GDF-11

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Growth Differentiation Factor 11
• Aliases: GDF-11, BMP-11 (Bone Morphogenetic Protein-11)
• Category: Longevity / Regeneration / Tissue Rejuvenation
• Type: TGF-β superfamily member; endogenous circulating protein
• Molecular Weight: ~29 kDa (dimer)
• Administration: Subcutaneous / Intravenous (research)
• Typical Dose: 0.1–0.3 mg/kg (human extrapolation; highly variable in literature)
• Status: Research Only (highly controversial; conflicting data)
• WADA Status: Not listed

What It Does

GDF-11 gained prominence from parabiosis studies suggesting it is a "youthful factor" — levels decline with age, and restoring youthful GDF-11 levels appeared to reverse aging in muscle, brain, and heart in mice. It acts as a systemic rejuvenating signal that promotes stem cell function, neurogenesis, cardiac remodeling toward a youthful phenotype, and muscle regeneration. However, the field is highly contested — some studies show the opposite effects. Use is experimental.

Mechanism of Action

1. ActRII/ALK4/5 receptor signaling: Binds activin type II receptors and ALK4/5 co-receptors → SMAD2/3 phosphorylation → gene expression changes promoting tissue homeostasis
2. Neural stem cell activation: Promotes neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus; partially reverses age-related decline in neural progenitor activity
3. Cardiac rejuvenation: In parabiosis models, reduced age-related cardiac hypertrophy and improved diastolic function
4. Skeletal muscle regeneration: Promotes satellite cell function and muscle repair (contested — some studies show GDF-11 inhibits regeneration)
5. Systemic youthful signaling: Proposed role as a circulating "longevity factor" that coordinates multi-organ aging programs

Dosing Protocols

Research-Informed Protocol

• Dose: 0.1–0.3 mg/kg SubQ (human extrapolation from mouse studies)
• Frequency: 2–3x per week
• Duration: Short cycles (4–8 weeks); long-term effects unknown
• Note: Data conflict is significant; approach with scientific humility
• Source: The Peptides Bible, Villeda et al. Science 2014; Loffredo et al. Cell 2013

Stacks Well With

• GHK-Cu – tissue regeneration and collagen remodeling complement
• FOXO4-DRI – senolytic + rejuvenating factor combination for cellular renewal
• Epitalon – longevity and epigenetic reset synergy
• Humanin – mitochondrial health and systemic cytoprotection stack

Use Cases

• Longevity and systemic rejuvenation
• Tissue Rejuvenation (cardiac, neural, muscular)
• Neurogenesis support
• Cardiac Health (anti-hypertrophic remodeling)
• Muscle Regeneration
• Healthspan Extension

Contraindications & Safety

• Active malignancy — TGF-β superfamily member; cancer biology concern; avoid
• Conflicting data — some studies show GDF-11 accelerates aging in certain contexts; approach with caution
• Muscle wasting risk — high doses may be catabolic in muscle (contested); monitor
• Limited human safety data — all data from rodent parabiosis; human application is speculative
• Common side effects: Not established in humans

Storage

• Lyophilized: -20°C long-term; 2–8°C up to 3 months
• Reconstituted: 2–8°C for 1–2 weeks; protect from light and agitation
• Solvent: Sterile/bacteriostatic water; handle gently (glycoprotein)

PubMed Research

Research links will be added after PubMed search

Sources

• The Peptides Bible – Longevity peptides section
• Peptide Protocols Master Bible – Regeneration protocols
• Loffredo et al., Cell 2013; Sinha et al., Cell Metab 2014

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