Practical peptide guidance for the part after research.
Every evidence review answers one question about one compound, with the studies linked. The guides cover the practical work: reconstitution, syringe math, storage, testing documents and tracking a protocol.
Evidence reviews by Jay Spall, biochemistBPC-157 and TB-500
9 articles
BPC-157 and TB-500
BPC-157 has 100-plus studies, nearly all from one Zagreb group
The Zagreb group behind most BPC-157 papers reports gut, tendon and vascular effects in animals. Independent replication by other labs is scarce.
BPC-157 and TB-500
BPC-157 healed rat injuries when given orally or by systemic injection
BPC-157 improved healing in rats by intraperitoneal shot, in drinking water or as a topical cream. No human study has compared routes or injection sites.
BPC-157 and TB-500
BPC-157 healed tendons in rats; human data are three small pilots
BPC-157 improved strength and collagen organization in cut rat Achilles tendons in a 2003 study. Human data are three small pilots, none in tendon patients.
BPC-157 and TB-500
BPC-157's half-life is under 30 minutes in rats and dogs
BPC-157's elimination half-life is under 30 minutes in rats and dogs, the only species measured. The 4 to 6 hour figure online doesn't trace to a study.
BPC-157 and TB-500
BPC-157's rat results came mostly from oral and intraperitoneal dosing
BPC-157 rodent studies mostly used oral or intraperitoneal dosing, not subcutaneous injection, so they do not establish the injectable protocol clinics sell.
BPC-157 and TB-500
Oral BPC-157 was tested against induced gut injury in rats
In rat studies, BPC-157 dissolved in drinking water was tested against induced gut injury. No study has measured its absorption in people or set a dose.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
12 articles
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
About 15% of weight lost in GLP-1 drug trials is skeletal muscle
About 15% of the weight lost in GLP-1 drug trials is skeletal muscle on CT or MRI, and about 25% is fat-free mass. The typical trial was small and short.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
Cagrilintide cut weight up to 10.8% alone and 20.4% with semaglutide
Cagrilintide cut weight up to 10.8% alone in phase 2 and 20.4% with semaglutide in REDEFINE 1. All five trials were funded by Novo Nordisk.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
GLP-1 drugs and GH secretagogues move blood sugar in opposite ways
An oral ghrelin mimetic raised fasting glucose over two years in healthy older adults, while GLP-1 drugs lower it. No published trial has combined the two.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
GLP-1 medications work best titrated slowly, with other drugs adjusted
GLP-1 medications work best on a slow dose ramp, with insulin and blood pressure pills adjusted as weight falls. Faster escalation adds harm, not weight loss.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
Lifting and protein preserved lean mass in calorie-deficit trials
Resistance training and protein above the RDA preserve lean mass during a deficit in trials. Popular T3, clenbuterol and SARM stacks lack that evidence.
GLP-1 and metabolic peptides
Oral semaglutide is about 1% absorbed, so tablet doses run high
Oral semaglutide reaches the blood at about 1% bioavailability through the absorption enhancer SNAC, so tablets need 3 to 14 mg. PIONEER trials show it works.
- Retatrutide cut weight up to 17.5% in Phase 2; MOTS-c is preclinical
- Retatrutide's top dose cut weight 24.2% in a Phase 2 trial
- Semaglutide reduced weight and cardiovascular events in three trials
- Slower titration eased GLP-1 nausea; BPC-157's gut data come from rats
- Stopping a GLP-1 brings back about 60% of lost weight within a year
- Tirzepatide 15 mg cut weight 20.9% and beat semaglutide head to head
Compound evidence
130 articles
Compound evidence
A bladder extract related to Vesilute cut urge episodes in a trial
Chitomur, a related bladder extract, cut urge episodes in a small randomized trial. Vesilute itself has never been tested in a controlled study.
Compound evidence
ACE-031 grew muscle in women; nosebleeds halted its Duchenne trial
One dose of ACE-031 raised lean mass 3.3% in healthy postmenopausal women. Nosebleeds and dilated skin capillaries in boys halted its Duchenne trial.
Compound evidence
ACE-083 increased muscle volume in FSHD without improving strength
ACE-083 increased muscle volume 9.5% to 16.4% versus placebo in a Phase 2 FSHD trial. Strength and functional tests did not improve.
Compound evidence
Adipotide cut fat in animals but kidney injury ended its human trial
Adipotide shrank fat in mice and monkeys by destroying its blood supply. Kidney injury tracked the fat-loss doses in monkeys and ended the one human trial.
Compound evidence
Afamelanotide implants, approved for EPP, extended pain-free sun time
The FDA-approved afamelanotide implant gave people with EPP more pain-free sun time in two Phase 3 trials. No controlled trial covers tanning or libido.
Compound evidence
Anamorelin increases lean mass but not grip strength in cachexia
Anamorelin raised lean mass in three Phase 3 cancer cachexia trials and is approved in Japan. Grip strength did not improve, and the FDA and EMA rejected it.
- AOD-9604 was safe across six trials but missed its weight-loss goal
- Apelin infusions raise cardiac output; aging claims come from mice
- ARA-290 increased nerve fiber density in two small Phase 2 trials
- Argireline cream improved wrinkles in a 60-person trial
- BDNF infusions triggered dose-limiting side effects in an ALS trial
- Bronchogen reversed COPD-like lung remodeling in a rat study
- Calcitonin's weak benefit lost to an ambiguous cancer signal in 2012
- Cardiogen stimulated heart-cell growth in rat tissue studies
- Cartalax was associated with cartilage gene changes in cell studies
- Cerebrolysin improved dementia and stroke recovery scores in IV trials
- Chonluten suppressed TNF and IL-6 in a human immune-cell line
- CJC-1295 No DAC amplified growth hormone release in rodents
- Cortagen sped sciatic nerve regrowth by 27% in injured rats
- Cortexin shrank brain necrosis in rat models of brain ischemia
- Davunetide missed both main endpoints in a 313-patient PSP trial
- Dihexa eased memory deficits in rats and in Alzheimer's model mice
- DSIP's best human results are in alcohol and opiate withdrawal
- Elevated GDF-15 tracked with higher death risk in three human cohorts
- Endomorphin-1 eased pain in mice dosed into the spine or brain
- Epitalon extended mouse lifespan; most human studies used epithalamin
- Exenatide did not slow Parkinson's in its 96-week Phase 3 trial
- FGF21 analogs show modest benefits for MASH in early trials
- FGL produced memory and synaptic gains in three rat studies
- Follistatin-344 gene therapy built muscle in mice and macaques
- FOXO4-DRI cleared senescent cells in aged mice across three studies
- Fragment 176-191 cut weight gain and fat mass in obese mice
- GHK shifted gene expression in cultured cells; skin trials were mixed
- GHK-Cu injection bypasses the gut's copper regulation
- Ghrelin agonists increased food intake 10.2% to 70.1% in human trials
- GHRP-2 raised growth hormone about 13-fold in seven healthy men
- GHRP-6 triggered a GH pulse in men, women and children after one dose
- Glucose blunts GHRH-driven GH release, giving fasted dosing a basis
- Gonadorelin by pump induced sperm production in GnRH-deficient men
- Growth hormone added lean mass in trials while strength stayed flat
- hCG alone normalized testosterone in hypogonadotropic men
- Hexarelin raised growth hormone in people and protected rodent hearts
- High-dose injected amycretin beat placebo on weight in a meta-analysis
- Higher natural Ac-SDKP tracked with less fibrotic signaling in rodents
- Humanin protected cultured neurons and improved memory in aged mice
- IGF-1 DES infusion lifted muscle protein synthesis 21% in rats
- IGF-1 LR3 was 1.5 to 6 times as potent as native IGF-1 in rats
- In aged mice, GDF-11 improved heart and stroke outcomes
- Infused PYY3-36 cut food intake in trials; oral PYY3-36 alone did not
- Injected abaloparatide cut fractures; its patch lagged on bone density
- Injection route matters for peptides, but effects vary by molecule
- Intranasal insulin matched placebo on cognition in five pooled trials
- Intranasal neuropeptide Y was well tolerated in a 26-person PTSD trial
- Ipamorelin released GH in men but missed in two bowel-recovery trials
- IPP and VPP lowered systolic pressure by 1 to 6 mmHg in meta-analyses
- Irisin is real, but most human studies used kits that missed it
- IV and inhaled VIP gave mixed results in three severe COVID-19 trials
- Kisspeptin-10 raises LH and testosterone in men in IV studies
- Klotho extends mouse lifespan; one monkey study reported memory gains
- KPV curbed inflammation in rodent colitis and peritonitis models
- KTTKS moisturizer reduced wrinkles in a 93-person, 12-week trial
- Lactoferrin's sepsis benefit in preterm infants shrank as trials grew
- Larazotide eased celiac symptoms but missed its permeability endpoint
- Leptin treats lipodystrophy but barely moved weight in common obesity
- Linaclotide works as a pill because its receptor faces into the gut
- Liraglutide cut cardiovascular death 22% in type 2 diabetes (LEADER)
- Livagen's developers report restored liver function in animal models
- Longevity peptide claims rest on cell, biomarker and pilot studies
- Macimorelin is FDA-approved as a one-dose test for adult GH deficiency
- Mazdutide cut body weight 14% at 48 weeks in a Chinese phase 3 trial
- Mecasermin is approved for severe primary IGF-1 deficiency in children
- Melanotan II's real risks come from receptor nonselectivity
- Melanotan II's receptor promiscuity explains its multiple effects
- MGF switched on first in injured rat muscle, the basis for PEG-MGF
- MK-677 raised IGF-1 and lean mass, not strength, in a year-long trial
- MOTS-c reversed age-related insulin resistance in mice
- N-Acetyl Selank Amidate's evidence all comes from unmodified Selank
- Nasal orexin-A changed REM sleep and smell in small narcolepsy trials
- Nasal oxytocin matched placebo on sexual function in three trials
- Nasal peptides can reach the brain via two narrow neural pathways
- One 266-person elderly trial linked Thymalin to halved mortality
- One CJC-1295 with DAC injection kept GH elevated for at least 6 days
- Oral glutathione lightened sun-exposed skin modestly in small trials
- Oral glutathione raised blood levels in some trials but not others
- Osteocalcin reliably marks bone formation; hormone claims are disputed
- Ovagen, marketed for fertility, eased kidney injury in rats
- Oxyntomodulin with GLP-1 and peptide YY cut weight in a 4-week trial
- P21 improved memory in normal, aged and Alzheimer's-model rodents
- Pancragen lowered glucose in diabetic rats and aged monkeys
- PE-22-28 blocks TREK-1 and showed antidepressant-like effects in mice
- Pentadeca Arginate is the same peptide as BPC-157 in a different salt
- Peptide blends lock together doses of ingredients with uneven evidence
- Peptide cycling is a convention borrowed from steroid and SARM culture
- Pexiganan matched ofloxacin in pooled data but missed approval twice
- Pinealon preserved dendritic spines in Alzheimer's-model mice
- Pramlintide produced real but modest weight loss in obesity trials
- Prostamax reduced inflammation in rats with induced prostatitis
- PT-141 modestly raised desire in premenopausal women with HSDD
- Secretin matched placebo for autism in a Cochrane review of 16 trials
- Selank and Semax are unrelated peptides, each studied on its own
- Selank matched a benzodiazepine for anxiety in a 62-patient trial
- Semax sped neurological recovery in open-label Russian stroke trials
- Serelaxin lowered organ-injury markers but not deaths in RELAX-AHF-2
- Sermorelin raised GH and cognitive scores in trials of older adults
- Setmelanotide is approved for confirmed genetic obesity syndromes
- SHLP2's evidence is cell and rodent work, separate from MOTS-c's
- Snap-8 mimics part of SNAP-25, the protein Botox cuts
- SS-31 won FDA approval for Barth syndrome; its myopathy Phase 3 missed
- Survodutide cut body weight 13% versus 5.4% on placebo in phase 3
- Swallowed peptides rarely survive; oral semaglutide is an exception
- Teduglutide grows gut lining in short bowel syndrome, its approved use
- Teriparatide prevents fractures in osteoporosis; healing data are thin
- Tesamorelin cut visceral fat in HIV; sermorelin has smaller trials
- Tesamorelin improved cognition in a 20-week trial of 152 older adults
- Tesamorelin shrinks visceral fat in people with HIV lipodystrophy
- Testagen's open-label prostatitis study reported a testosterone rise
- Thymogen shifted immune markers in lab work and small Russian trials
- Thymopentin's best trial result was fewer myasthenia gravis relapses
- Thymosin Alpha-1 beat interferon in hepatitis B; sepsis data are mixed
- Thymosin Beta-4 sped rat wound healing; human trials were topical
- Thymulin needs zinc to act, and it curbed inflammation in mice
- Thymulin prolonged the growth phase of cultured human hair follicles
- Topical GHK-Cu closed diabetic ulcers faster in a 40-patient trial
- Topical LL-37 aided ulcer healing in small trials; the largest missed
- Topical PTD-DBM regrew hair in mice by easing a brake on Wnt signaling
- TRH produces rapid mood improvement in trials but fades quickly
- Trofinetide's Rett syndrome benefit is modest and diarrhea is common
- Vesugen's open-label study in 41 men reported better penile blood flow
- Vilon extended lifespan in two of three studies in tumor-prone mice
- Vosoritide sped growth 1.6 cm/year in children with achondroplasia
Combinations and evidence
14 articles
Combinations and evidence
CJC-1295 raised GH 2- to 10-fold; synergy studies used other peptides
One CJC-1295 injection raised mean GH 2- to 10-fold in a placebo-controlled trial. Synergy studies paired GHRH with other secretagogues, never ipamorelin.
Combinations and evidence
Drug combinations need a four-arm factorial trial to prove synergy
Drug combinations need a four-arm factorial trial to isolate a combination effect. Most consumer stacks have never been tested this way, for benefit or harm.
Combinations and evidence
DSIP sleep stacks rest on mixed DSIP trials and a real GH-sleep link
DSIP's small human sleep trials were inconsistent, though deep sleep and GH release are linked. No published human trial has tested DSIP with a GH secretagogue.
Combinations and evidence
Each ingredient in a stack needs its own evidence grade
Formal grading finds evidence certainty varies widely between parts of one protocol, so grade each ingredient. The exact combination is rarely tested.
Combinations and evidence
Longevity stack compounds show uneven results, each tested on its own
NAD+ precursors raised blood NAD+ but left function mostly flat; elamipretide missed both Phase 3 co-primary endpoints. No study has tested any two together.
Combinations and evidence
Melanotan II and PT-141 act on the same melanocortin receptor family
Melanotan II and PT-141 share melanocortin receptors, so stacking adds agonism rather than a second mechanism. No trial has tested the two together.
- Sermorelin and tesamorelin share a receptor; a stack is a bigger dose
- Subcutaneous volume limits depend on site, person, and formulation
- TB-500 alone improved rat tendon biomechanics; BPC-157 added nothing
- TB-500's parent protein has stronger human data than GHK-Cu or BPC-157
- The mitochondrial peptide stack is one peptide and two small molecules
- Trials back loading for tendons; stacks cite single-agent studies
- Two cosmetic peptides combined gave mixed results in a 2017 trial
- Two interventions that work alone can cancel each other out
Reconstitution and syringe math
5 articles
Reconstitution and syringe math
Mcg/mg mix-ups cause thousandfold errors; a volume check catches them
Confusing mcg and mg shifts a dose 1,000-fold, typically during reconstitution math. An independent check of drawn volume against vial content catches it.
Reconstitution and syringe math
Peptide reconstitution volume should put your dose mid-syringe
Reconstitution volume changes peptide concentration, not the amount in the vial. Pick a volume that puts your dose mid-barrel to reduce measurement error.
Reconstitution and syringe math
Syringe dead space can waste up to a third of a small dose
Syringe dead space can waste up to a third of a 0.2 mL dose. Fixed-needle, low dead space syringes cut that waste without any change in injection technique.
Reconstitution and syringe math
Syringe units measure volume, not dose
A unit on a U-100 syringe marks 0.01 mL of volume, whatever is dissolved in it. Your dose depends on the concentration you create when reconstituting.
Reconstitution and syringe math
U-40 and U-100 syringe mix-ups cause 2.5-fold dosing errors
U-40 and U-100 syringes space unit marks for different concentrations, so the wrong one causes a 2.5-fold dosing error. Any dilution means redoing the math.
Storage and handling
7 articles
Storage and handling
Freeze-dried peptides tolerate shipping far better than dissolved ones
Freeze-dried peptides tolerate shipping because a dry, glassy state slows most degradation. Labels set the rules; Cetrotide's dry powder must be refrigerated.
Storage and handling
Gentle swirling dissolves peptide powder; shaking whips in air
Shaking makes large proteins unfold and clump at the air-water surface. Lab tests skipped short peptides, which have little folded structure to lose.
Storage and handling
Hour for hour, heat spikes outweigh mild warmth in shelf-life math
Mean kinetic temperature, the accepted excursion math, weights spikes far above mild warmth. It needs stability data that gray-market sellers rarely publish.
Storage and handling
Peptide degradation depends on water, time and sequence, not just heat
Peptides degrade mainly through deamidation and oxidation, water-dependent reactions set by sequence. Time in solution and pH matter alongside temperature.
Storage and handling
Peptide gels in the vial come from self-assembly, not chemical damage
Peptide gelling in the vial is a physical rearrangement of intact chains, not chemical damage. No PubMed study shows that AOD-9604 or kisspeptin-10 gels.
Storage and handling
Peptide light damage depends on sequence and sustained exposure
Light damage concentrates in peptides with tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, cysteine, or methionine. In one protein study, damage came from weeks of light.
Handling and product records
9 articles
Handling and product records
Blunt needles core vial stoppers far more often than sharp ones
Blunt plastic needles cored 40.8% of vial stoppers versus 4.2% for sharp needles in one study. The data come from anesthesia practice, not peptide vials.
Handling and product records
Dilute peptides lose more to vial and syringe surfaces
Peptides bind to glass and plastic, so dilute solutions lose a larger share of the dose. The data come from insulin bags and colistin labware, not home vials.
Handling and product records
FSH absorbed alike from muscle and under the skin in a 19-woman trial
In a randomized crossover trial, FSH reached matching peak, timing and total exposure by intramuscular and subcutaneous injection. Most peptides lack such data.
Handling and product records
Needle length determines injection depth, not gauge
Needle length, not gauge, decides which tissue layer an injection reaches. Gauge measures tube diameter and has small, inconsistent effects on pain.
Handling and product records
Needles in household trash endanger waste handlers more than injectors
Needles in household trash mainly endanger waste handlers. Safe disposal needs a rigid, puncture-resistant, closable container and a local pathway.
Handling and product records
Peptides that won't dissolve need a pH shift first, not more water
Peptide solubility can drop sharply near the isoelectric pH, where net charge nears zero. Dissolving in mild acid or base before diluting is the standard fix.
Blends and compatibility
2 articles
Blends and compatibility
Peptide blends lock all component doses together
A peptide blend vial holds its components at a fixed ratio, so changing the draw volume changes every peptide dose by the same proportion.
Blends and compatibility
Peptide mixing requires four separate compatibility checks
Mixing two peptides in one vial requires checking reactivity, pH, degradation rates, and dosing math. No stability data exist for any specific combination.
Guides and field notes
Product Chemistry
Peptide Acetate vs TFA Salt: What's the Difference?
The counterion is not the peptide. TFA is a purification leftover; acetate is a common exchange salt. Purity percentage does not name the salt form or milligrams of free peptide.
5 min read
Reconstitution
What Is Bacteriostatic Water? A Label-First Guide
Bacteriostatic water for injection contains benzyl alcohol as a preservative. What it is, how long it lasts, and when the water label applies to a mixed peptide.
7 min read
Storage Tracking
How Long Do Reconstituted Peptides Last in the Fridge?
There is no universal fridge-life number. Beyond-use dates depend on the specific product, concentration, diluent, and storage conditions.
8 min read
Reconstitution
How to Reconstitute Tirzepatide: A Label-First Checklist
Branded pens do not need reconstitution. Compounded vials may. A checklist for identifying the product form, checking the math, and recording the vial.
9 min read
Vendor Comparison
Disguised Alpha vs Core Peptides: Vendor Comparison for 2026
An independent comparison of Disguised Alpha and Core Peptides using tracked listings, price-per-mg, stock signals, and COA records — with clear evidence limits.
6 min read
App Support
The Peptide App pricing and previous purchases
The app is free with no subscription required. Find current pricing and help with previous Apple subscriptions, purchases, and refund requests.
3 min read
Reconstitution
How to Reconstitute BPC-157: A Label-First Checklist
A BPC-157 reconstitution checklist for reading written instructions, checking concentration math, documenting the vial, and knowing when to ask a pharmacist or clinician.
8 min read
Product Testing
Should Every Peptide Batch Be Tested for Fentanyl?
Why blanket fentanyl screening can backfire, what “not detected” establishes, and why peptide COA panels should follow credible risks.
8 min read
Travel and Storage
How to Travel With Peptides: A Practical Storage Guide
A label-first guide to reconstitution timing, refrigeration, carry-on packing, temperature excursions, and when a FRIO cooling wallet may help.
10 min read
Product Records
How to Read Peptide Product Documentation
A label-first guide to prescription information, compounded-drug labels, lot records, expiration and beyond-use dates, and what a COA can and cannot establish.
9 min read
Baseline Labs
What Lab Panels Should You Take Before Peptides?
A practical baseline-lab guide covering CBC, CMP, glucose, HbA1c, lipids, IGF-1, and why the right tests depend on the specific peptide.
10 min read
Peptide Basics
Peptides for Beginners: How to Start Your Research
New to peptides? Learn how to start your research by checking the exact compound, evidence, approval status, product records, and tools.
11 min read
Progress Tracking
Zepbound 2.5 mg Weight Fluctuation: Tracking Checklist
A tracking-first answer to a fresh Reddit question about starter-dose scale swings, weekly trends, reminders, symptom notes, and prescriber follow-up.
8 min read
Refill Planning
Zepbound Insurance Loss: Stock-Up Records Checklist
A planning-first answer to a fresh Reddit question about losing insurance, refill timing, storage records, reminders, and prescriber or pharmacist follow-up.
8 min read
Reconstitution
Semax Selank Nasal Spray: Reconstitution Checklist
A safety-first answer to a fresh Reddit question about combo-vial nasal spray math, sterility questions, concentration records, and reminder workflows.
8 min read
Schedule Tracking
Intranasal Peptide Spray Timing: A Tracking Checklist
A label-first answer to a fresh Reddit question about multiple nasal sprays, timing instructions, reminder setup, dose logs, and clinician follow-up questions.
7 min read
Storage Tracking
Long-Term Peptide Storage: A Freezer Tracking Checklist
A practical answer to a fresh Reddit question about freezer storage, batch records, label instructions, reconstitution state, and professional follow-up questions.
8 min read
Reconstitution
Do Peptides Always Need BAC Water? A Reconstitution Checklist
A label-first answer to a fresh Reddit question about BAC water, ready-to-use peptide formats, reconstitution records, and dose-math confusion.
8 min read
Travel Planning
Starting Tesamorelin Before Travel: Wait or Start?
A practical answer to a fresh Reddit question: when waiting may be cleaner, and how to use the app to plan dose timing, reconstitution, storage, and tracking.
7 min read
Protocol Tracking
How to Track a Peptide Protocol Without Losing the Plot
A practical mobile-app guide to organizing peptide plans, calculations, dose logs, side effects, outcomes, and clinician questions in one place.
9 min read