--- title: "Livagen: Dosage & Side Effects | BodyHackGuide" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/livagen description: "Livagen: dosing protocols, mechanism & side effects, 19 PubMed results." 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) # Livagen Recovery: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki#cat-recovery Status Preclinical,, not approved for human use Evidence Ex vivo cells only, graded on the Bioregulator Peptides (Khavinson Peptides) bench (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/bioregulator-peptides) Livagen is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and his collaborators at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a "liver bioregulator" intended to normalise age-related and stress-related changes in hepatic tissue. Reviewed 2 October 2026 01 Overview ## What Livagen is It is usually described in Khavinson-family publications as the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala (KEDA), sometimes written as H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala-OH or K-E-D-A, and is one of the shortest members of the large peptide-bioregulator family that also includes Epitalon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/epithalon) (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), Pinealon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/pinealon) (Glu-Asp-Arg), Vilon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/vilon) (Lys-Glu), and Thymogen (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymogen) (Glu-Trp). Within that framework, Livagen is the "sibling" peptide to a longer polypeptide preparation called Stamakort/Cortex peptide — which is a porcine liver extract — and is sold in the post-Soviet supplement channel as a dietary capsule alongside the other Khavinson tetrapeptides. Read the full overview Show less Outside Russia and a small number of former-Soviet-state pharmacology journals, Livagen is **not a registered drug, not a dietary ingredient reviewed by FDA, EMA or any major English-language regulator, and not a member of the WADA Prohibited List**. There are no phase II or phase III randomised trials for Livagen indexed in PubMed or on ClinicalTrials.gov. The published Russian work — most of it co-authored by Khavinson and published in Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine between 2002 and 2015 — describes _in vitro_ chromatin effects and small rodent studies showing modulation of hepatic gene expression, hepatocyte proliferation markers, and restoration of age-related changes in liver morphology ([Khavinson et al., 2003]; [Khavinson and Malinin, 2005]; [Anisimov et al., 2010]). The central therapeutic claim Khavinson's group makes for Livagen is that the Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala tetrapeptide — small enough to cross plasma and nuclear membranes passively — can enter hepatocyte nuclei, interact with chromatin via sequence-selective contacts with histones and DNA, and preferentially activate transcription programmes that are normally suppressed by age and chronic stress. That model predicts selective reversal of age-related hepatic dysfunction without mitogenic or pro-inflammatory effects. The hypothesis is interesting and internally consistent within the Khavinson programme, but the molecular validation required by contemporary structural biology — co-crystal structures, ChIP-seq in hepatocyte models, chemically defined knock-out rescue — has not been published in Western-indexed literature. Readers should understand Livagen as an investigational Russian bioregulator with a sustained 25-year research programme inside one institute and minimal replication outside it. BodyHackGuide covers Livagen because it is frequently sold online — usually as 20 mg capsules containing roughly 2–4 mg of actual peptide per capsule — and because it appears in longevity-stack discussions alongside better-validated compounds. We describe what is known, what is claimed, and what is missing, and we steer readers who want evidence-graded hepatic support toward interventions with stronger replication: weight management, alcohol reduction, NAD+ precursors (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/nad) for mitochondrial support, Berberine (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/berberine) and metformin (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/metformin) for insulin-sensitising metabolic benefit in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca)) for cholestatic biochemistry. Livagen is a plausible hypothesis. It is not, at this writing, an evidence-graded hepatic therapy. ### How it works ### Mechanism of Action Livagen's proposed mechanism is the standard Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator model applied to hepatic tissue. The framework, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology across roughly 35 years, proposes three nested levels of action: (1) membrane permeation, (2) nuclear localisation, and (3) sequence-selective chromatin modulation. Read the full mechanism Show less **Level 1 - Passive membrane permeation.** At roughly 461.5 daltons (C18H31N5O9; H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala-OH), Livagen is small enough and sufficiently polar to cross phospholipid bilayers without active transport. Khavinson's tritiated-peptide distribution studies - conducted in rodents across multiple bioregulator tetrapeptides - reported rapid tissue uptake following intraperitoneal or oral administration, with measurable radioactivity recovered from liver, thymus, brain, and testis within minutes ([Khavinson et al., 2014]). Those experiments did not distinguish intact peptide from amino-acid catabolites, so the claim that Livagen reaches the hepatocyte nucleus intact rests on inference rather than direct structural confirmation in target tissue. **Level 2 - Nuclear import.** Khavinson's model argues that once inside the hepatocyte, the tetrapeptide diffuses through nuclear pores and accumulates in the nucleoplasm. Fluorescently labelled bioregulator peptides co-localise with chromatin in cultured cells in some Russian publications, though the fluorescence work is difficult to reconcile with standard endosomal-trafficking data in Western cell biology. There is no karyopherin-based active nuclear import pathway for Livagen - the claim is that passive diffusion is sufficient for a peptide this small. **Level 3 - Chromatin modulation.** This is the most distinctive and controversial part of the Khavinson framework. The group reports that specific tetrapeptide sequences bind specific chromatin regions via base-pair-level contacts with exposed histone tails and/or B-form DNA, producing sequence-selective chromatin decondensation and preferential up-regulation of silenced age-associated genes. In the case of Livagen specifically, the published primary data describe de-heterochromatinisation of chromatin in cultured lymphocytes from elderly donors - activation of ribosomal (rDNA) genes and decondensation of pericentromeric structural heterochromatin after KEDA treatment (Khavinson et al., 2002 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12533768/); Khavinson et al., 2004 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15085253/)). That evidence comes from ex vivo lymphocyte cultures, not from hepatocytes; extension to liver tissue is an inference from the general bioregulator framework rather than a direct hepatic observation. These claims require contemporary molecular-biology validation - co-crystal structures, genome-wide ChIP-seq on tagged peptide, and chemically defined rescue experiments - that has not been published. **Alternative framing.** A more conservative interpretation treats Livagen as a source of constituent amino acids (lysine, glutamate, aspartate, alanine) delivered in a rapidly absorbed short-peptide form. In that framing, the biological effects described in Russian papers could reflect (a) acute substrate delivery for hepatic protein synthesis after peptide hydrolysis, (b) non-specific signalling effects of the individual amino acids (glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter, aspartate as a gluconeogenic substrate, lysine for collagen synthesis), or (c) preparation-specific contaminants from the manufacturing route. None of these mechanisms would make Livagen unique - any dipeptide or tetrapeptide source would be equivalent. **Receptor pharmacology.** No G-protein-coupled receptor, nuclear receptor, or defined enzyme target has been identified for Livagen. It does not bind known growth-factor receptors. It is not a substrate or inhibitor of any mapped cytochrome P450. It does not interact with FXR, PPAR, or the other nuclear receptors that dominate modern hepatic pharmacology. The absence of a defined target is a feature, not a bug, within the Khavinson framework - bioregulators are proposed to act through chromatin rather than through classical receptor pharmacology - but it is also why Western pharmaceutical companies have not picked up the molecule for development. **Relation to longer hepatoprotective peptides.** Livagen occupies a specific niche within the Khavinson programme. Stamakort and similar "liver peptide" products are polypeptide extracts prepared from calf or porcine liver - undefined mixtures by modern standards, positioned as organ-specific bioregulators. Livagen was synthesised as a defined short sequence intended to reproduce the core bioregulator activity of these extracts in a pure, chemically characterised form. Whether it succeeds is the open question. It is mechanistically distinct from TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca), from SAMe (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/same), and from silymarin (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/silymarin) - none of those compounds pretend to enter the nucleus and modulate chromatin. ### Benefits listed - Liver tissue repair and regeneration - Enhanced detoxification capacity - Hepatocyte function normalization - Liver anti-aging support 02 Research Free with email ## What the research shows ### Graded on a research bench Reference pages that put Livagen next to the compounds people pair it with: roles, evidence, overlap and conflicts. No dosing. Research use only. - Bioregulator Peptides (Khavinson Peptides) Ex vivo cells only human data on 5 of 7 compounds on the bench: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/bioregulator-peptides ### Unlock the research summary Enter your email to keep reading. It is free, and it opens these sections on every compound page in this browser. - A summary of the key research - Safety and side effects - A link to the PubMed results You also get the free peptide cheat sheet by email. Unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Sign in (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/auth) 03 Safety ## Livagen side effects and interactions ### Side effects Not in our record Our record lists no side effects for Livagen. That means none are recorded here, not that there are none. The Research section has the written safety notes. ### Who should not use it Contraindications ### Contraindications Livagen is an investigational Russian bioregulator with limited safety characterisation. The contraindications below reflect clinical prudence rather than a formally studied adverse-event database. Read all the contraindications and cautions Show less #### Absolute contraindications - **Pregnancy.** No reproductive toxicology data. Do not use. - **Breastfeeding.** No excretion or infant-safety data. Do not use. - **Paediatric use (under 18).** The peptide is claimed to modulate transcription — unquantified effects on growth and development rule it out in children. - **Active hepatic malignancy.** Hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatic metastases. A theoretical chromatin-modulating peptide is not a space to experiment in the presence of hepatic cancer. - **Known hypersensitivity.** Previous allergic reaction to Livagen or to any Khavinson bioregulator peptide. #### Relative contraindications (use only with clinical supervision) - **Decompensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh B or C).** Hepatology management, not experimental peptides, is the intervention. If your clinician approves it as an adjunct — rare in evidence-based hepatology — proceed cautiously. - **Advanced NASH with significant fibrosis.** Same reasoning — evidence-graded therapy should not be delayed. - **Active viral hepatitis (B, C, or D) not on appropriate antiviral therapy.** Antivirals are curative for HCV and suppressive for HBV. Using Livagen while avoiding antivirals is actively harmful. - **Autoimmune hepatitis on immunosuppression.** No interaction data with azathioprine, mycophenolate, corticosteroids, or budesonide. Coordinate with your hepatologist before adding any experimental peptide. - **Active haematological malignancy or recent history of cancer.** The chromatin-modulation claim rules this out pending better data. - **Recent solid-organ transplant.** Immunosuppression regimens are finely balanced. Experimental peptides are not appropriate. - **Severe renal impairment (eGFR < 30).** Unknown pharmacokinetics in renal failure. #### Use with caution - **Chronic medications with narrow therapeutic windows** (warfarin, digoxin, lithium, tacrolimus, cyclosporine) — no drug-drug interaction data exist. Peptide pharmacokinetics are theoretically benign but have not been tested. - **Immunosuppressive therapy** — combined effect unknown. - **Age 65+ with polypharmacy** — the group Russian literature enrols, but also the group most vulnerable to unexpected interactions. #### Quality-of-supply contraindication If you cannot obtain Livagen from a vendor that provides third-party HPLC confirmation of peptide content and endotoxin testing, do not use it. Grey-market peptide supply chains are not uniform. A cheap vial of uncertain provenance can contain less active peptide, more endotoxin, or contaminating peptides from the synthesis reactor. If the cost of verified product exceeds your budget, the right answer is to skip Livagen and apply that budget to evidence-graded hepatic interventions instead. #### If you have symptoms that suggest hepatic disease New-onset jaundice, dark urine, unexplained fatigue, right-upper-quadrant pain, ascites, or confusion are not indications for Livagen self-treatment. They are indications for prompt hepatology evaluation. Do not use an experimental bioregulator to substitute for diagnostic workup of symptomatic liver disease. ### Interactions 2 pairings in our record: 2 noted as compatible or synergistic. Compatible and synergistic are notes from the record, not safety findings. - Glutathione Synergistic Both support liver detoxification — Livagen at tissue level, glutathione at cellular antioxidant level - NAD+ Compatible Liver repair + cellular energy support This interaction data is compiled from published research and community reports. It may not be exhaustive. Always consult a healthcare professional before combining compounds. Need bloodwork before starting? Full hormone + metabolic panels from Anabolic Insights. Code CHONCH for first-order discount. Order Bloodwork (https://anabolicinsights.ai/?ref=nwm2zjb) 04 Dosing Free with email ## Livagen dosage and protocols Dose range 20 mg oral/sublingual capsule once daily for 10 consecutive days per cycle (or 2-5 mg subcutaneous daily using synthetic peptide); 60-90 day washout between cycles ### Unlock the dosing protocols - Dose - Beginner, intermediate and advanced protocols - Reconstitution and handling notes - Stacking notes 05 Prices ## Livagen prices No listings We do not track a vendor for Livagen yet, so this page states no price. 06 Chemistry ## Chemistry and structure Molecular formula C18H31N5O9 Molecular mass 461.47 g/mol CAS number 433257-50-2 IUPAC name L-Lysyl-L-glutamyl-L-aspartyl-L-alanine Amino acid sequence Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala (KEDA) View on PubChem (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/87919683) 07 Related ## Related to Livagen ### In the same category - ARA-290Phase 2 ARA-290, also known as Cibinetide or pHBSP (Helix B Surface Peptide), is an 11-amino-acid peptide — QEQLERALNSS — designed to mimic a specific region of the tissue-protective surface of erythropoietin (EPO) without activating the classical hematopoietic EPO receptor that drives red blood cell production.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/ara-290 - BPC-157/TB-500 BlendPreclinical Combined healing peptide blend.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/bpc-tb-blend - BronchogenPreclinical Bronchogen is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and his collaborators at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a "bronchial bioregulator" intended to support respiratory epithelium and ciliated-airway function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, and age-related decline of mucociliary clearance.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/bronchogen - CAGNot a defined single compound CAG is not a standardized research-peptide designation.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cag - CardiogenPreclinical Cardiogen is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and his collaborators at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a "myocardial bioregulator" intended to support cardiomyocyte function, vascular endothelium, and cardiac tissue resilience in age-related cardiovascular decline, post-infarction recovery, and chronic heart failure.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cardiogen - CartalaxPreclinical 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 in age-related osteoarthritis, post-traumatic joint disease, and intervertebral disc degeneration.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cartalax All compounds (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki) ### Compare Livagen - Alternatives to Livagen: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/alternatives-to/livagen ### Research tools - Peptide Calculator Reconstitution and syringe units: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/reconstitution - Reconstitution Guide How to mix, step by step: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/how-to-reconstitute-peptides - Nasal Spray Calc mL per actuation: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/intranasal - Half-Life Visualizer Decay curves: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/halflife All articles (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog) 08 Questions ## Frequently asked questions What is Livagen and what is it supposed to do? Livagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala, abbreviated KEDA; ~461.5 Da, C18H31N5O9) developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a peptide bioregulator. The claim is that the peptide enters cell nuclei, modulates chromatin, and restores age-related declines in gene expression. The actual primary data are ex vivo: in cultured lymphocytes from elderly donors, Livagen activated ribosomal genes and decondensed age-condensed heterochromatin (de-heterochromatinisation) (Khavinson et al., 2002 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12533768/); Khavinson et al., 2004 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15085253/)). Its liver (hepatoprotective) rationale rests on animal and in-vitro models of hepatitis and liver fibrosis summarised in a Russian-language review (Kuznik et al., 2020 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32362099/)); there are no human clinical trials or series. Outside Russia, Livagen is not a registered drug and the evidence base is thin. Treat it as an experimental bioregulator, not an established hepatic therapy. For evidence-graded liver support, see TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca), Berberine (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/berberine), and weight management as first-line. Does Livagen actually work in humans? The honest answer is: we don't know, because the human evidence does not exist. Contrary to claims circulating in the peptide community, there is no published, indexed human clinical trial or observational series showing that Livagen improves ALT, AST, or bilirubin in liver disease. The supporting data are limited to cultured human lymphocytes (chromatin activation) and to animal/in-vitro models of hepatitis and liver fibrosis reviewed in the Russian-language literature (Kuznik et al., 2020 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32362099/)). No placebo-controlled, blinded RCT has been published in any indication. Because no controlled human data exist, any reported liver-function improvement cannot be attributed to Livagen rather than to lifestyle change, treatment of the underlying cause, or regression to the mean. If your goal is verified hepatic improvement, the evidence hierarchy starts with weight management, alcohol reduction, treatment of underlying hepatitis, and TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca) - not Livagen. What is the correct Livagen dose? Khavinson-convention dosing is 20 mg oral or sublingual capsule once daily for 10 consecutive days, followed by 60-90 days washout. The 20 mg capsule contains an undisclosed amount of actual KEDA peptide - historical reports suggest 2-4 mg, with the balance as excipients. For subcutaneous administration using synthetic lyophilised peptide, 2-5 mg daily for 10 days is the community convention. There is no published dose-ranging study establishing that 20 mg oral is optimal. Higher doses have not been characterised. Do not exceed 20 mg oral daily. Is Livagen safe? The safety signal from Russian literature is reassuring but thin. Reported short-term adverse effects across 10-30 day cycles include mild nausea, dyspepsia, occasional headache, and rare mild rash. No serious adverse events have been reported in published series, but the total documented human exposure is probably in the low hundreds - too small to detect rare events. Long-term safety over years or decades of intermittent bioregulator cycling has not been characterised by modern pharmacovigilance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, paediatric use, and active hepatic malignancy are absolute contraindications. If you are going to use this compound, use a vendor with third-party HPLC analysis and monitor baseline and post-cycle hepatic biochemistry. Where does Livagen sit relative to TUDCA, SAMe, and silymarin? TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca), SAMe (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/same), and silymarin are all better-validated than Livagen for hepatic support. TUDCA has the strongest mechanistic support for cholestatic biochemistry and has been used for decades in hepatology. SAMe has RCT support in alcoholic and cholestatic liver disease. Silymarin has heterogeneous but generally positive evidence. All three have pharmacokinetic characterisation, dose-response data, and known drug-drug interaction profiles. Livagen has none of these. If your budget is fixed and you want maximum hepatic benefit per dollar, prioritise TUDCA or silymarin over Livagen. Livagen is an experimental add-on for users with spare budget and an interest in Russian bioregulator pharmacology, not a substitute for the evidence-graded stack. How does Livagen compare to the other Khavinson peptides? Livagen sits within a family of short peptides that share Khavinson's bioregulator framework: Epitalon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/epithalon) for pineal/general aging, Pinealon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/pinealon) for brain, Thymogen (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymogen) and Vilon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/vilon) for thymus/immune, Prostamax (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/prostamax) for prostate, and organ-specific tetrapeptides for retina, bone, and cartilage. All share the same 2-4 amino-acid structure, the same passive-diffusion-plus-chromatin-modulation mechanistic claim, and the same limited Western replication. Among the family, Epitalon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/epithalon) has the most published literature (anti-aging and pineal restoration), Thymogen (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymogen) has the most regulatory recognition (registered Russian immunomodulator), and Livagen sits in the middle - specific organ targeting but modest literature. The framework applies uniformly; the specific-organ claims rest primarily on Khavinson-group data. Can I stack Livagen with other peptides or with my existing liver protocol? Stacking conventions within the Khavinson community cycle Livagen with other bioregulators (Epitalon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/epithalon), Pinealon (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/pinealon), Thymogen (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/thymogen)) in rotating 10-day cycles. There is no evidence of harm at Khavinson-convention doses but also no evidence of synergy beyond the theoretical framework. Stacking with evidence-graded hepatic support (Berberine (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/berberine), TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca), Metformin (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/metformin), weight management) is sensible - Livagen should be the experimental layer on top of a solid foundation, not a replacement for it. Do not stop antiviral therapy for hepatitis B or C to run Livagen cycles. Do not replace hepatology care for decompensated cirrhosis with bioregulator cycles. Where do I source Livagen, and what should I watch for? Livagen is sold primarily through post-Soviet supplement channels (20 mg oral capsules) and through international research-peptide suppliers (lyophilised synthetic KEDA peptide for reconstitution). Quality varies enormously. Require third-party HPLC analysis confirming peptide content, mass-spectrometric confirmation of molecular weight, and endotoxin testing. Avoid any vendor that cannot provide a certificate of analysis. Be aware that 20 mg oral capsules contain only 2-4 mg of actual peptide - the rest is excipient. Synthetic lyophilised peptide from a research supplier is more concentrated but requires reconstitution technique and refrigerated storage. Cost of verified-purity product is substantially higher than the cheapest available grey-market option, and this is the correct tradeoff - impure peptide is not worth saving 50 dollars on. Is Livagen legal and detectable in sports testing? Livagen is not on the WADA Prohibited List as of 2026. It is not a registered pharmaceutical in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada. Its legal status as a dietary supplement is ambiguous in most Western jurisdictions - it is not FDA-reviewed or EMA-approved, and importation for personal use sits in a grey zone. For competitive athletes, WADA's S0 (non-approved substances) catch-all clause arguably covers any unregistered peptide, and the safer position is that no unregulated peptide is truly safe for tested athletes regardless of its specific WADA classification. The lack of urine/blood mass-spectrometry detection methods for intact KEDA does not mean competition use is risk-free; WADA testing evolves continuously. If I want hepatic support for BodyHackGuide's ad-conversion audience, what should I actually do? For someone seeing a BodyHackGuide ad and wanting evidence-graded liver support, the honest, ranked answer is: (1) address the cause - alcohol reduction, weight loss for NAFLD, hepatitis screening and antiviral treatment if indicated, medication review; (2) Berberine (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/berberine) 500 mg 2-3 times daily for NAFLD and metabolic support; (3) TUDCA (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tudca) 500-1500 mg daily for cholestatic biochemistry; (4) silymarin 400-800 mg standardised daily; (5) NAD+ precursors (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/nad) 300-1000 mg daily for mitochondrial support. Livagen sits below all of these in evidence weight. Use the ad budget to bring in traffic looking for hepatic support, convert them into readers of the evidence-graded pages, and offer Livagen as the advanced-protocol experimental tier for users who have already exhausted the proven options. Free 2026 Peptide Cheat Sheet (PDF) 38 compounds and blends: vial sizes, BAC water volumes, dosing ranges and bloodwork markers. Download Free (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/peptide-cheat-sheet-download) 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": "Compounds", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Livagen" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "Livagen", "description": "Livagen is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and his collaborators at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a \"liver bioregulator\" intended to normalise age-related and stress-related changes in hepatic tissue. It is usually described in Khavinson-family publications as the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala (KEDA), sometimes written as H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala-OH or K-E-D-A, and is one of the shortest members of the large peptide-bioregulator family that also includes Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), Pinealon (Glu-Asp-Arg), Vilon (Lys-Glu), and Thymogen (Glu-Trp). Within that framework, Livagen is the \"sibling\" peptide to a longer polypeptide preparation called Stamakort/Cortex peptide — which is a porcine liver extract — and is sold in the post-Soviet supplement channel as a dietary capsule alongside the other Khavinson tetrapeptides. Outside Russia and a small number of former-Soviet-state pharmacology journals, Livagen is not a registered drug, not a dietary ingredient reviewed by FDA, EMA or any major English-language regulator, and not a member of the WADA Prohibited List. There are no phase II or phase III randomised trials for Livagen indexed in PubMed or on ClinicalTrials.gov. The published Russian work — most of it co-authored by Khavinson and published in Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine between 2002 and 2015 — describes in vitro chromatin effects and small rodent studies showing modulation of hepatic gene expression, hepatocyte proliferation markers, and restoration of age-related changes in liver morphology ([Khavinson et al., 2003]; [Khavinson and Malinin, 2005]; [Anisimov et al., 2010]). The central therapeutic claim Khavinson's group makes for Livagen is that the Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala tetrapeptide — small enough to cross plasma and nuclear membranes passively — can enter hepatocyte nuclei, interact with chromatin via sequence-selective contacts with histones and DNA, and preferentially activate transcription programmes that are normally suppressed by age and chronic stress. That model predicts selective reversal of age-related hepatic dysfunction without mitogenic or pro-inflammatory effects. The hypothesis is interesting and internally consistent within the Khavinson programme, but the molecular validation required by contemporary structural biology — co-crystal structures, ChIP-seq in hepatocyte models, chemically defined knock-out rescue — has not been published in Western-indexed literature. Readers should understand Livagen as an investigational Russian bioregulator with a sustained 25-year research programme inside one institute and minimal replication outside it. BodyHackGuide covers Livagen because it is frequently sold online — usually as 20 mg capsules containing roughly 2–4 mg of actual peptide per capsule — and because it appears in longevity-stack discussions alongside better-validated compounds. We describe what is known, what is claimed, and what is missing, and we steer readers who want evidence-graded hepatic support toward interventions with stronger replication: weight management, alcohol reduction, NAD+ precursors for mitochondrial support, Berberine and metformin for insulin-sensitising metabolic benefit in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic acid) for cholestatic biochemistry. Livagen is a plausible hypothesis. It is not, at this writing, an evidence-graded hepatic therapy.", "lastReviewed": "2026-10-02T07:11:00+00:00", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/livagen", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" }, "mainContentOfPage": { "@type": "WebPageElement", "cssSelector": "main" }, "about": { "@type": "Drug", "name": "Livagen", "alternateName": [ "Hepatic peptide" ], "description": "Livagen is a short synthetic peptide developed in Russia by Vladimir Khavinson and his collaborators at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, positioned as a \"liver bioregulator\" intended to normalise age-related and stress-related changes in hepatic tissue. It is usually described in Khavinson-family publications as the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala (KEDA), sometimes written as H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala-OH or K-E-D-A, and is one of the shortest members of the large peptide-bioregulator family that also includes Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), Pinealon (Glu-Asp-Arg), Vilon (Lys-Glu), and Thymogen (Glu-Trp). Within that framework, Livagen is the \"sibling\" peptide to a longer polypeptide preparation called Stamakort/Cortex peptide — which is a porcine liver extract — and is sold in the post-Soviet supplement channel as a dietary capsule alongside the other Khavinson tetrapeptides. Outside Russia and a small number of former-Soviet-state pharmacology journals, Livagen is not a registered drug, not a dietary ingredient reviewed by FDA, EMA or any major English-language regulator, and not a member of the WADA Prohibited List. There are no phase II or phase III randomised trials for Livagen indexed in PubMed or on ClinicalTrials.gov. The published Russian work — most of it co-authored by Khavinson and published in Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine between 2002 and 2015 — describes in vitro chromatin effects and small rodent studies showing modulation of hepatic gene expression, hepatocyte proliferation markers, and restoration of age-related changes in liver morphology ([Khavinson et al., 2003]; [Khavinson and Malinin, 2005]; [Anisimov et al., 2010]). The central therapeutic claim Khavinson's group makes for Livagen is that the Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala tetrapeptide — small enough to cross plasma and nuclear membranes passively — can enter hepatocyte nuclei, interact with chromatin via sequence-selective contacts with histones and DNA, and preferentially activate transcription programmes that are normally suppressed by age and chronic stress. That model predicts selective reversal of age-related hepatic dysfunction without mitogenic or pro-inflammatory effects. The hypothesis is interesting and internally consistent within the Khavinson programme, but the molecular validation required by contemporary structural biology — co-crystal structures, ChIP-seq in hepatocyte models, chemically defined knock-out rescue — has not been published in Western-indexed literature. Readers should understand Livagen as an investigational Russian bioregulator with a sustained 25-year research programme inside one institute and minimal replication outside it. BodyHackGuide covers Livagen because it is frequently sold online — usually as 20 mg capsules containing roughly 2–4 mg of actual peptide per capsule — and because it appears in longevity-stack discussions alongside better-validated compounds. We describe what is known, what is claimed, and what is missing, and we steer readers who want evidence-graded hepatic support toward interventions with stronger replication: weight management, alcohol reduction, NAD+ precursors for mitochondrial support, Berberine and metformin for insulin-sensitising metabolic benefit in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic acid) for cholestatic biochemistry. Livagen is a plausible hypothesis. It is not, at this writing, an evidence-graded hepatic therapy.", "activeIngredient": "Livagen", "mechanismOfAction": "Mechanism of Action Livagen's proposed mechanism is the standard Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator model applied to hepatic tissue. The framework, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology across roughly 35 years, proposes three nested levels of action: (1) membrane permeation, (2) nuclear localisation, and (3) sequence-selective chromatin modulation. Level 1 - Passive membrane permeation. At roughly 461.5 daltons (C18H31N5O9; H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala-OH), Livagen is small enough and sufficiently polar to cross phospholipid bilayers without active transport. Khavinson's tritiated-peptide distribution studies - conducted in rodents across multiple bioregulator tetrapeptides - reported rapid tissue uptake following intraperitoneal or oral administration, with measurable radioactivity recovered from liver, thymus, brain, and testis within minutes ([Khavinson et al., 2014]). Those experiments did not distinguish intact peptide from amino-acid catabolites, so the claim that Livagen reaches the hepatocyte nucleus intact rests on inference rather than direct structural confirmation in target tissue. Level 2 - Nuclear import. Khavinson's model argues that once inside the hepatocyte, the tetrapeptide diffuses through nuclear pores and accumulates in the nucleoplasm. Fluorescently labelled bioregulator peptides co-localise with chromatin in cultured cells in some Russian publications, though the fluorescence work is difficult to reconcile with standard endosomal-trafficking data in Western cell biology. There is no karyopherin-based active nuclear import pathway for Livagen - the claim is that passive diffusion is sufficient for a peptide this small. Level 3 - Chromatin modulation. This is the most distinctive and controversial part of the Khavinson framework. The group reports that specific tetrapeptide sequences bind specific chromatin regions via base-pair-level contacts with exposed histone tails and/or B-form DNA, producing sequence-selective chromatin decondensation and preferential up-regulation of silenced age-associated genes. In the case of Livagen specifically, the published primary data describe de-heterochromatinisation of chromatin in cultured lymphocytes from elderly donors - activation of ribosomal (rDNA) genes and decondensation of pericentromeric structural heterochromatin after KEDA treatment (Khavinson et al., 2002; Khavinson et al., 2004). That evidence comes from ex vivo lymphocyte cultures, not from hepatocytes; extension to liver tissue is an inference from the general bioregulator framework rather than a direct hepatic observation. These claims require contemporary molecular-biology validation - co-crystal structures, genome-wide ChIP-seq on tagged peptide, and chemically defined rescue experiments - that has not been published. Alternative framing. A more conservative interpretation treats Livagen as a source of constituent amino acids (lysine, glutamate, aspartate, alanine) delivered in a rapidly absorbed short-peptide form. In that framing, the biological effects described in Russian papers could reflect (a) acute substrate delivery for hepatic protein synthesis after peptide hydrolysis, (b) non-specific signalling effects of the individual amino acids (glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter, aspartate as a gluconeogenic substrate, lysine for collagen synthesis), or (c) preparation-specific contaminants from the manufacturing route. None of these mechanisms would make Livagen unique - any dipeptide or tetrapeptide source would be equivalent. Receptor pharmacology. No G-protein-coupled receptor, nuclear receptor, or defined enzyme target has been identified for Livagen. It does not bind known growth-factor receptors. It is not a substrate or inhibitor of any mapped cytochrome P450. It does not interact with FXR, PPAR, or the other nuclear receptors that dominate modern hepatic pharmacology. The absence of a defined target is a feature, not a bug, within the Khavinson framework - bioregulators are proposed to act through chromatin rather than through classical receptor pharmacology - but it is also why Western pharmaceutical companies have not picked up the molecule for development. Relation to longer hepatoprotective peptides. Livagen occupies a specific niche within the Khavinson programme. Stamakort and similar \"liver peptide\" products are polypeptide extracts prepared from calf or porcine liver - undefined mixtures by modern standards, positioned as organ-specific bioregulators. Livagen was synthesised as a defined short sequence intended to reproduce the core bioregulator activity of these extracts in a pure, chemically characterised form. Whether it succeeds is the open question. It is mechanistically distinct from TUDCA, from SAMe, and from silymarin - none of those compounds pretend to enter the nucleus and modulate chromatin.", "legalStatus": "Not approved for human use (research chemical)", "warning": "For research purposes only. Not for human consumption." } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is Livagen and what is it supposed to do?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Livagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala, abbreviated KEDA; ~461.5 Da, C18H31N5O9) developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a peptide bioregulator. The claim is that the peptide enters cell nuclei, modulates chromatin, and restores age-related declines in gene expression. The actual primary data are ex vivo: in cultured lymphocytes from elderly donors, Livagen activated ribosomal genes and decondensed age-condensed heterochromatin (de-heterochromatinisation) (Khavinson et al., 2002; Khavinson et al., 2004). Its liver (hepatoprotective) rationale rests on animal and in-vitro models of hepatitis and liver fibrosis summarised in a Russian-language review (Kuznik et al., 2020); there are no human clinical trials or series. Outside Russia, Livagen is not a registered drug and the evidence base is thin. Treat it as an experimental bioregulator, not an established hepatic therapy. For evidence-graded liver support, see TUDCA, Berberine, and weight management as first-line." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Livagen actually work in humans?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The honest answer is: we don't know, because the human evidence does not exist. Contrary to claims circulating in the peptide community, there is no published, indexed human clinical trial or observational series showing that Livagen improves ALT, AST, or bilirubin in liver disease. The supporting data are limited to cultured human lymphocytes (chromatin activation) and to animal/in-vitro models of hepatitis and liver fibrosis reviewed in the Russian-language literature (Kuznik et al., 2020). No placebo-controlled, blinded RCT has been published in any indication. Because no controlled human data exist, any reported liver-function improvement cannot be attributed to Livagen rather than to lifestyle change, treatment of the underlying cause, or regression to the mean. If your goal is verified hepatic improvement, the evidence hierarchy starts with weight management, alcohol reduction, treatment of underlying hepatitis, and TUDCA - not Livagen." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the correct Livagen dose?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Khavinson-convention dosing is 20 mg oral or sublingual capsule once daily for 10 consecutive days, followed by 60-90 days washout. The 20 mg capsule contains an undisclosed amount of actual KEDA peptide - historical reports suggest 2-4 mg, with the balance as excipients. For subcutaneous administration using synthetic lyophilised peptide, 2-5 mg daily for 10 days is the community convention. There is no published dose-ranging study establishing that 20 mg oral is optimal. Higher doses have not been characterised. Do not exceed 20 mg oral daily." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Livagen safe?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The safety signal from Russian literature is reassuring but thin. Reported short-term adverse effects across 10-30 day cycles include mild nausea, dyspepsia, occasional headache, and rare mild rash. No serious adverse events have been reported in published series, but the total documented human exposure is probably in the low hundreds - too small to detect rare events. Long-term safety over years or decades of intermittent bioregulator cycling has not been characterised by modern pharmacovigilance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, paediatric use, and active hepatic malignancy are absolute contraindications. If you are going to use this compound, use a vendor with third-party HPLC analysis and monitor baseline and post-cycle hepatic biochemistry." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where does Livagen sit relative to TUDCA, SAMe, and silymarin?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "TUDCA, SAMe, and silymarin are all better-validated than Livagen for hepatic support. TUDCA has the strongest mechanistic support for cholestatic biochemistry and has been used for decades in hepatology. SAMe has RCT support in alcoholic and cholestatic liver disease. Silymarin has heterogeneous but generally positive evidence. All three have pharmacokinetic characterisation, dose-response data, and known drug-drug interaction profiles. Livagen has none of these. If your budget is fixed and you want maximum hepatic benefit per dollar, prioritise TUDCA or silymarin over Livagen. Livagen is an experimental add-on for users with spare budget and an interest in Russian bioregulator pharmacology, not a substitute for the evidence-graded stack." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does Livagen compare to the other Khavinson peptides?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Livagen sits within a family of short peptides that share Khavinson's bioregulator framework: Epitalon for pineal/general aging, Pinealon for brain, Thymogen and Vilon for thymus/immune, Prostamax for prostate, and organ-specific tetrapeptides for retina, bone, and cartilage. All share the same 2-4 amino-acid structure, the same passive-diffusion-plus-chromatin-modulation mechanistic claim, and the same limited Western replication. Among the family, Epitalon has the most published literature (anti-aging and pineal restoration), Thymogen has the most regulatory recognition (registered Russian immunomodulator), and Livagen sits in the middle - specific organ targeting but modest literature. The framework applies uniformly; the specific-organ claims rest primarily on Khavinson-group data." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I stack Livagen with other peptides or with my existing liver protocol?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Stacking conventions within the Khavinson community cycle Livagen with other bioregulators (Epitalon, Pinealon, Thymogen) in rotating 10-day cycles. There is no evidence of harm at Khavinson-convention doses but also no evidence of synergy beyond the theoretical framework. Stacking with evidence-graded hepatic support (Berberine, TUDCA, Metformin, weight management) is sensible - Livagen should be the experimental layer on top of a solid foundation, not a replacement for it. Do not stop antiviral therapy for hepatitis B or C to run Livagen cycles. Do not replace hepatology care for decompensated cirrhosis with bioregulator cycles." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where do I source Livagen, and what should I watch for?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Livagen is sold primarily through post-Soviet supplement channels (20 mg oral capsules) and through international research-peptide suppliers (lyophilised synthetic KEDA peptide for reconstitution). Quality varies enormously. Require third-party HPLC analysis confirming peptide content, mass-spectrometric confirmation of molecular weight, and endotoxin testing. Avoid any vendor that cannot provide a certificate of analysis. Be aware that 20 mg oral capsules contain only 2-4 mg of actual peptide - the rest is excipient. Synthetic lyophilised peptide from a research supplier is more concentrated but requires reconstitution technique and refrigerated storage. Cost of verified-purity product is substantially higher than the cheapest available grey-market option, and this is the correct tradeoff - impure peptide is not worth saving 50 dollars on." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Livagen legal and detectable in sports testing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Livagen is not on the WADA Prohibited List as of 2026. It is not a registered pharmaceutical in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada. Its legal status as a dietary supplement is ambiguous in most Western jurisdictions - it is not FDA-reviewed or EMA-approved, and importation for personal use sits in a grey zone. For competitive athletes, WADA's S0 (non-approved substances) catch-all clause arguably covers any unregistered peptide, and the safer position is that no unregulated peptide is truly safe for tested athletes regardless of its specific WADA classification. The lack of urine/blood mass-spectrometry detection methods for intact KEDA does not mean competition use is risk-free; WADA testing evolves continuously." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "If I want hepatic support for BodyHackGuide's ad-conversion audience, what should I actually do?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For someone seeing a BodyHackGuide ad and wanting evidence-graded liver support, the honest, ranked answer is: (1) address the cause - alcohol reduction, weight loss for NAFLD, hepatitis screening and antiviral treatment if indicated, medication review; (2) Berberine 500 mg 2-3 times daily for NAFLD and metabolic support; (3) TUDCA 500-1500 mg daily for cholestatic biochemistry; (4) silymarin 400-800 mg standardised daily; (5) NAD+ precursors 300-1000 mg daily for mitochondrial support. Livagen sits below all of these in evidence weight. Use the ad budget to bring in traffic looking for hepatic support, convert them into readers of the evidence-graded pages, and offer Livagen as the advanced-protocol experimental tier for users who have already exhausted the proven options." } } ] }, { "@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" } ] ```