IGF-1 LR3 and IGF-1 DES are each a form of IGF-1.
IGF-1 is the hormone growth hormone actually works through.
Same target, different schedules: IGF-1 LR3 daily, cycled; IGF-1 DES around training.
| Comparison | IGF-1 LR3 Long R3 IGF-1 · LR3 | IGF-1 DES DES(1-3) IGF-1 |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | How it works IGF-1 LR3 is a modified version of the hormone that growth hormone works through, engineered to stay active far longer than the natural form. | How it works IGF-1 DES is a shortened, more potent IGF-1 that acts where you put it and then disappears. |
| What it is | A powerful muscle-builder that also drops blood sugar hard. | A short-acting muscle-builder that works right where you inject it. |
| Status | Research only | Research only |
| Typical dose | 0.02–0.05 mg per day | 0.05–0.15 mg per dose |
| How often | Daily, cycled | Around training |
| Dose comes from | Community practice | Community practice |
| Cycled? | Commonly run in 4 week blocks Community practice | Used around training rather than on a cycle Community practice |
| What it does | ||
| Drug class | IGF-1 analog | IGF-1 variant |
| Used for | A powerful muscle-builder that drives growth in muscle cells and speeds recovery, staying active for hours. | A short-acting muscle-builder that works right where you inject it, used to target a specific muscle. |
| Receptors hit | — | — |
| Numbers | ||
| Full dose line | 0.02 up to 0.05 mg per day (start low, increase slowly) | 0.05 up to 0.15 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly) |
| Why that cycle | The block length comes from community practice. The stated concern is that holding IGF-1 high for long periods drives growth in tissue you did not intend, and it can drop blood sugar hard. No human study establishes a schedule or a safe duration. | Because it acts where it is injected and then clears, it is used per session rather than run continuously. No human study establishes a schedule. |
| Weight / effect | Not measured in a trial | Not measured in a trial |
| Chain length | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Common vial | 1 mg | 1 mg |
| Before you start | ||
| Route | Under the skin or into muscle | Under the skin or into muscle |
| Do not use if | Any history of cancer, given the growth-promoting mechanism Diabetes, or any use of insulin, because the blood-sugar drop can be dangerous Pregnancy Banned in drug-tested sport | Any history of cancer Diabetes, or any use of insulin Pregnancy Banned in drug-tested sport |
What separates them
Proof behind the dose. Every dose here comes from community practice. Not one is backed by a published human study, which is worth knowing before you read the numbers as if they were equivalent.
What doesn't differ: They are both taken the same way (under the skin or into muscle). Neither has a measured effect size from a published trial, so there is no number to rank them on.
What people actually report
IGF-1 LR3
- High risk: it can drop blood sugar dangerously, so it must never be combined with insulin, and it carries a theoretical cancer-growth concern.
- Banned in drug-tested sport.
- Signs of very low blood sugar such as shaking, sweating, confusion, or fainting, which needs fast-acting sugar and urgent help
- New lumps or masses
IGF-1 DES
- High risk: the same dangerous low-blood-sugar and cancer-growth concerns as the long-acting version.
- Banned in drug-tested sport.
- Signs of very low blood sugar such as shaking, sweating, confusion, or fainting
- New lumps or masses
Side effects are what users and trials report most often, not a complete list. Anything sudden, spreading, or breathing-related is an emergency regardless of which compound caused it.
People also compare
This comparison does not cover cost, long-term safety, or how you personally will respond. Effect figures come from separate trials in different populations and are not always directly comparable to each other. Nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation to use any of these. Talk to a clinician about your own situation.