ModerateCaution
5-HTP
5-HTP affects serotonin and mood while selank is used for anxiety, increasing unpredictability.
Recommendation: Avoid psychiatric supplement stacks without clinician review.
Selank
Peptide ·Insufficient evidence ·Reviewed May 2026
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide derived from tuftsin and developed in Russia for anxiety-related conditions. It is not FDA-approved in the United States, and most clinical evidence is small, Russian-language, or not independently replicated. It should not replace established anxiety treatment, psychotherapy, or prescribed psychiatric medications.
The bottom line
Evidence rating insufficient. Most-documented uses: anxiolytic research interest, possible gabaergic modulation, stress and cognition research. 3 sources indexed (2015–2018), with 3 interaction records on file.
The science
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Selank appears to modulate GABAergic and monoaminergic signaling, enkephalin metabolism, neurotrophic signaling, and stress-response pathways in experimental models. Reported anxiolytic effects may occur without classic benzodiazepine sedation, but human evidence remains limited. Intranasal research products have uncertain dose, purity, and sterility.3,1
Class
Tuftsin-derived anxiolytic research 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 in the US; Russian product use is not a supplement standard
Recommended form
Not recommended outside regulated clinical context
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.
Laboratory Research Reagent Recommended
Intended for controlled laboratory work, not human administration. Not for human use.
Compounded or Research Peptide Product
Human identity, purity, sterility, and dose may be uncertain unless legally prescribed and regulated. Injection or intranasal use adds infection and dosing risks.
Cost
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Laboratory Research Reagent.
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.
Relevant Clinical Research
Dose: Protocol-specific only
Timing: Study protocol only
Not a supplement protocol.
Wellness or Anti-Aging Use
Dose: No FDA-approved dose
Timing: Not applicable
Human safety and efficacy are not established.
Mechanistic Research
Dose: Laboratory-specific concentration
Timing: Laboratory protocol only
Not for human administration.
Why people use it
Symptoms it's matched to.
Where this appears in the symptom-to-supplement map, ranked by relevance.
Anxiety
18% relevance
Small clinical and mechanistic studies suggest anxiolytic potential.1
MoodEmerging evidenceRegulated clinical product where available
Do not stop prescribed treatment.
Stress reactivity
12% relevance
Stress-pathway and GABAergic mechanisms are plausible but not definitive.3
StressInsufficient evidenceAvoid research products
Use evidence-based stress care.
Safety
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Nasal irritation
- Headache
- Drowsiness or activation
- Mood changes
- Allergic reaction
- Uncertain product quality
Contraindications
- Severe depression or suicidality without psychiatric care
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Use with sedatives or psychiatric medications without clinician review
- Bipolar disorder or mania history without specialist care1
- Research-grade intranasal products
Interactions
Interaction records.
InfoCaution
L-Theanine
L-theanine may add calming effects and confound response tracking.
Recommendation: Change one anxiolytic intervention at a time.
InfoCaution
Melatonin
Melatonin can add sedation or vivid dreams when combined with CNS-active peptides.
Recommendation: Use caution with driving or next-day tasks.
Sources
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
1- 1Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selankNeeds sourceNo linkMedvedev VE et al. · Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova · 2015
Selank plus phenazepam was studied
Reviews & position papers
1- 2Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological ActivityNeeds sourceNo linkKolomin T et al. · Current Protein and Peptide Science · 2018
GABA-related and gene-expression effects reviewed
Mechanistic & preclinical
1- 3GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 CellsNeeds sourceNo linkKolomin T et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2017
Selank affected GABAergic gene expression
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
Selank 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.