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IGF-1 DES vs IGF-1 LR3
The honest difference
Both are versions of the growth signal IGF-1, untested in people as a treatment. Both are unlicensed in the UK and banned in sport.
Peptide
IGF-1 DES
Grade D: animal data only
Why people buy it
Bodybuilders buy it to grow muscle, often injected into one muscle. It is a shortened, stronger form of IGF-1, a natural growth signal.
Bottom line
A strong growth signal studied only in lab dishes and animals. In people, it is completely untested.
- UK status
- IGF-1 DES is not a licensed medicine in the UK; the MHRA has authorised no product containing it.
- Sport / WADA
- Prohibited at all times (in and out of competition). The 2026 WADA Prohibited List names 'Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, mecasermin) and its analogues' under S2.3 (Growth factors and growth factor modulators), and anti-doping labs have published methods specifically to detect des(1-3)-IGF-I.
Peptide
IGF-1 LR3
Grade D: animal data only
Why people buy it
Bodybuilders buy it to build muscle and recover faster. It is a stronger, longer-lasting man-made version of a natural growth hormone called IGF-1.
Bottom line
A powerful growth signal that has never been tested in people. You are the experiment.
- UK status
- IGF-1 LR3 is not a licensed medicine in the UK (the MHRA has authorised no IGF-1 LR3 product).
- Sport / WADA
- Prohibited at all times (WADA class S2, peptide hormones / growth factors and mimetics). IGF-1 and its analogues, including IGF-1 LR3, are banned both in and out of competition.
Grades are about evidence in humans, not about whether something is right for you. Nothing here is dosing advice. Talk to a qualified clinician before any health decision.
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