DSIP: research protocol, dosing & reconstitution
Also known as: Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide
Quick answer
What is DSIP?
DSIP is a nine-amino-acid peptide isolated from rabbit brain in the 1970s and named for an apparent sleep-promoting effect. Decades of follow-up research have failed to pin that effect down, and it remains one of the least understood compounds in the category — a fact worth knowing before reading anything else about it.
What DSIP is
Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide was identified in the 1970s in blood from rabbits in induced sleep, and named for the delta waves that characterise deep sleep. The name has outlasted the evidence.
It is a nonapeptide — nine amino acidsAmino acidThe chemical building block of peptides and proteins. Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.See glossary → — supplied as lyophilizedLyophilizedFreeze-dried. Peptides are shipped as a lyophilized powder ('puck') because the dry form is far more stable than a solution. It must be reconstituted before use in research.See glossary → powder, typically in 5 mg vialsVialThe small sealed glass container peptides are supplied in, topped with a rubber septum that a syringe needle can pass through.See glossary →.
Mechanism of action
No settled mechanism exists. A 1984 review catalogued the early findings and the difficulty of reproducing them [1], and more than twenty years later a 2006 paper in the Journal of Neurochemistry was still titled 'a still unresolved riddle' — noting that the peptide's very identity as a sleep factor remains unconfirmed [2].
Proposed actions have included modulation of sleep architecture, stress-hormone response and pain thresholds, but none is established. Researchers should treat mechanism claims about DSIP with more scepticism than for almost any other compound in this library.
What researchers study DSIP for
- Sleep architecture and delta-wave research
- Stress-response and cortisol studies
- Chronic pain models
- Historical neuropeptide research
What dose of DSIP do researchers use?
Research literature commonly references doses of 100–300 mcg before bed (literature-referenced). This is not a recommendation — the table below summarizes protocols as they appear in published literature and trial designs.
| Context | Dose | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research literature reference | 100–300 mcg | Once, before bed | Short courses referenced |
← Swipe to see the full table
Half-life and dosing timing
Half-life: Minutes (very short). Route referenced in research: Subcutaneous or intranasal (research). The half-lifeHalf-lifeHow long it takes for half of a compound to be eliminated from the body. Half-life determines how often researchers dose a compound in protocols.See glossary → is measured in minutes, which is itself part of the puzzle — it is difficult to reconcile a very short-lived peptide with effects lasting through a night's sleep. Protocols reference dosing shortly before bed.
Titration: start low, go slow
No established schedule. Protocols reference starting at the low end of the range, which reflects the absence of dose-finding data rather than a published titrationTitrationStarting at a low dose and increasing gradually on a schedule. Research protocols titrate to assess tolerance — 'start low, go slow.'See glossary →.
Skip the DSIP math
Enter vial size, water volume, and target dose — the free calculator returns concentration, injection volume, and exact U-100 syringe units.
How is DSIP reconstituted?
| Vial size | BAC water | Concentration | Worked example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 2,500 mcg/mL | 250 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U-100 syringe |
Add 2 mL of bacteriostatic waterBAC water (bacteriostatic water)Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol, which suppresses bacterial growth. It is the standard diluent used to reconstitute lyophilized peptides for multi-dose research vials.See glossary → to a 5 mg vial: 5 mg ÷ 2 mL = 2.5 mg/mL, or 2,500 mcgMicrogram (mcg / µg)One millionth of a gram, or one thousandth of a milligram. Most peptide research doses are measured in micrograms.See glossary →/mL. A 250 mcg dose is 250 ÷ 2,500 = 0.1 mL — 10 units on a U-100 syringeU-100 syringeAn insulin syringe calibrated so that 100 units equal 1 mL. The standard syringe referenced in peptide research; each unit equals 0.01 mL.See glossary →.
New to the process? Read the full step-by-step reconstitution guide.
How long does reconstituted DSIP last?
Lyophilized: refrigerate. ReconstitutedReconstitutionThe process of mixing a freeze-dried (lyophilized) peptide powder with bacteriostatic water to create a solution of known concentration.See glossary →: refrigerate at 2–8°C and use within weeks.
What is DSIP stacked with in research?
Occasionally referenced with GHGH (growth hormone)A hormone produced by the pituitary gland involved in growth, metabolism, and tissue repair. Several research peptides are studied for their ability to stimulate GH release.See glossary →-axis compounds, on the reasoning that deep sleep coincides with the body's largest natural growth hormone pulse. That is a rationale drawn from sleep physiology, not from any study of the combination.
Side effects observed in research
Few effects are reported — injection-site irritation and occasional headache. Given how thin and contradictory the evidence base is, the absence of reported effects should be read as absence of data rather than evidence of safety.
- Injection-site irritation
- Headache
- Few effects reported; evidence base is thin
Frequently asked questions
Does DSIP actually induce sleep?
That is genuinely unresolved. It was named for an observed effect in 1970s rabbit experiments, but decades of follow-up have not confirmed it — a 2006 review in the Journal of Neurochemistry described the peptide as 'a still unresolved riddle'.
What dose of DSIP do research protocols reference?
Commonly 100–300 mcg before bed. There is no clinical dose-finding data behind that range.
How strong is the evidence for DSIP?
Weak, and unusually so. The findings are old, contradictory, and have resisted replication. It is included here for completeness because vendors sell it — not because the research supports the claims made for it.
How is DSIP administered in research?
Subcutaneous injection or intranasally. Its very short half-life is one of the open questions about how any sustained effect would work.
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