Peptide library / Bones & muscles / Teriparatide
Teriparatide
The first 34 amino acids of parathyroid hormone, a bone-building osteoporosis drug.
Effects studied or claimed
What it is used or promoted for, and where each effect has actually been seen
- Osteoporosis with high fracture riskFDA approved
- Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosisFDA approved
How it is thought to work
Given as a daily injection, teriparatide pulses parathyroid hormone signaling, which stimulates new bone formation rather than breakdown.
What the evidence shows
Trials showed fewer vertebral fractures than placebo. Treatment is limited to about two years, and an antiresorptive drug is usually needed afterward.
Safety and unknowns
Nausea, leg cramps and dizziness occur. A boxed warning about osteosarcoma seen in rats was removed in 2020.
Regulatory status
FDA-approved as Forteo in 2002.
Regulatory status changes quickly. This entry was last reviewed on 27 October 2026. Confirm current status with the FDA before relying on it.
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General information, not medical advice. Do not buy or inject unregulated peptides.