Melatonin vs Epithalon
Side-by-side comparison of Melatonin and Epithalon: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
Melatonin
Epithalon
Melatonin
Melatonin (chemical name N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an endogenous neurohormone synthesized primarily by the pineal gland and, in smaller quantities, by the retina, gut, skin, bone marrow, lymphocytes, and…
Lowest listed price: $44.99 across 1 listing
Full Melatonin profileEpithalon
Epithalon (also spelled Epitalon, sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly / AEDG) is a synthetic tetrapeptide designed by Prof. Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in the 1980s as a…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 4 listings
Full Epithalon profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | Melatonin | Epithalon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Sleep & Circadian | Longevity & Cellular Health |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | Preclinical (Western standards); Used clinically in Russian gerontological medicine |
| Mechanism of Action | Melatonin operates through at least four distinct mechanistic pathways that together account for its diverse physiological effects: (1) MT1/MT2 receptor activation for circadian and sleep effects; (2) nuclear receptor (ROR/RZR) modulation for anti-inflammatory… | Epithalon (AEDG; Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is a synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on the pineal polypeptide preparation epithalamin. Its proposed mechanism spans several parallel pathways. The human-relevant evidence is strongest for melatonin/circadian effects; the… |
| Half-Life | — | Not well characterized in humans. As a small tetrapeptide, AEDG is expected to have a very short plasma half-life (on the order of minutes), while downstream gene-expression and circadian effects are thought to persist considerably longer. Any specific half-life figure should be treated as an unvalidated estimate. |
| Typical Dose Range | — | 5000-10000 mcg (5-10 mg) subcutaneous daily for 10-20 day cycles; typically repeated 1-2 times per year in anti-aging protocols |
| Dosing Frequency | — | Once daily for 10–20 day cycles |
| Administration | — | Subcutaneous |
| Side Effects | Melatonin has an exceptionally wide safety margin and has been used in clinical doses up to 300mg/day in oncology protocols without serious acute toxicity. However, side effects are common at supraphysiological doses (3mg and above) and are often misattributed… | Expected / benign - Mild injection-site reaction — redness, slight tenderness, occasional small bruise. Resolves within 24-48 hours. - Enhanced, more vivid dreams in the first week of a cycle — consistent with melatonin rise. - Deeper sleep onset and feeling… |
| Molecular Weight | — | 390.3 Da |
| Common Vial Sizes | — | 10mg, 50mg |
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3 data points- Half Nattys
- Disguised Alpha
- LB
Melatonin: potential benefits
- No structured benefit list published.
Epithalon: potential benefits
- Telomerase activation and telomere elongation (human cell culture)
- Normalization of circadian melatonin rhythm (human data from epithalamin, the parent pineal preparation)
- Improved sleep consolidation and circadian regularity (subjective)
- Modest life-span effects in rodents (mainly maximum / late-survivor lifespan; no change in mean lifespan)
- Reduced incidence of specific tumors (e.g. ~6-fold fewer leukemias in SHR mice); no change in total tumor incidence
- Reduced chromosomal aberrations in aged rodent tissue
- Site-specific DNA / chromatin binding (proposed epigenetic modulation)
- Association with lower mortality in an elderly cardiovascular cohort (epithalamin RCT, Korkushko 2011)
Frequently asked
What's the difference between Melatonin and Epithalon?
Melatonin is a sleep & circadian that melatonin operates through at least four distinct mechanistic pathways that together account for its diverse physiological effects: (1) mt1/mt2 receptor activation for circadian…. Epithalon is a longevity & cellular health that epithalon (aedg; ala-glu-asp-gly) is a synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on the pineal polypeptide preparation epithalamin. its proposed mechanism spans several parallel pathways. the…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (not reported vs Not well characterized in humans. As a small tetrapeptide, AEDG is expected to have a very short plasma half-life (on the order of minutes), while downstream gene-expression and circadian effects are thought to persist considerably longer. Any specific half-life figure should be treated as an unvalidated estimate.), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, Melatonin or Epithalon?
Melatonin has a half-life of not reported. Epithalon has a half-life of Not well characterized in humans. As a small tetrapeptide, AEDG is expected to have a very short plasma half-life (on the order of minutes), while downstream gene-expression and circadian effects are thought to persist considerably longer. Any specific half-life figure should be treated as an unvalidated estimate.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, Melatonin or Epithalon?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Melatonin from $44.99, Epithalon from $34.99. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack Melatonin and Epithalon?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Melatonin and Epithalon should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
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Before you buy Melatonin or Epithalon
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Related comparisons
Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. Every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.