What is Cortagen?
Cortagen is one of the so-called peptide bioregulators developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group (St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology). It is claimed to act tissue-specifically on the brain and cerebral cortex by supposedly "normalising" gene expression in that tissue's cells.
How well studied is Cortagen?
The data come almost entirely from a single Russian research group and its circle: mostly cell and animal studies plus a few small, methodologically weak human reports. Independent replication and randomised controlled trials by current standards are lacking; anti-ageing or organ-protection claims are unproven.
What side effects and risks does Cortagen have?
There are virtually no systematic human safety data; the claim of being "free of side effects" comes from the developers themselves. Grey-market products are unverified for purity, content and sterility – injection carries risks of infection, contamination and allergic reactions. Drug interactions and long-term effects are unknown.
Is Cortagen approved in Germany?
In short: no. Not approved as a medicine in the EU or Germany; in Russia such short peptides are mainly marketed as dietary supplements rather than as tested medicines. As an injectable it would be an unapproved medicinal product under the German Medicines Act (AMG); in sport, unapproved substances can fall under WADA class S0. High quality and counterfeit risk.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Vladimir Khavinson (Institut, Peptidpräparate)
- Khavinson et al.: Peptide bioregulation of aging – results and prospects (PubMed 19830585)
Note: We deliberately do not list any doses here. For approved medicines, your doctor sets the dose; for unapproved substances there is no reliable information.