Epitalon (AEDG, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is a simple 390 Da tetrapeptide — the synthetic shorter analog of the pineal-derived polypeptide epithalamin originally discovered by Khavinson's group. Because it's a short peptide with a simple structure, synthesis is cheap, and the research market reflects that: per-mg pricing ranges from $3/mg to $33/mg depending almost entirely on vial size. A 50mg vial often costs less per mg than a fifth of a 10mg vial.
This guide covers what you should actually pay, why the 50mg vial is the right choice for almost every user (standard course = 40mg total), and how to verify a COA for this straightforward tetrapeptide. Epitalon is cheap enough that there's no excuse for a vendor to skip third-party testing.
This is not a ranked vendor list — for that, see our Best Epitalon Vendors comparison. This guide teaches you how to evaluate any vendor yourself.
Understanding Epitalon Pricing
Epitalon is sold as a lyophilized powder in sealed glass vials. Because the standard protocol is a fixed-total-dose course (40mg over 20 days at 2 mg/day), vial size selection is the single biggest driver of per-mg cost. Larger vials drop cost dramatically because the base synthesis cost is nearly flat.
Current Market Pricing (2026)
Vial Size
Typical Price Range
Price Per mg
Best For
10 mg
$34-130
$3.40-13/mg
Tolerance testing, small-scale research
20 mg
$60-170
$3-8.50/mg
Half-course, split protocols
50 mg
$80-200
$2.02-2.40/mg
Full 20-day course — best value
The pattern is dramatic: the 50mg vial can cost as little as $1.60/mg from top-tier vendors — a full 20-day course for about $65 on the low end, $200 on the high end. Compare that to buying four 10mg vials which could run $136-520 for the same total peptide. If you're committed to a full course, the 50mg vial is the only rational choice.
Cost Per Course at Standard Protocols
Protocol
Total mg Needed
Cost (10mg vial route)
Cost (50mg vial route)
Savings
Standard 20-day course (2 mg/day)
40 mg
$136-520
$80-200
~60%
Community high-dose (5-10 mg/day × 10 days)
50-100 mg
$170-1,300
$80-400
~70%
Annual protocol (2 courses/year)
80 mg
$272-1,040
$160-400
~60%
For current vendor-specific pricing with exact $/mg breakdowns, see our Best Epitalon Vendors comparison.
Cheapest single-vial option: Ion Peptide's 15% off drops the 10mg vial to $29.75 ($2.98/mg effective) — the lowest effective price we track for buying one vial. Get the code →
How to Verify Epitalon Quality
Epitalon is a straightforward 4-amino-acid peptide with molecular formula C14H22N4O9 and molecular weight 390.35 Da. Synthesis is simple and cheap — there's zero excuse for a vendor to skip third-party testing. A legitimate COA for this peptide is so easy to produce that the absence of one signals either laziness or deception.
What a COA (Certificate of Analysis) Should Include
Identity Confirmation
Mass spectrometry confirming the correct molecular weight (390.35 Da for epitalon)
The chromatogram should show a single dominant peak with minimal impurities
Contamination Testing
Endotoxin levels (bacterial contamination)
Residual solvent analysis (acetonitrile, TFA)
Heavy metals screening
How to Verify a COA Is Legitimate
Check the testing lab — Reputable labs include Janoshik Analytical, MZ Biolabs, and Colmaric Analyticals. Avoid vendors who only show "in-house" testing.
Verify on the lab's website — Janoshik COAs have a task number you can look up directly at janoshik.com.
Check the date — COAs should be recent (within 6 months).
Match the batch — The batch/lot number on the COA should match what's printed on your vial.
Look for the original PDF — Screenshots are easier to fake than full PDFs with lab letterhead and signatures.
Red Flags to Avoid
No COA available — for a peptide this cheap to synthesize and test, this is inexcusable
Only in-house testing — self-reported purity numbers are meaningless
Prices below $1.50/mg on any size — implausible even for epitalon
Confusing epitalon and epithalamin — these are related but different compounds (epithalamin is the full polypeptide extract, epitalon is the synthetic tetrapeptide fragment)
No contact information — legitimate vendors have real customer service
No return or reship policy — reputable vendors stand behind their products
Epitalon is almost always run in fixed-length courses (20 days standard, 10 days high-dose), which makes vial size math unusually clean: one vial should cover one course if possible.
The 28-Day Rule
Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water, epitalon is typically stable for up to 21-28 days refrigerated — it's a small stable tetrapeptide. Sterile water drops this to 24 hours.
Vial Size
At 2 mg/day (standard)
At 5 mg/day (high-dose)
At 10 mg/day (aggressive)
10 mg
5 days ✓
2 days ✓
1 day ✓
20 mg
10 days ✓
4 days ✓
2 days ✓
50 mg
25 days ✓
10 days ✓
5 days ✓
All scenarios fit inside the 28-day window, making vial size purely a cost-optimization decision.
Recommended Vial Size by Protocol
Tolerance testing (first-time user):
10mg vial — enough to confirm you tolerate daily injections before committing
Not cost-effective past the first trial
Standard 20-day course (2 mg/day = 40 mg total):
1× 50mg vial — covers the full course, best per-mg value, 10mg leftover buffer
This is the overwhelmingly most common purchase
Community high-dose (5-10 mg/day × 10 days):
1× 50mg or 2× 50mg vials — depending on whether you're running 50mg or 100mg total
The 50mg vial at high-dose lasts 5-10 days, inside the window
Annual protocol (2 courses/year):
2× 50mg vials — one per course, easiest storage
Often available at a bundle discount
Buying Multiple Smaller vs One Large Vial
Factor
Multiple Small (e.g., 4× 10mg)
One Large (1× 50mg)
Cost per mg
Much higher ($3.40-13/mg)
Lower ($1.60-4/mg)
Freshness
Marginal benefit at this scale
Covers full course
Flexibility
Pay as you go
Buy once
Storage
Easier (smaller volumes)
Standard
Shipping
More frequent orders
Single shipment
Our recommendation: Unless you're testing tolerance for the first time, the 50mg vial is almost always the correct choice — it's the only size that matches the standard course length and it's dramatically cheaper per mg.
Vendor Evaluation Methodology
When comparing epitalon vendors, we evaluate three weighted factors:
Price Competitiveness (40%)
We normalize to cost per milligram for fair comparison across vial sizes. Because the 50mg vial is so dominant, this typically comes down to comparing 50mg pricing across vendors.
COA & Testing (30%)
We verify that COAs are:
From recognized third-party labs
Recent (within the last 6 months)
Verifiable on the lab's website
Confirming the 390.35 Da molecular weight and AEDG sequence
Reputation (30%)
Community feedback from peptide forums, shipping reliability, customer service responsiveness, and business track record. We give additional weight to vendors with consistent multi-year operations and clear labeling that distinguishes epitalon from epithalamin.
Shipping and Storage
What to Expect When Your Order Arrives
Lyophilized epitalon should arrive as a white or off-white powder cake in a sealed glass vial. Check:
Vial integrity — no cracks, proper rubber seal, aluminum cap intact
Powder appearance — solid cake or loose powder, NOT liquid or discolored
Labeling — batch/lot number, milligram content, "for research use only"
Cold pack — reputable vendors ship with cold packs in summer months
Storage Guidelines
State
Temperature
Duration
Lyophilized (powder)
Room temp
Weeks (for shipping)
Lyophilized (powder)
Refrigerated (2-8°C)
12-24 months
Lyophilized (powder)
Frozen (-20°C)
2+ years
Reconstituted (BAC water)
Refrigerated (2-8°C)
28 days max
Reconstituted (sterile water)
Refrigerated (2-8°C)
24 hours
Reconstituted
Frozen
Not recommended (peptide degradation)
Key point: Keep unreconstituted vials refrigerated. Epitalon is one of the more stable peptides once reconstituted, but standard BAC water rules still apply.
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Epitalon is sold as a research chemical and is legal to purchase in most jurisdictions for research purposes. It is a prescription bioregulator in Russia (marketed as Epithalamin) but is not FDA-approved in the United States. Research vendors label product 'not for human consumption.'
How much does a full Epitalon course cost?
The standard 20-day course at 2 mg/day requires 40 mg total. A single 50mg vial covers this completely and runs $80-140 at reputable vendors. Stacking two 20-day courses per year (spring/fall) means ~100mg annually — roughly $200-350/year total.
What vial size should I buy?
For a single 20-day course at 2 mg/day (40 mg total), a 50mg vial is ideal — one vial = one full course. 10mg vials are only practical if you're testing tolerance; you'd need four for a full course and pay 80%+ more per mg. 20mg vials work for split courses.
What purity should I look for in epitalon?
Look for third-party HPLC testing showing 98%+ purity and mass spec confirming the 390.35 Da molecular weight. Real epitalon is a simple tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly / AEDG) with molecular formula C14H22N4O9 — easy to synthesize correctly, so there's no excuse for a vendor to skip testing.
Can I buy epitalon from a pharmacy?
Not in the United States. Epitalon is available as a prescription pineal peptide bioregulator in Russia (Epithalamin) and some Eastern European countries. In the U.S. and most Western markets, it's only available through research peptide vendors, not pharmacies.
This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before using any peptide.
