Follistatin vs Teriparatide
A detailed comparison to help you understand the differences and choose the right peptide for your research goals.
Follistatin
Follistatin is a glycoprotein that inhibits myostatin, the protein responsible for limiting muscle growth. By blocking myostatin, follistatin can theoretically allow for increased muscle development beyond natural limits.
Full details →Teriparatide
Teriparatide (Forteo) is recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34), FDA-approved for osteoporosis treatment. It's unique among osteoporosis drugs in that it stimulates new bone formation.
Full details →Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | Follistatin | Teriparatide |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Binds to and neutralizes myostatin and activin, both of which are negative regulators of muscle mass. This removes the natural brake on muscle growth, allowing for enhanced hypertrophy. | Intermittent PTH exposure paradoxically stimulates osteoblasts more than osteoclasts, resulting in net bone formation. Continuous exposure would cause bone loss, but pulsatile dosing builds bone. |
| Typical Dosage | Research protocols typically use 100-300mcg daily, though optimal dosing is not well established. Gene therapy approaches have also been studied. | 20mcg subcutaneously once daily. Maximum treatment duration of 2 years due to theoretical osteosarcoma risk from rat studies. |
| Administration | Subcutaneous injection. Different isoforms exist (FS344, FS315) with varying properties. Requires careful sourcing due to complexity. | Subcutaneous injection in thigh or abdomen once daily. Delivered via multi-dose pen. Should sit or lie down after injection due to orthostatic hypotension risk. |
| Side Effects | Limited human data. Theoretical concerns about effects on other organs where activin signaling is important. | Orthostatic hypotension, leg cramps, nausea, dizziness, headache, and injection site reactions. Transient hypercalcemia possible. |
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