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Glandokort6 residuesAEDPVGEach bubble = one amino acid. Size = residue mass. Color = chemical class.Also known as: A-17, Peptide Complex A-17, Glandocort
Thirty-six patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency took 10 mg twice daily for 30 days. That is the entire clinical evidence base for Glandokort, a Khavinson-class peptide bioregulator extracted from bovine adrenal cortex tissue. The study reported improved stress tolerance, normalized aldosterone, and better sleep. It was never published in an indexed journal, never replicated, and never blinded. Glandokort contains peptide complex A-17, short-chain peptides under 5,000 Da that supposedly bind adrenal gene promoter regions to upregulate steroidogenesis. Biohackers in the longevity community stack it with Epithalon and Pinealon for HPA axis support. Cost runs $4 to $5 per day for a standard 30-day course.
Glandokort (peptide complex A-17, no CAS number assigned) is an oral bioregulator containing short-chain peptides extracted from the adrenal cortex of young cattle or pigs. One clinical study exists: 36 patients, no placebo arm. That is the full evidence base. Each capsule holds roughly 10 mg of active peptides with molecular weights below 5,000 Da. The product comes from the Khavinson Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in St. Petersburg, the same group behind Epithalon, Pinealon, and the broader bioregulator research program spanning 40+ years. The sole clinical study enrolled patients ages 37 to 62 with chronic adrenal cortex insufficiency (St. Petersburg Institute, April to November 2011). They took 1 capsule twice daily for 30 days alongside standard adaptogen therapy. Researchers tracked aldosterone, 17-ketosteroids, physical performance, and mood. All showed improvement compared to controls. The reticular adrenal zone showed restored metabolic activity, and hormonal markers returned to normal-range values. That study was never published in a PubMed-indexed journal. No independent group has tried to replicate it in 15 years. No randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial exists. Community experience is limited too; fewer than 10 Reddit threads discuss Glandokort specifically. The users who do try it typically follow the original study protocol exactly: 10 mg twice daily for 30 days, repeated every 3 to 6 months. Most stack it with other Khavinson bioregulators rather than running it solo, which makes isolating its effects difficult. Anecdotal reports mention improved stress tolerance and better sleep, but placebo effects in burnout contexts are well-documented.
Glandokort follows the same theoretical framework as all Khavinson bioregulators. Short-chain peptides (2 to 4 amino acid residues) from the A-17 complex are proposed to cross cell membranes and enter the nucleus of adrenal cortex cells. Once there, they bind specific DNA sequences on promoter segments of genes involved in adrenal steroidogenesis. The proposed downstream effect is upregulation of enzymes in the cortisol, aldosterone, and androgen biosynthetic pathways. The clinical study's observation of increased aldosterone and 17-ketosteroid production points toward effects on CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) and DHEA-related pathways. That connection hasn't been confirmed at the molecular level. Glandokort is also reported to reduce lipid peroxidation in adrenal tissue, suggesting antioxidant properties. Whether this is a direct peptide effect or a secondary consequence of improved cellular function remains unclear. The broader Khavinson model has some published support. A 2021 systematic review [1] confirmed that short peptides can regulate gene expression. A study [2] showed short peptides interacting with DNA promoter regions in vitro. But these findings apply to the bioregulator class generally, not Glandokort specifically. No study has mapped which adrenal genes Glandokort's A-17 complex actually binds, at what affinity, or through what signaling cascade. The mechanism is plausible within the Khavinson framework. It just hasn't been validated for this specific product.
Single unindexed clinical study (n=36, 2011) from developer-affiliated institution showed improved physical/mental performance, mood, sleep, and normalization of aldosterone and 17-ketosteroids at 10 mg 2x daily for 30 days. No independent replications, no RCT, no placebo control.
St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology clinical study (Apr–Nov 2011), n=36, ages 37–62, chronic adrenal cortex insufficiency, 10 mg 2x daily for 30 days with standard adaptogen therapy
Unindexed (not in PubMed-indexed journal); no placebo arm; no blinding; single-institution, developer-affiliated; n=36 only; no independent replication in 15 years; no Glandokort-specific mechanistic confirmation at molecular level
Very limited community discussion; niche use within Khavinson bioregulator adopters. Anecdotal reports of improved burnout recovery, stress tolerance, and sleep quality. No Reddit-specific protocol threads identified.
Community protocols mirror the sole clinical study protocol almost exactly (10 mg 2x daily, 30 days, repeated quarterly). Alignment is superficial: community is largely following manufacturer/Khavinson Institute guidance derived from the same study, not independent real-world convergence.
| Level | Dose / Injection | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 10mg | Daily |
| Moderate | 10mg | 2x Daily |
| Aggressive | 20mg | 2x Daily |
Glandokort is an oral capsule. No reconstitution, no bacteriostatic water, no insulin syringes. You swallow it with food and water. Standard protocol: 1 capsule (10 mg) twice daily with meals. Morning plus early afternoon. Skip the evening dose; adrenal stimulation before bed is a bad idea. Run the course for 30 days. The manufacturer says 10 to 30 days, but the only clinical study used 30. Don't shortchange it. After your course, take 3 to 6 months off before repeating. Most Khavinson bioregulator users run 2 to 3 courses per year. One thing most beginners miss: you can't tell if Glandokort is working when you stack it with Epithalon, Pinealon, and three other bioregulators at once. Run a solo course first to establish your baseline response. Then stack on subsequent rounds. Source quality matters here. The original Firma Vita product from Russia is the validated reference. US-market repackaged versions don't have independent peptide content verification. Pay attention to where your capsules actually come from.
Standard Russian protocol: 1-2 capsules twice daily with meals for 10-30 days, repeated 2-3 times per year.
Standard Khavinson protocol specifies discrete courses of 10–30 days repeated every 3–6 months. Continuous daily use is not established or recommended. Cycling allows assessment of treatment response, prevents potential habituation or tachyphylaxis of adrenal gene expression pathways, and ensures re-evaluation of HPA axis status between courses.
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Expected: Gradual improvement in stress tolerance, mood stability, sleep quality, and energy levels by weeks 3–4. Hormonal markers (aldosterone, 17-ketosteroids) showed normalization in the clinical study.
Monitor: No mandatory lab monitoring for oral bioregulators at standard doses. Optional: baseline and post-course AM cortisol and DHEA-S if tracking adrenal response quantitatively.
Swallow whole with a full glass of water. Don't open or chew the capsule.
Take a second capsule (10 mg) with an early afternoon meal, ideally before 2 PM. This keeps dosing aligned with your natural cortisol rhythm. Total daily dose at the standard level: 20 mg.
If using the intensive protocol (community-derived, not clinically studied): take 2 capsules (20 mg) with your morning meal and 2 capsules (20 mg) in the early afternoon. That's 40 mg per day and the upper bound of manufacturer labeling. No published evidence supports a dose-response advantage over 20 mg per day.
Mark your start and end dates.
After completing the course, wait 3 to 6 months before repeating. Most users settle on a quarterly schedule.
Store capsules at room temperature (15 to 25 degrees Celsius / 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep them in original packaging, away from moisture and direct light.
Optional lab monitoring: draw AM cortisol and DHEA-S at baseline (before the course) and again at days 35 to 40 (after the course) if you want to track your adrenal response quantitatively.
Pineal + adrenal bioregulator pairing for broad anti-aging support. One of the most common Khavinson combination protocols.
Epithalon 5–10 mg SC/IM for 10 days concurrent with Glandokort 30-day course, or sequential
Circadian rhythm support paired with adrenal axis normalization. Pineal + adrenal bioregulator combination for sleep and stress regulation.
Pinealon 10 mg oral, concurrent with Glandokort standard protocol
Thymus + adrenal bioregulator pairing for immune and stress axis support. Recommended in Khavinson's elderly support protocol alongside Ventfort.
Concurrent standard-dose courses; 30-day course both peptides
Vascular + adrenal bioregulator combination recommended by Khavinson Institute for elderly patients needing comprehensive organ system support.
Concurrent standard-dose oral courses
Additive adrenal hormone effects are theoretically possible. Combined adrenal stimulation could disrupt HPA axis feedback. Use only under medical supervision if combination unavoidable.
Do not combineGlandokort promotes aldosterone normalization; MR antagonists block aldosterone activity. Opposing mechanisms may reduce efficacy of both agents.
Pricing updated 2026-04-09
The honest answer: nobody really knows the full side effect profile of Glandokort. The total published safety data comes from 36 people over 30 days in one unblinded study. That study reported zero adverse events. Zero. For a compound derived from animal adrenal tissue, that should be taken with appropriate skepticism rather than comfort. No formal pharmacovigilance system monitors Glandokort. No post-marketing surveillance exists. The FDA has never reviewed it. The theoretical risks start with the obvious. Glandokort contains bovine or porcine adrenal cortex peptide extract. Anyone with a known hypersensitivity to animal-derived proteins should avoid it. Allergic reactions to the Khavinson bioregulator class are documented rarely, but "rarely" in a population of a few hundred total users worldwide is a weak denominator. Gastrointestinal discomfort is the most commonly mentioned issue in community reports. Oral peptide capsules can cause mild nausea or stomach upset, particularly when taken without food. This is consistent with other oral peptide products and typically resolves within the first few days of a course. A more subtle concern involves HPA axis disruption. Glandokort is designed to stimulate adrenal cortex gene expression. In someone with already-normal adrenal function (as opposed to the diagnosed insufficiency in the clinical study), the effect of additional adrenal stimulation is unknown. The Khavinson model assumes bioregulators "normalize" function, implying they don't push healthy systems past baseline. That assumption has never been tested in a controlled setting for this product. Evening dosing may interfere with sleep. Adrenal peptide activity could blunt the natural cortisol decline that triggers sleep onset. Community users have learned to dose in the morning and early afternoon only. Combining Glandokort with pharmaceutical corticosteroids (prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone) creates a theoretical risk of additive adrenal stimulation and HPA axis disruption. Similarly, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists like spironolactone or eplerenone work against aldosterone activity, which directly opposes what Glandokort is trying to do. When to stop and consult a doctor: any signs of allergic reaction (rash, swelling, difficulty breathing), unusual agitation, persistent insomnia that started with the course, or symptoms suggesting cortisol excess (unexplained weight gain, facial puffiness, easy bruising). Pregnancy and breastfeeding are absolute contraindications; no safety data exists. Children under 18 should not use it. The bottom line is that Glandokort's safety profile looks clean in a very small dataset. Absence of reported harm in 36 people is not the same as evidence of safety.
Verify Glandokort dosing and safety with a second opinion
Oral peptide bioregulator: no standardized independent testing of active peptide content exists for third-party retail versions. Original Russian Firma Vita Glandokort® product is the validated reference; US-market repackaged versions may not match peptide profile. No FDA oversight of this product class.
| Test | When | Target |
|---|---|---|
| AM cortisol (serum) | Optional: baseline (pre-course) and post-course (days 35–40) | AM cortisol: 6–23 mcg/dL (lab-dependent) |
| DHEA-S | Optional: baseline and post-course | Age- and sex-adjusted normal ranges (wide variability) |
| Aldosterone (serum) | Optional: if monitoring mineralocorticoid axis specifically | Normal (sitting): 4–31 ng/dL |
Track HPA axis response; one of the hormonal endpoints evaluated in the clinical study context
Indirect marker of adrenal androgen output; 17-ketosteroid normalization was a study endpoint
Aldosterone normalization was explicitly measured as an endpoint in the sole clinical study
No significant changes expected. The peptide complex begins interacting with adrenal tissue.
Some users report subtle improvements in energy levels, stress tolerance, and mood stability based on anecdotal reports.
The clinical study observed improvements in performance, mood, and sleep quality by the end of a 30-day course. Hormonal markers showed normalization.
Effects are proposed to persist after the course ends due to ongoing gene expression changes in adrenal tissue.
Days 1 to 5 (Initiation): Nothing happens that you'll notice. The A-17 peptide complex is proposed to begin binding adrenal cortex gene promoter regions during this window, but no clinical measurements exist for the first five days. Most users report zero effects in week one. Possible mild GI adjustment from the oral capsules is about it. Days 6 to 15 (Early adaptation): Some users report subtle shifts in stress tolerance and mood stability around this point. The proposed mechanism involves early upregulation of steroidogenesis gene expression in CYP11B2 and DHEA pathways, though no clinical marker data exists for this specific interval. Distinguishing real effects from placebo here is genuinely difficult. Days 16 to 30 (Peak course period): This is where the clinical study measured its endpoints. The 36 study participants showed improvements in physical and mental performance, mood, and sleep quality. Aldosterone and 17-ketosteroid levels normalized. Community reports align: better sleep, less burnout sensation, more stable stress response. No side effects were observed in the study; theoretical risks include mild GI discomfort and rare allergic reaction. Weeks 5 to 12, post-course (Carry-over and washout): The Khavinson model proposes that epigenetic gene expression changes persist after you stop taking the capsules. Users anecdotally describe sustained effects for weeks to months. Isolating this from natural stress pattern changes or placebo is nearly impossible. Most people repeat their course at 3 to 6 month intervals based on when benefits seem to fade.
No observable changes; proposed initial binding of short-chain peptides to adrenal cortex gene promoter regions. No clinical measurements exist for this early window.
Nothing noticeable. Most users report no effects in the first week.
Proposed early upregulation of steroidogenesis gene expression (CYP11B2, DHEA pathways). No clinical marker data exists for this interval specifically.
Anecdotal reports of subtle improvements in stress tolerance and mood stability. Difficult to distinguish from placebo in this context.
Clinical study endpoint: improvements in physical and mental performance, mood, sleep quality; aldosterone and 17-ketosteroid normalization measured in study participants.
Community anecdotes align: better sleep quality, reduced burnout sensation, improved energy levels. Stress response described as more stable.
Epigenetic gene expression changes proposed to persist beyond course completion. Hormonal normalization may continue without active dosing per the bioregulator model.
Users anecdotally report sustained effects for weeks to months after the course ends. Hard to isolate from natural stress pattern changes or placebo. Most repeat at 3–6 months.
Source: Estimated from general short peptide pharmacokinetics; no Glandokort-specific PK studies published
Loading the interactive decay curve.
Glandokort is classified as research-only. It is not FDA-approved and has not been submitted for FDA review. No regulatory agency outside of Russia and CIS countries has evaluated its safety or efficacy. In the United States, Glandokort is available through specialty peptide and nootropic suppliers as a dietary supplement or research product. It is not available through compounding pharmacies or by prescription. No WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) status has been assigned to Glandokort specifically, but athletes subject to anti-doping testing should consult their governing body before use. Animal-derived peptide complexes may contain trace hormonal components that could trigger a positive test. The original product (Firma Vita Glandokort) is manufactured in Russia and distributed through importation channels. US-sourced versions may be repackaged; independent verification of active peptide content is not standardized. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any peptide protocol, particularly if you have diagnosed adrenal conditions or take corticosteroid medications.
Peptide Schedule Research TeamReviewed Apr 20265 Citations
