# Humanin

Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide. It is encoded inside your mitochondrial DNA, in the 16S rRNA region. Hashimoto and Nishimoto first found it in surviving neurons of Alzheimer's brains. In cell and rodent models, it is anti-apoptotic; it binds Bax and IGFBP-3. It also protects neurons against amyloid-β toxicity. And circulating humanin declines with age in mice, macaques, and humans. But as of 2026, there is no approved use for humanin or its analogues anywhere in the world. All the evidence is preclinical or observational, with no completed phase-3 human efficacy trial. Synthetic humanin and analogues like HNG circulate only as research peptides.

## Sources

- Hashimoto Y, Niikura T, Tajima H, et al.. (2001). A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Aβ. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.101133498
- Yen K, Wan J, Mehta HH, et al.. (2020). The mitochondrial-derived peptide humanin is a regulator of lifespan and healthspan. Aging (Aging-US). https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.103534
- Lee C, Wan J, Miyazaki B, et al.. (2014). IGF-1 regulates the age-dependent signaling peptide humanin. Aging Cell

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_Canonical: https://longevity-china.com/en/glossary/humanin · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_