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№ 030

Semax

For alertness and focus. A Russian-origin nootropic peptide on the alert/focus end of the spectrum that pairs with Selank for a balanced cognitive stack.

Nootropic
Evidence: Anecdotal

Semax: For alertness and focus. A Russian-origin nootropic peptide on the alert/focus end of the spectrum that pairs with Selank for a balanced cognitive stack. Semax is the cognitive-focus counterpart to Selank.

FDA ⓘ
Not approved
WADA
Not banned
Typical dose
Intranasal: 250-500 mcg
Half-life ⓘ
~30 minutes (intranasal)
Route ⓘ
Intranasal spray (sub-q also used)
Schedule
1-3x daily
In plain English

Semax is the cognitive-focus counterpart to Selank. Same Russian origin. More on the alert/focus end of the spectrum, where Selank is more on the calm/anxiolytic end. Intranasal, used during demanding work blocks.

Status & legalityWhat do these mean? →
Natty? ⓘ
Not natty
FDA ⓘ
Not approved

Not FDA approved. Approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive support.

Compounding ⓘ
Category 1

Compounding pharmacies may prepare under physician prescription (post Feb 2026 reclassification, pending formal FDA publication).

WADA ⓘ
Not listed
Prescribed ⓘ

Approved in Russia. Not available by US prescription.

Who it's for

  • →Users wanting focus support without stimulants
  • →Demanding work blocks or studying
  • →Anyone tapering off stimulants

What to expect

  1. Week 1

    Effect within hours of first dose for most users.

  2. Week 4

    Cumulative cognitive support. No tolerance issues at standard doses.

  3. Week 8

    Cycled. Second cycle hits as cleanly as the first.

Looking at Semax? Your next 3 steps

  1. 1Work out your exact dose

    Vial size + BAC water turns into the exact units to draw for Semax.

    Open calculator →
  2. 2See what to stack & monitor

    The companion supplements and the bloodwork worth tracking on this kind of protocol.

    Bloodwork guide →
  3. 3Save it & ask the Coach

    A free account saves your stack; membership adds the stack-aware AI Coach.

    Create free account →

How it works (mechanism)

Synthetic ACTH 4-10 analog with N-terminal modification for stability. Modulates BDNF expression, dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. Russian-origin nootropic / neuroprotective.

Dosing protocol

Members only

Stacks well with

Members only

Side effects

01Generally well tolerated
02Mild headache rarely

When NOT to use

  • ⚠Pregnancy / nursing, no data

Common mistakes

  • • Treating it like a stimulant (it's gentler)
  • • Running it continuously without breaks
  • • Storing nasal spray at room temp long term

Community patterns

Members only
Free, no account needed

New to Semax? Grab the starter checklist.

Drop your email and we'll send the one-page first-cycle starter checklist, plus a heads-up if Semax changes legal status. No account needed.

No spam. No selling your email. Just the checklist and the occasional reclassification alert.

AI Coach, live sample
Members only
is 250mcg of bpc enough for a knee injury?
For a knee, 250 mcg sub-q daily is the standard working dose and a solid place to start. The trick with BPC is consistency, give it weeks, not days. Inject close to the joint, run it 4-6 weeks, and don't drop below 200 mcg, it tends to stop cracking the threshold reliably down there. If it hasn't moved at all by week 3, that's when adding TB-500 earns its place.
how much bac water for a 10mg reta vial?
3 mL is the standard play for a 10 mg reta vial. That's 3,333 mcg/mL, clean unit math across the titration: 2 mg = 60 units, 4 mg = 120 units, 6 mg = 180 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe. Run 2 mL instead if you want fewer, more concentrated shots (5,000 mcg/mL, so 2 mg = 40 units). Since most people titrate up over ~12 weeks, 3 mL keeps the numbers cleanest.
what should i track on bloodwork for tirzepatide?
Lipid panel, ALT/AST (liver enzymes), and an A1C, baseline before you start then every 3 months. If you've got metabolic-syndrome history, add fasting glucose and insulin so you can actually watch insulin sensitivity improve. You don't need a big hormone panel for a GLP-1.

Ask the Coach anything about Semax or your own stack. This is it working.

Trained only on Pepdex content. Does the dose math, flags interactions, knows your stack. Won't push vendors, won't pretend to be a doctor.

Get the Coach, $7.99/mo →

Frequently asked

What is Semax?+
Semax is the cognitive-focus counterpart to Selank. Same Russian origin. More on the alert/focus end of the spectrum, where Selank is more on the calm/anxiolytic end. Intranasal, used during demanding work blocks.
Is Semax FDA approved?+
Not FDA approved. Approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive support.
Is Semax legal?+
Semax is not FDA-approved. It is sold by compounding pharmacies (with a prescription) and as "research only" by peptide vendors. Possession is generally not criminalized but distribution without authorization may be. Verify local laws.
Is Semax banned by WADA?+
Semax is not currently on the WADA prohibited list.
Are you still natty after taking Semax?+
No. Semax is a performance-enhancing peptide and would disqualify a strict natty claim.
Do doctors prescribe Semax?+
Approved in Russia. Not available by US prescription.
What's the typical dose of Semax?+
Intranasal: 250-500 mcg, 1-3x daily. Sub-q: 100-250 mcg daily.
What are the side effects of Semax?+
Common side effects include: Generally well tolerated; Mild headache rarely. Less common effects and full safety details are on the entry page.
How long until Semax starts working?+
Effect within hours of first dose for most users.
What can you stack with Semax?+
Common pairings: Selank for combined alert + calm effect; Standalone. Full stacking protocol and timing on the entry page.
Where do people get Semax?+
Semax is most commonly sold by research-only peptide vendors and by compounding pharmacies (the latter requires a prescription). Pepdex is not a vendor, see /coa for how to verify a Certificate of Analysis before buying from any source, and /guides/scam-vendor-spotting for vendor red flags.
Semax vs Selank, which is better?+
Selank vs Semax: anxiolytic vs nootropic. Which to pick for which use case. Full head-to-head comparison: https://pepdex.co/compare/selank-vs-semax

Head-to-head with Semax

Compare
Semax vs Selank →

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