Dosing · reported, never prescribed
What people actually take.
Dosing is the question everyone wants answered and almost nobody answers honestly. Here's what's commonly reported for every compound we cover. What the community converges on, what a cautious clinician uses, what the actual studies tested. Laid next to each other so you can see how wide the spread really is.
This is reported, not prescribed. None of it is instruction. The most common way people get hurt is dose magnitude. A mislabeled or mis-reconstituted vial can put you 4–10× off target. Verify your vial size, verify your math, and talk to a licensed clinician before you act on anything here.
Reconstitution calculator
How many units do I draw?
Pick your peptide and vial size, then slide to how much water you add and how much you want to take. We do the insulin-syringe math.
For 250 mcg, draw
10 units
on a U-100 insulin syringe (0.10 mL)
2500 mcg/mL
25.0 mcg
U-100 syringe: 100 units = 1 mL. Presets are typical reported starting points, not recommended doses. Confirm your actual vial size before you draw.
BPC-157
Full profile →Systemic recovery / general healing (most common pattern)
250–500 mcg (0.25–0.5 mg); 500 mcg/day is the single most commonly reported amount
Once or twice daily · SubQ, abdomen, rotating sites
Localized tendon / ligament / muscle injury
250–500 mcg per dose, injected near (around) the injury site
1–2× daily until symptoms resolve, typically over a 4–6 week block · SubQ near the injured area
Acute / severe injury override (community high-load protocol)
Up to 1 mg, often paired with TB-500
2× daily during the acute window, then step down to maintenance · SubQ
Gut / GI goals (ulcers, reflux, IBD-type symptoms), oral
500 mcg–1 mg
1–2× daily · Oral (capsule/liquid; rests on animal oral-stability data, no human PK published)
Conservative clinical-authority lens (Dr. Abud Bakri)
300–500 mcg
2–3× per week · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported, most users start at the target dose (commonly 500 mcg/day) rather than ramping. Some clinicians begin near the low end (250–300 mcg) for the first week and step up if tolerated.
- Cycle
- Community: ~2–6 weeks on (chronic/post-surgical cases run to 6), then a short break or taper to maintenance. Bakri's narrower lens: ~8 weeks on, then 8–10 weeks off. No human-trial-validated cycle exists.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water → 2.5 mg/mL, i.e. 25 mcg per insulin unit (1u = 0.01 mL). A 500 mcg dose = 20 units. For a 10 mg vial + 2 mL → 5 mg/mL = 50 mcg/unit, so 500 mcg = 10 units. (Alternative: 10 mg vial + 1 mL → 100 mcg/unit, 1 mg = 10u.) Refrigerate reconstituted vial; replace bacteriostatic water ~every 28 days.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No completed randomized human trial exists; a Phase I (NCT02637284) was registered then cancelled in 2016. Human exposure is roughly ~30 people across three small uncontrolled reports (knee pain n=16, interstitial cystitis n=12, IV safety n=2). Optimal dose/route/cycling are all unestablished, these are user and single-authority conventions. Dose magnitude is the #1 way people get hurt: a mislabeled or mis-reconstituted vial can put you 4–10× off target (BPC was documented shown 4× wrong in one case). Theoretical caution: BPC-157 upregulates VEGF/angiogenesis. Bakri advises cancer screening before use and warns against continuous indefinite dosing. Untested in pregnancy and active/suspected malignancy.
TB-500
Full profile →Loading phase, tissue repair / injury recovery
2–2.5 mg (community range spans 2–5 mg)
Twice weekly for 4–6 weeks · SubQ, abdomen or thigh
Maintenance phase (after loading)
2–2.5 mg per dose; some run lower (~750 mcg. 1 mg)
Once weekly (some report twice monthly) · SubQ
Conservative clinical-authority lens (Dr. Bakri)
A similar loading-then-maintenance pattern (loading higher, then taper)
Loading 2×/week, then weekly maintenance · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported in the dose-per-injection sense. The structure itself is the ramp: a higher-frequency loading block (2×/week) front-loads the compound, then frequency drops to weekly/biweekly maintenance.
- Cycle
- Loading 4–6 weeks, then maintenance; common research-use cycles run 4–12 weeks total, then a break. Almost always co-run with BPC-157. No human-trial-validated cycle exists.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water → 5 mg/mL, i.e. 50 mcg per insulin unit (1u = 0.01 mL). A 2 mg dose = 40 units; a 2.5 mg dose = 50 units. With 1 mL added instead (10 mg/mL → 100 mcg/unit), 2 mg = 20 units. Refrigerate; replace bacteriostatic water ~every 28 days.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No published controlled human trial of TB-500 (the synthetic fragment) exists, for efficacy or safety. The parent protein Thymosin Beta-4 reached a 2009 Phase 2 venous-ulcer trial (73 patients, results never published) and a Phase 1 showed no serious adverse events at 42–1260 mg over 14 days, but that is the parent compound, not TB-500. Every dose figure here is community/authority convention. Same theoretical pro-angiogenic tumor-growth caution as BPC-157, and even less studied; pregnancy and active/suspected malignancy untested. Confound: virtually always stacked with BPC-157 + a rehab block, so TB-500 rarely gets clean attribution.
GHK-Cu
Full profile →Skin / anti-aging / collagen, topical (the evidence-backed route)
1–3% serum (a 0.05% gel was used in the 2024 post-laser study)
Once daily (or per product label) · Topical (OTC)
Systemic / skin / connective tissue, injectable (where legal)
~1–2 mg
Daily to several times weekly · SubQ, rotate sites
Continuous-replacement lens (Dr. Bakri's divergence)
~1–2 mg injectable (or topical) treated as ongoing, not cycled
Continuous (replenishes an endogenous peptide that declines with age; cites a wide safety margin) · SubQ and/or topical, often layered with red-light therapy
- Titration
- None commonly reported, users typically start topical at the product strength, or injectable at ~1–2 mg, without a formal ramp.
- Cycle
- Topical: continuous/daily. Injectable: community practice varies from cycled blocks (e.g. 4–8 weeks) to Bakri's continuous-use stance. No human-trial-validated cycle exists for injectable.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 50 mg vial + 5 mL bacteriostatic water → 10 mg/mL, i.e. 100 mcg per insulin unit (1u = 0.01 mL). A 2 mg dose = 20 units. (Alternative: 100 mg vial + 3 mL → ~333 mcg/unit, 2 mg = 6u.) VERIFY vial size before any math. GHK-Cu vials are commonly 50 mg or 100 mg and have been mislabeled (a '10 mg' vial turned out to be 100 mg). Refrigerate reconstituted injectable.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. Best-evidenced wellness peptide here for SKIN, decades of cosmetic research plus a controlled 2024 multicenter topical post-laser study (~25% faster healing, ~30% drops in IL-1β/TNF-α). Injectable use rides on that topical reputation with far less direct human data; long-term injectable safety is unknown. Copper toxicity is a theoretical concern at high injected doses (topical is far below threshold). Contraindicated in Wilson's disease / copper-overload conditions. Topical is the route with real evidence; injectable figures are early and authority-reported.
MOTS-c
Full profile →Metabolic health / insulin sensitivity / endurance (most common pattern)
5 mg per injection (weekly total ~5–10 mg, some report up to 15 mg)
2–3× per week · SubQ, abdomen, often fasted
Single weekly dose variant
5–10 mg
Once weekly · SubQ
Low-dose daily variant
~1 mg
Daily · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported, protocols are empirical and biomarker-guided (fasting glucose, insulin sensitivity, energy), not a defined ramp.
- Cycle
- Typically 4–8 week blocks, then a break. A commonly reported community pattern is 2.5 mg 2×/week. No established clinical cycle, the very first human trial only began in 2026.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 10 mg vial + 1 mL bacteriostatic water → 10 mg/mL, i.e. 100 mcg per insulin unit (1u = 0.01 mL). A 5 mg dose = 50 units; a 2.5 mg dose = 25 units. For a larger draw, add 2 mL → 5 mg/mL (50 mcg/unit), so 5 mg = 100 units (a full U-100 syringe).
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED, and explicitly EXPERIMENTAL. No human efficacy or safety results exist, the first registered first-in-human Phase 1 (insulin sensitivity) was only registered in 2026 with no completed data. Animal signal is striking (roughly doubled running capacity in aged mice) but every dose here is a guess informed by mouse studies. Contraindications are undefined because there is no human safety dataset. Heavy confound: popular with people already running training/GLP-1s/caloric control. Expensive peptide that is easy to under-fill or substitute, identity testing matters.
Tesamorelin
Full profile →FDA-approved, visceral fat in HIV lipodystrophy (original Egrifta, 1 mg/vial)
2 mg
Once daily · SubQ, abdomen, rotating sites
FDA-approved. EGRIFTA SV (2 mg/vial formulation)
1.4 mg (= 0.35 mL of reconstituted solution)
Once daily · SubQ, abdomen
FDA-approved. EGRIFTA WR (room-temp, 11.6 mg/vial; approved Mar 2025)
1.28 mg (= 0.16 mL of reconstituted solution)
Once daily per the current FDA label (note: 'WR' = room-temperature/'reduced' reconstitution, NOT once-weekly) · SubQ, abdomen
Off-label wellness / body-comp + sleep + liver-fat (compounded; physician-monitored)
~1–2 mg; some run a lower evening (PM) dose for sleep/liver goals rather than the full 2 mg visceral-fat dose
Once daily, typically pre-bed (EGRIFTA WR is also once daily, not weekly) · SubQ, abdomen
- Titration
- None commonly reported, the approved products are started at the full label dose, not titrated. Some off-label users begin at a lower evening dose (~1 mg) for tolerability/sleep before considering the full 2 mg.
- Cycle
- As an approved daily therapy it is taken continuously under monitoring (visceral-fat benefit regresses after stopping). Off-label/wellness users sometimes run defined blocks (e.g. 3–6 months) with IGF-1/glucose monitoring. A common off-label pattern is 1 mg PM.
- Reconstitution example
- Pharmaceutical product comes with manufacturer-specified reconstitution: EGRIFTA SV reconstitutes so 1.4 mg = 0.35 mL (= 35 units on a U-100 syringe); EGRIFTA WR so 1.28 mg = 0.16 mL (= 16 units). For a compounded 10 mg vial + 1 mL bacteriostatic water → 10 mg/mL = 100 mcg/unit, a 1 mg PM dose = 10 units; 2 mg = 20 units.
- Notes
- REPORTED dosing here is the actual FDA-APPROVED LABEL, not a rumor, but dose and monitoring belong with a prescriber. This is the 'grown-up in the room': FDA-approved (2010 for HIV-associated lipodystrophy; EGRIFTA WR approved Mar 2025), studied in proper RCTs. Phase 3: ~15% visceral-fat reduction over 26 wks; a 12-month HIV-NAFLD RCT cut hepatic fat ~37%. Honest negative: a Jan 2025 RCT showed NO significant cognitive benefit. Raises IGF-1 → cancer screening and IGF-1/glucose/PSA monitoring advised; do not stack with other GH-promoting peptides without physician oversight. Contraindicated in active malignancy, pregnancy, disrupted pituitary axis. Note: EGRIFTA SV and EGRIFTA WR are NOT substitutable (different strengths, reconstitution, storage).
Gut / systemic inflammation, subcutaneous
200–500 mcg (commonly start ~200 mcg)
Once daily · SubQ
Gut goals, oral / sublingual (leverages PepT1 transporter)
~250 mcg–1.5 mg (commonly 500 mcg)
Once or twice daily · Oral capsule or sublingual
Skin inflammation / wound healing, topical
Not standardized (described in vendor/clinic guides; rests on in-vitro/ex-vivo data only)
Per product · Topical / transdermal
Gut/healing stack
Same SubQ or oral ranges as above, co-administered with BPC-157
Daily alongside the stack · SubQ or oral
- Titration
- Some reported ramp: start subcutaneous around ~200 mcg/day and titrate up after the first week if tolerated. Otherwise none formally established.
- Cycle
- Typically ~4–8 weeks on, then a break. No human-trial-validated cycle exists.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water → 2.5 mg/mL, i.e. 25 mcg per insulin unit (1u = 0.01 mL). A 500 mcg dose = 20 units; 250 mcg = 10 units. For a 10 mg vial + 2 mL → 5 mg/mL (50 mcg/unit), 500 mcg = 10 units. Refrigerate reconstituted injectable.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. KPV is a 3-amino-acid C-terminal fragment of alpha-MSH that retains anti-inflammatory activity (NF-kB / MAPK inhibition; enters cells via the PepT1 transporter) while shedding the parent hormone's pigmentation/appetite effects. Evidence is STRONG in lab/animal models but ZERO completed or registered human trials, the foundational study is preclinical (Dalmasso et al., Gastroenterology 2008, PMID 18061177: human cell lines + mouse DSS/TNBS colitis). Every dose figure is vendor/clinic convention, not data; the adverse-event 'frequencies' circulating online are not from human trials. No human toxicology, drug-interaction, or long-term data. Main theoretical concern is broad/chronic immunomodulation (could blunt useful immune responses or mask infection); practitioners typically screen out active infection, autoimmune disease, and pregnancy. FDA Category 2 (2023); slated for PCAC review July 23–24, 2026.
Pentadeca Arginate
Full profile →Healing / soft-tissue & tendon injury (most common reported use, marketed as a BPC-157 alternative)
250-750 mcg, often 500 mcg, injected SubQ near the injury site; some clinics quote 'up to 1 mg' per injection for acute cases
Once daily during an acute/loading phase, then tapering to 2-3x/week for maintenance · SubQ (injected near the site for local injury); IM occasionally reported
Loading phase for a fresh injury
500 mcg - 1 mg per day
Daily for the first 7-10 days, then drop to a maintenance schedule · SubQ
Gut / GI healing (reflux, ulcer, IBD-type symptoms)
~500 mcg
Oral, twice daily (taken for the GI lining rather than injected) · Oral (capsule/liquid)
Conservative microdose start (sensitive users)
200-250 mcg/day, increasing to 300-500 mcg/day for larger injuries
Daily · SubQ
- Titration
- Some report a loading-then-maintenance ramp: 500 mcg-1 mg daily for 7-10 days, then 500 mcg 2-3x/week. A more cautious pattern starts at 200-250 mcg/day and steps up to 300-500 mcg/day only if well tolerated. Not a true dose-titration so much as a loading taper.
- Cycle
- Commonly run ~4-8 weeks for an injury, or '12 weeks on / 8 weeks off' in some clinic plans. Many use it acutely until the injury resolves rather than on a fixed cycle.
- Reconstitution example
- Typical clinic example: 15 mg vial + 7.5 mL bacteriostatic water = 2 mg/mL. A 500 mcg dose = 0.25 mL = 25 units on a U-100 insulin syringe (one ~30-day vial at 500 mcg/day). (A 10 mg vial + 5 mL BAC water also gives 2 mg/mL with the same 25 u = 500 mcg.)
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. This is the weakest-evidence compound of the six: a PubMed search for 'pentadeca arginate' returns ZERO peer-reviewed results, there are no human trials, no animal trials, and no published pharmacokinetics specific to PDA. It is marketed as a more stable, arginate-salt analog of BPC-157, and essentially all dosing is extrapolated from BPC-157 lore and clinic/vendor protocols, not from data on PDA itself. Doses and reconstitution volumes vary widely between vendors (vials of 10 mg and 15 mg are both common), so reconstitution math must be redone per actual vial. Not FDA-approved; sold as research material.
ARA-290
Full profile →Small-fiber / sarcoidosis neuropathy, the clinical-trial dose
4 mg (the dose that produced the largest effect in the Phase 2 dose-ranging study; 1 mg and 8 mg were also tested)
Once daily for 28 days · SubQ
Diabetic / general peripheral neuropathy & nerve repair (community use, mirroring the trials)
2-4 mg (often starting at 2 mg to assess tolerance, then 4 mg)
Once daily, or several times per week · SubQ
Anti-inflammatory / 'innate repair receptor' tissue protection (off-label community)
1-4 mg
Daily during a course · SubQ
- Titration
- Mostly none, trials used a fixed 4 mg/day with no ramp. Community guides sometimes suggest starting at 2 mg/day for a few days to gauge tolerance before moving to 4 mg, but a formal titration schedule is not commonly reported.
- Cycle
- 28-day course (per the trials), then a ~2-4 week off/assessment break before repeating if desired. Benefit on nerve-fiber regeneration was reported to persist at 16-week follow-up after a single 28-day course.
- Reconstitution example
- Common vendor example: 5 mg vial + 1 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL. A 4 mg dose = 0.8 mL = 80 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. (A 10 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water = 5 mg/mL, same 80 u = 4 mg.) Note ARA-290 is dosed in MILLIGRAMS, not micrograms. 4 mg = 4,000 mcg, far larger than most peptides, so it consumes a lot of insulin-syringe volume.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. ARA-290 is an 11-amino-acid peptide from the tissue-protective domain of erythropoietin (EPO) that selectively activates the innate repair receptor WITHOUT raising hematocrit. It has genuine Phase 2 human data: Dahan et al., Molecular Medicine 2013 (randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, n=36 sarcoidosis patients, 4 mg SubQ daily x28 days) showed improved pain thresholds, 6-minute walk, and increased corneal small-nerve-fiber density; a later 2-center dose-ranging study (n=64, 1/4/8 mg) found 4 mg gave the largest placebo-corrected corneal nerve-fiber increase (~23% from baseline). It holds FDA Orphan Drug status for sarcoidosis neuropathic pain but is NOT FDA-approved and is sold only as research material. Generally well tolerated in trials (mild injection-site reactions, headache, minor GI). Theoretical caution around any EPO-derived molecule, though ARA-290 is specifically designed to lack erythropoietic activity.
LL-37
Full profile →Wound healing / skin regeneration (community injectable use)
100-200 mcg/day
Once daily, often 5 days/week, for 2-3 weeks; can be injected near the affected area or systemically · SubQ
General immune support / infection prevention
50-100 mcg (0.05-0.1 mg)
2-3x weekly · SubQ
Acute immune support during/after illness
~200 mcg/day
Daily for 5-10 days · SubQ
Gut repair (community, often stacked with BPC-157)
~100 mcg in the morning
Daily, fasted, for GI exposure · SubQ (oral exposure also attempted, though absorption is questionable)
Hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers, the actual human-trial use (TOPICAL, not injected)
0.5 or 1.6 mg/mL applied to the ulcer (notably, the higher 3.2 mg/mL did NOT beat placebo)
Twice weekly topical application for 4 weeks · Topical to the wound bed
- Titration
- Conservative community approach: start at 100 mcg/day for 3-5 days, then increase to 200 mcg only if well tolerated, with slow titration. LL-37 is membrane-active and can cause histamine-like reactions, so most guides explicitly advise ramping rather than starting high.
- Cycle
- Typically 2-4 weeks on, then at least 2 weeks off (some guides allow 2-8 weeks depending on wound-healing progress). Generally used in short courses rather than continuously.
- Reconstitution example
- Vendor vials are commonly 5 mg. Example: 5 mg vial + 5 mL bacteriostatic water = 1 mg/mL (1,000 mcg/mL). A 100 mcg dose = 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U-100 insulin syringe; 200 mcg = 0.2 mL = 20 units. (Add 2.5 mL instead for 2 mg/mL, where 100 mcg = 5 units.) Store refrigerated, discard after ~30 days.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. LL-37 is the only human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide; it has direct membrane-disrupting antimicrobial/anti-biofilm activity plus pro-angiogenic, keratinocyte-migration wound-healing effects. IMPORTANT distinction: the real randomized human data is TOPICAL on venous leg ulcers (Grönberg et al. 2014, PMID 25041740, n=34, twice-weekly 0.5/1.6/3.2 mg/mL, lower doses helped, the highest did not; and the larger Phase IIb HEAL trial, n=148). There is essentially NO controlled human data for SubQ/systemic injection, that route is entirely off-label community practice extrapolated from in-vitro/animal work. LL-37 is double-edged biologically (over-expression is implicated in rosacea, psoriasis, and some inflammatory conditions), and injection can provoke mast-cell/histamine reactions, so the injectable use carries more theoretical risk than its 'antimicrobial' framing implies. Not FDA-approved.
Thymosin Alpha-1
Full profile →Chronic hepatitis B / hepatitis C, the FDA-unapproved-in-US but globally-approved (Zadaxin) label dose
1.6 mg (900 mcg/m2); patients <40 kg use 40 mcg/kg
Twice weekly (injections ~3-4 days apart, e.g. Mon/Thu), for 6-12 months (26-52 weeks) · SubQ
General immune support / immunosenescence / wellness (off-label community)
1.5 mg (commonly 1.0-1.5 mg)
Daily, 5 days on / 2 days off; OR the label-style 1.6 mg twice weekly · SubQ
Acute illness / infection support (off-label community)
1.5-1.6 mg
Daily for a short burst during illness, then taper to maintenance · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported. People start straight at 1.5-1.6 mg; there is no standard ramp. The main variable is frequency (daily 5-on/2-off vs. twice weekly), not escalating dose.
- Cycle
- Approved hepatitis course is continuous for 6-12 months. Wellness community use is typically 8 weeks on / 8 weeks off, or run during illness/immune-challenge windows rather than indefinitely.
- Reconstitution example
- Official Zadaxin: 1.6 mg lyophilized vial + 1 mL supplied diluent (sterile water) = 1.6 mg/mL, injected as the full 1 mL (100 units). Common research-vial example: 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL; a 1.6 mg dose = 0.32 mL = 32 units on a U-100 insulin syringe (a 1.5 mg dose = 0.30 mL = 30 units). Refrigerate; official product is used immediately after reconstitution, research vials typically discarded after ~30 days.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. This is the BEST-evidenced and most regulated compound of the six. Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-amino-acid peptide that binds Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) on dendritic cells to boost T-cell differentiation and NK-cell activity. As Zadaxin (thymalfasin) it is APPROVED in 35+ countries for chronic hepatitis B/C and as an immune adjuvant, backed by multiple Phase III RCTs at exactly 1.6 mg SubQ twice weekly. It is NOT FDA-approved in the US, so US use is research-only or via off-label compounding. Generally very well tolerated (injection-site reactions most common). The wellness daily-dosing patterns are extrapolations beyond the studied twice-weekly hepatitis regimen.
CIRS (mold / chronic inflammatory response syndrome). Shoemaker intranasal protocol, the dominant reported use
50 mcg per spray (1 spray), the standard compounded strength
4x daily to start (alternating nostrils), commonly 4-8 sprays/day total (~200-400 mcg/day); some protocols increase to 2 sprays = 100 mcg 4x/day in month 2 · Intranasal
CIRS, sensitive / titrating patients
Start as low as a single 50 mcg spray/day, ranging up to 16 sprays/day in adults; rare protocols compound up to higher per-spray strengths
Build up gradually based on tolerance and symptom/lab response · Intranasal
Lung / pulmonary & immune support (less common, research/off-label)
Variable; SubQ and IV/inhaled routes have been explored in research settings (e.g., pulmonary hypertension studies)
Per study/clinic · SubQ / inhaled / IV (research contexts)
- Titration
- Yes, a gentle ramp is standard. Sensitive patients start at one 50 mcg spray per day and increase toward 1 spray 4x/day, then potentially 2 sprays (100 mcg) 4x/day in the second month. A test dose is advised because VIP can drop blood pressure (it is a vasodilator) and cause lightheadedness on the first dose.
- Cycle
- Typically used for ~30-90 days as the FINAL step of the Shoemaker CIRS protocol, continued until inflammatory markers (TGF-beta1, C4a, VIP level, VCS) normalize. Not a fixed on/off cycle, it is run to an endpoint.
- Reconstitution example
- VIP is almost always supplied/used as a COMPOUNDED intranasal spray, not reconstituted by the user, so insulin-syringe math does not apply to the standard route. Strength is expressed per spray (standard 50 mcg/spray). If a research SubQ vial is used, a representative example would be a 5 mg vial + 5 mL bacteriostatic water = 1 mg/mL (1,000 mcg/mL), where 50 mcg = 0.05 mL = 5 units on a U-100 insulin syringe, but injected VIP is uncommon and the nasal route dominates reported use.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. VIP is an endogenous 28-amino-acid neuropeptide and potent vasodilator/immunomodulator. The overwhelming reported use is Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker's intranasal CIRS protocol (in use since 2008, claimed >10,000 patients), where it is the LAST step after the rest of the protocol (binders, MARCoNS/nasal-colonization clearance, VCS and lab normalization), starting VIP before clearing nasal MARCoNS or with an unaddressed indoor mold exposure is specifically discouraged. Because VIP lowers blood pressure, an in-office first/test dose with BP monitoring is standard. Compounded VIP nasal spray has periodically faced FDA compounding-list scrutiny. Evidence is largely from Shoemaker's own clinical series rather than large independent RCTs; not FDA-approved as a therapy.
Cartalax
Full profile →Cartilage / joint / bone support, osteoarthritis (community use of the Khavinson bioregulator)
Two patterns are reported. (1) Classic low-dose Khavinson style: ~200 mcg/day (e.g. 10 units at 2 mg/mL). (2) Higher modern community style: 1-2.5 mg/day scaled by bodyweight (<70 kg: 1-1.5 mg; 70-90 kg: 1.5-2 mg; >90 kg: 2-2.5 mg), with some guides pushing 2,000-5,000 mcg/day.
Once daily during a course · SubQ (some intramuscular; original Russian bioregulator courses were often IM)
Anti-aging / connective-tissue 'bioregulation' (peptide-bioregulator stack use)
~200 mcg-2 mg/day
Daily during short repeated courses (the traditional bioregulator cadence) · SubQ
- Titration
- Two camps. The traditional Khavinson approach uses NO titration, a flat low dose (~200 mcg) for a short course. Some modern higher-dose community guides do ramp: e.g. weeks 1-2 at 2 mg, weeks 3-4 at 3 mg, weeks 5-8 at 4 mg, weeks 9-12 at 5 mg over 2-week steps. Given there is no human data, treat any titration schedule as community convention, not evidence.
- Cycle
- Traditionally short, repeated low-dose COURSES, often 10-20 days on, then repeated every 4-6 months (the way Russian peptide bioregulators were used clinically), e.g. a 10-day course paired with physical therapy a few times a year. Higher-dose community guides instead run 8-12 weeks (extendable to 16). The short-course model is the more authentic Khavinson pattern.
- Reconstitution example
- Common vial is 20 mg. Low-dose example: 20 mg + 10 mL bacteriostatic water = 2 mg/mL, where 200 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U-100 insulin syringe (one 20 mg vial = ~100 days at 200 mcg). Higher-dose example: 20 mg + 3 mL BAC water = ~6.67 mg/mL, where 2 mg = 30 units, 4 mg = 60 units, 5 mg = 75 units. Refrigerate; avoid freeze-thaw.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Cartalax is a synthetic tripeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp / AED, also called T-31), a 'cartilage' peptide bioregulator from Prof. Vladimir Khavinson's St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology lineage. Evidence is the THINNEST tier alongside PDA: only preclinical cell-culture/short-peptide bioregulator data exists, there is NO trial-established human dose and no published human pharmacokinetics. The very wide spread between reported doses (200 mcg traditional vs. 2-5 mg modern) reflects that gap, not a real dose-response. Often sold/used inside the 'Deadpool' healing blend (BPC-157 10 mg + TB-500/TB4 10 mg + Cartalax 10 mg). Not FDA-approved; sold as research material. Reconstitution math must be redone for the actual vial size on hand.
Ipamorelin
Full profile →GH support / body composition / recovery / sleep (standalone, most common)
200-300 mcg
Once daily, typically 30 min before bed on an empty stomach · SubQ
GH support - multi-pulse 'mimic natural pulsatility' protocol
100-300 mcg per injection
2-3x daily (e.g. morning, mid-day, pre-bed), each ~2-3 h away from food · SubQ
Paired with a GHRH analog (CJC-1295 no-DAC) for synergistic pulse
~200-300 mcg ipamorelin alongside ~100 mcg CJC-1295 no-DAC
1-3x daily, pre-bed dose prioritized, fasted · SubQ
- Titration
- Commonly reported ramp: start ~100 mcg per dose for the first 1-2 weeks to gauge tolerance (flushing, head-rush, water retention), then step to the 200-300 mcg working dose. Many users skip titration and start at 200-300 mcg since acute tolerability is generally high.
- Cycle
- Most commonly reported: continuous daily use with periodic breaks, e.g. 12 weeks on / 4 weeks off, or 5 days on / 2 days off to limit pituitary desensitization. Some run it continuously for months. No human trial defines an optimal cycle - cycling is community/clinic convention.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: a 10 mg (10,000 mcg) vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL). On a U-100 insulin syringe the full 2 mL = 200 units, so each 'unit' = 50 mcg. A 200 mcg dose = 4 units; 300 mcg = 6 units. (Smaller 5 mg vial + 2 mL = 2.5 mg/mL, so 200 mcg = 8 units.)
- Notes
- Selective GHRP / ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist; pentapeptide Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2. Reported as the cleanest GHRP because it releases GH without the cortisol/prolactin/ACTH bump seen with GHRP-2/GHRP-6 (Raun 1998: no significant ACTH/cortisol rise even >200x the GH ED50). Plasma half-life ~2 h; peak GH ~30-40 min post-injection. Inject SubQ on an empty stomach (food/insulin/glucose blunt the GH pulse) - night dose is considered most valuable because it stacks with the natural sleep-onset GH surge. NOT FDA-approved (only completed RCT, for post-op ileus, failed its primary endpoint). Often co-administered with a GHRH analog (CJC-1295 no-DAC / sermorelin / tesamorelin) for documented synergistic GH release. Common reported side effects: injection-site reaction, transient flushing/lightheadedness, water retention, hunger. Reported doses are what people use, not a prescription.
CJC-1295
Full profile →GH support / body comp / recovery - no-DAC (Mod GRF 1-29), standalone or blended with ipamorelin
100 mcg (range 100-300 mcg)
1-3x daily, pre-bed dose fasted; commonly once daily before bed · SubQ
GH support - CJC-1295 WITH DAC (long-acting, sustained IGF-1)
~1-2 mg per week (some split into 2x/week)
Once or twice weekly · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported for the no-DAC form - users typically start straight at 100 mcg per dose. (If anything, people ramp the paired ipamorelin, not the CJC.) Beginners sometimes start at the low end of the GHRH dose and assess flushing before settling at 100 mcg.
- Cycle
- Commonly reported: 8-12 weeks on / ~4 weeks off, or 5 days on / 2 days off. Frequently run indefinitely in low-dose 'anti-aging' use. No human trial defines a cycle; this is convention.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: a 5 mg (5,000 mcg) vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL (2,500 mcg/mL). On a U-100 syringe the full 2 mL = 200 units, so each unit = 25 mcg; a 100 mcg dose = 4 units, 200 mcg = 8 units. For a common 10 mg CJC/ipamorelin BLEND vial + 3 mL BAC water (~1.67 mg/mL each), the full 3 mL = 300 units, so ~100 mcg of each peptide draws to ~18 units.
- Notes
- IMPORTANT distinction: 'CJC-1295' is sold in two very different forms. (1) no-DAC / Modified GRF 1-29 = short-acting GHRH analog, half-life ~30 min, dosed like sermorelin to make a discrete GH pulse - this is what most 'CJC/ipamorelin' blends contain. (2) CJC-1295 WITH DAC binds albumin, half-life ~6-8 days (5.8-8.1 d in Teichman 2006), giving a sustained 'GH bleed' rather than a pulse - dosed ~1-2 mg ONCE OR TWICE PER WEEK, not daily. Don't apply the no-DAC daily microgram dose to the DAC version. The Teichman 2006 human trial (the main published human data) studied the DAC form: single SubQ injection raised GH 2-10x for 6+ days and IGF-1 1.5-3x for 9-11 days, well tolerated at 30-60 mcg/kg. no-DAC is paired with a GHRP (ipamorelin) because GHRH+GHRP is synergistic. Inject fasted/pre-bed (glucose blunts GH). NOT FDA-approved. Reported, not prescribed.
Sermorelin
Full profile →Age-related GH decline / sleep / body composition (standard adult use)
200-300 mcg (broader range 100-500 mcg per injection)
Once daily at bedtime (30-60 min before sleep), fasted · SubQ
Conservative / beginner start
100 mcg
Once daily at bedtime for ~1-2 weeks before titrating · SubQ
- Titration
- Commonly reported: start ~100 mcg nightly for the first 1-2 weeks, then titrate up to the 200-300 mcg working dose as tolerated. Some clinics dose-find against IGF-1 levels over weeks.
- Cycle
- Commonly reported: nightly dosing run in multi-month blocks (e.g. 3-6 months) with periodic breaks; a 5-days-on / 2-days-off weekly pattern is frequently used to preserve pituitary GHRH-receptor sensitivity. Often used continuously under clinic supervision.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: a 5 mg (5,000 mcg) vial + 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water = 2 mg/mL (2,000 mcg/mL). On a U-100 syringe the full 2.5 mL = 250 units, so each unit = 20 mcg; a 200 mcg dose = 10 units, 300 mcg = 15 units. (Same 5 mg vial + 2 mL = 2.5 mg/mL, so 200 mcg = 8 units.)
- Notes
- 29-amino-acid GHRH analog (GHRH 1-29) - the shortest GHRH fragment. Was FDA-approved as Geref (approved 1997; pediatric GH deficiency dx/treatment) but the branded product was discontinued for manufacturing (not safety) reasons; now supplied by compounding pharmacies. Short half-life (~10-20 min) so it produces a discrete, physiologic GH pulse and preserves the hypothalamic-pituitary feedback loop (won't shut down endogenous GH the way exogenous rHGH can). Inject SubQ at bedtime, ~30-60 min before sleep, on an empty stomach to ride the natural nocturnal GH surge. Generally regarded as the 'gentlest'/most established GH secretagogue. Reported side effects: injection-site reaction, flushing, headache, occasional dizziness. Reported, not prescribed.
Epitalon
Full profile →Longevity / telomere & pineal-melatonin support (standard research protocol)
5-10 mg/day (10 mg most common; can be split into 2 injections)
Daily for a 10-20 day course, repeated 2-3x per year · SubQ
Lower-dose / extended variant
1-2 mg/day
Daily over a longer block (community variant, less standardized) · SubQ
Intranasal alternative (lower bioavailability)
5-10 mg/day in divided doses
Daily for a 10-20 day course · intranasal
- Titration
- None commonly reported - protocols start straight at the 5-10 mg/day research dose for the duration of the short cycle.
- Cycle
- The signature pattern from the Khavinson literature: short, intensive courses of 10-20 consecutive days at 5-10 mg/day, repeated only 2-3 times per year (e.g. once or twice annually). Some longer low-dose protocols (1-2 mg) exist but the canonical convention is the 10-20 day pulse a couple times a year, NOT continuous daily use.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: a 10 mg (10,000 mcg) vial + 1 mL bacteriostatic water = 10 mg/mL (10,000 mcg/mL). On a U-100 syringe the full 1 mL = 100 units, so each unit = 100 mcg; a 10 mg daily dose = the entire 100 units, or 5 mg = 50 units. To make the math gentler, 10 mg + 2 mL = 5 mg/mL: then 10 mg = 200 units (two draws) and 5 mg = 100 units (one full syringe).
- Notes
- Synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG), the short-peptide successor to the pineal extract Epithalamin, developed by Vladimir Khavinson's St. Petersburg group. Mechanism of interest: in vitro it reactivated telomerase (hTERT) and elongated telomeres in human somatic cells (Khavinson 2003), and it is reported to normalize melatonin/circadian rhythm. CRITICAL EVIDENCE CAVEAT: essentially all human/clinical data come from Khavinson's own group with no independent Western replication, and a 2025 systematic review noted safety data are missing - treat efficacy/longevity claims as weakly evidenced. Most commonly SubQ; an intranasal route (5-10 mg/day split) is sometimes used but with lower bioavailability. No FDA approval; no standardized clinical dose. Reported, not prescribed.
Semax
Full profile →Cognitive / nootropic / focus (plain Semax, 0.1% intranasal solution)
200-600 mcg/day total
Once to 3x daily, intranasal · intranasal
Cognitive / focus (N-Acetyl Semax Amidate, more potent analog)
~100-300 mcg per dose (300-900 mcg/day; many cap ~600-900 mcg/day)
1-3x daily, intranasal · intranasal
Neurological / stroke-recovery context (1% solution, Russian clinical use)
Higher per-dose than 0.1% (medical-supervision context)
Per clinical protocol, intranasal · intranasal
Research SubQ route (less common than intranasal)
~200-400 mcg
Once daily · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported - people generally start at the working intranasal dose. With N-Acetyl Semax Amidate, users start at the LOW end (~1 spray) because it is reported ~3-5x more potent per mcg than plain Semax, then adjust by feel.
- Cycle
- Commonly reported: short courses of ~5-14 days for the 0.1% nootropic solution (shorter, 5-10 days, for the stronger 1% neurological solution), used intermittently rather than continuously; some run daily for a few weeks then take an equal break.
- Reconstitution example
- Semax is most often used as an intranasal SOLUTION rather than a SubQ injection, so insulin-syringe units usually don't apply - it's dosed by drops/pumps. Reconstitution example for a metered spray: a 30 mg vial + 3 mL bacteriostatic water/saline = 10 mg/mL; a typical 50 microliter spray pump then delivers ~500 mcg per pump (a 0.1% solution delivers ~300 mcg per pump). For research SubQ use, a 30 mg vial + 3 mL = 10 mg/mL: on a U-100 syringe 1 mL = 100 units = 10 mg, so each unit = 100 mcg and a 300 mcg dose = 3 units.
- Notes
- Synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH(4-10) (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) - a registered nootropic/neuroprotective drug in the Russian Federation (used there in stroke recovery and cognitive/attention indications); NOT FDA-approved and not studied in Western RCTs. Reported to raise BDNF and modulate dopamine/serotonin without disturbing cortisol (unlike full ACTH). 'N-Acetyl Semax' and 'N-Acetyl Semax Amidate' are stabilized analogs reported to be markedly more potent per mcg, so their per-dose mcg is lower. Two clinical solution strengths exist: 0.1% (cognitive/nootropic) and 1% (neurological, more caution). Main reported side effect is nasal/sinus irritation; can affect glucose in diabetics. Doses below are reported research/clinical-use ranges, not a prescription.
Selank
Full profile →Anxiety / stress resilience / cognitive support (standard intranasal use)
250-500 mcg per dose
2-3x daily, intranasal · intranasal
Anxiolytic / nootropic - research SubQ route
~1 mg (1,000 mcg)
In the morning, 2-3 days per week · SubQ
Lower per-dose intranasal (sensitive users / N-Acetyl Selank)
~100-250 mcg per dose
1-2x daily, intranasal · intranasal
- Titration
- None commonly reported - users generally start at the working intranasal dose (~250-300 mcg) and adjust by feel.
- Cycle
- Several conventions reported: (a) 250-500 mcg intranasal 2-3x/day for 2-4 weeks; (b) short 10-day courses with ~5-day breaks; (c) 1 month on / 1 month off, ~6 cycles per year; (d) for the SubQ route, ~1 mg 2-3 days/week, 8 weeks on / 8 weeks off. No single cycle is established - all are community/clinic convention.
- Reconstitution example
- Like Semax, Selank is most often an intranasal SOLUTION dosed by drops/pumps, so insulin units usually don't apply. Reconstitution example for a metered spray: a 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water/saline = 5 mg/mL; a ~50 microliter pump then delivers ~250 mcg per pump (use ~100 microliter / two pumps for ~500 mcg). For research SubQ use, a 10 mg vial + 1 mL = 10 mg/mL: on a U-100 syringe 1 mL = 100 units = 10 mg, so each unit = 100 mcg and a 1 mg (1,000 mcg) dose = 10 units; a 300 mcg dose = 3 units.
- Notes
- Synthetic heptapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro - a tuftsin analog (with a Pro-Gly-Pro stabilizing tail) developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, RAS, and a registered ANXIOLYTIC nasal-spray drug in the Russian Federation (for generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment disorders). NOT FDA-approved and not validated in Western RCTs. Reported to act via GABAergic modulation and to influence BDNF and serotonin/noradrenaline metabolism, giving anti-anxiety effects WITHOUT sedation, dependence, or withdrawal (it does not bind benzodiazepine receptors). 'N-Acetyl Selank' is a stabilized analog used at similar-to-slightly-lower mcg. Intranasal is the registered/most common route; SubQ is a research alternative. Generally well tolerated; reported issues limited mainly to nasal irritation. Doses below are reported research/clinical-use ranges, not a prescription.
PT-141
Full profile →Sexual function / libido (FDA-approved use, premenopausal women with HSDD)
1.75 mg
Single dose at least 45 minutes before anticipated sexual activity; no more than one dose per 24 hours and no more than 8 doses per month · SubQ (abdomen or thigh; Vyleesi is a pre-filled autoinjector, 1.75 mg in 0.3 mL)
Sexual function / libido (off-label, men and women, community reported, not FDA-approved)
0.5-2 mg (most commonly ~1-1.75 mg); start at 0.5-1 mg to assess tolerance
On-demand, roughly 45-60 minutes before anticipated sexual activity; spacing of at least 24 hours between doses is typically observed · SubQ
- Titration
- Most community protocols start low to gauge nausea and the central side-effect profile, then titrate up by feel rather than on a fixed schedule. A common reported pattern: first dose 0.5 mg (500 mcg), assess response and tolerability, then move toward 1-2 mg on later occasions if the lower dose is well tolerated and under-effective. The FDA product (Vyleesi) is a single fixed 1.75 mg dose with no titration.
- Cycle
- Used episodically (on-demand), not on a continuous cycle. Reported "as needed" before anticipated sexual activity. The FDA label caps use at no more than one dose per 24 hours and no more than 8 doses in any 28-day period; community use generally respects a similar ceiling because of the nausea and transient blood-pressure effects.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 10 mg vial: add 2 mL bacteriostatic water -> 5 mg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 10 units (0.1 mL) = 0.5 mg; 20 units (0.2 mL) = 1 mg; 35 units (0.35 mL) = 1.75 mg (the Vyleesi-equivalent dose). A more dilute alternative is 10 mg in 5 mL -> 2 mg/mL, where 50 units (0.5 mL) = 1 mg, which makes small upward titration steps easier to measure.
- Notes
- FDA-approved as Vyleesi in 2019 for acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, this is the only approved indication; all male and erectile-dysfunction use is off-label. It is a melanocortin (MC1R/MC4R) agonist acting centrally, distinct from PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra/Cialis), so it is sometimes tried by PDE5 non-responders. Tolerability is the main limiter: in pooled phase 3 trials nausea occurred in ~40% of treated patients (vs 1% placebo; ~13% needed an anti-emetic), flushing ~20%, headache ~11%; nausea tends to improve with the second dose. The label documents a small, transient rise in blood pressure (mean daytime SBP +1.9 mmHg, DBP +1.7 mmHg after 8 days) and a transient ~0.5 bpm fall in heart rate, usually resolving within 12 hours. CONTRAINDICATED in uncontrolled hypertension or known cardiovascular disease, and not recommended in those at high CV risk. Repeated/high dosing of melanocortin agonists can cause focal hyperpigmentation (more relevant to chronic use than on-demand use). Vials labeled in mg are where dose-math errors happen, confirm vial mass and reconstitution volume before drawing.
DSIP
Full profile →Sleep quality / sleep latency (community reported)
100-300 mcg per injection (most commonly cited single dose ~250 mcg); reported range across users is ~100-500 mcg
Once in the evening. Timing reports diverge: some inject 30-60 minutes before bed; others dose earlier (afternoon/early evening) on the theory the effect builds over hours · SubQ (some historical human studies used IV or intranasal)
Human research dosing (historical clinical trials, for reference)
25 nmol/kg body weight (~0.7-0.8 mg for a typical adult, peptide MW ~848 Da)
Single doses on study nights (e.g. before the 3rd-5th laboratory night) · IV (intravenous), and intranasal in some trials
- Titration
- None commonly reported. There is no established dose-finding literature; the 25 nmol/kg figure used in human trials was carried over from the original animal work and used without formal optimization. Community users typically pick a flat dose (often 100-250 mcg) rather than ramping.
- Cycle
- No standardized cycle. Reported community patterns are short and intermittent: nightly for a few weeks (e.g. 5 nights on / 2 off for ~4-8 weeks), or simply used on nights of poor sleep rather than continuously. Long-term daily use has not been studied.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial: add 2 mL bacteriostatic water -> 2.5 mg/mL (2500 mcg/mL). On a U-100 insulin syringe, 4 units (0.04 mL) = 100 mcg; 10 units (0.1 mL) = 250 mcg. For finer control, 5 mg in 2.5 mL -> 2000 mcg/mL, where 5 units (0.05 mL) = 100 mcg and 12.5 units = 250 mcg.
- Notes
- DSIP is a nonapeptide (sequence Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu) isolated by Monnier and Schoenenberger in the 1970s from the dialysate of sleeping rabbits. Despite the name, the HUMAN sleep evidence is weak and conflicting: small placebo-controlled trials in the 1980s-90s (Schneider-Helmert and others) found at best modest, statistically fragile improvements in sleep efficiency/latency in chronic insomniacs, and several found no significant increase in delta sleep, the authors themselves concluded it was unlikely to be of major therapeutic benefit, and pharmaceutical development was abandoned by the mid-1990s. It is not approved anywhere as a sleep drug. Reported side effects are generally mild (occasional headache, mild dizziness), but the safety database is thin and long-term/continuous use is essentially unstudied. Endogenous DSIP-like immunoreactivity exists in humans, but "DSIP the sleep aid" remains largely an animal-derived idea that did not translate. Treat all dosing here as community practice, not evidence-based.
Melanotan II
Full profile →Tanning / photoprotection, loading phase (community reported)
0.25-1 mg/day, reached by titration (start 0.25 mg)
Once daily (or every other day) until target pigmentation is reached · SubQ
Tanning, maintenance phase (community reported)
~0.5 mg per dose
1-2 times per week to maintain pigmentation · SubQ
Libido / erectile effect (secondary, often-unwanted melanocortin effect)
Typically the same low SubQ doses (~0.25-1 mg); effect is dose-related and can include spontaneous erections/priapism at higher doses
As experienced rather than deliberately dosed; not a recommended standalone use · SubQ
- Titration
- Yes, titration is the norm specifically to manage nausea and flushing. A widely reported schedule: begin at 0.25 mg (250 mcg) once daily during the loading phase, then increase by ~0.25 mg every 5-7 days as nausea tolerance improves, working up toward 0.5-1 mg/day. Some users go even lower to start (100 mcg) and ramp more slowly. The receptor/tolerance adaptation over the first 7-10 days is the stated reason for going gradually.
- Cycle
- Two-phase pattern. LOADING: daily (or every-other-day) SubQ injections for ~1-4 weeks (commonly cited 6-8 weeks of daily-ish dosing) until desired pigmentation develops. MAINTENANCE: drop to ~1-2 injections per week (e.g. 500 mcg twice weekly) to hold the tan. Many users run it seasonally and stop in the off-season; existing pigmentation fades over weeks once dosing stops.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 10 mg vial: add 2 mL bacteriostatic water -> 5 mg/mL (5000 mcg/mL). On a U-100 insulin syringe, 5 units (0.05 mL) = 250 mcg; 10 units (0.1 mL) = 500 mcg; 20 units = 1 mg. For easier small steps, a 10 mg vial in 3 mL -> ~3.33 mg/mL, where ~7.5 units = 250 mcg. Store lyophilized cold; refrigerate reconstituted solution (2-8 C) and use within ~1-2 weeks.
- Notes
- Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic melanocortin (MC1R/MC3R/MC4R) agonist; MC1R activation darkens skin, while MC4R activation drives the libido/erectile effects and much of the nausea. It is NOT approved for human use in the US, UK, Australia or EU and is illegal to sell for human consumption in many countries; products are unregulated and batch content has been shown to vary widely. Safety is the headline concern, not dosing precision: documented case reports include new melanomas and dysplastic/changing moles arising during or after use, rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury at overdose (one well-known case from a ~6 mg dose, ~6x typical, with CK ~17,773 and a 3-day ICU stay), and priapism requiring intervention. Common acute effects are nausea, facial flushing, appetite suppression and darkening of existing moles/freckles. Because it darkens and multiplies nevi, dermatologists specifically warn it can mask or mimic melanoma. Nasal-spray formulations are also marketed and discouraged by dermatology bodies. Anyone using it is generally advised to have a baseline skin/mole check and ongoing surveillance. Strictly community/grey-market practice, nothing here is endorsed.
AOD-9604
Full profile →Fat loss / body composition (community reported)
~300 mcg/day (commonly cited range 250-500 mcg; advanced users up to 500 mcg or 250 mcg twice daily)
Once daily, typically fasted in the morning (~30-60 min before eating, to dose into low-insulin conditions); often 5 days on / 2 off · SubQ (into abdominal subcutaneous fat)
Fat loss, clinical trial reference dose (for context, not a community protocol)
1 mg/day oral (trial formulation)
Once daily for 12 weeks (Phase IIa); a later 24-week Phase IIb also used oral dosing · Oral (trial formulation; community use is injectable)
Joint / connective tissue support (community reported, weak evidence)
~300 mcg/day, sometimes combined locally with BPC-157/TB-500 in stacks
Once daily during a recovery block · SubQ
- Titration
- None commonly reported. Most users start at and stay near the standard ~300 mcg/day; some begin at 250 mcg and move to 500 mcg, but this is a flat dose-pick rather than a structured ramp. No tolerance-driven titration is typical because the central/melanocortin-type side effects of other peptides are absent here.
- Cycle
- Commonly run ~5 days on / 2 days off, in blocks of roughly 8-12 weeks, often followed by a break. Because it does not raise IGF-1 or affect the GH axis chronically, users tend to treat cycle length loosely; some run it continuously through a fat-loss phase.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial: add 2 mL bacteriostatic water -> 2.5 mg/mL (2500 mcg/mL). On a U-100 insulin syringe, ~12 units (0.12 mL) = 300 mcg; 10 units (0.1 mL) = 250 mcg; 20 units = 500 mcg. For round numbers, 5 mg in 2.5 mL -> 2000 mcg/mL, where 15 units (0.15 mL) = 300 mcg.
- Notes
- AOD-9604 is a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone, the C-terminal lipolytic region (residues 176-191) with an added N-terminal tyrosine, developed by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (Monash University) as an "anti-obesity drug." Mechanistically it is reported to stimulate lipolysis and inhibit lipogenesis WITHOUT binding the GH receptor, so unlike full GH it does not meaningfully raise IGF-1, blood glucose or cortisol, that selectivity is its main selling point and is reasonably well supported. The efficacy story is the caveat: human Phase IIa (300 obese adults, 12 weeks) showed only modest weight loss (~2.6 kg vs 0.8 kg placebo), and the larger 24-week Phase IIb (536 subjects, oral) FAILED to beat placebo on the primary weight-loss endpoint, leading to discontinuation as a drug candidate in 2007. The FDA later granted a GRAS determination for a specific use as a supplement ingredient, but it has no approved therapeutic indication. Human safety in trials was generally good (no significant IGF-1/glucose changes, well tolerated), but long-term injectable use at community doses is not formally studied, and product quality is unregulated. Bottom line for a Ground Truth profile: a clean mechanism and a benign short-term safety signal, undercut by a failed pivotal efficacy trial.
5-Amino-1MQ
Full profile →Fat loss / metabolic (NNMT inhibition), community reported, oral
50-150 mg/day; most commonly 50 mg titrating to 100 mg
Once daily in the morning, or split into two doses; often taken with food · Oral (capsule)
- Titration
- Sometimes reported. A common community approach starts at 50 mg/day for 1-2 weeks to assess tolerance, then increases to 100 mg/day (some go to 150 mg/day split into two doses). Because it is an oral small molecule rather than a melanocortin/GH-type peptide, ramping is about GI/individual tolerance, not receptor desensitization. There is no validated human titration schedule.
- Cycle
- Commonly cycled ~8-12 weeks on, then ~4-6 weeks off. This is convention rather than evidence-based, there are no human trials defining an optimal duration.
- Reconstitution example
- Usually NOT reconstituted. 5-Amino-1MQ is most often sold and used as oral capsules (commonly 50 mg), taken in the morning. For the less-common injectable/research vial (e.g. a 50 mg vial), an example is add 2 mL bacteriostatic water -> 25 mg/mL, where on a U-100 insulin syringe 20 units (0.2 mL) = 5 mg and 40 units (0.4 mL) = 10 mg, but injectable use is uncommon and even less characterized than the oral route.
- Notes
- 5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small-molecule selective inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), not a peptide, it is grouped with peptides only by the wellness market. The entire rationale comes from preclinical work, principally Neelakantan et al., Biochemical Pharmacology 2018, which showed methylquinolinium NNMT inhibitors are membrane-permeable and selective, lower 1-methylnicotinamide while raising NAD+ and SAM in adipocytes, suppress lipogenesis, and in diet-induced obese MICE reduced body weight, white-fat mass, adipocyte size and cholesterol without changing food intake. Critically, there are NO published human clinical trials and no established human dosing, every dose figure above is community/vendor convention, and oral bioavailability in humans is unknown (likely a real limitation). Because it nudges the NAD+/SAM/methylation system, theoretical concerns include effects on methylation-dependent processes; the human safety database is essentially empty. This is a profile where the honest grade is "mechanistically interesting, human-untested", the dosing exists, the human evidence does not.
NAD+
Full profile →Longevity / general wellness / energy (community + compounding-pharmacy reported)
50-100 mg per injection (typical range 50-150 mg); start ~25-50 mg
Often 2-3 times per week; some protocols daily. A commonly cited cap is ~300 mg/week SubQ · SubQ (also given IM, and IV in clinic settings at higher total doses)
IV clinic protocol (for context, distinct from at-home SubQ)
Much larger totals per session (commonly hundreds of mg up to ~500-1000 mg per infusion, given very slowly)
Intermittent clinic visits rather than daily self-injection · IV (slow infusion over hours; rate-limited by flushing/nausea/chest tightness)
- Titration
- Yes, slow titration is strongly emphasized, both per-injection (inject slowly) and across weeks. A common reported plan: start at ~0.1 mL/25-50 mg, then increase by ~25 mg per week as tolerated toward 100 mg. The titration is driven by acute infusion-rate side effects (flushing, nausea, chest/abdominal tightness) that worsen with faster/larger dosing, going low and slow is the consistent harm-reduction theme.
- Cycle
- No fixed on/off cycle; usually run as ongoing maintenance. Frequency reports vary widely: many protocols are 2-3 times per week rather than daily; some educational protocols dose 50-100 mg daily. A frequently cited ceiling is roughly 300 mg/week SubQ without further evaluation. Often done in blocks (e.g. a loading stretch of more frequent dosing, then a weekly maintenance dose).
- Reconstitution example
- Many NAD+ injectables are sold pre-mixed by compounding pharmacies (e.g. 100-200 mg/mL); if reconstituting a lyophilized 1000 mg vial, an example is add 3 mL bacteriostatic water -> ~333 mg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, ~7.5 units (0.075 mL) = 25 mg; 15 units (0.15 mL) = 50 mg; 30 units (0.3 mL) = 100 mg. (NAD+ injections often sting, slow injection and rotating sites are commonly advised; refrigerate 2-8 C.)
- Notes
- NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme central to mitochondrial energy metabolism and sirtuin/PARP activity, given here as the molecule itself by injection (distinct from oral precursors like NMN or NR, which are the better-studied way to raise NAD+). The marketing claims, energy, "anti-aging," cognitive and metabolic benefit, substantially outrun the controlled human evidence for INJECTABLE NAD+ specifically; most rigorous human data concern precursors, and direct NAD+ injection lacks strong RCT support for longevity endpoints. The practical realities are dosing-rate side effects: injection-site stinging, flushing, nausea, headache, lightheadedness, and a characteristic chest/abdominal tightness or 'sense of doom' when infused too fast, all dose- and rate-dependent and usually resolving within 1-3 hours; slowing the injection, hydrating, and conservative titration are the standard mitigations. It is widely available through compounding pharmacies (e.g. Empower, Olympia) as a prescription compounded product, but it is not an FDA-approved drug for any anti-aging indication. Confirm the supplied concentration (mg/mL) before dosing, since pre-mixed pharmacy vials and self-reconstituted vials differ substantially.
Cagrilintide
Full profile →Weight loss / appetite (amylin monotherapy, mirroring the Phase 2 dose-finding trial NCT03856047)
2.4 mg target (some reference the 4.5 mg Phase 2 maintenance dose)
Once weekly · SubQ
CagriSema mimicry, co-titrated ~1:1 with semaglutide for additive satiety (the Phase 3 REDEFINE regimen)
2.4 mg cagrilintide + 2.4 mg semaglutide
Once weekly, same day · SubQ
- Titration
- Commonly reported to mirror the trial titration: start ~0.25 mg once weekly, then step up roughly every 4 weeks: 0.25 -> 0.5 -> 1.0 -> 1.7 -> 2.4 mg, escalating only as GI tolerance allows. Rushed escalation is the single most-cited cause of severe nausea and appetite collapse.
- Cycle
- Continuous once-weekly use while weight loss is desired (no fixed on/off cycle in trials); weight regain after stopping is the class pattern. ~7-8 day half-life (159-195 h) supports the once-weekly cadence and means timing relative to food is flexible.
- Reconstitution example
- Standard formula: concentration (mg/mL) = vial mg / mL of BAC water; units on a U-100 syringe = (dose mg / concentration) x 100. Example: 5 mg vial + 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe (100 u = 1 mL): 0.25 mg = 10 units; 0.5 mg = 20 u; 1.0 mg = 40 u; 1.7 mg = 68 u; 2.4 mg = 96 u. (This 2.5 mg/mL mirrors a common semaglutide mix, convenient for 1:1 CagriSema-style co-dosing.) 10 mg in 3.0 mL = 3.33 mg/mL is also reported. Add water slowly down the vial wall, swirl, do not shake; refrigerate reconstituted solution 2-8C, protect from light, use within ~28-30 days.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Cagrilintide is a real Novo Nordisk long-acting amylin (calcitonin-receptor family) analog with extensive Phase 1-3 human RCT data, but it is NOT FDA-approved as a standalone agent, every late-stage filing is for the CagriSema COMBINATION with semaglutide. The headline ~20%+ weight-loss numbers are the combination; monotherapy was ~9.1% at 2.4 mg and ~10.8% at 4.5 mg over 26 weeks. Dominant adverse effects are GI (nausea ~30-40% monotherapy, mostly mild-moderate and transient during titration). Class precautions: personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2; gastroparesis; pregnancy; disordered-eating history. The biggest real-world risk is gray-market powder of unverified identity/purity sold 'for research only', confirm the actual vial mass before any dose math; never assume label accuracy.
Semaglutide
Full profile →Chronic weight management (Wegovy label regimen)
2.4 mg maintenance (an investigational 7.2 mg was studied in STEP UP)
Once weekly · SubQ
Type 2 diabetes / glycemic control (Ozempic label regimen)
0.5-2.0 mg maintenance after a 0.25 mg starter
Once weekly · SubQ
Oral GLP-1 (Rybelsus / oral Wegovy)
7-14 mg (oral) per the product
Once daily on an empty stomach, with <=4 oz water, >=30 min before food/drink/other meds · oral
- Titration
- Wegovy obesity titration over ~16+ weeks: 0.25 mg weekly x4 -> 0.5 -> 1.0 -> 1.7 -> 2.4 mg, each step held ~4 weeks. Ozempic: 0.25 mg starter x4 weeks (not therapeutic, tolerance only) -> 0.5 -> up to 2.0 mg. Slow titration is deliberate to limit nausea.
- Cycle
- Continuous, open-ended once-weekly dosing; not cycled. Stopping leads to substantial rebound weight regain (STEP 1 extension: most weight returns within ~1 year). Half-life ~1 week (~165 h, strong albumin binding + DPP-4 resistance), so the weekly shot can be any day/time, with or without food.
- Reconstitution example
- FDA-approved products (Ozempic/Wegovy) ship as pre-filled pens. NO reconstitution (a safety advantage). For compounded/gray-market lyophilized powder: concentration (mg/mL) = vial mg / mL BAC water; units on U-100 = (dose mg / conc) x 100. Common example: 5 mg vial + 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL. On a U-100 syringe: 0.25 mg = 10 units; 0.5 mg = 20 u; 1.0 mg = 40 u; 1.7 mg = 68 u; 2.4 mg = 96 u. Refrigerate reconstituted solution; most references cite ~28-day stability with BAC water (benzyl alcohol preservative); sterile water without preservative ~24 h.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed, semaglutide is one of the rare grade-A peptides (multiple large RCTs, three FDA approvals: Ozempic 2017 T2D, Wegovy 2021 obesity, 2024 cardiovascular risk reduction). STEP 1: ~14.9% weight loss vs ~2.4% placebo at 68 wks. Real risks: FDA BOXED WARNING for rodent thyroid C-cell/medullary tumors (human relevance undetermined), contraindicated with personal/family history of MTC or MEN2; acute pancreatitis and gallbladder disease reported; heavy GI burden (nausea up to ~44% at the 2.4 mg dose); lean/muscle-mass loss alongside fat. Most dosing-error harm comes from self-dosing compounded/gray-market vials, verify mg/vial and resulting concentration against the actual product; do not exceed the labeled maintenance dose without prescriber coordination.
Tirzepatide
Full profile →Chronic weight management (Zepbound label regimen)
5, 10, or 15 mg maintenance (after a 2.5 mg lead-in)
Once weekly · SubQ
Type 2 diabetes / glycemic control (Mounjaro label regimen)
5-15 mg maintenance (after a 2.5 mg lead-in)
Once weekly · SubQ
Moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea with obesity (FDA-approved 2024)
10 or 15 mg (per the weight-management titration)
Once weekly · SubQ
- Titration
- Label titration: 2.5 mg once weekly x4 weeks (tolerability lead-in, NOT therapeutic) -> 5 mg, then increase in 2.5 mg increments no more often than every 4 weeks as tolerated, to a 5/10/15 mg maintenance. Each step is ~4 weeks because steady state is reached in ~4-5 half-lives. Higher dose = more weight loss (~ -0.72% body weight per added 1 mg in meta-regression) but more GI burden.
- Cycle
- Continuous open-ended once-weekly dosing; not cycled. Weight regain is common after stopping, so many plan a maintenance dose rather than stopping cold. Half-life ~5 days (~120 h); inject any time of day, with or without food, doses kept >=3 days apart if changing the weekly day.
- Reconstitution example
- Commercial product ships ready-to-use (single-dose pen/vial or KwikPen). NO reconstitution. For compounded/lyophilized 'research' powder: concentration = vial mg / mL BAC water; units on U-100 = (dose mg / conc) x 100. Example: 10 mg vial + 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL. On a U-100 syringe: 2.5 mg = 50 units; 5 mg = 100 u (a full 1 mL syringe). For higher maintenance doses use a more concentrated mix, e.g. 30 mg + 1.5 mL = 20 mg/mL -> 5 mg = 25 u, 10 mg = 50 u, 15 mg = 75 u. Confirm the labeled mg-per-vial and resulting concentration before drawing.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Tirzepatide is a grade-A, FDA-approved dual GIP + GLP-1 agonist (Mounjaro T2D May 2022; Zepbound obesity Nov 2023; OSA 2024) with the strongest weight-loss RCT data in class: SURMOUNT-1 ~20.9% at 15 mg vs 3.1% placebo over 72 wks, and SURMOUNT-5 showed superiority over semaglutide 2.4 mg. Real risks: BOXED WARNING for rodent thyroid C-cell tumors (human relevance undetermined), contraindicated with personal/family history of MTC or MEN2; elevated gallbladder/biliary disease (meta-analysis RR ~1.97); rare pancreatitis; heavy GI burden (nausea ~25-36%, 'sulfur burps') concentrated during escalation; hypoglycemia risk rises with insulin/sulfonylureas. Do NOT escalate rapidly, case reports document severe hypoglycemia and ICU-level complications from unsupervised fast titration. Compounded/gray-market vials carry real mislabeled-concentration and overdose risk.
Retatrutide
Full profile →Weight loss / obesity (mirroring the Phase 2 NEJM 2023 and Phase 3 TRIUMPH program)
4, 8, or 12 mg maintenance (12 mg = the max-efficacy arm, ~24% at 48 wks Ph2)
Once weekly · SubQ
Metabolic / type 2 diabetes (TRANSCEND-T2D Phase 3)
Up to 12 mg (A1C reduction ~1.7-2.0%; ~16.8% weight loss at 12 mg)
Once weekly · SubQ
MASLD / liver-fat reduction (Phase 2a, Nature Medicine 2024), glucagon arm drives hepatic fat oxidation
Up to 12 mg (large liver-fat reductions at 24-48 wks)
Once weekly · SubQ
- Titration
- Trials used slow once-weekly escalation: typically start 2 mg/week, step up roughly monthly toward 4, 8, or 12 mg maintenance. Community/gray-market users mirror this, often starting ~1-2 mg/wk and titrating up over weeks. Rapid escalation drives GI intolerance (nausea ~60% at 12 mg); slower titration is the main lever cited to manage it.
- Cycle
- Continuous once-weekly while weight loss is desired; trials ran 48-80 weeks without the usual plateau. No fixed on/off cycle. Half-life ~6 days, dose-proportional PK with no meaningful accumulation; dosed once weekly without regard to meals.
- Reconstitution example
- Concentration = vial mg / mL BAC water; units on U-100 = (dose mg / conc) x 100. Example: 10 mg vial + 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 10 mg/mL. On a U-100 syringe: 1 mg = 10 units; 2 mg = 20 u; 4 mg = 40 u; 8 mg = 80 u; 12 mg = 120 u (exceeds one 1 mL syringe -> use a more dilute mix or two draws). Alternative: 10 mg + 2.0 mL = 5 mg/mL -> 2 mg = 40 u, 4 mg = 80 u. Reconstitute gently (no shaking/heat/light), refrigerate after mixing.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Retatrutide (Eli Lilly LY3437943) is a triple GLP-1 + GIP + glucagon agonist with the LARGEST weight loss of any incretin drug in trials (~24.2% at 12 mg / 48 wks Phase 2; TRIUMPH-1 Phase 3 topline ~25-30% at 80 wks), but it is NOT FDA-approved as of June 2026, regulatory submission anticipated ~2027. That means there is NO quality-controlled finished product: every gram in circulation is unregulated research-grade material of unknown identity/purity, and forum weight-loss numbers cannot verify any individual vial. Adverse effects: dose-related GI (nausea, vomiting, constipation), a dose-dependent resting heart-rate rise (~5-7 bpm), fatigue. Class precaution: personal/family MTC or MEN2 history; pancreatitis; gallbladder disease; pregnancy. Confirm any vendor vial via independent third-party mass-spec/HPLC (e.g., Janoshik) before assuming contents.
Survodutide
Full profile →Weight loss / obesity (Phase 2 dose-finding, Lancet Diab Endocrinol 2024; Phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1)
4.8 mg (the efficacy 'sweet spot'; trial maintenance options 2.4 / 3.6 / 4.8 mg)
Once weekly · SubQ
MASH / liver fibrosis (Phase 2 NEJM June 2024; FDA Breakthrough Therapy Oct 2024), glucagon arm drives hepatic fat oxidation
4.8 mg (trial arms 2.4 / 4.8 / 6.0 mg; MASH improvement up to 62% at 4.8 mg)
Once weekly · SubQ
- Titration
- Trials used stepwise once-weekly uptitration to a 2.4 / 3.6 / 4.8 mg (up to 6.0 mg in MASH) maintenance. Escalation in the studies was relatively RAPID (steps every ~2 weeks), which is itself implicated in the high GI-driven dropout (~24.6% discontinuation vs 3.9% placebo); slower escalation is widely expected to improve real-world tolerability.
- Cycle
- Continuous once-weekly investigational dosing; no fixed on/off cycle (durability after stopping not yet established). Half-life ~109-115 h (~4.5-5 days, >99% albumin binding via a C18 diacid), steady state ~week 5; dosed once weekly on a fixed day, without regard to meals.
- Reconstitution example
- No legitimate consumer product exists, so any reconstitution is by analogy to other albumin-bound GLP-1-class peptides and is OUTSIDE validated guidance. If applying the standard formula to a gray-market vial: concentration = vial mg / mL BAC water; units on U-100 = (dose mg / conc) x 100. Example: 10 mg vial + 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water = 4 mg/mL. On a U-100 syringe: 2.4 mg = 60 units; 3.6 mg = 90 u; 4.8 mg = 120 u (exceeds one 1 mL syringe -> two draws or a more concentrated mix). Reconstitute gently, refrigerate after mixing, protect from light/heat. Identity/purity of any non-trial product is unverifiable.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Survodutide (Boehringer Ingelheim / originally Zealand Pharma; BI 456906) is a balanced glucagon/GLP-1 DUAL agonist with strong randomized human data. Phase 2 obesity ~19% weight loss at 4.8 mg/46 wks; Phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1 topline 16.6% at 76 wks vs 3.2% placebo; Phase 2 MASH improvement up to 62% vs 14% placebo with FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation (Oct 2024), but it is NOT FDA-approved for any indication and is BARELY present on the gray market (in sharp contrast to retatrutide), so genuine real-world anecdote is thin and any 'survodutide' powder may actually be mislabeled semaglutide/tirzepatide/retatrutide. Adverse effects: GI-dominant (nausea/vomiting/diarrhea) clustered during fast titration; modest heart-rate rise (~2.7 bpm). Class precaution by analogy: MTC/MEN2 history, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, pregnancy; the glucagon arm warrants extra caution in poorly controlled diabetes and significant cardiovascular disease (CVOT ongoing).
Melanotan I
Full profile →Photoprotection in erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), the ONLY FDA-approved use; SCENESSE implant
16 mg afamelanotide controlled-release implant, inserted by a trained provider
Every 2 months · SubQ (bioresorbable implant above the anterior supra-iliac crest)
Cosmetic / sunless tanning (OFF-LABEL, gray-market injectable; only small open-label pilot evidence)
~0.5-1 mg/day during a reported 'loading' phase, then less frequent maintenance (original 1996 human dose-ranging used ~0.16 mg/kg/day SC)
Daily during loading, then maintenance (no validated schedule) · SubQ
Repigmentation in vitiligo (INVESTIGATIONAL, with NB-UVB; Phase 3 CUV105 readout expected H2 2026)
16 mg implant (as in the EPP program)
Per trial protocol · SubQ implant
- Titration
- None commonly reported for the approved implant (fixed 16 mg every 2 months). Off-label injectable users describe a 'loading then maintenance' pattern rather than a formal dose titration; there is no controlled-trial basis for any escalation schedule.
- Cycle
- Approved implant: dosed every 2 months, typically timed to high-light-exposure seasons in EPP. Off-label tanning use is a load-then-maintain pattern keyed to desired pigmentation, not a fixed on/off cycle. Implant half-life ~15 h (drug undetectable in ~2-3 days) but pigmentation persists for weeks, which is why dosing is only every 2 months.
- Reconstitution example
- The APPROVED product is a solid bioresorbable implant. NO reconstitution. For gray-market lyophilized injectable powder (off-label): concentration = vial mg / mL BAC water; units on U-100 = (dose mg / conc) x 100. Example: 10 mg vial + 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL (5000 mcg/mL). On a U-100 syringe: 0.5 mg (500 mcg) = 10 units; 1 mg = 20 u. Reconstitute gently with BAC water (do not shake), refrigerate after mixing, protect from light/heat. Reconstitution quality and identity of unregulated product are unverifiable, a core risk.
- Notes
- REPORTED, not prescribed. Melanotan I = afamelanotide (a LINEAR, MC1R-predominant alpha-MSH analog), NOT to be confused with Melanotan II (cyclic, non-selective, the compound responsible for the erection/nausea/priapism anecdotes and the worst case reports). It is genuinely grade-A and FDA-approved (Oct 8, 2019) as the SCENESSE 16 mg implant for EPP photoprotection, backed by two Phase 3 RCTs (NEJM 2015), but that evidence does NOT transfer to the cosmetic tanning use people actually want it for, where the human data are only small open-label pilots (single-digit n) and the product is an unregulated, frequently mislabeled gray-market injectable. Approved-implant adverse events: implant-site reactions ~21%, nausea ~19%, headache ~20%, generalized skin/mucosal hyperpigmentation, and darkening/new melanocytic nevi (twice-yearly full-body skin exams are mandated). Theoretical (unquantified) melanoma-masking/promotion concern; long-term carcinogenicity data limited. Confirm any 'MT-1' product identity before use, vendors routinely substitute MT-II.
SNAP-8
Full profile →Cosmetic / anti-wrinkle, mass-market finished products (low end)
0.005%–0.05% w/w in the finished formula (the range commonly seen on commercial INCI lists)
Applied to clean skin 1–2x daily, typically morning and night · Topical only (leave-on serum, cream, or gel). Not injected.
Cosmetic / anti-wrinkle. DIY and 'clinical-strength' formulations (effective end)
3%–10% w/w of active. Forums/DIY guides treat ~3% as a maintenance floor, ~5% as standard, and ~10% as the 'clinical-strength' tier matching the Lipotec study concentration. Below 3% is widely reported as too low to do much; above 10% adds irritation risk without added benefit.
2x daily (AM/PM) to clean, dry skin before oils/creams/SPF; allow ~1–2 min to absorb · Topical only (leave-on). Not injected.
Application amount per use (reported usage, not a 'dose' in mg)
A pea-sized amount overall, or ~2–3 drops of serum per target zone (forehead, crow's-feet, frown lines); ~6–10 drops if treating multiple areas
2x daily · Topical, patted into expression-line zones
- Titration
- None commonly reported. Unlike injectables, users typically start at the intended finished concentration (e.g. 5%) rather than ramping. Some sensitive-skin users report patch-testing first and starting at the lower 3% end before moving to 5–10%, but no formal dose-escalation schedule exists.
- Cycle
- No on/off cycling reported or recommended. SNAP-8 is one of the few cosmetic peptides commonly described as safe for continuous, indefinite daily use, the mechanism is local and reversible, so stopping simply lets expression lines return over weeks. Reported timeline: subtle softening at 2–4 weeks, measurable change at 4–8 weeks, maximal effect ~8–12 weeks, then ongoing maintenance.
- Reconstitution example
- TOPICAL PEPTIDE. NOT INJECTED, so a BAC-water/U-100 insulin-syringe reconstitution does NOT apply. People instead dissolve raw powder into a water-based serum and apply it. Worked example for a finished percentage: a finished % is grams of peptide per 100 g of base, so to make 5% from a 1 g (1000 mg) jar of powder, dissolve it into ~20 g (~20 mL) of water/serum base (1 g ÷ 0.05 = 20 g → 5%). For 10%, dissolve 1 g into ~10 g base. Smaller batch: 50 mg powder into 1 mL (≈1 g) base ≈ 5%. SNAP-8 is water-soluble; DIY guides add it to the cool-down/water phase below ~40°C, often with a hydrosoluble preservative. Vendor pre-made 'SNAP-8 peptide solution' products are sold already in solution (commonly a low-percent active), so no mixing is needed.
- Notes
- Argireline's longer sibling, an octapeptide elongation of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline / acetyl hexapeptide-3). Mechanism is a topical 'Botox-mimic': it mimics the N-terminal end of SNAP-25, competing for a spot in the SNARE complex (the docking machinery that lets nerve terminals release acetylcholine), so muscle contraction is gently dampened rather than paralyzed. Only works on DYNAMIC (expression-driven) wrinkles, forehead lines, crow's-feet, glabellar frown lines, and does nothing for static wrinkles or volume loss. Vendor (Lipotec/Centerchem) data is in-house, not independent: a 10% twice-daily formula reported up to ~63% reduction in wrinkle depth around the eyes over 28 days by silicon-replica profilometry; in-house comparisons claim it is ~30% more active than Argireline at equal concentration. These figures are manufacturer-sponsored and not from independent peer-reviewed RCTs, treat the magnitude as marketing-grade. Skin-permeation of these large, hydrophilic peptides through intact stratum corneum is itself debated in the literature, which is a real ceiling on topical efficacy. Generally very well tolerated; mild transient irritation/tightness is the main reported issue. 'Cosmetic peptide,' not a drug; vendors that sell the raw powder usually label it 'research use only.'
AHK-Cu
Full profile →Hair / scalp, prevention or early thinning (starter)
~100–200 ppm of AHK-Cu in a finished scalp serum (≈0.01–0.02% w/v)
Once daily to the scalp (most protocols are once-daily) · Topical only (scalp serum/spray). Not injected.
Hair / scalp, active/visible thinning (standard)
~200–300 ppm in a finished scalp serum (≈0.02–0.03% w/v); commercial hair serums typically sit in the 100–500 ppm band
Once daily to affected areas of the scalp · Topical only. Not injected.
Hair / scalp, significant thinning / slow responders (aggressive)
~300–500 ppm in a finished serum (≈0.03–0.05% w/v). DIY/formulation guides put the practical ceiling around 1–2% and treat ~10% as the absolute research-only maximum for copper peptides; >2% rarely adds benefit and raises irritation risk.
Once daily to the scalp · Topical only. Not injected.
Skin / cosmetic (anti-aging, wound-support adjunct)
Commonly ~0.3–1% in a finished leave-on for skin (often paired with or used similarly to its better-studied cousin GHK-Cu); start ~0.5% and move toward 1–2% only if well tolerated
1x daily, usually PM · Topical only. Not injected.
- Titration
- Mild ramp commonly reported but no formal schedule. Typical DIY approach is to start low (~0.5%, or ~100–200 ppm for scalp) to gauge tolerance, then step up to 1% (or 200–500 ppm) if there is no irritation; concentrations above ~2% are rarely used. Frequency is generally held at once daily rather than escalated.
- Cycle
- No on/off cycling reported, designed for continuous daily topical use. Gains are reported to be maintenance-dependent: stopping is said to gradually reverse improvements as the follicle stimulus is removed. Reported timeline: minimum ~8–12 weeks for first visible change, full assessment at ~4–6+ months of uninterrupted daily use.
- Reconstitution example
- TOPICAL PEPTIDE. NOT INJECTED. Vendors warn explicitly NOT to inject finished AHK-Cu serums (they contain preservatives/emulsifiers not safe for injection), so a BAC-water/U-100 insulin-syringe reconstitution does NOT apply. Instead, raw powder is dissolved into a water-based serum to a target ppm. ppm math: 1 ppm = 1 mg per 1 L = 1 mg per 1000 mL, so mg of powder = (target ppm × mL of base) ÷ 1000. Worked examples in a 30 mL base: 100 ppm = 3 mg per 30 mL; 200 ppm = 6 mg; 300 ppm = 9 mg; 500 ppm = 15 mg. So a common 300 ppm scalp serum = 9 mg AHK-Cu dissolved in 30 mL serum base. Pre-dissolve the powder in water and add it during the cool-down phase below ~40°C; store cool and dark since heat/light/moisture degrade it. Many buyers skip mixing and use a pre-made commercial serum (sold in the 100–500 ppm / 'mg per bottle' range).
- Notes
- Copper-bound tripeptide, L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine + Cu2+ (INCI: Copper Tripeptide-3), a hair-focused cousin of the much better-known skin peptide GHK-Cu (Copper Tripeptide-1). Evidence base is thin and mostly preclinical: the anchor study is Pyo/Kim et al. 2007 (Arch Pharm Res, PMID 17703734), which showed AHK-Cu at very low molar concentrations (10⁻¹²–10⁻⁹ M) elongated human hair follicles ex vivo, boosted dermal papilla cell (DPC) proliferation, raised VEGF (pro-angiogenic, better follicle blood supply), and reduced apoptosis markers (lower cleaved caspase-3/PARP, higher Bcl-2/Bax). That is the bulk of the citable human-tissue data, there is no large randomized human hair-regrowth trial of AHK-Cu, and the broader copper-peptide mechanism reviews (Pickart & Margolina, 2018) describe GHK-Cu, with AHK-Cu extrapolated alongside it. Real-world marketing percentages (ppm) are far higher than the molar concentrations used in the 2007 study, so dose-response in finished products is essentially unvalidated. Caveats: copper peptides can be destabilized/antagonized by direct co-application with strong acids and with vitamin C / niacinamide / retinoids and high levels of other actives. DIY guidance is to separate them by time of day. Generally well tolerated topically; rare mild scalp irritation or transient redness; a green/blue tint is normal (it's a copper complex). 'Cosmetic peptide,' not an approved drug; raw powder is sold 'research use only.'
5-Amino-1MQ
Full profile →Common community oral protocol (most widely reported)
50 mg/day, sometimes titrated to 100 mg/day; some go to 150 mg/day split into two doses
Once daily in the morning, or split morning and midday; taken with food to reduce nausea · Oral (capsule or tablet)
Injectable subcutaneous protocol (less common, vendor-cited research vials)
2.5 to 5 mg per injection, some sources cite 150 to 500 mcg daily at the low end
Once or twice daily given the 3.8 to 6.9 hour rodent half-life; no human-validated frequency · SubQ
- Titration
- Community convention starts at 50 mg/day oral for 1 to 2 weeks to assess GI tolerance, then advances to 100 mg/day. No human titration protocol has been studied or validated.
- Cycle
- Typically reported as 8 to 12 weeks on, followed by 4 to 6 weeks off. This is community convention; tolerance after 4 to 6 weeks is anecdotally reported and an off-cycle period is considered standard practice. No evidence base exists for the cycle length.
- Reconstitution example
- Oral capsules require no reconstitution. For research vials: a 50 mg vial plus 4.0 mL bacteriostatic water yields 12.5 mg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 4 units (0.04 mL) is approximately 0.5 mg and 20 units (0.2 mL) is 2.5 mg. A 10 mg vial plus 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water yields 5 mg/mL. Store lyophilized at -20 C; refrigerate reconstituted solution at 2 to 8 C and use within 2 to 4 weeks. Injectable use is far less common and even less characterized than the oral route.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No human dose has been established for safety or efficacy. All oral figures (50 to 150 mg/day) and injectable figures are community and vendor convention. The mouse effective dose of 20 mg/kg/day cannot be directly converted to a human equivalent. 5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule, not a peptide; the wellness market groups it with peptides for convenience. Product identity and purity from gray-market research-chemical suppliers are unverified. Because NNMT participates in cancer cell metabolism across multiple tumor types (gastric, hepatic, renal, esophageal, Merkel cell carcinoma, osteosarcoma), any history of malignancy is a reasonable reason to avoid this compound until human safety data exist. Anyone running it should treat the absence of human data as a real constraint, not a formality.
Cerebrolysin
Full profile →Community nootropic (cognitive enhancement, healthy user)
5 mL per session, some report 2-5 mL
Daily for 10-day courses, repeated 2-4x per year · IM (intramuscular). Some community members report SubQ at 2-5 mL, but SubQ is not a studied route and bioavailability via that route is unknown.
Clinical: acute ischemic stroke
15-30 mL per day (the CASTA trial used 30 mL IV x 10 days; most RCTs used 10-30 mL ranges)
Daily x 10-21 days initiated within 72 hours of stroke onset · IV infusion, diluted in 100 mL 0.9% NaCl, infused over 20-60 minutes. Up to 10 mL can be given as slow IV push over 3 minutes or undiluted.
Clinical: traumatic brain injury (TBI)
10 mL per day
Daily x 30 consecutive days · IV infusion
IM ceiling (practical limit for injection volume)
Up to 5 mL as a single IM injection; 5-10 mL IM is possible split across two sites
Daily during the course · IM. Volumes above 10 mL require IV infusion diluted in saline. Self-administered IV outside a clinical setting carries risk of air embolism, phlebitis, and anaphylaxis with no immediate medical response.
- Titration
- No standard titration. Community practice and clinical trials both typically start at the target dose for the course. Some community members start at 2-5 mL and step up to observe tolerability.
- Cycle
- Clinical standard: 10-21 day intensive daily course, then off. Community: 10-day courses 2-4x per year, with off-periods of 6-10 weeks between cycles. No human-trial-validated off-period length exists for healthy-user protocols.
- Reconstitution example
- Not reconstituted. Cerebrolysin is supplied as a ready-to-use aqueous solution at 215.2 mg/mL (typically 1 mL, 2 mL, 5 mL, 10 mL, and 20 mL ampoules). Refrigerate at 2-8 degrees C. Do not freeze. Gray-market sources may have cold-chain gaps. Once opened, use immediately.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. The IM route for community nootropic use is the practical reality, but it's a meaningful step down from the IV delivery used in every clinical trial showing benefit. Whether IM achieves equivalent CNS bioavailability is not established. The most important safety note is route: doses above 10 mL require IV infusion and self-administered IV outside a clinical setting is a serious risk. Absolute contraindications include epilepsy or history of grand mal convulsions (documented risk of lowered seizure threshold), porcine allergy, and severe renal impairment. The 2023 Cochrane update found a statistically significant ~2.4x increase in non-fatal serious adverse events in dementia populations (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.10-5.23). Gray-market vials carry no manufacturing quality guarantee and cold-chain integrity is unknown.
Dihexa
Full profile →Common community range (oral)
5-20 mg
1-3x per week (not daily; some sources cite daily use but no PK rationale exists for optimal interval) · Oral (capsule)
Community transdermal protocol
5-15 mg dissolved in DMSO carrier
1-3x per week, applied to inner forearm · Transdermal (DMSO vehicle)
Conservative/cautious community floor
1-5 mg
1-2x per week · Oral or transdermal
- Titration
- No validated titration protocol exists. Community practice: start at the low end (1-5 mg) and hold for 2-4 weeks before increasing, watching for headache, mood changes, or GI upset.
- Cycle
- No validated cycle. Community convention: 4-8 weeks on, then equal time off. Rationale is the estimated long half-life in animal IV data (12+ days), suggesting accumulation with frequent dosing. Whether this applies to oral human use is unknown.
- Reconstitution example
- Dihexa is typically sourced as a powder. For DMSO transdermal: dissolve in pharmaceutical-grade DMSO at 1-10 mg/mL, apply small volume to forearm. For oral: capsules filled from weighed powder. No sterile injectable human use protocol exists. Original WSU preclinical solutions used 1 mg/mL in DMSO.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No human clinical trial of any kind has ever been run. Oral bioavailability estimated at 40-60% in rodents with high inter-subject variability (3.5-fold range in brain tissue concentration across identically dosed animals). IV half-life in rodents is extraordinarily long (~12 days), oral estimate varies widely across sources. Transdermal DMSO carries its own risks: DMSO drives anything on the skin into systemic circulation, including contaminants. Rodent hepatotoxicity signals at higher doses; human liver threshold unknown. The compound activates the HGF/c-Met oncogenic axis. No dose listed here should be interpreted as safe or effective.
GHRP-2
Full profile →Common / standalone (community-reported)
100-300 mcg per injection
2-3x daily, fasted (waking, pre-workout, pre-bed with last meal 2-3 h prior); 3+ h between doses · SubQ
Paired with GHRH analog (most common real-world use)
100-200 mcg GHRP-2 alongside 100 mcg CJC-1295 no-DAC or modified GRF 1-29
1-3x daily; pre-bed fasted dose prioritized for natural GH surge overlap · SubQ
Clinical diagnostic (IV only, not community use)
1-2 mcg/kg as a single dose
One-time diagnostic bolus · IV (not SubQ; route used in all major human pharmacodynamic studies)
- Titration
- Commonly reported: start at 100 mcg per dose for 1-2 weeks to gauge hunger spike, flushing, and cortisol feel; step to 200-300 mcg as working dose. Many skip titration entirely since acute tolerability is generally high, but the cortisol signal is dose-dependent and worsens with frequency.
- Cycle
- Most commonly reported: 5 days on / 2 days off to limit GHS-R1a desensitization, within a 8-12 week macro-cycle followed by a 4-week break. Some clinics run it continuously at low dose. No human trial defines an optimal cycle; this is community and clinic convention.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: 5 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL (2,500 mcg/mL). On a U-100 insulin syringe (200 units total), each unit = 12.5 mcg. A 100 mcg dose = 8 units; 200 mcg = 16 units. For a 10 mg vial + 3 mL BAC water = 3.33 mg/mL; 100 mcg = 6 units, 200 mcg = 12 units. Refrigerate after reconstitution; stable approximately 28-30 days at 2-8C. Do not freeze reconstituted solution.
- Notes
- All doses reported are what the research chemical and wellness community uses, not a prescription. The human pharmacodynamic data (GH response confirmation) comes from IV bolus and continuous subcutaneous infusion protocols, not the multi-pulse bolus injection used by community protocols. The food/insulin timing rule is not optional: carbohydrates and elevated insulin blunt the GHRP-2-stimulated GH pulse, so fasted dosing is the only protocol that matches even the available human data. Cortisol and prolactin elevations are dose-dependent and real; this is the primary reason clinicians often prefer ipamorelin for chronic GH secretagogue use.
GHRP-6
Full profile →Common community protocol
100 mcg per injection; some users run 200-300 mcg
2-3x daily (pre-workout, pre-bed, and sometimes midday), each dose fasted or at least 2 hours after a meal · SubQ
Research / clinical pharmacology (human GH-secretion studies)
0.1-1.0 mcg/kg (approximately 7-70 mcg for a 70 kg person in early studies; 100-400 mcg/kg in the 2012 PK study)
Single bolus per study session · IV (all controlled human studies used IV; subcutaneous community use is extrapolated)
Conservative / saturation-capped approach
100 mcg per injection (near the 1 mcg/kg saturation point for most adults; doses above this add cortisol and prolactin without proportionally more GH)
2x daily, fasted · SubQ
- Titration
- No clinical titration protocol exists. Community practice is to start at 100 mcg per injection and assess hunger tolerance before moving to 200-300 mcg. Going above approximately 1 mcg/kg per injection is where cortisol and prolactin co-elevation becomes meaningful without additional GH benefit.
- Cycle
- No validated cycle. Community convention is 8-12 weeks on, 4-6 weeks off, extrapolated from general GH secretagogue receptor desensitization concerns. No human data establishes optimal cycle length.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial + 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water: 2 mg/mL, so 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe (0.01 mL) = 20 mcg. A 100 mcg dose = 5 units; a 200 mcg dose = 10 units. For a 5 mg vial + 5 mL water: 1 mg/mL, 10 mcg/unit, 100 mcg = 10 units. Refrigerate at 2-8C after reconstitution; discard within 28-30 days. Do not shake vigorously.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. GHRP-6 has no regulatory approval for any human use anywhere. All human dosing data comes from IV bolus pharmacodynamic studies in controlled settings, not from the SubQ bolus injections used by the community. The subcutaneous route is extrapolated, not directly validated. The saturation dose for GH release is approximately 1 mcg/kg per injection; going above this threshold produces diminishing GH return with increasing cortisol and prolactin. The intense hunger response is dose-dependent and is not a side effect that habituates quickly for most users. Purity and actual peptide content of gray-market research-chemical vials is unverified. Do not use if you have active cancer, are at high risk for hormone-sensitive malignancy, have pre-diabetes or insulin resistance, or are pregnant.
Hexarelin
Full profile →Community wellness, general GH optimization (most commonly reported)
100-200 mcg per injection
1-3 times daily, fasted (empty stomach or 2+ hours post-meal); many report 5 days on / 2 days off or 8 weeks on / 4 weeks off to limit receptor burnout · SubQ, abdomen, rotating sites
Conservative start / beginner protocol
100 mcg per injection
Once daily pre-sleep or pre-workout, fasted; no escalation until baseline response assessed · SubQ
Research / human pharmacology studies (1990s, not a wellness template)
1-2 mcg/kg IV or 1.5-3 mcg/kg SubQ (approximately 100-200 mcg for a 70-80 kg adult)
Single acute dose in controlled research settings; chronic study (Rahim 1999) used 1.5 mcg/kg twice daily for 16 weeks · IV (research only) or SubQ
- Titration
- No established titration protocol. Community convention is to start at 100 mcg once daily and observe for cortisol-related sides (fatigue, hunger spike within 60 minutes). Escalation to 2-3x daily only after confirming tolerability. Dose escalation to chase a fading GH response is the primary risk pattern as tachyphylaxis sets in.
- Cycle
- Cycling is not optional with hexarelin, it is required. The GH response attenuated roughly 45% from baseline by week 16 in the Rahim 1999 chronic study and by week 4 in the desensitization study (PMID 10990150), but was substantially reversed 4 weeks after stopping. Community convention is 4-8 weeks on / 4-6 weeks off; some use 5 on / 2 off weekly micro-cycles. No validated cycle protocol exists from human trials.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 5 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water: 2.5 mg/mL (2500 mcg/mL), 25 mcg per insulin unit (0.01 mL). A 100 mcg dose = 4 units; a 200 mcg dose = 8 units. Refrigerate post-reconstitution, use within 28 days. Avoid freeze-thaw cycles. Standard GHRP reconstitution rules apply.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No human efficacy RCT exists for any body-composition or recovery outcome. All human pharmacology data comes from small acute or short-duration studies (n=5-30) from the 1990s, primarily from the Turin group. Biggest practical risk: tachyphylaxis prompts users to escalate frequency and dose, stacking cortisol burden without proportional GH return. Acute cortisol and ACTH rise occurs per injection but Rahim 1999 found this did not accumulate into chronic hypercortisolism over 16 weeks at the studied dose. Hexarelin was never advanced to Phase 3 by any pharma sponsor. Grey-market compounding purity is unverified.
Kisspeptin
Full profile →Community wellness (reported, not studied)
100-200 mcg; some protocols cite 6-10 mcg/kg body weight
Once daily, 30-60 minutes before bed or before anticipated sexual activity; reported on 30-days-on / 30-days-off cycling · SubQ
Clinical HSDD trials (Imperial College London RCTs)
Single acute injection at study-specific doses (not disclosed as a mg range; kisspeptin-54 used in clinical research)
Single administration per session in monitored clinical setting · IV or SubQ (supervised)
IVF oocyte maturation trigger (research)
9.6 nmol/kg kisspeptin-54 (optimized dose from Phase 2 RCT, PMC4570165)
Single injection 36-38 hours before oocyte retrieval · SubQ (administered in clinic)
Intranasal (investigational, hypothalamic amenorrhoea)
6.4 nmol/kg kisspeptin-54
Single or short-window administrations in research studies · Intranasal
- Cycle
- No validated cycle exists. Community convention is 30 days on / 30 days off, extrapolated from the KISS1R desensitization concern rather than from any trial data. All clinical evidence comes from single-session or very short-window administrations, not chronic cycling.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 2 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water: 1 mg/mL solution, 10 mcg per insulin unit (0.01 mL). A 100 mcg dose = 10 units. For 200 mcg = 20 units. Refrigerate reconstituted vial at 2-8C, use within 28-30 days. KP-10 is particularly susceptible to N-terminal proteolysis and tryptophan oxidation; minimize freeze-thaw cycles and avoid vigorous agitation.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No approved human protocol exists for any wellness or optimization use. The FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 11-0 in October 2024 to recommend excluding kisspeptin-10 from the 503A Bulks List, removing the legal US compounding pathway. The single most important clinical risk is KISS1R desensitization with daily use: continuous stimulation causes receptor downregulation via beta-arrestin internalization and can paradoxically suppress the HPG axis. Clinical trial dosing was acute and supervised, not representative of self-administered wellness cycling. Users on TRT will see no attributable testosterone benefit since the HPG axis is already suppressed. KP-10 half-life is approximately 4 minutes; KP-54 approximately 28 minutes. Timing matters more than with longer-acting peptides.
MK-677
Full profile →Standard research dose (most RCTs)
25 mg
Once daily, taken before sleep to align with natural nocturnal GH pulse · Oral (tablet or capsule; no injection or reconstitution needed)
Titration start / hunger management
10 mg
Once daily for 1-2 weeks before stepping up to 25 mg; some users stay at 10 mg to manage hunger and water retention · Oral
Conservative community approach (bulking context only)
25 mg
Once daily; some protocols cycle 8-12 weeks on, 4 weeks off to manage insulin sensitivity and hunger accumulation · Oral
- Titration
- Starting at 10 mg daily for 1-2 weeks before advancing to 25 mg is the most common community approach; this gives the hunger response and water retention a chance to calibrate before committing to the full research dose. No clinical titration protocol exists.
- Cycle
- Community convention is 8-12 weeks on, 4 weeks off, primarily to give insulin sensitivity and appetite a break. Some users run it continuously with metabolic monitoring. No validated cycle has been studied. The 2-year Nass RCT ran it continuously in elderly subjects with documented worsening of fasting glucose throughout.
- Reconstitution example
- Not applicable. MK-677 is an oral compound sold as a tablet, capsule, or liquid solution. No mixing, reconstitution, bacteriostatic water, or injection required. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Research-chemical source purity and labeled dose accuracy are the primary risk, not handling errors.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. 25 mg is the dose used in human RCTs and is the community standard. No dose above 25 mg has demonstrated additional IGF-1 benefit; the dose-response curve flattens at 25 mg. The biggest practical risk for healthy adults is insulin resistance: fasting glucose worsened by approximately 5 mg/dL in the Nass 2008 trial and did not recover during treatment. Anyone with pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or diabetes should treat the insulin sensitivity signal as a hard stop, not a footnote. The appetite effect is not subtle and is essentially impossible to manage on a caloric deficit, which makes MK-677 poorly suited to any cutting goal. The congestive heart failure signal from the Adunsky hip fracture trial (6.5% MK-677 vs 1.7% placebo, early termination) was in elderly patients with underlying vulnerability, but it is the reason Merck abandoned the program and the compound has no approved human indication anywhere in the world. Blood glucose monitoring is strongly advisable. Anyone with a personal or family history of cancer should note that elevated IGF-1 is an unquantified but mechanistically plausible tumor promotion risk over long-term use.
Pinealon
Full profile →Community (most common reported pattern, sleep/neuroprotection)
100-300 mcg
Once daily, 1-2 hours before sleep; 10-20 day courses repeated every 3-6 months · SubQ (abdomen or thigh, insulin syringe)
Huberman self-report (n=1, confounded by concurrent glycine 3-5g oral)
Not publicly disclosed in mg; described as intermittent pulsed use, not nightly
Pulsed, not every night; tracked over 4-6 months · SubQ (assumed; Huberman works with a physician)
Russian clinical protocol (oral, TBI rehabilitation, uncontrolled study)
0.2 mg (200 mcg) twice daily
Twice daily for 20-30 days alongside standard rehabilitation · Oral (note: oral bioavailability expected to be very low for a tripeptide, but this is the only published human dosing figure)
- Cycle
- Community convention is 10-20 days on, then a 3-6 month gap, loosely modeled on the Russian clinical course lengths. No pharmacokinetic or efficacy rationale for any specific cycle exists. Huberman's pulsed-not-nightly approach is the other main community template, chosen to avoid receptor or pathway habituation, though no data supports that concern specifically for pinealon.
- Reconstitution example
- Example for a 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water: 5 mg/mL, 50 mcg per insulin unit (0.01 mL). A 100 mcg dose = 2 units. A 300 mcg dose = 6 units. For a 20 mg vial + 4 mL: same 5 mg/mL concentration. Refrigerate reconstituted vial at 2-8C, use within 28-30 days. Protect from light. Avoid freeze-thaw cycles. No pinealon-specific stability data exists; standard peptide handling applies.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No approved human protocol exists. No human pharmacokinetic data exists for any route, so the dose reaching the CNS is unknown. The only PubMed-indexed human study including pinealon (PMID 26390612, 32 patients, elderly with organic brain syndrome) found significant inhibition of hemopoiesis (decreased CD34+ blood stem cell progenitors) and explicitly called for additional safety studies before broader use. That signal has not been followed up. Evening timing is a community convention aligned with the proposed melatonin mechanism, not established by pharmacokinetics. Stacking with glycine is common but makes attribution of any sleep effect impossible.
SS-31
Full profile →Clinical (MMPOWER-3 Phase 3, primary mitochondrial myopathy, 24 weeks)
40 mg
Once daily · SubQ
Clinical (TAZPOWER, Barth syndrome, 12-week crossover + 168-week open-label extension)
40 mg
Once daily · SubQ
Clinical (PROGRESS-HF, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, 28 days)
4 mg or 40 mg (both arms failed vs placebo)
Once daily · SubQ
Community / biohacker (off-label, no controlled basis)
1 to 5 mg, most commonly 2 to 3 mg reported
Once daily, often 5 days on / 2 days off · SubQ
- Titration
- No titration reported in community protocols or clinical trials. Most users start at the target dose.
- Cycle
- Community: 8 weeks on, 8 weeks off (allometric extrapolation from mouse aging studies). No clinical basis for this cycle in humans. Clinical trials ran continuous daily dosing for 24 to 168 weeks with no mandated break.
- Reconstitution example
- Research-grade SS-31 is sold lyophilized. Example: 10 mg vial + 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water = 10 mg/mL. For a 5 mg community dose: draw 0.5 mL (50 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe). For a 2 mg dose: draw 0.2 mL (20 units). Note: the FDA-approved FORZINITY comes as a ready-to-use 280 mg/3.5 mL solution (80 mg/mL) and does not require reconstitution. Compounded or research-grade vials are a different product with no equivalent quality controls.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NEVER PRESCRIBED. The 40 mg clinical dose failed its primary endpoints in two separate Phase 2/3 trials (MMPOWER-3 and PROGRESS-HF). Community doses of 1 to 5 mg are 8 to 40 times lower than the dose that failed, and no human trial of any kind has tested this range for efficacy or safety. Injection site reactions (itching, redness, bruising) are the dominant real-world side effect and match trial data closely. Lyophilized SS-31 is susceptible to oxidation at the Dmt (2-prime-6-prime-dimethyltyrosine) residue; reconstitute with antioxidant-free bacteriostatic water, store reconstituted solution refrigerated, and use within 24 to 28 days. Do not freeze reconstituted vials.
Thymulin
Full profile →Common community protocol (immune support, longevity)
2 mg
Once daily for 20 consecutive days, repeated 2-3 times per year · SubQ, abdomen, rotating sites
Topical (androgenetic alopecia, from the only human study)
Unspecified concentration zinc-thymulin spray
Daily topical scalp application for 6+ months · Topical
Zinc co-supplementation (required for activity)
15-30 mg elemental zinc (picolinate, glycinate, or citrate)
Daily throughout and between cycles · Oral
- Cycle
- 20 days on, then off. Most community protocols run 2-3 cycles per year. No pharmacokinetic rationale for this specific cycle length in humans.
- Reconstitution example
- Example: 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL. A 2 mg dose = 0.4 mL = 40 units on a standard U-100 insulin syringe. Refrigerate reconstituted vial at 2-8 degrees C. Community reports suggest 4-6 week post-reconstitution stability, though no published stability data for thymulin specifically exists. Stability of the zinc-complexed form vs. free peptide is unknown.
- Notes
- REPORTED, NOT PRESCRIBED. No completed placebo-controlled human trial exists for any systemic indication. The 20-day cycle convention is derived from community protocols with no published pharmacokinetic basis. The zinc co-dosing is mechanistically required for activity (apo-thymulin is inactive) but also introduces independent variables. Do not exceed 40 mg/day elemental zinc chronically due to copper depletion risk unrelated to thymulin itself. Vial concentration from gray-market sources should be verified before drawing doses.
Everything here is descriptive, not a recommendation. See how we grade and how to verify what's in the vial.