FAQs

Q: What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Your body naturally makes thousands of them to send signals; things like “repair this tissue,” “burn more fat,” “make more collagen,” or “boost energy.” The peptides people talk about online are synthetic versions that researchers study in labs to see how they affect different processes in cells and animals.

Q: Why do people research peptides?

In lab and scientific studies, peptides are looked at because they might help with goals like:

Faster recovery after workouts or injuries
Losing fat (especially stubborn belly fat) while keeping muscle
Better skin firmness, fewer wrinkles, and a healthy glow
More energy, better sleep, and feeling stronger as you get older
Healing gut issues, tendons, joints, or other tissues. They’re not magic pills; they’re tools researchers use to understand how the body works and what might support health, fitness, or anti-aging in the future.

Myth: Peptides are “steroids”

Steroids (anabolic-androgenic): Synthetic versions of testosterone. They force massive muscle growth, strength, and recovery by flooding the body with hormones; but often shut down natural production, cause big side effects (liver strain, hair loss, mood swings, gyno, shutdown of testicles), and are heavily controlled/illegal without prescription.
Peptides (research compounds): Short amino acid chains that act like messengers; they nudge your body to make more of its own hormones (like growth hormone) or signal repair/fat loss. They don't flood the system like steroids do. In research, they're studied for more targeted, "natural-feeling" effects with (generally) fewer harsh side effects; but they're not approved for human use and quality varies wildly.

Peptides: Categories & What They're Researched For

Weight Loss / Appetite Control

Tirzepatide: Dual GLP-1/GIP mimic. Kills hunger, slows digestion, drops fat hard (15–21% body weight in studies).

Starting dose: 2.5 mg once per week

Average dose: 5–15 mg once per week (most common is 10–12.5 mg)

Duration: 12–24+ weeks (often used long-term in research)

Best stacks: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin (to preserve muscle), AOD-9604 (extra stubborn fat burn)

Semaglutide: GLP-1 agonist. Strong appetite suppression and weight loss (10–15%+).

Starting dose: 0.25 mg once per week

Average dose: 1.0–2.4 mg once per week

Duration: 12–24+ weeks

Best stacks: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin or Tesamorelin (muscle preservation + belly fat targeting)

Retatrutide: Triple agonist (GLP-1/GIP/glucagon). Even faster fat burn and higher loss (up to 20–25% in trials).

Starting dose: 1–2 mg once per week

Average dose: 4–12 mg once per week (most research at 8–12 mg)

Duration: 12–24 weeks

Best stacks: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin (muscle protection) or BPC-157 (gut protection from side effects)

AOD-9604: GH fragment. Targets stubborn fat without messing with muscle or blood sugar.

Starting dose: 300 mcg per day

Average dose: 300–500 mcg per day (injected)

Duration: 8–12 weeks

Best stacks: Tirzepatide or Semaglutide (for enhanced stubborn fat loss)

Muscle / Growth / Recovery

CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin: GH booster combo. Builds lean muscle, burns fat, improves sleep, speeds recovery.

Starting dose: 100 mcg of each per day

Average dose: 200–300 mcg of each per day (usually at bedtime)

Duration: 8–16 weeks on, 4 weeks off @ 5 days on, 2 days off

Best stacks: Tirzepatide (fat loss + muscle preservation), Tesamorelin (deeper GH pulse)

Tesamorelin: GHRH analog. Burns deep belly fat while sparing muscle; boosts GH/IGF-1.

Starting dose: 1 mg per day

Average dose: 1–2 mg per day (evening)

Duration: 8–16 weeks @ 5 days on, 2 days off

Best stacks: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin (stronger GH effect), AOD-9604 (fat targeting)

Repair / Healing / Injury

Wolverine Blend (BPC-157 + TB-500): Super repair stack. Heals tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints fast; reduces inflammation.

Starting dose: 250 mcg total blend per day

Average dose: 500–750 mcg total per day (split or once daily)

Duration: 4–8 weeks @ 5 days on, 2 days off

Best stacks: CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin (recovery + growth), GHK-Cu (tissue repair + skin)

BPC-157: Gut/tissue healer. Studied for rapid repair almost anywhere in the body.

Starting dose: 250 mcg per day

Average dose: 500 mcg per day (near injury site or stomach)

Duration: 4–6 weeks

Best stacks: TB-500 (systemic healing), Wolverine Blend

TB-500: Cell migration & vessel growth. Systemic recovery and flexibility.

Starting dose: 2–4 mg twice per week

Average dose: 4–7.5 mg per week (loading then maintenance)

Duration: 4–8 weeks

Best stacks: BPC-157 or Wolverine Blend

Skin / Anti-Aging / Glow

GHK-Cu: Copper peptide. Boosts collagen/elastin, tightens skin, fades wrinkles, heals wounds.

Starting dose: 1 mg per day

Average dose: 2–5 mg per day (injected or topical)

Duration: 8–12 weeks

Best stacks: NAD+ (cellular repair), Wolverine Blend (overall regeneration)

Glow Stack (mainly GHK-Cu + sometimes Epitalon/Matrixyl): Skin radiance, firmness, youthful appearance.

Starting dose: 2 mg GHK-Cu daily

Average dose: 3–5 mg GHK-Cu daily

Duration: 8–16 weeks

Best stacks: NAD+ + MOTS-c (deep anti-aging)

Energy / Longevity / Cellular Health

NAD+: Cell energy coenzyme. Fights fatigue, repairs DNA, supports mitochondria and anti-aging.

Starting dose: 50 mg subQ, 2–3x per week

Average dose: 100 mg, 2–3x per week

Duration: 4–8 weeks on, 2–4 weeks off

Best stacks: MOTS-c (mitochondrial synergy), GHK-Cu (anti-aging)

MOTS-c: Mitochondrial peptide. Better endurance, fat burn, insulin sensitivity, longevity.

Starting dose: 5 mg, 2–3x per week

Average dose: 5–10 mg, 2–3x per week

Duration: 6–12 weeks

Best stacks: NAD+ (energy & longevity combo)

Everything Else (Brain, Immune, Libido)

Brain/mood: Semax, Selank (focus, anxiety reduction).
Immune/longevity: Thymosin Alpha-1 (immune boost).
Libido: PT-141 (direct arousal boost).

What is the "Gray Market" for Peptides?

The gray market is the large online space where research peptides (like BPC-157, CJC-1295, Tirzepatide, GHK-Cu, etc.) are openly sold.

It’s called “gray” because it’s not fully legal, but also not fully illegal:

You can buy them online as “research chemicals” or “for laboratory use only.”
You cannot legally sell or market them for human consumption.
It exists in the space between regulated pharmaceuticals and outright black-market drugs.

Why Are Peptides Stuck in the Gray Market?

You cannot patent the human essence.

Most peptides are either:

Exact copies of peptides your body already makes, or
Very close analogs of natural human sequences.

Under U.S. law (and international patent law), you cannot patent something that naturally occurs in the human body. These are considered “products of nature.” Because of that:

Big pharmaceutical companies have zero financial incentive to spend $1–2 billion and 10–15 years getting them fully FDA-approved.
There’s no patent protection → no monopoly pricing → no return on investment.
So they stay in the “research chemical” category forever.

That’s the main structural reason peptides live in the gray market.

More FAQs

Do peptides actually work?

Yes for many users in anecdotal reports (recovery, fat loss, skin, energy), but results vary hugely by quality, dose, diet, training, and genetics.

How long until I see results?

Varies by peptide:

BPC-157/TB-500: noticeable healing in 1–3 weeks
CJC/Ipamorelin: better sleep/recovery in 1–4 weeks, body comp in 6–12 weeks
Tirzepatide/Semaglutide: appetite drop in days, visible fat loss in 4–8 weeks
GHK-Cu skin: 4–12 weeks
NAD+/MOTS-c energy: 1–4 weeks

What are the best stacks?

Common ones:

Fat loss: Tirzepatide or Semaglutide + CJC/Ipamorelin
Recovery/injury: Wolverine (BPC-157 + TB-500)
Anti-aging/skin: GHK-Cu + NAD+ or Epitalon
Muscle + fat loss: CJC/Ipamorelin + Tesamorelin or AOD-9604

How do I know if my peptides are real/pure?

Every peptide we source is tested to the highest standard and verified by an accredited independent US lab.

What’s the difference between research peptides and compounded versions?

Research = raw lyophilized powder from vendors. Compounded = pharmacy-made injectable (sometimes with added B12 or other ingredients). Compounded often more expensive but “legal” under 503A/503B rules (until FDA cracks down).

Do peptides shut you down like steroids?

No. Most (CJC/Ipamorelin, BPC, GHK-Cu, NAD+) do not suppress natural hormone production. GLP-1s (Tirzepatide/Semaglutide) can mildly affect insulin dynamics but not HPTA shutdown like AAS.

Can women use peptides?

Yes—many women (especially 35+) use GHK-Cu, BPC-157, CJC/Ipamorelin, and GLP-1s. Doses often lower than men’s. Skin/glow and fat loss are top reasons.

What are the worst side effects people report?

Tirzepatide/Semaglutide: nausea, vomiting, constipation, “Ozempic face” (sagging skin from rapid fat loss)
CJC/Ipamorelin: hunger spikes or water retention early on
BPC-157: very rare (occasional dizziness/headache)
GHK-Cu: copper taste or mild irritation

How long can I run peptides?

Most: 8–16 weeks on, 4–8 weeks off
GLP-1s: often longer (6–18+ months) in research protocols
BPC-157/TB-500: shorter bursts (4–8 weeks) for injuries
GHK-Cu/NAD+: can be longer-term (3–6 months with breaks)

Important reminder

All of these are research chemicals only. They are sold strictly for laboratory and scientific study; not for human consumption, injection, or personal use.