Biohacking Kompakt in English

Biohacking Kompakt is a fact check of supplements, peptides and biohacking practices. All 460 topic pages, 59 tips, 15 comparisons and 18 question pages are available in English: first what holds up, then where the data stop – each with a BK-Score and the underlying sources. Below is a selection; the full lists are under All topics, Tips, Comparisons, Questions and Glossary. All sources are in the study database, and the Biohacking Report 2026 sums up all 494 entries.

New: the podcast in English. Paul and Paula now also talk in English, with a new episode every week: Biohacking Kompakt – English Edition on Spotify. The daily podcast stays in German; its episode pages are summarised in English.

The score rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. Information only, not medical advice.

Topics (12)

AshwagandhaAshwagandha is the best-known adaptogen; meta-analyses show lower stress and cortisol scores over eight weeks.
BPC-157BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide sold as a repair agent for tendons, ligaments and the gut lining.
Creatine monohydrateCreatine monohydrate is one of the most thoroughly studied food supplements of all – and the strength gain is cleanly documented in controlled studies, in older adults as well as in postmenopausal women.
MagnesiumMagnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme reactions – this biochemical role is undisputed, and in a double-blind study with 155 participants the Insomnia Severity Index fell more than under placebo (p = 0.049).
Methylene BlueMethylene blue is a 19th-century dye, one of the very first synthetic drugs and today an approved emergency medication.
NMNNMN is a precursor of the cellular molecule NAD+ and is considered a core longevity supplement.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are among the most thoroughly studied dietary supplements of all.
Rapamycin (Sirolimus)Rapamycin, approved as sirolimus in transplant medicine, inhibits the growth switch mTORC1 and extends lifespan in model organisms.
RetatrutideRetatrutide is the first drug that acts on three hormonal switches of metabolism at the same time: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy)In people with overweight and established cardiovascular disease, semaglutide lowers the rate of major cardiovascular events and substantially reduces body weight.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound)Tirzepatide activates two gut hormone receptors at once and achieves the highest weight-loss figures in its drug class.
Vitamin D3Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is strictly speaking a hormone, and its receptor biology is very well understood.

Peptides & GLP-1 drugs (25)

5-Amino-1MQ5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide but a small molecule that is taken orally.
AOD-9604AOD-9604 is a fragment of 16 amino acids from the tail end of growth hormone.
CJC-1295 + IpamorelinCJC-1295 plus ipamorelin is one of the most popular peptide stacks in the biohacking scene.
Epitalon (Epithalon)Epitalon is a tiny peptide of only four amino acids, derived from an extract of the pineal gland.
GHK-Cu (Copper Tripeptide)GHK-Cu is an endogenous copper peptide that has been researched since its discovery in 1973 and today is found in countless serums and creams.
HGH (Growth Hormone / Somatropin)HGH is the recombinantly produced growth hormone that is identical to the body’s own (somatropin).
IGF-1 LR3IGF-1 LR3 is a laboratory-modified form of the growth factor IGF-1, built to bypass the body’s own brakes on this hormone.
KPVKPV is a peptide of just 3 amino acids: lysine, proline, valine.
LL-37LL-37 is a peptide of 37 amino acids and the only cathelicidin the human body produces.
Melanotan 2Melanotan 2 is the best-known tanning peptide in the world, and the approved drug bremelanotide emerged from it.
MK-677 (Ibutamoren)MK-677 is an orally available ghrelin receptor agonist that raises growth hormone and IGF-1.
MOTS-cMOTS-c is a tiny peptide that is encoded not in the cell nucleus but in the genome of your mitochondria.
PT-141PT-141 is one of the few scene peptides with a genuine approval: as bremelanotide, brand name Vyleesi, it has been approved in the US since 2019 for women with persistently absent desire.
SelankSelank is a small synthetic peptide from Moscow that is supposed to relieve anxiety without making people tired or drowsy.
SemaxSemax is a peptide of seven amino acids that was developed in Russia and registered there as a medicine in 1994.
SermorelinSermorelin is the front piece of a hormone the body makes itself: the first 29 amino acids of GHRH, that is, of the command the hypothalamus sends to the pituitary gland.
SS-31 (Elamipretide)SS-31, called elamipretide in drug development, is a very short peptide that travels to the inner membrane of the mitochondria and binds to cardiolipin there.
TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 Fragment)TB-500 is the peptide that, in the regeneration scene, is supposed to stand for the whole body: a short piece of thymosin beta-4, a repair protein that almost every cell produces.
Tesamorelin (Egrifta)Tesamorelin is a GHRH analog that is approved in the US for a narrowly defined group and whose EU application was withdrawn.
Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1)Thymosin Alpha-1 is an endogenous messenger of the thymus gland that controls the maturation and activation of T cells.
AmycretinAmycretin is Novo Nordisk's next big weight-loss candidate: a single molecule that activates the GLP-1 and amylin receptors at the same time, that is, two satiety systems at once.
Cagrilintide / CagriSemaCagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog — a replica of the satiety hormone that is released together with insulin.
MariTide (Maridebart Cafraglutide)MariTide is Amgen's weight-loss candidate with the most unusual approach: it activates the GLP-1 receptor and at the same time blocks the GIP receptor, exactly the opposite of tirzepatide.
MazdutideMazdutide is a weight-loss drug that mimics two hormone signals at once: GLP-1, the principle behind semaglutide, and glucagon.
Orforglipron (Foundayo)Orforglipron is the first weight-loss tablet from the GLP-1 class that is not a peptide but a small, stomach-stable molecule.

More supplements (25)

Alpha-GPCAlpha-GPC is a choline source that reaches the brain well and releases choline there for the production of acetylcholine.
ApigeninApigenin is a flavone from chamomile, parsley and celery.
BerberineBerberine is a yellow plant compound from barberry, goldthread and related species.
Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinol)Coenzyme Q10 sits right in the middle of the mitochondrial respiratory chain — a place, in other words, whose role is hard to argue away.
Collagen peptidesCollagen peptides are among the most heavily advertised skin products of all.
FisetinFisetin is a yellow plant pigment from the flavonol group, found in strawberries, apples and onions, among other foods.
GlutathioneGlutathione is quantitatively the most important antioxidant in your cells.
GlycineGlycine is the smallest of the twenty amino acids and the most abundant in collagen.
L-theanineL-theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in the tea plant.
Lion's ManeLion's mane, Hericium erinaceus, is an edible mushroom that has been researched since 1991 as a stimulator of nerve growth factor, NGF.
MelatoninMelatonin shortens the time it takes to fall asleep – most clearly where the internal clock runs against the desired sleep time: in delayed sleep phase syndrome by 38.8 minutes, and for jet lag across at least five time zones, 9 of 10 randomized trials showed an effect.
NAC (N-acetylcysteine)NAC is the substance used in emergency departments to treat paracetamol poisoning.
Nicotinamide riboside (NR)Nicotinamide riboside, NR for short, is a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor of NAD+, the coenzyme that drives energy production and repair in every cell.
ProbioticsProbiotics are not a substance class with one effect, but a collection of individual bacterial strains, each with its own body of evidence.
ResveratrolResveratrol is a polyphenol from grapes that activates sirtuins in cell experiments.
Rhodiola roseaRoseroot is the adaptogen for the other direction: not calming down, but staying alert.
ShilajitShilajit, also called mumijo, is a tar-like resin from mountain rock that has long been regarded as a rejuvenating remedy in Ayurvedic medicine.
SpermidineSpermidine is a polyamine that your body makes itself and that is found in wheat germ and mushrooms.
TaurineTaurine is a sulfur-containing aminosulfonic acid that your body makes itself and that you take in through fish, meat and seafood.
Tongkat AliTongkat Ali is a root extract from Southeast Asia that is sold as a testosterone booster.
Turmeric (curcumin)Turmeric is the rare food supplement in which a clear clinical finding and a clear safety signal stand side by side.
Urolithin AUrolithin A is formed in the gut when bacteria digest tannins from pomegranate, walnuts or berries.
Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 is one of the few nutrients where a deficiency causes measurable damage and correcting it reliably repairs that damage.
Vitamin K2 (MK-7 and MK-4)Vitamin K2 activates two proteins that regulate calcium: osteocalcin in bone and matrix Gla protein in the vessel wall.
ZincAs a component of more than 300 enzymes, zinc is involved in immune function, and in a meta-analysis with 5,446 adults, there were 5 fewer respiratory infections per 100 person-months under zinc – a number needed to treat of 20, with moderate certainty of evidence.

Drugs, hormones & SARMs (12)

Cardarine (GW501516)Cardarine, often called Endurobol in the scene, is considered the prototype of endurance in pill form.
CBD (cannabidiol)CBD, short for cannabidiol, is the non-intoxicating main active compound of the hemp plant and is approved as a medicine for rare, severe forms of epilepsy.
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)DHEA is a hormone of the adrenal glands whose levels fall markedly with age.
EnclomipheneEnclomiphene is the tablet meant to raise the body’s own testosterone instead of replacing it from outside.
MetforminMetformin is a biguanide and has been a standard drug for type 2 diabetes for decades.
ModafinilModafinil is a medicine for the sleep disorder narcolepsy and at the same time one of the best-known smart drugs.
Ostarine (enobosarm)Ostarine, called enobosarm in research, is the best-studied SARM of all.
PsilocybinPsilocybin is the active ingredient of certain mushrooms and is listed in Germany in Schedule 1 of the Narcotics Act.
RAD140 (Testolone)RAD140, called Testolone in the scene, is the best-known representative of the SARMs, the selective androgen receptor modulators.
TadalafilTadalafil improves two conditions at once: erectile dysfunction and the symptoms of benign prostatic enlargement.
Testosterone & TRTTestosterone is the most important male sex hormone; testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) supplies it from outside when a deficiency has been diagnosed by a physician.
Viagra (Sildenafil)Sildenafil reliably improves erectile function and is among the best-supported drugs of all for this indication.

Treatments & practices (13)

CGM – continuous glucose monitoringFor the advertised target group, metabolically healthy non-diabetics, this research found no randomized trial demonstrating a health benefit of continuous glucose monitoring.
Fasting & autophagyIntermittent fasting shifts mealtimes; autophagy is considered its most important promise.
Grounding / EarthingGrounding, also called earthing, means direct skin contact with the earth, barefoot on grass and sand or via a mat connected to the protective earth conductor of a power outlet.
Heart rate variability (HRV)Your heart does not beat to the rhythm of a metronome.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you lie in a pressure chamber and breathe pure oxygen under increased pressure.
IV vitamin therapy (Myers' cocktail)In IV vitamin therapy, vitamins and minerals run as an infusion directly into a vein, best known as the Myers' cocktail.
NAD+ infusionNAD+ straight into the vein: longevity practices and infusion centers offer this as a shortcut to more cellular energy.
Red light / photobiomodulation (PBM)Photobiomodulation applies red and near-infrared light to skin or tissue.
Sauna & cold (hormesis)Sauna and cold baths are considered hormesis stimuli: short, dosed stress to which the body is supposed to respond with adaptation.
Sleep & sleep hygieneIn large observational studies, sleep duration and mortality are linked in a U-shape: too little and too much sleep are associated with higher mortality.
Stem cell therapyStem cells can renew themselves and turn into other cell types.
Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE)In therapeutic plasma exchange, your own blood plasma is removed and replaced with an albumin solution.
Zone 2 & VO2max trainingMaximal oxygen uptake is one of the best-supported mortality markers of all.