VIP Guide

VIP at a glance

What it is

A naturally occurring 28-amino-acid signaling peptide (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide); synthetic form is known as aviptadil

Researched for

Studied in inflammation, pulmonary (sarcoidosis, ARDS/COVID-19) and immune-modulation research contexts; community-used in CIRS protocols

Commonly reported range

50-100 mcg per administration (intranasal per nostril or subcutaneous); ~400 mcg/day total in the 4x-daily intranasal pattern

Route reported

Intranasal spray (most common in community use); subcutaneous injection; IV/nebulized in clinical studies

Reported frequency

Intranasal 1-4x daily; subcutaneous once daily

Reported cycle

~30 days with biomarker retesting, extended to 1-3 months in reported protocols

Plasma half-life

Very short — under ~2 minutes in blood

Regulatory status

Not FDA-approved as a finished drug; synthetic aviptadil is investigational; available via compounding; research-use only. Not specifically listed on the WADA Prohibited List, but verify current status independently

Reported ranges from research/community — examples, not recommendations.

What it is / mechanism

VIP is an endogenous 28-amino-acid neuropeptide of the secretin/glucagon peptide family, widely distributed in the nervous, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and immune systems. It signals primarily through two class B G-protein-coupled receptors, VPAC1 and VPAC2 (which it shares with the related peptide PACAP), driving increased intracellular cyclic AMP and activation of protein kinase A (PKA). This PKA signaling is thought to underlie much of its reported anti-inflammatory activity, including reduced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a reported shift toward regulatory T-cell activity in study settings. VIP also acts as a smooth-muscle relaxant and vasodilator, which is why research has explored it in pulmonary and vascular contexts. Because it is broadly distributed and enzymatically degraded very rapidly, its systemic activity as an unmodified peptide is short-lived.

Researched effects

In research and community reports, VIP has been associated with modulation of inflammatory markers (for example reduced TNF-alpha production by bronchoalveolar cells and increased regulatory T cells in a small sarcoidosis study), smooth-muscle relaxation and vasodilation, and reported subjective effects on inflammation-related symptoms within CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) protocols. These are research findings and community observations, not guaranteed outcomes; much of the human data comes from small, often open-label or uncontrolled studies, and individual responses vary.

Dosage — reported ranges (overview)

The figures below are examples of what is reported in the literature and community protocols, not a recommendation or a personal dose. The most commonly reported intranasal pattern is 50 mcg per nostril (100 mcg total) up to 4 times daily, giving roughly 400 mcg/day; a common starting point is 50 mcg per nostril once or twice daily. Subcutaneous use is less common and is reported around 25-100 mcg once daily. Reported cycles typically begin with an ~30-day assessment period alongside biomarker retesting, sometimes extended to 1-3 months.

The full step-by-step protocol examples, titration, and printable protocol sheet are planned for a future paid Protocol Playbook module.

Reconstitution — bac-water math

VIP is dosed in micrograms (mcg), so reconstitution is a matter of concentration math on a standard U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL). After adding bacteriostatic water, concentration in mcg/mL = (vial mg x 1000) / mL of water, and the units to draw for a given dose = dose in mcg / concentration x 100. Worked example: a 5 mg (5,000 mcg) vial reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water yields 2,500 mcg/mL; a 50 mcg example dose is 50 / 2,500 x 100 = 2 units on a U-100 syringe. For intranasal use, the same reconstituted solution is instead loaded into a metered nasal spray that delivers a fixed volume per actuation (commonly ~0.1 mL), and concentration determines the mcg per spray.

This is concentration math, not a dose recommendation.

Injection / administration basics

In research and community settings VIP is most often delivered intranasally via a metered spray, with subcutaneous injection reported less frequently. Reconstitution uses bacteriostatic water added slowly against the vial wall, swirling gently rather than shaking, since VIP is a fragile peptide. For subcutaneous use, small-gauge insulin syringes are typical and injection sites (abdomen, thigh) are rotated. For intranasal use, the reconstituted solution is transferred to a sterile metered nasal spray bottle. These are general handling notes, not instructions for human use.

Half-life & frequency rationale

VIP has an extremely short plasma half-life — reported at under about 2 minutes in blood — because it is rapidly degraded by peptidases and broadly distributed throughout the body. This short systemic half-life is a key reason intranasal delivery (with frequent daily dosing, e.g. 4x/day) is favored over injection in most reported protocols, and why unmodified VIP has limited utility as a systemic drug.

Stacking — overview

In community CIRS and immune-support protocols, VIP is often described as a later or final step used after other interventions have reduced inflammatory burden, and is sometimes paired with peptides reported to support gut/tissue repair or immune modulation. The pairings below are examples reported in community use, not recommendations, and combining peptides increases uncertainty about effects and safety.

Storage & handling

• Lyophilized (powder): store sealed and refrigerated (2-8°C); protect from light and moisture. Long-term storage is often at -20°C or below. Do not use past intended research shelf life.
• Reconstituted (liquid): keep refrigerated (2-8°C), protect from light, avoid freeze-thaw cycles and shaking; VIP is a fragile peptide and reconstituted solution has a limited stable window (commonly a few weeks).

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