--- title: "Thymalin vs Cartalax: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/thymalin-vs-cartalax description: "Compare Thymalin vs Cartalax side by side. We earn a commission on some vendor links. Mechanism, half-life, dose range, side effects and prices." lang: en --- Skip to content Compare notes on r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) Compare notes with other researchers. Join r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) # Thymalin vs Cartalax Side-by-side comparison of Thymalin and Cartalax: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing. Thymalin from $44.99 Cartalax from $58.85 ## Price snapshot ### Thymalin Current low $44.99 current listings 7-day low — not enough history yet 30-day low — not enough history yet 30-day change — not enough history yet ### Cartalax Current low $58.85 current listings 7-day low — not enough history yet 30-day low — not enough history yet 30-day change — not enough history yet ## Thymalin Thymalin is a thymus-derived peptide complex developed in the 1970s by Vladimir Khavinson and the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as part of a broader program to identify… **Lowest listed price:** $44.99 across 2 listings Full Thymalin profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymalin) ## Cartalax Cartalax is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a "cartilage bioregulator" intended to… **Lowest listed price:** $58.85 across 3 listings Full Cartalax profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax) ## Side-by-side comparison | Attribute | Thymalin | Cartalax | | --- | --- | --- | | Category | Peptides | Recovery | | Research Stage | Clinical (Russia-registered; not FDA-approved) | Preclinical | | Mechanism of Action | Thymalin's mechanism of action is less precisely defined than that of single-molecule peptides, because the active principle is a mixture of peptides acting through multiple parallel pathways rather than a single well-characterized molecular interaction. The… | Mechanism of Action Cartalax's proposed mechanism is the Khavinson short-peptide framework applied to cartilage: passive membrane permeation, nuclear import, and sequence-selective chromatin modulation producing chondrocyte-favourable transcriptional shifts.… | | Half-Life | Short for the individual peptides in the mixture (on the order of minutes to a few hours). Biological effects persist for weeks to months after a 10-day course, which is why Thymalin is given in discrete courses rather than continuously. | No published human or animal pharmacokinetic data for Cartalax. As a small (~446.5 Da) tetrapeptide, rapid plasma hydrolysis (on the order of minutes) is expected, consistent with other Khavinson short peptides, but this has not been directly measured. | | Typical Dose Range | 5-15 mg | 20 mg oral/sublingual once daily for 10 days; 60-90 day washout | | Dosing Frequency | Once daily during a 10-day course; courses repeated 1-4 times per year (commonly biannually). | Once daily | | Administration | — | — | | Side Effects | Thymalin has a substantial safety record spanning four decades of Russian clinical use across hundreds of thousands of patients, with a relatively clean side-effect profile compared to many immunomodulatory agents. Common side effects (1-10% incidence in… | Side Effects and Safety Cartalax has been used in Russian clinical settings for roughly 20 years with a sparse adverse-event literature — reassuring in direction, insufficient for confident pharmacovigilance. Reported short-term adverse effects -… | | Molecular Weight | Not a single value - Thymalin is a thymic polypeptide EXTRACT (a mixture), not one defined molecule; its components are low-molecular-weight peptides, generally under ~10 kDa. Characterized active dipeptides: KE (Lys-Glu, ~275 Da) and EW (Glu-Trp, ~333 Da). | 333.29 g/mol | | Common Vial Sizes | — | — | ## Price History 2 data points - Ion Peptide - Disguised Alpha ## Price History 3 data points - Ion Peptide - Disguised Alpha - LB ### Thymalin: potential benefits - No structured benefit list published. ### Cartalax: potential benefits - Joint and cartilage repair support - Connective tissue maintenance - Anti-aging effects on musculoskeletal system - Improved joint mobility ## Frequently asked ### What's the difference between Thymalin and Cartalax? Thymalin is a peptides that thymalin's mechanism of action is less precisely defined than that of single-molecule peptides, because the active principle is a mixture of peptides acting through multiple…. Cartalax is a recovery that mechanism of action cartalax's proposed mechanism is the khavinson short-peptide framework applied to cartilage: passive membrane permeation, nuclear import, and sequence-selective…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Short for the individual peptides in the mixture (on the order of minutes to a few hours). Biological effects persist for weeks to months after a 10-day course, which is why Thymalin is given in discrete courses rather than continuously. vs No published human or animal pharmacokinetic data for Cartalax. As a small (~446.5 Da) tetrapeptide, rapid plasma hydrolysis (on the order of minutes) is expected, consistent with other Khavinson short peptides, but this has not been directly measured.), and typical dose range. ### Which has the longer half-life, Thymalin or Cartalax? Thymalin has a half-life of Short for the individual peptides in the mixture (on the order of minutes to a few hours). Biological effects persist for weeks to months after a 10-day course, which is why Thymalin is given in discrete courses rather than continuously.. Cartalax has a half-life of No published human or animal pharmacokinetic data for Cartalax. As a small (~446.5 Da) tetrapeptide, rapid plasma hydrolysis (on the order of minutes) is expected, consistent with other Khavinson short peptides, but this has not been directly measured.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics. ### Which is cheaper, Thymalin or Cartalax? Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Thymalin from $44.99, Cartalax from $58.85. 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 Thymalin and Cartalax? Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Thymalin and Cartalax 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. ## See current vendor prices Listings from the vendors we track. Prices change often, so check the vendor before you buy. Thymalin prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymalin?tab=prices Cartalax prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax?tab=prices Compare all compounds: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare ### Before you buy Thymalin or Cartalax Check the vendor trust score. Every supplier we track is rated 0-100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and listings: one published, reproducible methodology, applied to every vendor. View Vendor Scorecard (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard) ## 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 (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards) and affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure). BodyHackGuide (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/) Your biohacking research hub: compound pricing, brain health protocols, dosing tools, and vendor reviews. support@bodyhackguide.co Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA r/BodyHackGuide on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide **Affiliate Disclosure:** We rank every vendor on the same public, reproducible methodology (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/methodology). Full details in our affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure). **Research Disclaimer:** All compounds listed are for laboratory and research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This site does not sell or ship any products. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional and comply with local regulations. © 2026 BodyHackGuide. All rights reserved. - Terms: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/terms - Privacy: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/privacy ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Compare", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thymalin vs Cartalax" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "name": "Thymalin vs Cartalax: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)", "description": "Compare Thymalin vs Cartalax side by side. We earn a commission on some vendor links. Mechanism, half-life, dose range, side effects and prices.", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/thymalin-vs-cartalax", "dateModified": "2026-10-29", "isPartOf": { "@type": "WebSite", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "ItemList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Product", "name": "Thymalin", "description": "Thymalin is a thymus-derived peptide complex developed in the 1970s by Vladimir Khavinson and the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as part of a broader program to identify tissue-specific regulatory peptides from mammalian organs. Produced by acetic acid…", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymalin", "category": "Peptides", "offers": { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "lowPrice": "44.99", "priceCurrency": "USD", "offerCount": 2 } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Product", "name": "Cartalax", "description": "Cartalax is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a \"cartilage bioregulator\" intended to support chondrocyte function, cartilage matrix synthesis, and joint tissue resilience…", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax", "category": "Recovery", "offers": { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "lowPrice": "58.85", "priceCurrency": "USD", "offerCount": 3 } } } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co#organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "alternateName": "BHG", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/logo.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 }, "description": "Evidence-based research reference for peptides and nootropics. 273 compound profiles, interactive dosing calculators, vendor price comparisons, and trust-scored vendor reviews scored on a public, reproducible methodology applied to every vendor. We earn a commission on purchases through some of our links.", "foundingDate": "2024", "founder": { "@id": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about#person" }, "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher", "https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA" ], "knowsAbout": [ "Peptide research", "Nootropic research", "Biohacking", "Compound dosing", "Vendor transparency" ], "publishingPrinciples": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards", "ethicsPolicy": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards", "diversityPolicy": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the difference between Thymalin and Cartalax?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Thymalin is a peptides that thymalin's mechanism of action is less precisely defined than that of single-molecule peptides, because the active principle is a mixture of peptides acting through multiple…. Cartalax is a recovery that mechanism of action cartalax's proposed mechanism is the khavinson short-peptide framework applied to cartilage: passive membrane permeation, nuclear import, and sequence-selective…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Short for the individual peptides in the mixture (on the order of minutes to a few hours). Biological effects persist for weeks to months after a 10-day course, which is why Thymalin is given in discrete courses rather than continuously. vs No published human or animal pharmacokinetic data for Cartalax. As a small (~446.5 Da) tetrapeptide, rapid plasma hydrolysis (on the order of minutes) is expected, consistent with other Khavinson short peptides, but this has not been directly measured.), and typical dose range." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which has the longer half-life, Thymalin or Cartalax?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Thymalin has a half-life of Short for the individual peptides in the mixture (on the order of minutes to a few hours). Biological effects persist for weeks to months after a 10-day course, which is why Thymalin is given in discrete courses rather than continuously.. Cartalax has a half-life of No published human or animal pharmacokinetic data for Cartalax. As a small (~446.5 Da) tetrapeptide, rapid plasma hydrolysis (on the order of minutes) is expected, consistent with other Khavinson short peptides, but this has not been directly measured.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which is cheaper, Thymalin or Cartalax?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Thymalin from $44.99, Cartalax from $58.85. 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." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you stack Thymalin and Cartalax?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Thymalin and Cartalax 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." } } ] } ] ```