31 Concepts from the peptide world. HPLC, COA, Bac-water and everything in between. Explained without jargon.
Area Under the Curve — Measure for total exposure of an active substance.
The area under the plasma concentration-time curve. Shows the total amount of active ingredient that the body absorbs during the period. Important for pharmacokinetic comparisons between preparations.
Building blocks of peptides and proteins.
There are 20 proteinogenic amino acids. Peptides are formed when amino acids are linked via peptide bonds. The order determines function and effect.
Bacteriostatic Water – sterile water with 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol for mixing peptides.
Used to dissolve lyophilized peptide powder. The benzyl alcohol keeps the solution cooled for up to 28 days. Without Bac-water conservation only 24h shelf life.
Unique identification of a production series. English lot or batch.
Each batch should have its own COA. For reputable suppliers, the batch number can be found on the vial and on the associated COA.
GHRH analogue. Variant with DAC has extended half-life.
It is often stacked with ipamoreline to increase the HGH release pulse-like. See the drug page for details.
Certificate of Analysis — batch verification certificate.
A COA documents the purity of a peptide, usually via HPLC and mass spectrometry. Serious vendors publish one COA per batch. Look for date, batch ID, HPLC purity, and identity confirmation.
Chemical bond between two cysteines, stabilizes the peptide structure.
For peptides with multiple cysteines critical for proper folding. Example is insulin, which holds the structure via disulfide bridges.
Concept of dose increase at the beginning of a cycle.
Instead of starting with a full dose, slowly titrate up. Reduces side effects especially in GLP-1 agonists where nausea is a typical initial topic.
receptor desensitization after prolonged stimulation.
For GHRP/GHRH stacks a familiar topic. Therefore, cycle pauses are recommended for the receptors to reset.
Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone. Controls HGH release in the pituitary gland.
Synthetic GHRH analogues such as CJC-1295 or tesamorelin mimic the body’s own GHRH and stimulate HGH release.
Glucagon-Like Peptides 1. Hormone that controls insulin secretion and satiety.
GLP-1 agonists such as semaglutide, tirzepatide and retatrutide are the major pharmaceutical trends in the diabetes and obesity market.
Good Manufacturing Practice. Standard for pharmaceutical production.
For research peptides, GMP is not mandatory. vendors who advertise GMP-compliant production should prove this with audit documents.
Time in which the active substance concentration in the plasma falls to half.
Determines the dosing interval. BPC-157 has about 4h, semaglutide about 168h. Long half-life means less frequent use.
High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Standard method for purity determination.
Separates peptide components according to physicochemical properties. An HPLC chromatogram shows a clean peak for the target peptide plus any impurities.
Insulin syringe with 100 units per 1 ml.
Standard in the peptide range. 1 unit is equal to 0.01 ml. Practical for small volumes between 0.05 and 0.5 ml.
Injection into the muscle.
Deeper than subcutaneous. For peptides rather rarely, usually only for higher volumes or special applications.
Injection into the vein.
Fastest flooding, but in home setting almost never meaningful. Not standard for peptides.
Freeze dried powder. Storage form of most peptides.
Lyophilized peptides are stable at room temperature for months. After reconstitution with Bac-water, it is necessary to store cooled and consumed within 28 days.
Micrograms. 1 mcg = 0.001 mg.
Common unit for peptide doses. Example BPC-157 250 mcg per application.
Chemical bond between two amino acids.
Formally, an amide bond between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next. Multiple peptide bonds form a peptide or protein.
Dissolving the peptide powder in Bac-water.
Bac-water is slowly sprayed along the vial edge into the vial, not directly onto the powder. Then swing carefully, do not shake. Shaking can denature the peptide.
Percentage of target peptide in the final product, measured via HPLC.
Industry standard is greater than 98 percent. Values below 95 percent are a warning signal. Purity alone does not guarantee identity, this requires additional mass spectrometry.
Research Use Only – Sales category for research substances.
Peptides are usually marketed in U.S. as RUO. This does not mean for human consumption, which is legally the only possible distribution channel. It does not mean that the substance is inferior.
Injection into subcutaneous fatty tissue.
Standard for almost all peptide applications. Abdomen or thighs are common places. With U-100 insulin syringe and 8-13mm needle practical.
Time of maximum plasma concentration after application.
Indicates how quickly an active ingredient reaches its maximum after injection. Important for timing in short-lived peptides such as ipamoreline.
GHRH analogue, approved as Egrifta.
Use in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Discussed in the HGH system stack as a long GHRH lever.
Dual GLP-1/GIP agonist. Pharmacy name Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Eli Lilly preparation. In the research market as generic tirzepatid in 5mg and 10mg vials.
Insulin syringe standard with 100 units per 1 ml.
Standard in U.S.. When calculating the dose units: units = ml times 100.
Insulin syringe variant with 40 units per 1 ml.
Less common than U-100, often in veterinary medicine. If you use U-40, units = ml times 40.
Glass vials with rubber plugs, standard container for peptides.
Typical sizes are 2ml, 5ml, 10ml. The label shows peptide name, amount in mg and ideally batch number.
Application period followed by pause.
Many peptides are recommended to avoid down-regulation. Typically, 8 to 12 weeks of use is followed by 4 weeks of rest.
