Peptide Safely
The plain-English peptide guide

So, what are peptides?

We're here to help you Peptide Safely.

Tiny proteins your body already uses as signals. People take them to lose weight, recover, sleep and look better. Here's what to take, how to mix it, how much to draw, and how not to mess it up.

39peptide guides, in plain English
8steps to mix a vial
1calculator that shows where to draw
10rules to stay safe
01 What are you trying to do?

Pick a goal. Then one peptide.

What people take for each goal, how much, when, and why. Each dose is tagged so you know how solid it is.

Label dosefrom the FDA-approved labelTrial doseused in clinical trialsReportedwhat people commonly use; not tested

Lose weight

The most proven category. These are real drugs with large trials behind them, and slow step-ups are the whole game.

SemaglutideLabel dose
Dose
0.25 mg a week for 4 weeks, then step up every 4 weeks (0.5 ā†’ 1 ā†’ 1.7 ā†’ 2.4 mg)
When
Once a week, same day, any time
Why
It lasts about a week in the body, so one shot holds steady levels. Slow step-ups keep nausea down.
TirzepatideLabel dose
Dose
2.5 mg a week for 4 weeks, then up 2.5 mg every 4 weeks as needed, max 15 mg
When
Once a week, same day
Why
Also long-acting. Start at 2.5 mg even if you've used semaglutide before.
RetatrutideTrial dose
Dose
Trials started at 2 mg and stepped up to as much as 12 mg a week
When
Once a week
Why
Not approved yet. Trials raised the dose over several weeks to limit side effects.

Skin and hair

The one area where putting it on your skin has the best evidence.

GHK-CuReported
Dose
Topical serum or cream daily. Injected: 1ā€“2 mg a day in short cycles
When
Evening, as part of skincare
Why
The human studies are on topical use. Injecting it is mostly anecdotal.

Build muscle

These raise your own growth hormone instead of replacing it, for muscle, recovery and deeper sleep. Timing matters more here than anywhere else.

CJC-1295 (no DAC) + IpamorelinReported
Dose
100 Āµg of each, together in one shot
When
At bedtime, at least 2 hours after eating
Why
Your body releases most growth hormone in deep sleep, and food blunts that release. An empty stomach at bedtime works with your natural pulse.
TesamorelinLabel dose
Dose
1.28ā€“2 mg once a day, depending on formulation
When
Daily, same time
Why
This is the approved dose for visceral belly fat. It can raise blood sugar, so check your glucose.

Libido

Works on desire in the brain, not on blood flow, so it needs lead time.

PT-141Label dose
Dose
1.75 mg under the skin
When
At least 45 minutes before. No more than 1 dose in 24 hours or 8 a month
Why
It acts on the brain's desire pathways, which takes time. Nausea is common, especially the first time.

Recover from injury

Popular, mostly backed by animal data. People run these in blocks of a few weeks.

BPC-157Reported
Dose
250ā€“500 Āµg a day, often split into two doses
When
Daily, often injected near the injury, for 4ā€“6 weeks
Why
It clears from the body in under 30 minutes in animal studies, so people dose daily or twice a day.
TB-500Reported
Dose
2ā€“2.5 mg twice a week for 4ā€“6 weeks, then once a week or less
When
Twice a week
Why
It works throughout the body rather than at one spot, and people dose it less often than BPC-157.

Energy and metabolism

Early-stage research. Interesting, not proven.

MOTS-cReported
Dose
5ā€“10 mg a week, split into 2ā€“3 doses
When
Before workouts
Why
People time it around exercise because it's studied as an exercise mimic.
03 How to mix

Mixing a vial, step by step

Peptides come as a powder. You add water so you can measure a dose. That's all "reconstituting" means. Five minutes, eight steps.

Bacteriostatic water ā†—Insulin syringes (U-100) ā†—Alcohol swabs ā†—Sharps container ā†—Tested peptides: Vertex Labs ā†—
We may earn a commission from these links.

  1. Pick your water amount first

    • Choose an amount that makes your dose land on an easy line, usually 10 units or more. The table above and the calculator below do this for you.
    • More water makes each dose easier to read but a bigger shot. Less water makes a smaller shot that's easier to get wrong.

  2. Let the vial warm up

    • Take it out of the fridge for 10ā€“15 minutes. Cold glass can make the powder clump.

  3. Wash and swab

    • Wash your hands. Flip the plastic caps off both vials and wipe each rubber top with a fresh alcohol swab. Let them dry.

  4. Draw the water

    • Pull back the plunger to the amount of water you want, push that air into the water vial, flip it upside down, and draw the water out.
    • An insulin syringe holds 1 mL. For 2 mL, do it twice, or use a 3 mL syringe just for mixing.

  5. Add it slowly, down the glass

    • Push the needle through the peptide vial's top and angle it so the water runs down the inside wall. Don't spray it straight onto the powder.

  6. Swirl, don't shake

    • Roll the vial gently between your fingers until it's fully clear. That can take a minute or two. Shaking can break the peptide chains apart.

  7. Check it

    • It should be clear like water. Cloudy, foamy that won't settle, or bits floating? Throw it out.

  8. Label it and refrigerate

    • Write the date and strength on the vial, like "2.5 mg/mL, Oct 5". Keep it in the fridge and use it within about 4 weeks.
Watch: Mixing a vialPeptide Reconstitution Instructions Ā· Movement Clinic
Watch: Your first injectionSubcutaneous self-injection Ā· ConciergeMD
04 The math

mg vs mL vs units, finally explained

This is where people mess up. Get these three straight and the rest is easy.

mg Ā· ĀµgHow much peptideA weight. It's the medicine itself. 1 mg = 1,000 Āµg (also written mcg). Your dose is always in mg or Āµg.
mLHow much liquidA volume. It's the water you mix the powder into. It changes how strong the mix is, not how much peptide is in the vial.
unitsLines on the syringeAlso a volume. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units = 1 mL, so 1 unit = 0.01 mL.
Think of it like coffee. Stir 5 spoons of sugar into 2 cups and every sip is pretty sweet. Stir the same 5 spoons into 4 cups and you need twice as many sips for the same sugar. The sugar is your mg. The coffee is your mL. The sips are your units.

So "10 units" doesn't tell you anything by itself. It depends on how much water went in. Here's the same 5 mg vial and the same 250 Āµg dose:

Water addedStrength250 Āµg dose =Easy to read?
1 mL5 mg/mL5 unitsTiny, easy to misjudge
2 mL2.5 mg/mL10 unitsYes, the common choice
2.5 mL2 mg/mL12.5 unitsYes, but on a half mark
3 mL1.67 mg/mL15 unitsYes, bigger shot
units = dose (mg) Ć· (vial mg Ć· water mL) Ɨ 100
05 Calculator

How much do I draw?

Enter your vial, the water you added and your dose. The syringe shows the line to draw to.

mg
mL
ā€“
06 Don't mess it up

Ten rules. Don't skip these.

The stuff people learn the hard way.

  1. Know what you're taking and why

    • Read what it does and how strong the evidence is (see the tags above).
    • Talk to a doctor first if you take medication, are pregnant or trying, or have a health condition.
    • History of cancer? Skip peptides that boost growth or blood-vessel formation, like BPC-157, TB-500 and growth-hormone peptides.
    • Diabetic or on blood-sugar medication? GLP-1s like semaglutide can push your sugar too low. Don't combine them without a doctor.

  2. Only buy what's been tested

    • Ask for a third-party COA (certificate of analysis) from an independent lab.
    • The lot number on the COA must match the lot on your vial.
    • Look for HPLC purity of 98% or more and a mass spec result confirming it's the right molecule.
    • No COA, or a COA that doesn't match your vial? Don't use it.
    • We recommend Vertex Labs. Hold them to this same checklist.

  3. Get the right gear

    Bacteriostatic water ā†—Insulin syringes (U-100) ā†—Alcohol swabs ā†—Sharps container ā†—Tested peptides: Vertex Labs ā†—
    We may earn a commission from these links.
    • Use bacteriostatic water, not tap or bottled water. It has a preservative that keeps a mixed vial clean.

  4. Mix it clean

    • Wash your hands. Wipe both vial tops with an alcohol swab and let them dry.
    • Push the water in slowly, aimed at the side of the glass, not straight onto the powder.
    • Swirl gently. Never shake. Shaking can break the peptide apart.
    • It should turn clear. Cloudy, or bits floating? Throw it out.

  5. Do the math, then do it again

    • Mixing mistakes are the most common way people overdose by 10Ɨ. Use the calculator below and write your number on the vial.
    • Remember Āµg (micrograms) and mg (milligrams) are 1,000Ɨ apart.

  6. Inject the right way

    • Most go subcutaneous, into the fat under the skin. Belly (2 inches from the navel) or thigh.
    • Swab the spot, pinch the skin, insert at 45ā€“90Ā°, push slowly.
    • New needle every time. Never share one. Rotate where you inject.
    • Used needles go in the sharps container, not the trash.

  7. Store it properly

    • Powder: fridge, or freezer for long-term storage, away from light.
    • Once mixed: fridge only (2ā€“8 Ā°C), never frozen, and generally used within about 4 weeks.

  8. Start low, one at a time

    • Start at the low end of the usual range and see how you react.
    • Add one new peptide at a time. If you start three at once and something goes wrong, you won't know which one did it.
    • Keep a simple log: date, dose, injection site, how you feel.

  9. Get bloodwork

    • Get a baseline panel before you start and recheck after a few weeks, especially with growth-hormone peptides (IGF-1, fasting glucose) or GLP-1s.
    • Normal-looking results are what let you keep going with confidence.

  10. Know when to stop

    • Call 911 for swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, or chest pain.
    • See a doctor the same day for an injection spot that gets red, hot and spreading, pus, or a fever. That's infection.
    • Severe belly pain or vomiting you can't stop, especially on a GLP-1, needs urgent care.
    • Racing heart, vision changes, or anything that scares you: stop and get checked.
FAQ

Stuff people ask

Wait, what even is a peptide?

A short chain of amino acids, basically a mini protein. Your body already makes thousands of them to send signals: "you're full", "release growth hormone", "repair this". The ones people take copy those signals.

Are peptides steroids?

No. Steroids are a different type of molecule built on a ring structure. Peptides are chains of amino acids, the same stuff your food protein is made of.

Are they legal?

The approved ones (semaglutide, tirzepatide, tesamorelin, bremelanotide) are prescription drugs. Most others aren't approved by the FDA and are sold as research chemicals. That's why testing and COAs matter so much.

Do they work?

Some have big clinical trials behind them, like the GLP-1s. Others have promising animal data and a lot of anecdotes, which isn't the same as proof. Check each one's tag above.

Will they show up on a drug test?

Standard workplace drug tests don't look for them. Sports testing does: many peptides, including BPC-157, TB-500 and growth-hormone peptides, are banned by WADA. If you compete, check before you take anything.

Why inject? Can't I just take a pill?

Your stomach breaks most peptides down like food, so very little reaches your blood. A few exceptions exist, but injection under the skin is the standard route.

Does it hurt?

Insulin needles are tiny. Most people barely feel it. The water can sting a little going in, which is normal.

Someone just asked you "wait, what are peptides?"

Send them this. It's the page we wish we'd had on day one.