Is IGF-1 DES legal?
IGF-1 DES is not FDA approved as a finished drug. For drug-tested athletes it is WADA banned (S2). Not prescribed in conventional medicine.. Legal status depends on your country and changes over time. This reflects US status at the time of writing and is not legal or medical advice.
Regulatory status
- FDA: Not FDA approved. Mecasermin (Increlex) covers IGF-1 generally; DES variant specifically is not approved.
- WADA: Banned (S2)
- Prescription: Not prescribed in conventional medicine.
References
- Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and especially IGF-I variants are anabolic in dexamethasone-treated rats — Tomas FM, Knowles SE, Owens PC, et al., Biochemical Journal, 1992
- Mechanisms of IGF-1-Mediated Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy — Yoshida T & Delafontaine P, Cells, 2020
Pepdex is an editorial reference, not medical advice. Peptides vary in legal and approval status by country, many are research compounds without full human safety data. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting anything.
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Last updated 2026-06-06.