replaces that.
Common questions
Why a 10-day cycle instead of daily dosing?
Epitalon's downstream effects on telomerase and circadian-clock genes persist long past the dosing window — Russian research showed this clearly. Continuous daily dosing adds exposure without additional benefit, so the quarterly-cycle pattern is the clinical convention.
Does Epitalon actually extend lifespan?
Honest answer: the Western evidence base is thin. Russian clinical literature over three decades reports improved mortality curves and biological-age markers in aged cohorts; translating that to modern healthspan claims requires caution. It's a reasonable part of a longevity stack, not a miracle.
Can I take it orally?
Oral drops exist and are prescribed for members who prefer them. Injected delivery has better bioavailability, but the 10-day-cycle cadence softens that difference at the protocol level.
Read More
Telomerase
The enzyme that maintains telomere length at chromosome ends — upregulated by Epitalon in longevity cycles.
Clinical ConceptTelomere
The protective DNA cap at the end of each chromosome — shortens with age and each cell division.
Clinical ConceptPineal Gland
A small endocrine gland in the brain that secretes melatonin — the anatomical origin of Epitalon's developmental story.
$149 panel.
A clinician reads it in 24 hours.
Order the Peptide Readiness Panel, draw at a Quest or LabCorp near you, and your clinician sends back a matched protocol with a confidence score.