Adverse effect · Kisspeptin

How common is safety with Kisspeptin?

C
Grade C — weak human evidenceSmall studies · effect size: not measurable · adverse
Short answerWeak human evidence. Small studies: enough to be interesting, not enough to count on. Where an effect is seen it is no measurable effect, or none yet shown. No side effects reported in the HSDD trials; the fertility studies reported no severe OHSS. Nothing is known about repeated self-administration.

What the studies show

No side effects reported in the HSDD trials; the fertility studies reported no severe OHSS. Nothing is known about repeated self-administration.

A few small or poorly-controlled human studies. Enough to be interesting; not enough to count on. Most of what gets called “clinically proven” online lives here.

  1. 1
    Thurston L, et al. Effects of kisspeptin administration in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open, 2022; DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3613132 premenopausal women, double-blind crossover.
  2. 2

In context

Kisspeptin is the hormone that switches on the reproductive axis: it makes the hypothalamus release GnRH, which drives LH, FSH and the sex hormones. In people it reliably raises LH within minutes, has been used as an egg-maturation trigger in IVF in phase 2 trials, and in two small randomised crossover trials at Imperial College London (32 women, 32 men) increased sexual-brain activation and reduced sexual aversion in people with low sexual desire. All of that is research-scale. It is not an approved medicine anywhere and is prohibited for male athletes.

Kisspeptin is not approved. Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Kisspeptin proven to cause safety?
No. The human evidence is weak (Small studies); LYO grades it C.
What studies are behind the grade?
No side effects reported in the HSDD trials; the fertility studies reported no severe OHSS. Nothing is known about repeated self-administration.
Is Kisspeptin approved for this?
No. Kisspeptin is not approved; it is not an approved medicine for any indication in the jurisdictions LYO covers.

Other outcomes for Kisspeptin

Reviewed 3 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →