Follistatin-344

What Follistatin-344 does

Follistatin binds signals that limit muscle growth. Human benefit studies delivered a follistatin gene, not protein from a vial. Small gene-therapy studies and an uncontrolled plasmid report cannot establish safe bodybuilding doses. Eleven men developed retinal fluid leakage after reported high-dose protein injections. Online products often contained the wrong material.

• In a small gene-therapy study, four of six people with a muscle disease walked farther; this used a gene, not vial protein. (Studied in a trial)
• Gene therapy versions are being studied for muscle loss with aging; no lifespan benefit has been shown. (Studied in a trial)
• In an animal study, delivering the follistatin gene made thigh muscles larger. (animal)
• People report muscle fullness, strength and growth, but none of it was checked in a controlled way. (Reported by users)

Uses in the sources

• Gene delivery was studied in muscle disease. Myositis benefit is disputed; these findings cannot validate protein-vial use. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• People inject products labeled follistatin-344 for muscle growth. No controlled human trial establishes benefit or a dose for those products. (Reported by users) (source)
• Plasmid and AAV gene therapies are being studied for aging-related muscle decline. No lifespan benefit has been established. (Studied in a trial) (source)

Follistatin-344 dosage

Typical reported dose: 100 mcg once a day

• Reported 100 mcg daily course: 100 mcg daily daily, under the skin. Reported by users, rare report. Studied in: Adults discussing self-use for muscle growth. (source)
• Same log, intramuscular use: 100 mcg daily after changing route daily, into muscle. Reported by users, rare report. Studied in: Adults discussing self-use for muscle growth. (source)
• Circulating daily range: 100–200 mcg daily for 10–30 days daily, under the skin. Reported by users, rare report. Studied in: Adults discussing self-use for muscle growth. (source)
• Circulating training-day schedule: 50 mcg on training days on training days only, into muscle. Reported by users, rare report. Studied in: Adults discussing self-use for muscle growth. (source)
• Whole-vial exposure in eye cases: Adverse-event exposure in a retrospective eye-clinic case series: complete 1 mg vials injected subcutaneously; not an established treatment regimen. one reported injection; repeats varied, under the skin. Reported by users, rare report. Studied in: Eleven male bodybuilding athletes presenting with central serous chorioretinopathy after self-directed injections. (source)

These are doses reported in labels, trials or user reports, not a personal plan. Check the source behind each one.

Work out syringe units with the dosing calculator

How to store Follistatin-344

Comes as: Community protein vials labeled follistatin-344, AAV and plasmid gene-therapy preparations are separate products.

Mixed with: Bacteriostatic water appears in a self-use log; it is not a validated formulation..

Common vial sizes: 1 mg. Common water amounts: 1 mL.

• The eye case series describes 1 mg vials. A Reddit commenter reports mixing with 1 mL and marked swelling.
• The vial amount in the 1 mL mixing comment is unspecified; do not infer a concentration.
• These are reported practices, not proof of compatibility or sterility.
• No approved protein label supplies mixing directions. Gene-therapy preparation cannot be copied to protein vials.

Before mixing: No validated storage temperature or shelf life was found for community protein vials.

After mixing: No validated post-mixing stability, sterility period or beyond-use date was found.

Follistatin-344 side effects and risks

Reported side effects

• Retinal fluid leakage and blurred vision: 11 selected eye cases after reported 1 mg injections; user wide incidence unknown., serious. Stop injections and seek urgent eye assessment for new blur, distortion or a dark spot. (source)
• Injection pain, swelling and fever-like symptoms: Reported in one self use log; no reliable rate., moderate. Stop further exposure and seek assessment for marked swelling, persistent fever or worsening pain. (source)
• Immune reactions or contaminants: Human rates are unknown; market testing found wrong proteins and manufacturing tags., serious. Breathing trouble or facial swelling needs emergency care. (source)
• Reproductive-hormone effects: Activin binding creates a mechanistic concern; human protein injection risk is unknown., moderate. Review fertility plans and menstrual or sexual changes with a clinician. (source)
• Raised LDL after plasmid gene delivery: Unreviewed 43 person manuscript reports mean LDL +11.6 mg/dL at three months., moderate. This gene-therapy finding cannot be assigned to protein-vial use. (source)

Stop and get help if

• New blurred or distorted vision, or a central dark spot: Stop injections and get urgent eye care today.
• Breathing trouble, fainting, or swelling of the face or tongue: Call emergency services now; stop further exposure.
• Fever with a hot, expanding injection-site swelling or severe pain: Stop injections and get urgent medical assessment.

Who should avoid it

• pregnant: No pregnancy safety data for protein injections; gene-therapy trials exclude pregnancy.
• breastfeeding: No infant-exposure or breastfeeding safety data; excluded in the current AAV trial.
• tryingToConceive: Activin affects reproductive signaling; safe fertility exposure and washout are unknown.
• under18: Adult self-use protocols exclude minors; three pediatric gene-transfer cases do not establish protein-injection safety.
• activeCancer: Current gene-therapy trial excludes active or recent cancer. Protein effects on cancer growth are unresolved.
• cancerHistory: Recent cancer is excluded from current gene-therapy research; long-term recurrence risk is unknown.
• other: Reported high-dose use is linked to retinal fluid leakage; avoid further exposure with active or prior disease.
• liverDisease: Human protein dosing in liver disease is unstudied; gene-transfer studies monitor liver tests.
• kidneyDisease: Dose changes in kidney disease are unknown; gene-transfer studies monitor kidney function.
• immunosuppressed: Product sterility and immune risks are unresolved; AAV studies require specialized immune screening.
• surgeryPlanned: No perioperative safety or validated washout for protein injections was found.
• testedAthlete: Follistatin is prohibited at all times under WADA S4.3; gene transfer may also fall under M3.

Interactions

• Corticosteroids: Both exposures are linked to retinal fluid leakage. Additive risk is a precaution; no combination trial exists.
• Other myostatin or activin blockers: Overlapping growth-signal blockade has unknown combined risks. No human trial supports stacking these products.
• Growth hormone and IGF products: Discussed together for muscle gain; no human trial establishes safety or added benefit with injected follistatin.

Product quality risks

• Only 9/17 tested products contained follistatin; all nine had His-tags and many protein oligomers.
• Other tested products contained growth-related peptides such as MGF or GHRP-2.
• The label does not establish identity, amount, biological activity, sterility or endotoxin safety.

What to expect

Gene-vector administration is separate from direct protein exposure. Registrations do not establish results. A protein-injection evidence level is not established here.

Key studies

• Becker gene transfer, six adults: Four of six improved walking distance after gene transfer; no randomized control. (source)
• Myositis gene transfer, six adults: Walking gains were reported, but exercise, steroids and unequal follow-up limit attribution. (source)
• Registry and early myositis cohort: Registry includes three early low-dose myositis patients beyond the two six-person publications. (source)
• Duchenne gene transfer, phase 1/2: No dose-limiting toxicity was reported; the registry does not show improved walking at two years. (source)
• Plasmid gene delivery, unreviewed report: An uncontrolled manuscript reports small body-composition changes and increased LDL cholesterol. (source)
• Klotho plus follistatin plasmids: Completed registration has no posted results or verified clinical benefit. (source)

Follistatin-344 FAQ

• Is Follistatin-344 FDA-approved? No. Applying FDA’s protein definition to follistatin establishes biological-product status. No FDA-approved product was found.
• How do people take it? Under the skin, daily. Planned ten-day course; first reported injection was subcutaneous.. Source: reported by users, not an established dose.
• What's the difference between Follistatin-344 and Ipamorelin? Follistatin-344: human gene-therapy findings do not establish a dose for follistatin-344 protein vials. Ipamorelin: an experimental peptide that triggers growth hormone release. Why people pair them: a self-use log planned to add it for muscle growth; completed concurrent use was not confirmed.
• Can I take it with Ipamorelin? A self-use log planned to add it for muscle growth; completed concurrent use was not confirmed. No human trial has tested this combination. Added growth-signal and product-quality risks are unknown. Source: reported by users. Ask a doctor before combining anything.
• Is it banned in sport? Yes. It is banned in and out of competition (WADA 2026). Myostatin-binding proteins are prohibited in and out of competition. Gene or cell doping also falls under M3.
• How do I store it once opened? No validated post-mixing stability, sterility period or beyond-use date was found.