DSIP

Delta sleep-inducing peptide · emideltide · C-tier (Dr. Alex Tatem) · Limited evidence

A peptide named for the deep “delta” sleep it seemed to induce in rabbits. Studied in the 1980s–90s for insomnia and withdrawal, then abandoned.

Dr. Tatem’s take

C tier — he thinks of DSIP for sleep the way he thinks of BPC-157 and TB-500 for injuries: some data, mixed anecdotes. He’d like to see it studied rigorously because sleep is essential.

In Dr. Tatem’s tier list

• A nine-amino-acid peptide meant to be “the brain’s off switch”; in animals and humans it increased delta sleep waves.
• Studied with some rigor in the late ’80s–early ’90s for insomnia, but study quality was questionable — and if it had been a slam dunk, pharma would have pursued it.
• Anecdotes follow a one-in-three pattern: nothing, maybe something, amazing. Sleep is subjective, so placebo risk is high.
• Safety has looked good — certainly safer than a benzodiazepine. Verdict: C tier.

History & background

DSIP was isolated in 1977 by Guido Schoenenberger and Marcel Monnier in Basel, Switzerland, from the blood of rabbits put into sleep by electrical brain stimulation. Small human trials in the 1980s explored insomnia, narcolepsy and drug withdrawal.

No receptor or gene for it has ever been found, and pharma interest faded. It persisted in biohacking circles; in July 2026 FDA advisers declined to recommend it for compounding.

Benefits

• Increased delta-wave sleep in early studies.
• Small improvements in sleep efficiency in a 1992 insomnia trial.

Risks

• Poorly characterized; FDA staff said human safety and effectiveness data are insufficient.
• Sleep is subjective, so placebo effects are large.

Dosing protocols (informational, labeled by evidence)

• Clinical trial / label: Insomnia studies — 25 nmol/kg (~1.5 mg for 70 kg), IV, Single injections before sleep; repeated doses built up effect, ~4–10 administrations
• Community (bro science): Community protocol — 100–300 mcg, SubQ, Before bed, daily or every 2–3 days, 10–30 days

Status: Not approved. In July 2026 FDA advisers voted 6–7 against allowing it in compounding — the only one of seven peptides rejected.

Grade and commentary: Dr. Alex Tatem. Watch: Truth About Popular Peptides Tier List (What Works, What’s Overhyped) | Pt. 3. Subscribe: @DrAlexTatem.