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Digestive & weight
What should I know about KPV dosage?
KPV dosage research comes from mouse studies testing 16 µg/kg to 1 mg/kg. See what FDA found, the doses tested, and what to check on each form.
Quick answer
No standard KPV dosage has been established for people, because FDA's 2026 evaluation found no human exposure data. KPV is not part of any FDA-approved drug and has no established labeled route. Published KPV doses come from mouse studies, which tested 100 µM in drinking water, 16 µg/kg per day in nanoparticles, and 1 mg/kg by intravenous injection. The one product strength proposed to FDA was a 0.1% topical cream or gel. KPV also falls under the World Anti-Doping Agency's non-approved substances class, prohibited at all times in sport.
- Published
- November 4, 2026
- Last updated
- November 4, 2026
Is there a standard KPV dose?
No standard KPV dosage has been established, because FDA has found no human exposure data for KPV1 by any route. Published KPV research comes from lab and animal studies. FDA's 2026 evaluation also found no clinical studies or human pharmacokinetic data2.
KPV, short for lysine-proline-valine, is the C-terminal tripeptide3 (last three amino acids) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). KPV is not part of any FDA-approved drug or European Medicines Agency-authorized product2. No USP or NF quality standard covers it. No drug label therefore sets a KPV dose, route, or schedule.
Reported use is the next place to look.
What KPV doses are reported for people?
Published reports do not yet document a human KPV dose range. FDA's 2026 review found no case reports or published studies2 describing KPV use in people.
The one KPV strength proposed in that review is a 0.1% topical cream or gel2. A compounding pharmacy proposed that strength, then withdrew its nomination. That figure is a product strength rather than a dose tested in people. FDA-registered outsourcing facilities reported making no KPV products2 from January 2017 to June 2025.
When a licensed clinician prescribes KPV, that clinician determines the dose. Published KPV dose figures come from animal studies, each tied to its own route and delivery vehicle.
What doses have KPV studies tested?
KPV has been tested in mice at weight-based doses from 16 µg/kg per day in nanoparticles to 1 mg/kg by injection. Most tests used colitis (colon inflammation) models. Each dose is tied to its route and delivery vehicle. Doses appear either as a concentration in drinking water4 or as a weight-based amount.
| Study | Species and model | Route and delivery vehicle | Dose and unit | Duration |
| Colitis study, 2008 | Mice with chemically induced colitis | By mouth, free KPV dissolved in drinking water | 100 µM4 (micromolar, a concentration in the water) | 8 days, or 48 hours in a second model |
| Nanoparticle study, 2017 | Mice with chemically induced colitis | Oral gavage (dosing by tube into the stomach), KPV loaded in nanoparticles inside a chitosan and alginate hydrogel | 16 µg/kg of KPV per day5 | 5 days |
| Injection study, 2024 | Mice with chemically induced colitis (acute model) | Intravenous injection, free KPV | 1 mg/kg every day6 | 7 days |
| Long-term drinking-water study, 2016 | Mice in 2 longer-term intestinal models | By mouth, free KPV dissolved in drinking water | 100 µmol/L7 (a concentration in the water) | 2 cycles of 7 days, or about 13 weeks |
A 2026 mouse study tested an oral KPV prodrug, a form bound to a carrier molecule. The prodrug reached 3.8 times the colon level of free KPV8. The same amount of KPV can behave differently depending on how it is delivered.
A vehicle-bound mouse dose describes its delivery system rather than free KPV. Mouse figures do not convert into a human KPV dose chart. Products made for people add a separate variable, because KPV comes in several forms.
What forms does KPV come in?
KPV is promoted online as injectable, oral, topical, and nasal spray products2. Some multi-ingredient blends also combine KPV with peptides such as BPC-157 and TB-500.
KPV free base and its salt form, KPV acetate, are different active ingredients2. FDA has also found multiple salts and derivatives sold under one name2. A patient may therefore receive a different KPV substance than the one a clinician ordered. Route matters too, since research or experience with one route does not automatically describe another.
What to check on a KPV product depends on its form. Those checks matter because FDA does not verify compounded drugs9 for safety, effectiveness, or quality before sale.
| Form | What to check |
| Injection | Concentration, vial strength, KPV form (free base or acetate), storage, who prepared the product, and sterility, since FDA could not confirm microbiological quality controls for bulk KPV2 |
| Oral | The exact KPV form and what supports its stability and absorption |
| Topical | Concentration, and whether the cited research used skin delivery, since KPV alone stayed below detectable levels10 crossing lab samples of human skin |
| Nasal spray | Whether the research being cited used a nasal route or a different product |
Where a KPV vial holds freeze-dried powder, reconstitution means mixing it with the specified amount of bacteriostatic water (sterile water with a preservative). The prescribing clinician sets the target dose, which the vial strength and water volume turn into syringe units. Anti-doping rules add one more KPV consideration for competitive athletes.
KPV falls under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) non-approved substances class (S0), prohibited at all times11 under the 2026 Prohibited List. Athletes subject to drug testing can face sanctions for KPV use and should check current WADA and league rules.
Getting KPV in 2026
Superpower will offer KPV formulated in FDA-registered facilities in the US, backed by third-party lab testing, and distributed from US-licensed pharmacies. Licensed clinicians will decide whether it fits each person's health care. The Superpower peptide waitlist is open now.
KPV is not an FDA-approved drug. Under an interim policy announced in October 202612, the Department of Health and Human Services does not intend to take enforcement action against state-licensed pharmacies compounding certain peptides while the 503A Bulks List (the list of ingredients pharmacies may use in compounding) is finalized. Six peptides fall under that policy, KPV and five others13, with conditions including ingredients from FDA-registered facilities and a patient-specific prescription. It came after a July 2026 FDA advisory committee recommendation to add KPV to the list14; rulemaking is ongoing.