Growth Factor

IGF-1 DES

Des(1-3) IGF-1 · Des-IGF-1 · IGF-1 DES(1-3)

A 67-residue IGF-1 analog missing the N-terminal Gly-Pro-Glu tripeptide, which largely abolishes IGFBP binding. In IGFBP-rich systems it is several-fold more potent than intact IGF-1, with a ~20-minute plasma half-life. Reconstitute in 0.6% acetic acid (~100 mM), not bacteriostatic water - IGF-1 family peptides aggregate above ~pH 6.4. Not FDA-approved; mecasermin is the approved native IGF-1 product.

Not FDA-approved - research chemicalWADA (S2) - prohibited in sport at all times

Quick answer

What it is: A 67-residue IGF-1 analog missing the N-terminal Gly-Pro-Glu tripeptide, which largely abolishes IGFBP binding.

Typical research dose: 20-50 mcg (research; local/site injection)

Reconstitution calculator ↓Sermorelin online: providers and cost →Telehealth clinics that prescribe peptides →

Research summary, not medical advice.

Reviewed by Kymata Health Editorial Team

·Last updated: August 2026·Evidence: Strong preclinical

Typical research dose

20-50 mcg (research; local/site injection)

Frequency

Training days (research use)

Half-life

~20–30 minutes (plasma)

Common vials

1 mg

CAS

112603-78-6

Molecular weight

~7.4 kDa

Use-case scores

0–10 against the evidence we have, not a gym ranking. Hidden domains do not apply here.

Muscle / recomp3/10
Short t½, local-injection folklore, acetic-acid diluent. Preclinical potency ≠ human protocol.

Compound card

Class: Des(1-3) IGF-1 (acetic-acid recon; not LR3, not mecasermin)
Formula: Des(1-3) IGF-1 (67 aa)
Status: Not FDA-approved · research use

Dose it

1 mg + 1 mL 0.6% acetic acid → 1 mg/mL · 20 mcg ≈ 2 units (U-100)

Open in calculator

How it works

Des(1-3) IGF-1 is mature IGF-1 minus Gly-Pro-Glu. That truncation collapses IGFBP binding, so more peptide is free at IGF1R. Potency in IGFBP-rich assays is several-fold above intact IGF-1; plasma t½ is about 20 minutes.

Reconstitute in 0.6% acetic acid (~100 mM). Bacteriostatic water is the wrong pH window - IGF-1 family peptides gel and aggregate near neutrality. Increlex (mecasermin) is itself an acetate-buffered pH 5.4 solution for the same chemistry reason.

Source: PMID: 2280209, PMID: 1715381; acetic-acid diluent: IGF-1 family formulation chemistry (Increlex pH 5.4 acetate buffer)

Use 0.6% acetic acid, not BAC water

IGF-1 DES (and related IGF-1 proteins) precipitate or gel when reconstituted only in bacteriostatic water. Laboratory and kit inserts use dilute acetic acid (commonly 0.6% / ~100 mM). Store cold; do not freeze-thaw. Hypoglycemia is the acute risk - this is an insulin-receptor-family agonist.

Research Use Cases

✓Localized IGF-1 research: Moderate
✓Systemic growth: Low

Dosing

Phase	Dose	Frequency	Notes
Research / local injection (community range)	20–50 mcg	Training days	Not a labeled dose. Short t½ is why injections are local. Start at the low end because of hypoglycemia.

Administration

Route / form

Intramuscular or subcutaneous (research)

Timing

Often timed near training in community use because of the 20-minute window.

Empty stomach?

No - Food timing is not critical.

IGF-1 DES: 0.6% acetic acid (correct) vs BAC water (wrong diluent)

0.6% acetic acid (correct)

Bioavailability

Des(1-3) IGF-1: short plasma t½ (~20–30 min) because IGFBP binding is largely gone. Parenteral research use is a brief IGF1R pulse. Not mecasermin (Increlex), not IGF-1 LR3.

Dose note

Reconstitute the cake in 0.6% acetic acid (~100 mM). Increlex itself is acetate-buffered around pH 5.4 for the same chemistry reason. Community research band is 20–50 mcg, often local, because the window is minutes. Hypoglycemia is the acute risk.

Advantages

Acid diluent keeps the protein from gelling. This is formulation chemistry, not a stacking trick.
Separates DES from LR3’s long analog strategy.

Considerations

Not a labeled product. Mecasermin is the approved native IGF-1 liquid.
Insulin-receptor-family agonist: hypoglycemia and a theoretical proliferation caution in active malignancy.

BAC water (wrong diluent)

Bioavailability

Not applicable as a second route. Bacteriostatic water is the wrong pH window. IGF-1 family peptides aggregate above about pH 6.4. This column exists so nobody copies a BPC BAC chart onto DES.

Dose note

Do not reconstitute IGF-1 DES in BAC water as the stock solvent. Clouding, gel, or silent potency loss is the failure mode. If a protocol later dilutes an acid stock, that is a second step, not “just use BAC like BPC.”

Advantages

Naming the wrong diluent in public is the whole point of this column.

Considerations

BAC-like-BPC is how people ruin the vial.
This is not a second official SKU. It is the documented mistake.

Recommendation: IGF-1 DES: 0.6% acetic acid is the stock diluent. “BAC like BPC” is the wrong diluent, labeled honestly. Short analog, minutes-class pulse, hypoglycemia risk. Not LR3 and not Increlex.

Timeline

Minutes

IGF1R occupancy is brief. This is not LR3’s 20–30 hour exposure.

Who it is for

Localized IGF-1 research

Moderate

Preclinical analog with a real chemistry constraint (acid diluent). No human approval.

Systemic growth

Low

Use IGF-1 LR3 or prescription mecasermin if the question is duration or labeled IGF-1 replacement - those are different molecules.

Reconstitution

Vial	Water	Concentration	Example dose
1 mg lyophilized	1 mL 0.6% acetic acid	1 mg/mL	20 mcg on 1 mg / 1 mL acetic acid = 0.02 mL = 2 units. BAC water is the wrong pH window.

Change vial size or water volume? Open the reconstitution calculator.

Safety & Considerations

Research analog. Hypoglycemia, injection-site reactions, and theoretical IGF1R-driven proliferation risk. Not for anyone with active malignancy. Never mix in the same syringe as insulin without a protocol you actually understand.

Regulatory & Legal Status

FDA Status (US)

Research Only

Not approved. Mecasermin (Increlex®) is the FDA-approved native IGF-1 product - a different molecule

WADA Status (2026)

Prohibited (S2)

Competitive athletes subject to anti-doping controls should not use IGF-1 DES.

Classification

Research Chemical

US Compounding: Not eligible / not available

⚠️ This information is for educational purposes only and may not reflect the most current regulatory updates. Always verify with official FDA, WADA, and jurisdiction-specific sources before use.

Limits of current evidence

Local vs systemic is community practice driven by a 20-minute plasma curve, not a label.
Wrong diluent gels the vial.

Verdict

IGF-1 DES is truncated IGF-1. Reconstitute in 0.6% acetic acid, not BAC water. Not LR3. Not Increlex. Hypoglycemia still applies.

Interactions & Contraindications

IGF-1 DES vs. IGF-1 LR3

Canonical comparison: IGF-1 DES vs IGF-1 LR3

Attribute	IGF-1 DES	IGF-1 LR3
Structure	Native IGF-1 minus Gly-Pro-Glu (67 aa)	N-terminal extension + Arg3 (long analog)
Half-life	~20–30 minutes	~20–30 hours
IGFBP binding	Largely abolished by truncation	Evaded by LR3 design
Diluent	0.6% acetic acid - not BAC water	Often acetic acid / acid stock as well
Use pattern	Local / short pulse (research)	Systemic daily (research)

Verdict: DES is the short, local analog. LR3 is the long systemic analog. Same receptor family, opposite duration. Neither is mecasermin (Increlex).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not BAC water like BPC?▼

IGF-1 family peptides gel and aggregate near neutrality (above about pH 6.4). Stock solvent is 0.6% acetic acid. Increlex is itself acetate-buffered. BAC-like-BPC is the wrong diluent, not a second official route.

Can I reconstitute IGF-1 DES with bacteriostatic water?▼

Do not use BAC water as the stock solvent. IGF-1 family peptides aggregate above ~pH 6.4. Use 0.6% acetic acid for the vial, then dilute if a protocol requires it.

How is this different from IGF-1 LR3?▼

LR3 is a long analog (~20–30 h) engineered to evade IGFBPs via an N-terminal extension and Arg3 substitution. DES is a short, truncated native sequence (~20 min). Same receptor family, opposite duration strategy.

Is this Increlex?▼

No. Increlex is mecasermin (full-length rhIGF-1), a prescription liquid. DES is a research analog.

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