ACTH 1-39 Research Guide

Overview

The full-length stress hormone (corticotropin) your pituitary uses to tell the adrenal glands to make cortisol.

It’s a diagnostic/research agent and a specialist therapy, not a wellness or performance peptide.

Raising cortisol on purpose is rarely a good DIY idea.

What It Does

ACTH(1-39) is the 39-amino-acid adrenocorticotropic hormone, a potent MC2-receptor agonist that drives adrenal cortisol (and androgen/aldosterone) output; the core of the HPA stress axis.

Clinically, ACTH-type drugs are used to test adrenal function and to treat specific conditions (e.g. infantile spasms, some inflammatory disorders)

under specialist care.

Unstable in solution.

Reconstitution

Vial Size	BAC Water / Solvent	Concentration
5 mg	+ 5 mL	1 mg/mL

Interactive tool

Reconstitution Calculator

Enter the vial amount and diluent volume to calculate concentration. If you already have a target amount, you can also convert it to liquid volume and syringe markings. This tool does not recommend a target amount.

Vial amount

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Calculated concentration—Enter both values above.

Optional conversion

Enter a target amount you already have and select the syringe capacity.

Target amount

Syringe capacity

Calculated draw—Enter concentration inputs and a target amount.

Mathematical reference only. The calculator does not determine an appropriate target amount. Syringe capacity only changes the maximum volume that fits.

Protocol

Phase	Frequency	Amount	Notes
Specialist /	Per clinical	Condition-	No physique or wellness protocol. ACTH stimulation testing and approved indications are physician-
diagnostic	protocol	specific	Caution: deliberately raising cortisol has serious downsides (muscle loss, immune suppression, glucose elevation, blood-pressure and mood effects, HPA disruption). This compound is included for completeness; there is no legitimate self-administered performance use.

Population Considerations

Dosed by the adrenal / diagnostic protocol, not sex; raises cortisol in both sexes. Physician-administered. Avoid in pregnancy unless specifically indicated.

Handling & Stacking

Injection site

Per clinical use (IM/SubQ/IV). Physician-administered.

Storage

Freeze-dried: -4°F. Reconstituted: refrigerate; unstable, best used within ~2 weeks (structure-based estimate); potency fades before the 28-day sterility limit.

Side effects

Cortisol-excess effects: fluid retention, hypertension, hyperglycemia, mood changes, immune suppression, muscle catabolism, HPA-axis suppression.

What to expect

A cortisol surge.
Not a beneficial outcome for general fitness/wellness, this is a diagnostic/therapeutic agent.
Supply math Not applicable, specialist/diagnostic use only, no self-administered protocol.

Pairs well with

N/A, not a stacking compound

Avoid

Self-administration. Infection, diabetes, hypertension, peptic ulcer, osteoporosis, mood disorders. Pregnancy. Essentially: not for DIY use

Safety & Patient Education

Contraindications

Self-administration for performance/wellness (no legitimate use) Active infection (cortisol suppresses immunity) Uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, peptic ulcer, osteoporosis Pregnancy and lactation

Warnings

Cortisol excess: muscle loss, immune suppression, hyperglycemia, hypertension, bone loss, mood disturbance HPA-axis suppression with repeated use Unstable in solution, potency/quality concerns Physician-administered agent, not a research-peptide for self-use

Drug interactions

Diabetes medications: cortisol raises glucose, opposes them Live vaccines: avoid (immune suppression) Diuretics: additive potassium loss / fluid effects

Labs

Cortisol, glucose, electrolytes, blood pressure; under clinical supervision only

Stop criteria

Any self-use, this should not be self-administered Signs of cortisol excess (swelling, high glucose, mood changes) Any infection

Patient education

This is a diagnostic/specialist hormone, not a wellness or performance peptide Deliberately raising cortisol harms muscle, immunity, and metabolism Included for catalog completeness only, use belongs with a physician Do not self-administer

References

rxlist · dailymed · PubMed