Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life

Khavinson VKh, Morozov VG · Neuroendocrinology Letters

The authors report 2.0–2.5-fold lower mortality on the preparations, 4.1-fold in a subgroup dosed annually for six years, together with lower reported incidence of ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, deforming osteoarthrosis and osteoporosis. It is the program's flagship human result and the source of most of its claims about joints.

Population

Elderly and older people followed for 6–8 years in St Petersburg and Kiev

Intervention

Thymalin (thymic) and Epithalamin (pineal) peptide preparations, given during the first 2–3 years of observation

Comparator

An untreated control group

Limitations

Indexed as a randomised trial, but the report does not describe randomisation, allocation concealment or blinding, and gives no confidence intervals; the mortality effects are far larger than anything shown by a geroprotective intervention since; both authors are from the originating institute; neither Sigumir nor Cartalax was the treatment.