A protein fragment from the cell's energy compartments; laboratory work shows it keeping stressed cells alive — tumor cells as readily as healthy ones. Blood levels track with family longevity and slower loss of thinking ability, though one study links higher levels to worse survival in the oldest. No trial has given it to a person; supply is unregulated. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting insulin | 2–5 µIU/mL | Primary target of the metabolic benefit |
| HOMA-IR | < 1.0 | Composite readout of insulin resistance |
| Fasting glucose | 75–86 mg/dL | Intended effect and hypoglycemia risk |
| HbA1c | 4.8–5.4% | Glycemic control; inversely tracks humanin |
| IGF-1 | Age/sex mid-range | Growth-axis suppression; avoid lowest quartile |
| IGFBP-3 | Age-adjusted; ratio to IGF-1 | Bound directly by humanin; most specific marker |
| hs-CRP | < 0.5 mg/L | Detects the senescence-amplification risk |
| Interleukin-6 | < 2 pg/mL | Rises with humanin in senescent cells |
| Triglycerides | < 80 mg/dL | Inversely correlated with humanin in human data |
| ApoB | < 80 mg/dL (< 60 at high risk) | Cardiovascular risk tracking |
| eGFR and creatinine | eGFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Renal function governs peptide clearance |
| ALT and AST | < 25 U/L men, < 20 U/L women | General safety screen for an unstudied compound |
| Complete blood count | Reference range, lymphocytes | Lymphocytes protected from cytotoxic injury |
Cadence: Baseline within 4 weeks before use. Fasting glucose daily and a metabolic panel at 2 weeks; full panel at 12 weeks; then every 6 months. Age-appropriate cancer screening continues normally.