Kisspeptin and low libido: what the science actually supports

What did @renamalikmd actually say?

Dr. Rena Malik, a urologist with a large online following, claims that kisspeptin, which she describes as "a chemical or neuropeptide in the body," plays a key role in sexual behavior and may be a new treatment for low libido. She references studies showing that men experienced "increased penile rigidity" and women showed "more sexual attraction and behavioral changes" after kisspeptin administration. She floats it as a potential medication for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). This is a reasonable summary of some early-stage research, and she does use appropriately cautious language like "might" and "stay tuned." That matters. But there are gaps worth filling in.

Does the science back this up?

Partially, yes, but the evidence base is thinner than the enthusiasm suggests. The studies she references are real. A 2017 paper by Dhillo et al. in the Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrated that intravenous kisspeptin enhanced brain activity in regions linked to sexual arousal in healthy men. A 2023 follow-up by Mills et al. in JAMA Network Open extended this to both men and women with HSDD, finding improvements in psychosexual function scores and, in men, objectively measured penile tumescence. These are interesting findings. But the sample sizes were small, administration was intravenous in controlled settings, and no approved clinical product exists. The jump from "promising lab finding" to "new medication we can use" requires several more phases of clinical development.

• Dhillo et al., 2017, Journal of Clinical Investigation: kisspeptin IV infusion increased sexual brain processing in healthy men
• Mills et al., 2023, JAMA Network Open: kisspeptin improved psychosexual function in men and women with HSDD

What did they get wrong (or right)?

Give credit where it is due: Dr. Malik accurately describes kisspeptin as a neuropeptide, correctly notes the prevalence figures for distressing low libido (supported by population studies including Shifren et al., 2008, Obstetrics and Gynecology), and properly frames this as future-looking rather than a current treatment. She does not tell viewers to buy anything or take a specific dose, which separates her from many creators in this space.

Where she slides is in framing this as something that "we can use" for HSDD now or imminently. Kisspeptin is not FDA-approved for any indication. It is not available as a prescribed medication. The studies involved intravenous infusions in research settings, not a pill or injection someone can get from a clinic. Presenting it as a near-term clinical solution, even gently, sets expectations the evidence does not yet support. The word "medication" implies a maturity the research has not reached.

What should you actually know?

Kisspeptin is a legitimate target of scientific interest. It sits upstream of GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) in the reproductive axis, meaning it influences testosterone, estrogen, and ultimately libido through a real hormonal pathway. This is not pseudoscience. It is early-phase pharmacology that researchers take seriously. The problem is that the distance between a promising Phase I or II study and an approved, accessible treatment is enormous, measured in years, regulatory hurdles, and large randomized trials that have not happened yet.

If you are dealing with low sexual desire that is causing real distress, the evidence-backed options available today include addressing underlying causes like low testosterone, relationship factors, medications that blunt libido (SSRIs, hormonal contraceptives), and in women specifically, flibanserin and bremelanotide are the only two FDA-approved pharmacological treatments for HSDD. A conversation with a urologist, gynecologist, or sexual health specialist is still the right starting point, not a peptide protocol sourced from a compounding pharmacy.

Bottom line rating

This video is mostly accurate as a summary of emerging research, let down by framing that makes kisspeptin sound closer to clinical reality than it is. Dr. Malik does not prescribe doses, does not recommend purchasing anything, and uses appropriately hedged language most of the time. The science is real. The timelines are optimistic. Viewers should treat this as a heads-up about interesting research, not a treatment recommendation.