Semax and selank for ADHD and anxiety: hype vs. evidence

What did @ayub_ace actually say?

The creator says he's been using Semax and Selank intranasally for four weeks, dosing both daily in the morning, and the results have been significant. He describes improvements in focus, word retrieval, decision-making, and a calm-but-sharp mental state he contrasts with sedation. He specifically mentions having ADHD and experiencing anxiety throughout the day, framing these peptides as personally effective tools for both. He also admits he was "dubious about utilizing peptides for improved brain function" before trying them, which is at least honest. What he does not mention: he doesn't cite a single study, he doesn't disclose where he sourced these compounds, and there's no baseline comparison or control for what else may have changed in four weeks. This is an n=1 personal testimony dressed up as broadly applicable advice for anyone with ADHD or anxiety.

Does the science back this up?

Partially, but the evidence base is thin and heavily skewed toward Russian-language animal studies. Semax is a synthetic analogue of ACTH(4-7) developed in Russia in the 1980s. It has shown neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects in animal models, and some small Russian clinical trials suggest benefit in stroke recovery and attention. Selank is a synthetic analogue of tuftsin with reported anxiolytic properties, again primarily from Russian preclinical and small clinical work. Medvedev et al. (2014, Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine) reported Selank reduced anxiety in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, but the trial was small and not replicated in Western peer-reviewed journals. For Semax, Dolotov et al. (2006, Journal of Neurochemistry) showed BDNF upregulation in rats. The ADHD-specific claim has essentially no clinical trial support in any population. The calm-without-sedation profile he describes is consistent with Selank's proposed GABAergic and serotonergic mechanisms, but "consistent with" is not the same as proven.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

He got the mechanism direction roughly right. Selank does appear to work through pathways that could produce anxiolysis without heavy sedation, and "relaxed but on the ball" is a plausible description of that pharmacological profile if the compound is doing what Russian researchers say it does. Credit for that. What he got wrong is scope. He says these "may be of interest" to anyone with ADHD or anxiety, and that framing implies a generalizability his four-week personal experience simply does not support. He also doesn't address regulatory status. Neither Semax nor Selank is FDA-approved. In the US, they exist in a gray zone, typically sourced from research chemical suppliers or compounding pharmacies with variable quality control. Purity, dosing accuracy, and sterility are real variables when you're putting something directly into your nasal passage. He says "shoot that shit in my nose" with zero comment on sourcing or quality. That omission matters when the audience has ADHD or anxiety and may be highly motivated to replicate his experience.

What should you actually know?

Semax and Selank are real compounds with real research behind them, mostly from Russia, mostly small-scale, and mostly not replicated by independent Western labs. That doesn't make them worthless, but it means the evidence pyramid here is inverted compared to where you'd want it to be before putting something in your brain. The intranasal route does allow for direct CNS absorption, which is part of why these compounds are used this way, but it also means faster systemic exposure with less predictable dosing. There are no established safe dose ranges for healthy adults with ADHD in any published guideline. If you are managing ADHD or anxiety, there are established, evidence-backed treatment pathways, including stimulant medications, non-stimulants like atomoxetine, and SSRIs or SNRIs for anxiety, all with far larger safety and efficacy datasets. Exploring peptides with a licensed clinician who can assess your individual situation is a different conversation than taking TikTok advice at face value. One person feeling sharper after four weeks tells you almost nothing about what would happen to you.

Is there anything actually useful here?

Yes, one thing: the creator acknowledges he was skeptical before trying these compounds. That's a better epistemic posture than most peptide content on TikTok, where everything is presented as obviously transformative. He's also not selling anything in this clip and doesn't give a specific dose recommendation, which keeps the harm ceiling lower. The compounds themselves are worth knowing about if you're interested in nootropics research, precisely because they have more actual science behind them than most substances in that category. But "more science than most nootropics" is a low bar. Semax and Selank deserve continued rigorous study. They do not yet deserve the confidence this video implies.