A naturally occurring brain peptide that helps you fall into deep, restorative sleep by gently nudging your body's own sleep-wake systems—without the groggy hangover of traditional sleep aids.
Written by Michael Carroll — Owner, Director of Research · Reviewed by the Peptide Initiative Research Team · Editorial standards
Intravenous infusion (only route with human data)
Route
3 recommended
Sites
Single slow IV infusion in trials; no established repeat schedule
Frequency
Preparation
Bacteriostatic water (BAC water)
Insulin syringes (29-31 gauge)
Alcohol swabs
Your DSIP powder vial (typically 2mg or 5mg)
Pro tip
Prepare all supplies on a clean surface before you begin. Having everything ready makes the process smoother and more sterile.
Mixing
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Gather all supplies on a clean, flat surface.
Remove the plastic cap from the peptide vial and wipe the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab. Let it air dry.
Draw the appropriate amount of bacteriostatic water into a sterile syringe.
Insert the needle into the vial at an angle, aiming at the inside wall of the vial. Slowly push the plunger to let the water trickle down the glass wall -- do NOT squirt directly onto the powder.
Once all water is added, gently swirl the vial in a slow circular motion. Never shake the vial, as this can damage the peptide bonds.
Continue swirling until the powder is completely dissolved and the solution is clear. If particles remain, let the vial sit for a few minutes and swirl again.
Label the vial with the date of reconstitution, the peptide name, and the concentration (e.g. 250mcg per 0.1mL).
Example calculation
For a 2mg vial: Add 2mL of bacteriostatic water. This gives you 1mg/mL (1000 mcg/mL). For a 200mcg dose, you'll draw 0.2mL (20 units on an insulin syringe).
Dose calculation
At 1000 mcg/mL concentration: 100mcg = 0.1mL (10 units), 200mcg = 0.2mL (20 units), 300mcg = 0.3mL (30 units). Always double-check your math!
Pro tip
Always add the bacteriostatic water slowly, letting it run down the side of the vial. Never shake the vial -- swirl gently to avoid damaging the peptide.
Location
Site 01
Abdomen
Pinch the skin 2 inches from navel. Avoid the area directly around the belly button. Rotate between left and right sides.
Site 02
Outer Thigh
Middle third of the outer thigh. Keep at least 4 inches above the knee and below the hip. Alternate legs each injection.
Site 03
Upper Arm
Back or outer area of the upper arm. This site may require assistance from another person for proper technique.
Rotate between 3 sites to prevent tissue buildup and ensure consistent absorption.
Pro tip
Rotate your injection sites with each dose to prevent lipohypertrophy (buildup of fatty tissue). Keep a simple log of where you last injected.
Step by step
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water
Clean injection site with alcohol swab and let it dry completely
Pinch a fold of skin between thumb and forefinger
Insert needle at 45-90 degree angle (45° if lean, 90° if more tissue)
Inject slowly and smoothly over 5-10 seconds
Wait a moment, then withdraw needle and apply light pressure—don't rub
Pro tip
This peptide uses subcutaneous injection (just under the skin)—simple and effective for self-administration. Inject at a 45-90 degree angle into pinched skin. Aspirate before injecting to ensure you haven't hit a blood vessel.
Timing
Optimal timing
Best time
Evening, 1-2 hours before your intended bedtime. DSIP doesn't knock you out instantly—it works with your body's natural sleep systems, so give it time to take effect.
With food?
Can be taken with or without food. Some people prefer taking it on an empty stomach for potentially faster absorption, but food doesn't block its effects.
Stacking notes
If using with other peptides like CJC-1295 or Ipamorelin for growth hormone support, inject at different sites. DSIP is typically taken alone in the evening while growth hormone peptides may be used at other times.
Sample daily schedule
Evening (1-2 hours before bedtime)
100-300 mcg based on your tier injection
Site: Abdomen or thigh—rotate sites
Take at a consistent time each evening for best results. DSIP works with your natural sleep systems, so timing matters. Aim for the same window each night, ideally 1-2 hours before you want to be asleep. A 4-6 week cycle is typical, followed by a break to assess your sleep without it.
Dosing tiers
Dose
25 nmol/kg (about 1.5 mg for a 70 kg adult)
Frequency
Single slow infusion
Duration
Study setting only — longest trial ran 7 consecutive nights
The only DSIP dose with human evidence. Source class: clinical trial protocol. Five published trials used 25 nmol/kg as a slow intravenous infusion under medical supervision — about 1.5 mg for a 155 lb (70 kg) adult [1][3][4][6][7] — and one used total doses of 3 to 4 mg the same way [8]. Results were mixed: two independent double-blind trials found the sleep benefit small or not clinically significant [6][7]. See the evidence note.
Dose
100 mcg
Frequency
Once daily, 1 hour before bed
Duration
1–2 weeks
Source class: community practice, not peer-reviewed. No human study has used subcutaneous DSIP at any dose. This figure comes from vendor and forum protocols, not from the trial literature — the published human dose is roughly 1.5 mg intravenously, about 15x this amount by a different route. [1][2]
Dose
200 mcg
Frequency
Once daily, 1 hour before bed
Duration
4–6 weeks
Source class: community practice, not peer-reviewed. The most commonly circulated figure for subcutaneous use, and it appears in no published study. Subcutaneous DSIP has never been tested in humans, so neither its absorption nor its safety by this route is known. [1][2]
Dose
300 mcg
Frequency
Once daily, 1 hour before bed
Duration
2–4 weeks
Source class: community practice, not peer-reviewed. Upper end of circulated subcutaneous figures. No controlled trial supports this dose, this route, or escalation between these steps — the three subcutaneous rows are reported practice, not a studied titration. [1][2]
Dose
200–300 mcg
Frequency
Once daily before bed
Duration
2–6 weeks
Source class: community practice, not peer-reviewed. Intranasal DSIP has no published human study. Nasal absorption of a 9-amino-acid peptide has not been characterised, so a per-dose amount copied from the injectable route has no basis. [1]
Preservation
Before mixing
Keep your DSIP powder in the freezer (-20°C/-4°F or colder). Store in its original sealed vial, protected from light. A properly stored vial can remain stable for up to 24 months. Never leave powder at room temperature for extended periods.
After mixing
Once mixed with bacteriostatic water, immediately refrigerate at 36-46°F (2-8°C). Keep the vial upright and away from light. Use within 28 days. Never freeze the reconstituted solution—this destroys the peptide.
Shelf life after mixing
28 days
Signs of degradation
Discard the vial immediately if you notice any of these:
Cloudy or murky solution (should be clear)
Visible particles or floaters
Any unusual color changes
Unusual smell (fresh solution has minimal odor)
Important
When to stop
Any signs of allergic reaction—hives, swelling, breathing difficulty (stop immediately, seek help)
Severe or persistent headaches that don't respond to dose reduction
Excessive daytime drowsiness affecting your ability to function
Unusual mood changes or psychological symptoms
You've completed your planned cycle (typically 4-6 weeks)
Your healthcare provider recommends discontinuation
DSIP is a research peptide, not an FDA-approved medication. Always work with a qualified healthcare provider when using peptides. Never start, stop, or change doses without professional guidance. This information is educational—not medical advice.
Clean technique checklist
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling supplies
Swab vial tops and injection site with alcohol and let dry
Never touch the needle tip or allow it to contact non-sterile surfaces
Use a new syringe and needle for each injection
Dispose of used sharps in a proper sharps container
Store reconstituted peptides according to the storage instructions above
Published research
Schneider-Helmert D · 1987
In chronic insomniacs, DSIP substantially improved night sleep from the first dose and continued improving with repeated treatment. Efficiency of night sleep and daytime rest reached normal levels, and participants showed increased alertness and mental performance during the day.
Schneider-Helmert D, Schoenenberger GA · 1983
Human studies confirmed DSIP promotes natural sleep with effects lasting up to 20 hours after a single dose. Beyond sleep, DSIP improved daytime alertness, performance, stress tolerance, and coping ability—showing it does much more than just help you fall asleep.
Graf MV, Kastin AJ · 1981
In healthy volunteers, DSIP increased total sleep time by 59% during the day and improved subsequent night sleep quality. Importantly, there was no classic sedation—subjects maintained normal alertness when awake. The compound was well-tolerated with no psychological, physiological, or biochemical side effects.
Schneider-Helmert D, Schoenenberger GA · 1981
Chronic insomniacs receiving DSIP had longer sleep duration, higher quality sleep with fewer interruptions, and slightly more REM sleep—but no daytime sedation. The sleep-promoting effects lasted up to 6 hours through the night.
Bondarenko TI, Maĭboroda EA, Mikhaleva II · 2011
DSIP showed powerful antioxidant effects in aging rats, activating the body's natural antioxidant defense systems including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ceruloplasmin. This suggests DSIP may have anti-aging benefits beyond just sleep improvement.
Monti JM, Debellis J, Alterwain P, Pellejero T, Monti D · 1987
A double-blind crossover study in chronic insomniacs, 25 nmol/kg intravenously across four nights. Night-time awakenings, time awake and time to fall into non-REM sleep all fell on DSIP, but none of those changes was significantly different from the patients' own baseline or from the double-blind placebo nights. Total sleep time and non-REM sleep did rise significantly versus placebo — but the same gap was already present in the baseline values. The authors concluded that the sleep improvement is "of little clinical significance."
Bes F, Hofman W, Schuur J, Van Boxtel C · 1992
Sixteen chronic insomniacs, double-blind, matched pairs, parallel groups, five consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory. Half received 25 nmol/kg DSIP intravenously in the afternoon before nights 3, 4 and 5; half received a glucose placebo. Sleep efficiency was higher and sleep latency shorter on DSIP. The authors judged those effects weak, noted they could in part be due to an incidental change in the placebo group, found no change in subjective sleep quality or any other measure, and concluded that short-term DSIP treatment of chronic insomnia is "not likely to be of major therapeutic benefit."
Spath-Schwalbe E, Schafer A, Uthgenannt D, Born J, Fehm HL · 1995
The only human study to test DSIP's reported stress-hormone effect directly. Healthy young men received DSIP intravenously — total doses of 3 and 4 mg — against placebo, first around a corticotropin-releasing hormone challenge (5 men per condition) and then around a midday meal (10 more men). ACTH and cortisol responses were almost identical on DSIP and on placebo in both experiments. The authors concluded their data "do not support an inhibitory role of DSIP on ACTH and cortisol secretion in man," which is the opposite of what had been reported in cells and in animals.
Head to head