Frequently Asked

Most peptides ship as a freeze-dried powder and need reconstitution before injection. Your options:

• Bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) — the default. Stays good ~28 days at fridge temp once mixed.
• Sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) — use for compounds that sting (GHK-Cu, NAD+). The matching tonicity dramatically reduces injection pain.
• Preservative-free sterile water — only for peptides used immediately or stored frozen.

Pick a volume that makes the math easy. For a typical 5 mg vial:

• 2 mL water → concentration = 2.5 mg/mL (250 mcg per 10 units)
• 3 mL water → concentration = 1.67 mg/mL (167 mcg per 10 units)
• 5 mL water → concentration = 1 mg/mL (100 mcg per 10 units)

Use the Dosing Calculator to get exact volumes for your specific vial and dose.

• Don't squirt water directly onto the powder. Aim the syringe at the side of the vial; let water run down.
• Don't shake. Peptide bonds are fragile. Swirl gently or just leave it — most dissolve within a few minutes at room temp.
• Don't use tap water, distilled water, or "isopropyl" — only the sterile solvents listed above.
• Always swab the vial stopper with an alcohol wipe before each puncture.

A standard U-100 insulin syringe — the same kind diabetics use. Specs to look for:

• Gauge: 29–31 (higher number = thinner needle = less pain)
• Length: 5/16" (8mm) or 1/2" (12.7mm)
• Volume: 0.3mL, 0.5mL, or 1mL barrel (pick based on your typical draw volume)

U-100 means 100 units = 1 mL.

• 10 units = 0.10 mL
• 25 units = 0.25 mL
• 50 units = 0.50 mL
• 100 units = 1.00 mL (full 1mL syringe)

Units to draw = (Desired dose ÷ Concentration per mL) × 100

Example: You reconstituted 5 mg BPC-157 with 2 mL water (concentration = 2,500 mcg/mL). You want a 250 mcg dose:

(250 ÷ 2,500) × 100 = 10 units

Two reasons: pH mismatch with skin tissue, and tonicity mismatch (GHK-Cu in bacteriostatic water is hyperosmotic compared to body fluids). The skin and surrounding tissue protest both.

• Reconstitute with sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) instead of bac water — isotonic match removes most of the burn. This is the biggest single fix.
• Inject very slowly over 30–60 seconds.
• Bring the syringe to room temperature before injection. Cold solution = more pain.
• Use a 30 or 31 gauge needle — thinner = less tissue trauma.
• Rotate sites across abdomen, thigh, hip. Re-using the same spot inflames the tissue.
• Consider going topical. If you're targeting skin or scalp, 0.05–0.2% GHK-Cu cream works without any injection.

• Inject extremely slowly — 1–2 minutes per dose, not seconds.
• Start at 50–100 mg and titrate up over weeks. Big initial doses are brutal.
• Bring to room temperature first.
• For higher doses, consider IV or IM administration through a provider.

• Short term: refrigerate at 2–8°C.
• Long term (months+): freeze at −20°C in original packaging, protected from light.
• Lyophilized peptides are stable for years if frozen and dry.

• Most peptides: 28 days refrigerated when mixed with bacteriostatic water.
• BPC-157: 14 days refrigerated — degrades faster than most.
• NAD+, glutathione: use within 7–14 days; oxidation accelerates degradation.

No. Ice crystal formation shears the peptide bonds. Once dissolved, keep in the fridge and use within the window above. If you need long-term storage, keep the vial lyophilized.

Reference protocols:

• Healing peptides (BPC-157, TB-500): 4–8 weeks on, 2–4 weeks off.
• GH-releasing (CJC/Ipa, Tesamorelin): 8–12 weeks on, 4 weeks off. Continuous use causes receptor downregulation.
• GLP-1 agonists (Tirzepatide, Retatrutide): ongoing with dose titration; not "cycled" the same way.
• Longevity stacks (NAD+, Glutathione, Epitalon): ongoing with periodic breaks (10 days on / 20 off for Epitalon; daily NAD+).

No. Start one at a time. When you introduce two new compounds together and feel an effect (good or bad), you can't attribute it. Add the second peptide after at least 2–3 weeks on the first.

Baseline before any GH-related compound (CJC/Ipa, Tesamorelin, HGH, IGF-1 LR3):

• IGF-1
• Fasting glucose + HbA1c
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Lipid panel
• Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)

Repeat at 8–12 weeks to monitor IGF-1 elevation and glucose response.

Stop immediately and consult if you experience:

• Persistent swelling, redness, or warmth at injection sites that doesn't resolve within 24–48 hours
• Abnormal heart rhythm or chest pain
• Severe nausea, vomiting, or GI symptoms (especially with GLP-1 agonists)
• Vision changes
• Signs of allergic reaction (hives, swelling, breathing difficulty)
• Unusual fatigue, joint pain, or sleep disturbances on GH-class compounds

• Alcohol-swab the vial stopper before every draw.
• Alcohol-swab your injection site, let it dry.
• Use a fresh syringe for each injection — never reuse.
• Wash hands before assembling everything.
• Dispose of used syringes in a sharps container.

Yes. A simple log of date, dose, time, injection site, and effects is invaluable when something goes well (so you can repeat it) or goes wrong (so you can trace it). Most people use a notes app or a dedicated peptide-tracker app.