Peptide therapy TikTok claims: what the science actually supports

What did @misslourestorehealth actually say?

The creator shows off four nasal sprays she uses personally: Selank (which she calls "C-max" alongside Semax), which she says works "amazing" for ADHD and brain clarity; Selank for anxiety and relaxation; PT-141 for libido; and NAD+ nasal spray, which she claims goes "directly into the nose" and "quickly goes to the bloodstream." She presents all four as straightforward, effective tools with essentially no caveats.

A few housekeeping notes: she appears to conflate Semax and Selank at one point, calling them together her ADHD spray. These are two distinct peptides with different mechanisms. That's a meaningful mix-up when you're recommending compounds to 8,000+ viewers.

Does the science back this up?

Partially, but the confidence level in this video far outpaces the evidence. Selank and Semax have genuine preclinical data behind them, but human trials are thin and mostly from Russian research institutions, which raises independent replication concerns.

Semax (ACTH 4-7 analogue) has shown nootropic and neuroprotective effects in animal models and small Russian clinical trials, including one by Lebedeva et al. (2001, Human Physiology) showing cognitive improvements post-stroke. Selank has anxiolytic data in rodents and a handful of small human studies suggesting reduced anxiety without sedation, notably Zozulya et al. (2014, Drug Development Research). Neither compound has large-scale, double-blind RCTs confirming the casual ADHD or anxiety fixes described here.

PT-141 (bremelanotide) is the outlier here: it actually has FDA approval as Vyleesi for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. The nasal route is compounded, not the approved formulation, but the underlying mechanism is the most validated of anything in this video.

NAD+ nasal spray is where things get shakiest. Intranasal NAD+ delivery is theoretically appealing for bypassing systemic metabolism, but published pharmacokinetic data for nasal NAD+ specifically is essentially nonexistent in peer-reviewed literature as of 2024.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

She got it wrong by conflating Semax and Selank as a single ADHD remedy. These work differently: Semax influences BDNF and dopaminergic pathways; Selank is more GABAergic and anxiolytic. Treating them as interchangeable for ADHD is imprecise at best.

She also oversimplifies the NAD+ absorption claim. Saying it "quickly goes to the bloodstream" is plausible in theory, but there's no solid human pharmacokinetic data confirming intranasal NAD+ reaches therapeutically meaningful plasma concentrations. The claim is stated as established fact when it's still largely speculative.

What she got right: PT-141 for libido is the most evidence-backed claim in the video. The melanocortin receptor mechanism is real, and bremelanotide's clinical efficacy is documented in FDA-reviewed trials including Clayton et al. (2016, Journal of Sexual Medicine). Selank for anxiety has at least some human data supporting a calming effect, even if the effect sizes are modest and studies are small.

The bigger problem isn't any single wrong claim. It's the framing. Zero mention of side effects, contraindications, or the fact that these are compounded, unregulated formulations. That's a meaningful omission for a video that's essentially a product tour.

What should you actually know?

These peptides are not FDA-approved for the uses described (except PT-141's brand-name version, Vyleesi). When purchased through compounding pharmacies, they exist in a regulatory gray zone. Quality control varies significantly between compounders, and there's no standardized dosing established in peer-reviewed literature for intranasal Semax, Selank, or NAD+ in healthy adults.

Intranasal delivery does offer real pharmacological advantages for peptides, including bypassing hepatic first-pass metabolism and potentially crossing the blood-brain barrier via the olfactory pathway. This is documented in animal studies and is a legitimate reason researchers are interested in the route. But "legitimate research interest" is not the same as "proven to work exactly as described."

• Semax and Selank are not scheduled substances in the US but are not approved drugs either.
• PT-141 as a compounded nasal spray is not the same as FDA-approved Vyleesi (subcutaneous injection).
• Anyone considering these compounds should do so under physician supervision, with full disclosure of other medications, because peptide interactions are understudied.
• The ADHD framing for Semax is particularly unsupported by human clinical data. Using it as a substitute or complement to ADHD treatment without medical guidance is not something any current evidence justifies.