Semax + Selank
AKA Nootropic stack · Focus & calm stack
Last reviewed 2026-10-30
Our read Opinion
The best-known nootropic peptide pair.
Claims made by sellers, clinics and users. Not verified.
Sharper focus and memory with less anxiety: 'calm focus'.
Semax is pitched as stimulating (BDNF, attention) and Selank as calming (anti-anxiety), so together they're claimed to balance each other.
Evidence level: Small/early human studies
No published human trials of this combination. Each has mostly Russian-language clinical data.
Semax is compoundable alone under the Oct 2026 HHS policy (intranasal); Selank is not covered. Pre-mixes come from research-chemical sellers.
Also sold pre-mixed as Semax + Selank Blend →Statuses change; check the linked primary sources.
Neat yin-yang story; the evidence base is narrow and regional.
| Field | Semax | Selank |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Approved Outside US | Approved Outside US |
| Regulatory status | Reported Russian approval; not FDA-approved | Reported Russian approval; not FDA-approved |
| Compounding status | Off Category 2, review pending | Off Category 2, review pending |
| FDA-approved indications | None | None |
| Categories | Cognitive & mood | Cognitive & mood |
| Claimed uses |
|
|
| Mechanism | An ACTH-fragment analogue studied for neuroprotective effects and modulation of neurotrophin signaling, including BDNF. Clinical mechanism remains incompletely established. | A tuftsin-derived peptide investigated for anxiolytic effects, with proposed effects on enkephalin metabolism and inhibitory neurotransmission. The mechanism is not fully established in humans. |
| Evidence level | Small/early human studies | Small/early human studies |
| Evidence / Hype (opinion) | Evidence Hype | Evidence Hype |
| Momentum (opinion) | Watch | Watch |
| Routes | Nasal | — |
| WADA | Verify | Verify |
| Where it stands (opinion) | Russian clinical studies report recovery signals, but do not establish cognitive enhancement in healthy people. FDA lists withdrawn nominations with unresolved safety concerns; removal is not clearance. | Small comparative anxiety studies exist. FDA places selank acetate among withdrawn nominations and highlights immunogenicity and inadequate human safety information. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 | 2026-10-30 |
| News (30d) | 0 | 0 |
No news yet for these peptides.
Information only. Not medical advice. Describing a stack is not a recommendation to combine, obtain or use any compound. Ratings and "Our Take" are editorial opinion. Full disclaimer.