ModerateCaution
Fish Oil
Fish oil may increase bruising around wounds or procedures where topical or injectable peptide use is being considered.
Recommendation: Disclose supplement use to wound clinicians; avoid self-directed wound stacks.
LL-37
Peptide ·Emerging evidence ·Reviewed May 2026
LL-37 is a human cathelicidin-derived antimicrobial peptide involved in innate immune defense, inflammation, angiogenesis, and wound healing. It is not FDA-approved for general infection treatment, immune support, or systemic use; topical venous-ulcer trials remain investigational. LL-37 can be immunologically active and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity is a real concern in experimental literature.
What it's good for
What to watch for
- Local burning or irritation
- Worsening inflammation at high concentrations
- Cytotoxicity in experimental systems
- Autoimmune or inflammatory skin disease without clinician review
- Active severe infection requiring antibiotics
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: innate antimicrobial activity in laboratory models, studied for venous leg ulcer healing, may support keratinocyte migration in research. 3 sources indexed (2005–2021), with 3 interaction records on file.
The science
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
LL-37 can disrupt microbial membranes and also acts as an immune signaling peptide through epithelial, neutrophil, mast-cell, and endothelial pathways. It promotes keratinocyte migration, may transactivate EGFR, and can support angiogenesis in wound models. The same membrane and immune activity that makes it interesting also creates toxicity, inflammation, and formulation challenges.
Class
Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide
Found in food
None as a dietary supplement
Low-status signs
No recognized dietary deficiency state exists for this peptide
Dosing
Dosing & protocol.
Common range
No FDA-approved human dose; topical wound trials used protocol-specific concentrations
Recommended form
Investigational topical wound product only; avoid systemic research use
Peptides are generally not reliably orally bioavailable unless a specific studied oral formulation is used. Human use of research-grade products is not appropriate.
Forms
Forms & what to buy.
Ranked by evidence and value.
Investigational Topical LL-37 Gel Recommended
Local wound exposure in controlled trials. Use only in clinical research or wound specialist context.
Laboratory Research Reagent
For antimicrobial and cell-signaling experiments. Not for human administration.
Injectable Research Peptide
Systemic exposure is not established as safe. Membrane activity creates toxicity concern.
Cost
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Investigational Topical LL-37 Gel.
BudgetBest value
$60 /mo
$2.00 per dose
Mid
$180 /mo
$6.00 per dose
Premium
$450 /mo
$15.00 per dose
Research-market pricing is not a dosing recommendation; human use is not FDA-approved unless specifically stated. Updated 2026-06-04.
Goals
Goal-based dosing.
Why people use it
Symptoms it's matched to.
Where this appears in the symptom-to-supplement map, ranked by relevance.
Slow wound healing
24% relevance
Topical wound trials and keratinocyte migration biology support research interest.1,2
ImmuneEmerging evidenceWound specialist care only
Do not self-treat ulcers.
Skin ulcers
16% relevance
Venous leg ulcer trials are relevant but investigational.1,2
PainEmerging evidenceClinical trial only
Evaluate vascular disease and diabetes.
Recurrent skin infections
5% relevance
Antimicrobial activity is in vitro and does not equal infection treatment.3
ImmuneInsufficient evidenceAvoid
Use medical diagnosis and antimicrobials when indicated.
Safety
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Local burning or irritation
- Worsening inflammation at high concentrations
- Cytotoxicity in experimental systems
- Injection-site reaction if misused
- Allergic reaction
- Unknown autoimmune effects
Contraindications
- Autoimmune or inflammatory skin disease without clinician review
- Active severe infection requiring antibiotics
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Use in eyes, bloodstream, or deep wounds outside research
- Use of research-grade injectable products
Interactions
Interaction records.
ModerateCaution
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo may increase bleeding risk and complicate wound assessment.
Recommendation: Avoid around debridement, surgery, or active ulcers unless approved.
InfoSynergy
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D status influences endogenous cathelicidin expression, but this does not validate exogenous LL-37 use.
Recommendation: Correct vitamin D deficiency through standard care rather than using LL-37 products.
Sources
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
2- 1Evaluation of LL-37 in healing of hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers: A multicentric prospective randomized placebo-controlled clinical trialNeeds sourceNo linkMahlapuu M et al. · Wound Repair and Regeneration · 2021
Larger phase IIb trial tested topical LL-37
- 2Treatment with LL-37 is safe and effective in enhancing healing of hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trialNeeds sourceNo linkGronberg A et al. · Wound Repair and Regeneration · 2014
Topical LL-37 showed healing signals at selected concentrations
Mechanistic & preclinical
1- 3Induction of keratinocyte migration via transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by the antimicrobial peptide LL-37Needs sourceNo linkTokumaru S et al. · Journal of Immunology · 2005
LL-37 stimulated keratinocyte migration
Keep exploring
Deep dives & adjacent profiles.
This page is educational. Do not start, stop, or change a supplement or medication based on it without checking with a qualified healthcare professional.
Use this with your stack
LL-37 in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.