--- title: "Thymosin Alpha-1 vs Cartalax: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/thymosin-alpha-1-vs-cartalax description: "Compare Thymosin Alpha-1 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) # Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) vs Cartalax Side-by-side comparison of Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) and Cartalax: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing. Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) from $39.99 Cartalax from $49.99 ## Price snapshot ### Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) Current low $39.99 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 $49.99 current listings 7-day low — not enough history yet 30-day low — not enough history yet 30-day change — not enough history yet ## Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) Thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) is a 28-amino-acid N-acetylated peptide (N-Ac-Ser-Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn) isolated and characterized by Allan… **Lowest listed price:** $39.99 across 4 listings Full Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymosin-alpha-1) ## 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:** $49.99 across 3 listings Full Cartalax profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax) ## Side-by-side comparison | Attribute | Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) | Cartalax | | --- | --- | --- | | Category | Immune & Inflammation | Recovery | | Research Stage | Approved (International) | Preclinical | | Mechanism of Action | Thymosin alpha-1 does not act through a single canonical receptor in the way many peptides do. Its mechanism is pleiotropic, involving pattern-recognition receptors, modulation of immune cell maturation and function, and shifts in cytokine signaling patterns.… | 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 | ~2 hours | 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 | 1,600 mcg (1.6 mg) per injection (standard clinical dose) | 20 mg oral/sublingual once daily for 10 days; 60-90 day washout | | Dosing Frequency | Twice weekly (subcutaneous) - the approved Zadaxin schedule; alternatively 900 mcg daily for intensive short-term courses | Once daily | | Administration | Subcutaneous | — | | Side Effects | Tα1 has one of the most benign side-effect profiles in the peptide space, supported by 45+ years of clinical experience in approved indications. Most users experience no acute side effects beyond mild injection site discomfort. Common (5-15% of users): -… | 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 | 3108 Da | 446.5 Da (C18H30N4O9) | | Common Vial Sizes | 5mg, 10mg | — | ## Price History 3 data points - OF - Half Nattys - Disguised Alpha ## Price History 3 data points - Ion Peptide - Disguised Alpha - LB ### Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1): potential benefits - Immune enhancement - Antiviral defense - Cancer adjuvant therapy - Autoimmune modulation - Vaccine potentiation ### 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 Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) and Cartalax? Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) is a immune & inflammation that thymosin alpha-1 does not act through a single canonical receptor in the way many peptides do. its mechanism is pleiotropic, involving pattern-recognition receptors, modulation of…. 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 (~2 hours 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, Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) or Cartalax? Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) has a half-life of ~2 hours. 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, Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) or Cartalax? Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) from $39.99, Cartalax from $49.99. 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 Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) and Cartalax? Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) 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. Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymosin-alpha-1?tab=prices Cartalax prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax?tab=prices Compare all compounds: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare ### Before you buy Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) 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 Thymosin-Alpha-1 vs BPC-157: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/thymosin-alpha-1-vs-bpc-157 TB-500 vs Thymosin-Alpha-1: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/tb-500-vs-thymosin-alpha-1 LL-37 vs Thymosin-Alpha-1: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/ll-37-vs-thymosin-alpha-1 **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. We earn an affiliate commission on some outbound clicks, and 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). 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