As a coach I get questions about everything related to the body and also how to enhance it, and I also get clients that use or have used pretty much anything you can imagine. And since I’ve been in the health-, fitness-, gym-, elite sports-, medical-, and supplement industry since the early 90’s and up to 2017, I had to learn pretty much everything about specific drugs and performance enhancing compounds. After my own health scare in 2017 and early 2018 from cancer and organ damage from plant-based foods, supplements and medications, and reversing it all within months by adopting our natural species-specific and species-appropriate obligate hyper carnivore diet in combination with dry fasting, I stepped away from elite athlete coaching and I’ve only been focusing on health, longevity and quality of life.
Of course, since I have a deep understanding and love for biology, physiology and biochemistry, I still keep up with most advances when it comes to performance enhancing drugs and substances, especially recovery- and anti-aging research (as I get a lot of questions about this.)
Now, many “biohackers” and people who are into life-extension and health usually begin at the wrong end, often because they think they already know about nutrition, although they do not.
If they mention carbohydrates, fiber, vegetables, or supplements you know that they are totally lost, brainwashed, and that they already do great damage to their body — kind of defeating the purpose of health and anti-aging.
So, yes, most of these people turn to toxic diets, toxic dietary supplements, sketchy and mostly damaging habits such as cold water therapy, sauna or extreme exercise, and some turn to SARMS, TRT-cycles of hormones or to peptides. Of these, peptides have become very popular as of the last couple of years — and as long as you get the nutrients you need, peptides might have some kind of beneficial effect with minimal side-effects, although most of them are very poorly researched and the field is often pushed forward by scientists and sport specialists working with elite athletes, who in turn are prescribed these peptides years in advance compared to the slowly moving medical community and their studies, mostly on animals. Of course, most of these peptides are fully available to order online for “research studies and purposes” (very expensive) or from underground labs advertising on the black web or in “membership by recommendation” discussion forums or chat groups. These “underground” peptides are much cheaper and just as good if not better due to competition between labs and the demand from mid-level to elite athletes in less paid sports that do not have a team of doctors behind them. We will cover this more as we go on.
Now, peptides are covered and talked about by dozens of influencers on YouTube and similar channels and platforms, and also on these websites and forums, but rarely do they mention how to actually handle, reconstitute and store these peptides as they are extremely susceptible to damage and will lose their potency if mishandled (which often explains why some people notice little or no results.)
Peptide Definition And Function
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the “building blocks” of proteins. These molecules can have various functions in the body, including acting as signaling molecules, hormones, or structural components.
When administered by injection, peptides such as Ipamorelin, Tesamorelin, Selank, P21, BPC-157, TB-500, MOTS-c, and GHK-Cu, to mention a few, are designed to interact with specific receptors in the body to elicit targeted physiological responses. Peptides serve a wide range of biological functions, including acting as signaling molecules, hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors. For example, insulin is a well-known peptide hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Peptides exert their effects by binding to specific receptors on the surface of cells, triggering a cascade of intracellular signals that lead to various physiological responses. For instance, ipamorelin, CJC-1295 and tesamorelin stimulate the release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland (by different ways, which is why they can be stacked for better results,) which in turn promotes skin health, joint health, muscle growth and fat loss, especially in the abdomen — while BPC-157 and TB-500 are known for their regenerative properties, promoting the healing of muscles, tendons, and ligaments by enhancing angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels.)
Injectable peptides are often used because they can bypass the digestive system, which would otherwise break them down before they reach their target tissues. This route of administration ensures higher bioavailability and more predictable effects.
This is why oral BPC-157 is good for intestine issues such as leaking gut, but not for healing anything else in the body, as all of it is absorbed in the small intestine and localized in the abdominal area. For other injuries, injections close to the injured site is needed.
Subcutaneous (under the skin) and intramuscular (into the muscle) injections are common methods for delivering these peptides. Subcutaneous injections usually slows down absorption, which is why it is also often used with smaller microinjections of testosterone using insulin syringes during testosterone replacement therapy (and to avoid scar tissue.)
Intramuscular injections will deliver the compounds more quickly and also generate a higher peak concentration.
Now, since peptides mimic natural peptides in the body, and they are designed to bind to specific receptors and trigger intracellular signals, it means that their physiological effects are limited by your body’s existing biological capabilities and potential. In other words, they can only maximize what your body is capable of. For example, if you use tesamorelin to stimulate your body to release more growth hormone with each physiological pulse, you might produce close to 1 IU a day of growth hormone at best. This will be plenty for recovery, anti-aging purposes and to increase the use of body fat as energy, but it’s nowhere close to the effects seen in athletes taking synthetic growth hormone in the dosages of 4 to 8 IU a day, or some elite bodybuilders that can go as high as 16 IU a day.
With that being said, you simply maximize your own potential and you do not shut down anything as you do when taking synthetic hormones that surpass what your body can produce. This also means that once you reach your physiological max, taking more of the peptide will be a waste of peptides and money as your receptors can’t get more stimulated than what is physiologically possible. And this is why it’s better to go with the lower end of recommended doses and later increase the dosage if you feel it’s needed and if you notice any further beneficial effects. If you start out with max dosages, you might actually be wasting a lot of your peptides without even knowing.
Now, you will need to cycle most peptides on and off as “revving” your physiology at its maximum capacity will cause wear and tear in time. It can be beneficial in short bursts, but not year after year. Or simply using more restrictive protocols, which might mimic what you produced in your 20’s instead of pushing your physiological limits.
And this is why peptides are popular in anti-aging circles as they can restore and maximize your potential as you grow older. Especially peptides such as MOTS-c and SS-31 that can rejuvenate your mitochondria and cellular function (especially in combination with fasting.) And that is also why some peptides such as BPC-147 and TB-500 are used to heal injuries, as they maximize the body’s potential to repair tissue (as long as you get the nutrients needed, especially animal fats, vitamins and protein.) Elite athletes usually use them in combination with additional growth hormone and testosterone.
And since you are limited to the upper constraints of your physiology, it’s extremely important that your diet is on point so that your body has everything it needs. Otherwise, your result will be mediocre at best, especially when it comes to healing or improving skin, reducing wrinkles, etcetera. So, make sure you follow a ketogenic diet based on animal-based foods, as in our natural species-specific, species-appropriate carnivore diet.
Peptide Manufacturing Process
Peptides are manufactured through various methods, including chemical synthesis, biological production, and enzymatic hydrolysis. In chemical synthesis, peptides are created by joining amino acids through peptide bonds, a process that can be carried out in the laboratory.
Biological production involves the use of living organisms, such as bacteria or yeast, to produce peptides through genetic engineering techniques.
Enzymatic hydrolysis involves breaking down proteins into smaller peptides using enzymes.
The Extreme Fragility of Peptides
Due to the nature of peptides being short chains of amino acids, they are extremely fragile, and their stability can be affected by various factors, including temperature, pH, and exposure to light and oxygen. This is why they come as a powder in a vacuum sealed vial to limit exposure to oxygen and any kind of moisture. As soon as the peptides are exposed to any of these factors, they start to degenerate and slowly lose their potency. In other words, as soon as you dissolve the powder in bacteriostatic water, the peptides slowly begin to break down. This is why proper handling and an intelligent injection protocol is key. And we’ll get to that.
How to Handle and Store Your Peptide Powder Vials
Peptides that have not been reconstituted, as in the vials with a powder you receive from your seller need to be stored in a cold and dark place for maximum longevity. If you will use them within a week or two, a refrigerator will be sufficient as in being stored at about 4 degrees Celsius (39 F,) which will preserve the peptides for at least 3 months. The better option is to get a travel or cooling bag for vials and store them in a freezer at at least -20 C (-4 F.) Using a storage bag in the freezer will make for easier handling and also protect the vials from whatever else you store and put in there. Freezing bags or storage bags made for vials will also provide an additional layer of protection against moisture and temperature fluctuations, which can reduce the likelihood of frost forming on the vials. Additionally, using a desiccant packet (moisture absorber) within the freezing bag can further absorb any moisture, maintaining a drier environment and reducing the risk of ice formation.
Once you are ready to use a vial, take it out of the freezer, cover it with kitchen paper to absorb any frozen moisture on the vial, and put it somewhere dark until it’s defrosted and reached room temperature.
Freezing your peptide powders can extend their shelf life up to a year or more. This is crucial if you get several vials at once for a longer therapeutic cycle. Even if you only get two vials for a short cycle, it’s better to reconstitute one of them and start while keeping the second one in the freezer until you need it.
How to Reconstitute Peptides And Make Them Ready For Use
As mentioned, the peptides come as a powder in a vacuum sealed vial with a rubber stopper that is designed to reseal after the needle is removed, helping to maintain the integrity of the vial’s contents.
This powder needs to be gently solved in bacteriostatic water, which is generally preferred for reconstituting peptides due to its ability to inhibit bacterial growth, making it suitable for multi-dose vials and extending the shelf life of the reconstituted solution.
You usually buy bacteriostatic water from the same supplier as the peptides, or from a medical website (where you also can get your single-use insulin needle syringes.)
Now, as peptides are extremely fragile and they are vacuum sealed, it means that once you are ready to inject bacteriostatic water into the vial to make a solution, it can spurt in if you’re not careful due to the vacuum.
Because of this, the best solution is to use single-use fixed insulin needle syringes that usually hold 100 IU or 1 mL of liquid and with a small gauge needle of 29 to 31G. These are good for both reconstituting the peptides and to be used for any injection. My recommendation, most of the time, is to add 2 mL of bacteriostatic water to get an easy to manage solution. In other words, two full standard insulin syringes. If you use less, it will be more difficult to dose each injection as very little will need to be drawn out each time, which can be tricky. We’ll cover this in a bit.
Before drawing or injecting anything, make sure to swab the rubber on the vials with alcohol.
Once you have drawn out and filled your 1 mL insulin syringe with bacteriostatic water, hold the plunger firmly (or it will be drawn in once you insert the needle into the peptide vial due to the vacuum.)
Hold the peptide vial tilted at about 45 degrees with one hand and with the other hand insert the insulin needle at 45 degrees into the center ring on the top of the peptides bottle so the needle is almost against the inner lower side of the tilted vial and then slightly let go of the plunger and let the bacteriostatic water slowly drip out on the inner side of the vial and slowly run down to the powder. Never drop or squirt directly into the powder. Only let the bacteriostatic water drip to the inner side of the vial away from the powder. Remember, the peptides are extremely fragile!
Now do the same once over again to get a full 2 mL solution. Then gently rotate the vial between your fingers until the solution is totally clear. Never shake, wiggle or use any hasty or forceful movements with the vial or you will damage the peptides.
Now, most peptides come in vials with a total amount of 5 or 10 mg. If you get a 10 mg vial and need 500 mcg per injection and blend it in 2 mL, that is 10mg per 2 mL, or 5mg per 1 mL, and thus 500 mcg (0,5 mg) will be 0.1 mL or 10 units. That is pretty simple to draw. However, if you only need 200 mcg/0.2 mg, that will be 0.4 mL or only 4 units, which is pretty hard to adjust and get right as it is such a tiny amount. In such a case, it’s better to use 5 mL of bacteriostatic water and get a solution of 10 mg per 5 mL. Thus, 200 mcg will be 0.1 ml or 10 units, which is easier.
So, if the dosage per shot will be low, it’s usually better to add more bacteriostatic water to get more precise measurements when withdrawing the peptides. And if you’re going to inject 1 mg per shot, which is common with for example Tesamorelin, you can either go with 1 mL or 2 mL or there will be a lot to inject each time.
The calculations look like this if you have 10 mg, 2 mL of bacteriostatic water and want a dose of 0.5 mg (500 mcg):
Amount of peptide / volume of solution = 10 mg / 2 mL = 5 mg concentration per mL
Desired dose / concentration = 0.5 mg / 5 mg/dL = 0.1 mL (10 units)
If you are unsure about dosages, simply use an online peptide calculator. Here are a few examples that actually work when editing this article:
https://peptidescalculator.com
https://primepeptides.co/peptide-calculator
https://wittmerrejuvenationclinic.com/peptide-calculator
https://particlepeptides.com/en/content/48-peptide-calculator
And as always, do your research on dosages and injection protocols. A lot of influencers and people on forums recommend much more than needed because they either can’t handle and store their peptides properly, or they got underdosed or damaged peptides from their seller/contact , and/or their diet sucks. If you handle your peptides correctly and follow a proper protocol based on research and still do not get any results after 2-3 weeks, then you can contact your seller and ask about lab analyzes and their handling, and perhaps require a partial refund or a reduced price on another batch.
With that being said, keep in mind that these products are not regulated and the seller has no real obligations. However, if you are smart and get your products from underground labs that have feedback areas on encrypted and members-only forums, they usually want to keep their customers happy as they live on the feedback given on these forums — and they also compete with a lot of other labs and re-sellers that have their own feedback threads on the same forum.
This will also aid you in whom to buy from, by checking daily feedback and discussions.
How to Handle and Store Reconstituted Peptides Ready For Use
Your reconstituted peptide solution generally remains stable and potent for up to 30 days if stored in a dark and cold place, at no more than 4 degrees Celsius (39 F.) So, I would suggest that you put it at the back end on a shelf in your refrigerator to maintain their stability and biological activity. Do not re-freeze a reconstituted solution and do store it at room temperature and absolutely not where there is any light. That will lower your shelf life to less than a week! Keep it in a cold and dark space and only take it out whenever you need it for an injection, and then put it right back again and make sure to handle the vial with care and only use slow and controlled movements.
How To Draw Your Reconstituted Peptide Solution
Remember, oxygen will damage your peptides. Most people will draw in the equivalent of air in their syringe to the amount of liquid they want to inject and then release the air in the vial to make it easier to draw out the solution. Do not do this with peptides! Again, the air, as in the oxygen, will damage the peptides, shortening your shelf life considerably!
Instead, simply swab the rubber with alcohol and insert the needle into the center ring on the top, turn the vial gently upside down, and pull back the plunger to draw the required amount of peptide solution. As there is a vacuum inside the vial, it will go slow, but it will keep the peptides intact. Remember slow is good as the peptides are fragile. After drawing your dose, place the peptides back in the refrigerator and proceed to inject your peptides.
And always use single use fixed insulin needle syringes as the amounts you will need will be very small and you want to do minimal tissue damage when inserting the needle either subcutaneously or intramuscular.
Injecting Peptides
Clean the surface area of the skin where you want to inject the peptides with an alcohol swab. With one hand, gently pinch the fat/skin to lift it away from the body and with the other hand, inject the syringe with a quick motion until the needle is fully inserted into the area.
Push the plunger until all contents of the syringe have been injected, then count until 3 seconds before removing the syringe to ensure that the full dose is administered and reducing the risk of leakage.
Discard the used syringe and you’re done.
And that it is for this article. What you do with the information is up to you as a self-govern human. For further assistance, I’m available for consultation. Please note that I will not put together protocols for you, only advice on what you decide. You have to do the research and decide for yourself. I can only guide or caution you — and keep you from making stupid mistakes. But I will not encourage you to do anything. That is your decision.
If you need help with any kind of health problems or transitioning from your current way of eating to our natural species-appropriate, species-specific way of eating, I’m available for both coaching and consultation.
Coaching and Consultation
And if you found the article and my insights helpful and enjoy my daily free information, please consider donating to help pay the webhosting bills and keep the site running. And if you’re interested in discussing and sharing information with likeminded people, consider joining our uncensored community at Ungovernable.se. Thank you!
