VIP
A lab-made copy of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, a 28-amino-acid signaling molecule the body makes naturally. People run it as a nasal spray for calming inflammation and immune balance, most famously in protocols for mold-related Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).
Where to buy VIP, cheapest first.
Prices from 7 vendors across the market. We link straight to each vendor’s product page and grade vendors on public lab data, so you’re not just chasing the lowest number.
VIP
What VIP actually does.
The simple version first, then a little more for the curious. No biochem degree required.
It acts like an anti-inflammatory dimmer switch, telling overactive immune cells to calm down while it relaxes blood vessels and supports the lungs, gut, and brain.
How it works
VIP binds two receptors, VPAC1 and VPAC2, on immune cells and tissue. Through them it raises cAMP signaling, suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6, and nudges immune cells toward a resolving, anti-inflammatory state.
Where it acts
It is a body-wide signaling peptide found in the gut, lungs, nerves, and immune system. Delivered as a nasal spray, it is studied for reaching the brain and quieting systemic inflammation rather than working at one local spot.
What people notice
In CIRS protocols people report better energy, clearer thinking, and easier breathing as inflammatory markers come down. VIP also relaxes blood vessels, which is why a warm flush can follow a dose. Effects build over weeks.
Honest caveat: the most credible human work is a small set of CIRS studies from one research group, plus hospital research on the close relative aviptadil. That is thin, single-source evidence, not large independent trials. VIP is not an approved medicine and is sold strictly for research use only. None of this is medical advice, talk to a licensed provider before starting anything.
How to take it.
VIP is used as a nasal spray. Because it breaks down in minutes in the bloodstream, it is dosed several times a day, and intranasal delivery is the route used in the published CIRS protocols. A subcutaneous version exists and is noted below, but nasal is the standard. The routine is below; for cycling and timing, see the full guide.
Reconstitute into a spray bottle
Add bacteriostatic water to the vial down the side, swirl gently, then transfer into a metered nasal-spray bottle. A common mix puts about 50 mcg of VIP into each 0.1 mL spray.
Prime the pump
With a fresh bottle, pump a few sprays into a tissue until a fine, even mist comes out. This makes sure each later spray delivers a full, consistent dose.
Spray per nostril
Tilt your head slightly forward, close one nostril, and deliver one spray (about 50 mcg) into the other while breathing in gently. The published CIRS pattern is one spray, four times a day, alternating nostrils.
Alternate nostrils & store cold
Switch nostrils each dose so neither gets irritated. Keep the reconstituted bottle in the fridge between uses and out of direct light.
Typical VIP dose: about 50 mcg per spray, one spray four times a day alternating nostrils in the published CIRS protocol, often cycled rather than run forever. Some protocols use 50 mcg subcutaneously in the morning and evening instead.
How to cycle VIP.
How long people run VIP, when to take a break, and the honest reasoning behind it.
Cycled rather than run continuously.
A cycle just means a defined run of time on the peptide, followed by a break. With VIP the common approach is to run it as the final step of a longer protocol, hold it for a stretch while markers improve, then taper rather than stopping abruptly or running it forever.
Why not just run it forever? Mostly because the long-term human safety data does not exist outside the small CIRS cohorts. The cautious and widely followed approach is to use it within a structured protocol, under a provider, then step down.
- Hold the schedule across the day, four sprays at roughly even spacing, so levels stay topped up.
- Step down, do not just quit cold if you are tapering off, reducing frequency gradually.
- Take a real break after a run before considering another. If symptoms return, that is a conversation for a licensed provider, not a forum.
Want the full picture, on and off periods, the washout, stacking, and keeping your results? Read how peptide cycling works →
What's actually in the vial.
For 3 of these vendors we link the per-batch certificate itself (a specific lab report, COA PDF, or certificate image), and the purity below is read straight off that certificate. The rest link to the vendor's general lab-results page. We don't run the labs ourselves and we don't show a purity number unless it's printed on a certificate we link, so you can open the document and check it against the batch yourself.
| Vendor | Purity (per COA) | Batch / report | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZ Peptides | 99.662% | EZP-VIP10020920226-01 | Janoshik report ↗ |
| Onyx Biolabs | 99.786% | VIP10-260532A | View COA ↗ |
| Midwest Peptide | 99.625% | MPVP001 | View COA ↗ |
| Next Gen Peptides | see lab page | not shown | Lab results ↗ |
| Penguin Peptides | see lab page | not shown | Lab results ↗ |
What people pair it with.
VIP is usually the last step in a longer protocol, run after other root causes are addressed. These are the combinations people pair it with.
Inflammation & recovery
In mold-illness protocols VIP comes near the end, after the environment and other markers are handled. People add BPC-157 for gut-lining and tissue repair alongside VIP's broad anti-inflammatory signaling.
View stack →Gut & immune support
Two anti-inflammatory peptides from different angles. KPV is a small tripeptide run for gut and skin inflammation; VIP works body-wide through its VPAC receptors. People stack them when calming inflammation is the whole goal.
View stack →Tissue & inflammation
VIP layered on top of the classic soft-tissue pair. BPC-157 and TB-500 drive local and whole-body repair, while VIP adds the immune-calming, anti-inflammatory angle.
View stack →In the same corner.
Other healing and anti-inflammatory peptides people compare against VIP.
Questions, answered straight.
Is VIP legal?
VIP is not an approved drug and is not sold for human use. The vendors we compare offer it strictly for research use only. It has not been reviewed or approved by the FDA outside of investigational settings. Rules vary by country, so check what applies where you are.
What does research use only actually mean?
It means the product is sold for laboratory and research purposes, not as a supplement or medicine for people. It has not been approved for human use by the FDA. We aggregate prices and public lab data so you can see the landscape; what you do with that is between you and a licensed provider.
Why a nasal spray instead of an injection?
VIP breaks down in the bloodstream in roughly two minutes, so it is dosed several times a day. The published CIRS research uses an intranasal spray, which is also simpler than repeated injections. A subcutaneous version exists at about 50 mcg morning and evening, but nasal is the standard route.
How do I store it?
Keep the sealed, freeze-dried vial in the fridge and out of light. Once you mix it with bacteriostatic water and load a nasal-spray bottle, store it refrigerated and use it within a few weeks. Do not freeze a reconstituted bottle.
Why do people feel flushed after a dose?
VIP relaxes blood vessels, so a warm facial flush, mild lightheadedness, or a brief drop in blood pressure can follow a dose. In the research this is usually mild and passes quickly, but it is the reason people start low and pay attention to how they feel.