Editorial standards
How US Peptide Guide evaluates, grades, and cites evidence. Applied uniformly across every peptide page so comparisons are meaningful.
Four-tier evidence framework
- Completed Phase 3 clinical trials
- FDA approval for at least one indication
- Prescribable under standard protocols
Pages in this tier still document FDA-approved uses separately from off-label uses.
- Multiple human RCTs with combined n > 50
- Available through licensed 503A or 503B compounding
- Replicated findings in peer-reviewed journals
Single-study findings, however large, may not qualify if unreplicated.
- At least one published human study (case report, small cohort, or pilot RCT)
- Strong mechanistic or animal data supporting the claimed effect
- No serious safety signals from available human exposure
Most currently compoundable peptides fall here. Human data exists but is early.
- No published human clinical trials
- Mechanism inferred from animal models only
- May have anecdotal human reports but no systematic study
Tier 4 does not mean ineffective — it means unstudied in humans.
Citation policy
Every factual claim on a peptide page must link to a numbered citation. No assertion ships without a reference or an explicit qualifier ("no human data available", "animal data only").
Preferred for all biological claims. PMID required. Title, authors, and year verified before inclusion.
Federal Register notices, CDER letters, Compounding Bulk Drug Substances lists. URL and date required.
Used to document ongoing or completed trials. NCT number required. Not a substitute for published results.
Public statements by identified clinicians or researchers, with source URL, date, and credential. Paraphrased — not quoted — with a ≤ 15-word position summary.
What reference pages never include
- Dosing protocols or administration guidance — belongs with a prescriber
- Vendor or product recommendations
- Blended evidence summaries that mix animal and human data
- Marketing claims or testimonials