Side-by-side · Research reference

IGF-1 LR3vsVilon

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

AAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED10/58 cited

BAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED13/49 cited

IGF-1 LR3

IGF-1 Analogue · Research

3–10×Potency vs IGF-I

Low IGFBPBinding affinity

ResearchStatus

Research only · SQ typical in animal models

Vilon

Khavinson Bioregulator · Dipeptide

2 AADipeptide

T-helperStimulatesLinkova 2011

MouseModel basisKhavinson 2002

Literature lacks standardised clinical route

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

IGF-1 LR3

Vilon

Primary target

IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R)McTavish 2009

Immune cell differentiation pathways, chromatin modification

Pathway

IGF-1R → IRS-1 → PI3K/Akt → Cell proliferation, protein synthesis, anti-apoptosisMuhlbradt 2009

Vilon → Thymocyte sphingomyelinase activation → T-helper & cytotoxic T-cell differentiation; epigenetic suppression of aging markers (CCL11, HMGB1)

Downstream effect

Enhanced cell proliferation, muscle anabolism, inhibition of apoptosis, increased telomerase activity

Enhanced T-cell differentiation (CD4+, CD8+, B-cells), thymocyte proliferation, modulated IL-1β comitogenic activity, proposed chromatin decondensation in aged lymphocytesLinkova 2011 Khavinson 2002 Lezhava 2023

Feedback intact?

No — exogenous IGF analogue bypasses GH-mediated regulation

Unknown — no HPA/HPG axis data

Origin

Synthetic 83-AA analogue: 13-AA N-terminal extension + Arg substitution at position 3

Synthetic dipeptide derived from Khavinson thymic peptide extraction studies (Thymalin fraction)Morozov 1997

Antibody development

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

IGF-1 LR3

Vilon

Research dose (animal models)

Variable by protocol and species

In vivo murine atherosclerosis studies used sustained delivery.

—

In vitro typical concentration

10–1000 ng/mLThomas 2007

Dose-dependent effects on follicle growth and estradiol production.

—

Half-maximal stimulation

0.6 nM LR3 vs 1.5 nM native IGF-1Price 2004

2.5-fold greater potency in lung fibroblast proliferation.

—

Evidence basis

Animal / in vitro only

Mouse / in vitro only

Human use

Not FDA-approved; no published human trials

—

Standard dose

—

No clinical standard — literature lacks human dosing

Russian practice: often combined with other Khavinson peptides; no FDA/EMA trials.

Animal model dose

—

In vitro: 0.01–10 μg/mL culture medium (mouse thymocytes)

Not translatable to human mg/kg without pharmacokinetic data.

Frequency

—

Unknown — literature does not specify chronic administration protocols

Duration

—

Not characterised in humans

Route

—

Likely SQ or oral (Khavinson school uses both); no published ROA validation

Half-life

—

Not published — dipeptides typically <10 min plasma t½

03Metabolic / Fat Loss Evidence

Parameter

IGF-1 LR3

Vilon

Mechanism

IGF-1R activation → lipolytic signaling; secondary to anabolic effects

—

Direct lipolytic evidence

Minimal — primarily anabolic/anti-apoptotic in literature

—

Atherosclerotic plaque effects

Reduced stenosis and core size in ApoE-KO micevon 2011

Plaque stabilization via vSMC phenotype modulation, not direct fat loss.

—

Human data

None published

—

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

IGF-1 LR3

Vilon

Hypoglycemia risk

Theoretical — IGF-1 analogues can lower blood glucose

—

Excessive cell proliferation

Mitogenic signaling; theoretical tumor promotion risk

—

Telomerase activation

2–10-fold increase in prostate cancer cells (PC-3, DU-145, LAPC-4)Wetterau 2003

Critically involved in cancer cell immortalization.

—

Oocyte degeneration

Increased oocyte degeneration at high doses (≥1000 ng/mL) in bovine folliclesThomas 2007

—

Unregulated anabolism

Bypasses physiological GH/IGF-1 feedback; no pulsatility control

—

Unknown human safety profile

No published human trials; safety data absent

—

Human safety data

—

Absent from PubMed-indexed literature

Theoretical risk

—

Immune hyperactivation in autoimmune-prone individuals (T-cell differentiation enhancement)

Antibody formation

—

Not reported; dipeptides generally low immunogenicity

Animal models

—

No adverse effects noted in mouse thymocyte or pineal lymphoid cultures

Absolute Contraindications

IGF-1 LR3

·Active malignancy or history of cancer
·Not approved for human use

Vilon

·Active autoimmune disease (theoretical — no clinical data)

Relative Contraindications

IGF-1 LR3

·Diabetes or glucose intolerance
·Family history of cancer

Vilon

·Pregnancy / lactation (no safety data)
·Acute infection with cytokine storm risk (immune modulation unknown)

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

IGF-1 LR3

Vilon

1. Research use only

IGF-1 LR3 is not FDA-approved for human use. All administration data derives from animal or in vitro studies.

No clinical protocols exist in Western peer-reviewed literature. Russian gerontological practice may use 1–10 mg ranges, but dosing is empirical.

2. Typical research route

Subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection in animal models. In vitro: added directly to culture medium at concentrations of 10–1000 ng/mL.Thomas 2007

Subcutaneous injection (common for Khavinson peptides) or oral (some bioregulators reportedly active orally due to small size). No validated ROA.

3. Reconstitution (research)

Lyophilised powder reconstituted in sterile water or buffered saline per manufacturer protocol. Store at 2–8 °C after reconstitution.

Unknown — no circadian or meal-timing data. Khavinson school often recommends morning administration.

4. Stability

Enhanced stability vs native IGF-1 due to reduced IGFBP binding; exact half-life in vivo not fully characterized in humans.

Likely lyophilised powder, refrigerated. Reconstitution protocols not published.

06Stack Synergy

IGF-1 LR3

+ GHRP-6

Multi-pathway

View GHRP-6 →

GHRP-6 stimulates endogenous GH release, which drives hepatic IGF-1 synthesis. IGF-1 LR3 provides exogenous, IGFBP-resistant IGF signaling. Combining upstream GH stimulation with downstream IGF receptor activation creates a dual-pathway anabolic effect. However, this bypasses natural feedback and carries compounded mitogenic risk.

GHRP-6: 100–200 mcg SQ · 2–3× daily
IGF-1 LR3: Research doses variable · post-workout typical in animal models
Note: Research context only — no human protocols exist
Primary benefit: Theoretical maximal anabolic signaling (GH + IGF axes)

+ Ipamorelin

Multi-pathway

View Ipamorelin →

Ipamorelin (selective GHRP) stimulates pulsatile GH release without cortisol/prolactin elevation. IGF-1 LR3 directly activates IGF-1R independent of GH. This stack targets both upstream (GH secretion) and downstream (IGF receptor) nodes but eliminates physiological feedback, raising safety concerns around unchecked proliferation.

Ipamorelin: 200–300 mcg SQ · evening
IGF-1 LR3: Research doses only · timing variable
Caution: No human data; animal/in vitro only
Primary benefit: Dual-axis anabolic signaling (theoretical)

Vilon

+ Epitalon

Moderate

View Epitalon →

Both are Khavinson bioregulators targeting aging pathways. Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) acts on telomerase and pineal function; Vilon on immune differentiation and chromatin decondensation. Combined in Russian gerontological protocols for multi-system aging intervention. Lezhava et al. (2023) tested both on aged lymphocyte chromatin, showing distinct epigenetic effects. Complementary, not synergistic in strict pharmacological sense.

Vilon: Empirical — no standard
Epitalon: Empirical — often 10 mg cycles
Frequency: Sequential or concurrent (literature ambiguous)
Primary benefit: Multi-system aging modulation (immune + pineal/circadian)

+ Thymalin

Weak

View Thymalin →

Thymalin is the parent polypeptide complex from which Vilon was isolated. Both target immune differentiation, but Thymalin is a complex mixture (multiple peptides), whereas Vilon is a purified dipeptide. Morozov & Khavinson (1997) described Vilon as a synthetic successor designed to replicate Thymalin's immunomodulatory effects with greater specificity. Redundant in practice; no published combination studies.

Vilon: No standard
Thymalin: 10–100 mg IM (polypeptide complex)
Primary benefit: Redundant — both target T-cell differentiation

Morozov 1997 Khavinson 2020