Orexin A_Dosage, benefits & legal status
Also known as hypocretin-1
A peptide studied for wakefulness and daytime energy.
Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.
What is Orexin A?
Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.Overview
It is studied as a nasal spray for wakefulness and daytime energy, with limited data.
Orexin-A (hypocretin-1) is a natural brain peptide that keeps you awake and alert; people with narcolepsy lack it.
What it's used for
A peptide that promotes wakefulness and alertness, studied for narcolepsy and daytime energy.
How does Orexin A work?
What it does in the body, and where.Orexin-A is the wakefulness signal. Narcolepsy is what happens when the neurons that make it are destroyed, which is unusually direct as disease mechanisms go.
- 01It binds orexin receptors that drive arousalHolding the brain in a waking state and stabilising the boundary between sleep and wake.
- 02The nasal route is an attempt to reach the brain directlyThe peptide does not cross from blood into brain well, so it is sprayed.
- 03Human evidence is one small pilot studyA single intranasal dose in narcolepsy, crossover design, small numbers.
- 04The field has moved to oral small moleculesDrugs like oveporexton activate the same receptor and can be swallowed, which is a more practical route than a nasal peptide.
Where this compound is thought to act.
What else is it used for?
Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.
- Wakefulness and daytime alertnessEarly research
- NarcolepsyInvestigational
The published record
7,296
Records indexed for Orexin A400 papers and 77 trials indexed in detail.
227 in humans, 90 of them original studies.
77 registered trials, 16 with posted results.
Counted from Europe PMC indexing, not read by a person. Human means indexed under humans, which includes reviews and work on human cells. Original studies exclude reviews and lab work on human cells.Last updated 11 September 2026.
At a glance
Four things to know about Orexin A
Evidence
Research only
Category
Longevity and energy
Common vial
5 mg
Half-life
Nothing published
How much, and do you cycle it?
The range, and whether you take breaks.Research only, as studied. No established scheduleNo range
No published study has established how long to take this or whether a break is needed. Schedules quoted online come from vendors and forums, and different sources disagree.
How long does it stay in the body?
The half-life, and where the figure comes from.Nothing publishedNo figure
Nothing published for an administered dose. Papers reporting orexin levels measure what the body already contains.
You can compare this against the whole library to see where it sits.
What does it cost?
Typical dose and cost, in plain numbers.Orexin A is not injected
It is taken nasal spray. No established human dose. Studied in cells and animals only.
Orexin A starts at $109.99 across 2 vendors.
3 listings, last read Sep 4, 2026. Shipping and card fees are not included.
How do you store it?
Before mixing, and after.Fridge after opening. Use within about 30 days.
Store sealed Orexin A in the fridge. Once opened, keep it upright in the fridge and plan to finish it inside roughly 30 days. Keep it out of light and do not freeze the liquid.
What are the side effects and cautions?
Known cautions and warnings for this compound.Who should avoid it
- No formal contraindications established
- Pregnancy
Stop and get help
- Signs of an allergic reaction
Common effects
- Used in small experimental human protocols without a robust controlled safety database
Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.
Is Orexin A approved?
And where the numbers on this page come from.No. Orexin A is not approved for any use, anywhere. It is sold labelled for laboratory research only, and there is no legal route to buy it for human use.
- Approval statusResearch only
- RouteNasal spray
- CheckedJuly 2026
What has happened recently
We have not yet written a full regulatory note for this compound. The status above is current as of the date shown.
You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.
- DoseFrom research and community reports. No regulator has reviewed this dose.
- Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
- Sources
- Reviewed22 July 2026
What else is like Orexin A?
Others in Longevity and energy, side by side.If you're weighing Orexin A, it's worth reading MitoPrime blend (NAD+ / MOTS-c / 5-Amino-1MQ), PNC-27, and N-Acetyl Epitalon Amidate in the same class.
A peptide studied for wakefulness and daytime energy.
- Dose
- Research only
- How often
- As studied
Three cellular-energy compounds in one 120 mg vial, only one of which is a peptide.
- Dose
- 5 up to 10 mg MOTS-c per week (the rest follows the fixed 10:1:1 ratio)
- How often
- 2-3x per week
A lab-designed peptide with big cancer claims and no human trial in 25 years.
- Dose
- Research only
- How often
- Varies
A longer-lasting version of Epitalon, with no study of its own.
- Dose
- Research only
- How often
- 10-20 day courses
Guides for this compound
- How to Reconstitute a Peptide
Mix peptide powder with bacteriostatic water, step by step.
- How to Read an Insulin Syringe
Read the units, convert to millilitres, and draw the exact dose.
- mcg vs mg: The Peptide Dosing Mistake to Avoid
Your vial says mg and your protocol says mcg. Here is the conversion and how to check it.
- How to Read a Peptide COA
What the purity number does and does not tell you, and how to spot an edited report.
- How to Vet a Peptide Vendor
Independent COAs, HPLC purity, and the red flags that mean walk away.
Sources
- Intranasal orexin A in narcolepsy with cataplexy, randomized placebo-controlled crossover, Brain(2008)The human study behind this compound, and it is smaller and narrower than the reputation suggests. Ten patients with narcolepsy and cataplexy were compared with ten matched controls; only seven patients went on to receive orexin A, intranasally, in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover. The endpoint was a single odour detection threshold, which rose from a median 7.75 on placebo to 11.5 on orexin A. Nothing here measures wakefulness, appetite or any effect the compound is marketed for, and the route was the nose rather than an injection.
Last reviewed 22 July 2026
Beyond these, 477 records are indexed. Browse the records