Peptides...What's your thoughts?

[Mac]

Here goes another one of my Men's health posts.

Who here is willing to share your opinions or experiences with peptides? I use them. Never in my life would I have ever thought I would willing to self inject on a daily basis, but here I am. I am aging, my body is a wreck and I don't tolerate a lot of pills. Plus, most pills have a lot of side effects with long term effects. I did a lot of research on peptides before diving in. There is a lot of information out there good and bad on them. Most of what led me to start was peer reviewed medical journals that were not sponsored by companies wanting to push their products. Even US government health sites will share the benefits and information on peptides but in the end, are required to state they are not governed by the FDA and do not recommend them. Due to this, most peptides are labeled "for research only" or "for animal use only". More research shows that some of these are "banned" by World sport agencies as they are seen as "performance enhancing". I assume big pharma doesn't like them because the heal you and are cheap. What I have found is there is very little risk if you do your research and get the right products. What I have found is that peptides are synthetic compounds that push your body to produce the hormones, aminos, proteins, natural "chemicals" that it's no longer producing (product of body damage and aging). A lot of these peptides while "synthetic", are derived from or contain human elements that trigger your body back into production. For most peptides, you use a VERY little amount to trigger you body back into production.

For most peptides, you have to buy them freeze-dried or in powdered form and reconstitute them with bacteriostatic water (sterile water) to inject. You do have to learn some math on how to reconstitute and determine your dosage. I also only buy from US companies that produce their peptides in the US and under FDA lab regulations. Most internet peptides are made and shipped from China and do not have good results or reviews.

Here is my current list:
- Testosterone (not a peptide) - I'm low T
- Tirzepatide (prescription) - Using to lose weight
- Sermorelin - This triggers your endocrine system to produce human growth hormone. I use to help with sleep and build/maintain lean muscle mass. This also helps with breaking down visceral fat (deep fat, fatty liver, etc...)
- BPC-157 - I use this to fight inflammation and tissue repair. This can help with kidney repair. Prescription and OTC anti-inflammatories destroy your kidneys. I have MAJOR inflammation issues so this has been very helpful so far.

So far, these have all worked well. Most information/data recommend cycling off a peptide after 6 months for a month and then you can go back on it. While you cycle off, you can use a different peptide for other purposes but the intent is to give you body and system a rest.

Other peptides I'm considering:
- NAD - Helps with tissue repair, anti aging, energy, DNA repair, metabolism, and other stuff
- TB500 - Helps with tissue repair. It's generally combined with BPC-157.

With all this said, I get my blood drawn and tested several times a year. I have 2 primary doctors (insurance and then VA) and I give blood every 3 months. They send you the lab result on your blood after they test and accept it. Best part...it's FREE.

So...what's your thoughts?

 

[jareddustin]

i am all for peptides, sarms and steroids. when used correctly they are great tools.
some peptides can be made in to a nasal spray, while less effective than injection it offers a good alternative. with the orals you really need to watch kidneys.
there are some good sites to get them from. not sure if i can list them here but if anyone wants to know send me a DM and i can send a list. FDA has been cracking down on these sites more and more and sometimes its hard to find what you are looking for. a big one that was called Rats Army was shut down a few years ago.
information is key. do some research. there are a couple of places i like to go to for information and i have a couple of ebooks on sarms and steroids.
the one downfall is the injections, currently im doing an injection ever 3 days. depending on the compound, water or oil based can depend on the needle being used. most injection are in the muscle. good to always rotate spots. i do quads, ventralglute, glute, those sites can take up to about 3ml at a time, if doing a smaller injection ill do the delts. normally 25gage 1in needle, if doing delts i use a 27gage 1/2" needle. with oil based the smaller needle just take longer to inject.
im always on test, i have been on in so long ill probably have to be on it for life. peptides ill use sporadically depending on what i want.
this is a subject i enjoy also being a gym rat. but if you looked at me your first thought would not be i take gear as im not overly big, but i also dont do the doses the big guys do.
there are alot of downsides to these but those can be regulated with the right AI's and dosage. but the biggest downside is mental, you will like the way you feel on them and not like the way you feel when you cycle off.
there are so many different compounds out there its hard to keep up.

 

[TheSPAINishLover]

Here goes another one of my Men's health posts.

Who here is willing to share your opinions or experiences with peptides? I use them. Never in my life would I have ever thought I would willing to self inject on a daily basis, but here I am. I am aging, my body is a wreck and I don't tolerate a lot of pills. Plus, most pills have a lot of side effects with long term effects. I did a lot of research on peptides before diving in. There is a lot of information out there good and bad on them. Most of what led me to start was peer reviewed medical journals that were not sponsored by companies wanting to push their products. Even US government health sites will share the benefits and information on peptides but in the end, are required to state they are not governed by the FDA and do not recommend them. Due to this, most peptides are labeled "for research only" or "for animal use only". More research shows that some of these are "banned" by World sport agencies as they are seen as "performance enhancing". I assume big pharma doesn't like them because the heal you and are cheap. What I have found is there is very little risk if you do your research and get the right products. What I have found is that peptides are synthetic compounds that push your body to produce the hormones, aminos, proteins, natural "chemicals" that it's no longer producing (product of body damage and aging). A lot of these peptides while "synthetic", are derived from or contain human elements that trigger your body back into production. For most peptides, you use a VERY little amount to trigger you body back into production.

For most peptides, you have to buy them freeze-dried or in powdered form and reconstitute them with bacteriostatic water (sterile water) to inject. You do have to learn some math on how to reconstitute and determine your dosage. I also only buy from US companies that produce their peptides in the US and under FDA lab regulations. Most internet peptides are made and shipped from China and do not have good results or reviews.

Here is my current list:
- Testosterone (not a peptide) - I'm low T
- Tirzepatide (prescription) - Using to lose weight
- Sermorelin - This triggers your endocrine system to produce human growth hormone. I use to help with sleep and build/maintain lean muscle mass. This also helps with breaking down visceral fat (deep fat, fatty liver, etc...)
- BPC-157 - I use this to fight inflammation and tissue repair. This can help with kidney repair. Prescription and OTC anti-inflammatories destroy your kidneys. I have MAJOR inflammation issues so this has been very helpful so far.

So far, these have all worked well. Most information/data recommend cycling off a peptide after 6 months for a month and then you can go back on it. While you cycle off, you can use a different peptide for other purposes but the intent is to give you body and system a rest.

Other peptides I'm considering:
- NAD - Helps with tissue repair, anti aging, energy, DNA repair, metabolism, and other stuff
- TB500 - Helps with tissue repair. It's generally combined with BPC-157.

With all this said, I get my blood drawn and tested several times a year. I have 2 primary doctors (insurance and then VA) and I give blood every 3 months. They send you the lab result on your blood after they test and accept it. Best part...it's FREE.

So...what's your thoughts?

Took test for about 6 months. I made big muscle gains and I leaned out quite a bit. However, blood pressure was erratic, so I stopped.
Been on BPC-157 and TB500 for about a year. The difference has been very noticeable.

I have not considered NAD or Sermorelin since I continue to get stronger and bigger. If start to see any changes in the future, I will consider.

From who do you get yours?

 

[Mac]

i am all for peptides, sarms and steroids. when used correctly they are great tools.
some peptides can be made in to a nasal spray, while less effective than injection it offers a good alternative. with the orals you really need to watch kidneys.
there are some good sites to get them from. not sure if i can list them here but if anyone wants to know send me a DM and i can send a list. FDA has been cracking down on these sites more and more and sometimes its hard to find what you are looking for. a big one that was called Rats Army was shut down a few years ago.
information is key. do some research. there are a couple of places i like to go to for information and i have a couple of ebooks on sarms and steroids.
the one downfall is the injections, currently im doing an injection ever 3 days. depending on the compound, water or oil based can depend on the needle being used. most injection are in the muscle. good to always rotate spots. i do quads, ventralglute, glute, those sites can take up to about 3ml at a time, if doing a smaller injection ill do the delts. normally 25gage 1in needle, if doing delts i use a 27gage 1/2" needle. with oil based the smaller needle just take longer to inject.
im always on test, i have been on in so long ill probably have to be on it for life. peptides ill use sporadically depending on what i want.
this is a subject i enjoy also being a gym rat. but if you looked at me your first thought would not be i take gear as im not overly big, but i also dont do the doses the big guys do.
there are alot of downsides to these but those can be regulated with the right AI's and dosage. but the biggest downside is mental, you will like the way you feel on them and not like the way you feel when you cycle off.
there are so many different compounds out there its hard to keep up.

Minus the testosterone, all my injections are in subcutaneous and I use a small insulin needle. Most I inject is 20 units (.2 ml) on a single injection.

 

[Mac]

Took test for about 6 months. I made big muscle gains and I leaned out quite a bit. However, blood pressure was erratic, so I stopped.
Been on BPC-157 and TB500 for about a year. The difference has been very noticeable.

I have not considered NAD or Sermorelin since I continue to get stronger and bigger. If start to see any changes in the future, I will consider.

From who do you get yours?

I get my sermorelin by prescription from a local naturopathy doctor through Vertisis Custom Pharmacy here in Scottsdale, AZ. They mail it to me. The BPC I get from BioLongevity Labs online.

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biolongevitylabs.com

 

[jareddustin]

Took test for about 6 months. I made big muscle gains and I leaned out quite a bit. However, blood pressure was erratic, so I stopped.
Been on BPC-157 and TB500 for about a year. The difference has been very noticeable.

I have not considered NAD or Sermorelin since I continue to get stronger and bigger. If start to see any changes in the future, I will consider.

From who do you get yours?

how much test were you taking? test can thicken the blood, i know alot of guys that donate blood once a month while on test. but a basic TRT dose should not really have side affects. normally in the high does of test you need to watch your estrogen as that can get out of wack. good to take something like armidex at 1mg per week. but that should not be needed until you get up to around 500mg per week. but everyone is different. talalafil at a low does 5-10mg a day can help to regulate blood pressure some.

 

[Mac]

@jareddustin how much test were you taking? test can thicken the blood, i know alot of guys that donate blood once a month while on test. but a basic TRT dose should not really have side affects. normally in the high does of test you need to watch your estrogen as that can get out of wack. good to take something like armidex at 1mg per week. but that should not be needed until you get up to around 500mg per week. but everyone is different. talalafil at a low does 5-10mg a day can help to regulate blood pressure some.

I only take 200mg every other week. Not a lot. But yes....estrogen is a factor when on TRT. I'm all tested and good.

But, to your point, I give blood to reduce red cell count and lower risk of clotting/stroke. You shouldn't be donating blood more than once every 2 months.

 

[LegitDuner]

I always run across articles and such. I was really interested in Amino's at one point. It's just a lot to navigate. There's a lot of "if you take this, you need to take that," etc.
I've read that once you take testosterone, you have to take it for the rest of your life. True?
Is this the case with any of the peptides? I've learned that the body is always trying to maintain equal librium, so whatever you take, your body will up or down-regulate your natural body chemistry to maintain. This is what causes honeymoon phases and withdrawals when taking supplements.
I would hate to start taking something only to find out that I have to take it for the rest of my life.

 

[Mac]

I always run across articles and such. I was really interested in Amino's at one point. It's just a lot to navigate. There's a lot of "if you take this, you need to take that," etc.
I've read that once you take testosterone, you have to take it for the rest of your life. True?
Is this the case with any of the peptides? I've learned that the body is always trying to maintain equal librium, so whatever you take, your body will up or down-regulate your natural body chemistry to maintain. This is what causes honeymoon phases and withdrawals when taking supplements.
I would hate to start taking something only to find out that I have to take it for the rest of my life.

So with testosterone. Once you start taking it, you go through an adjustment phase. I was happy the first month, so/so month 2, emotional month 3. Month 4 ht and I was all good and been good for 6-8 months-ish. Since I'm spaced every 2 weeks, the end of the second week kind of sucks but I'm used to it. Once you go off, you will bottom out and then your body will take over and go back to it's "normal state" in my case, low T.

The peptides I take are short life. You stop taking them and they're out of your system in 2-3 days and your body just goes back to "normal" state. I went off my sermorelin for a few weeks...no crash or side effects.

 

[Wash 10 Crew]

 

[Rockwood]

 

[Mac]

Update...

So I switched from testosterone shots to pellets. They insert them under the skin. The shots get rough. They build scar tissue and become more painful with each shot. The pellets go in and last 4-6 months...closer to 6 from what the doctor says. This ends up cheaper and less hassle. There is no ups and downs. If anyone does TRT or is thinking about it, dude, pellets are the way to go. Night and day difference. All the rush and pump I expected to get from the shots never happened. The pellets...holy smokes...all of that and more. I feel better...physically, mentally, overall. Just way happier and feel better. I feel like I've found the fountain of youth and gone back 10-15 years.

 

[Adam G]

Update...

So I switched from testosterone shots to pellets. They insert them under the skin. The shots get rough. They build scar tissue and become more painful with each shot. The pellets go in and last 4-6 months...closer to 6 from what the doctor says. This ends up cheaper and less hassle. There is no ups and downs. If anyone does TRT or is thinking about it, dude, pellets are the way to go. Night and day difference. All the rush and pump I expected to get from the shots never happened. The pellets...holy smokes...all of that and more. I feel better...physically, mentally, overall. Just way happier and feel better. I feel like I've found the fountain of youth and gone back 10-15 years.

Same. I did Cypionate injections for about a year and a half with better total T numbers, but none of the upside I was hoping for and very poor available T. Switched to an actual HRT Dr and she put me on pellets. The first time getting them was a bit gnarly, I almost wish they could do it under general anesthesia! But once we figured out that lidocaine has very little effect on me (I’m a brown haired ginger), subsequent insertions have been fine. The total T number has been a moving target and so has been the estrogen. I think we are settled on 12 pellets every 6.5 months, and e blockers for the first 35 days. That stops the sudden hair shed, teenage acne and what little mood changes I did have.

I’ve never been a gym rat but with numbers like mine I actually WANT to lift heavy things. The muscle pump is instantaneous and recovery time is literally minutes, not hours or days like it used to be. I can even lift to muscle failure and the soreness is gone by the evening. No drawbacks to note except above which are handled by the e blockers early on. I do donate “power red” blood cells to keep my RBC/hemoglobin levels in check but that’s something I feel good about anyway.

 

[Crusty]

Interesting stuff.

 

[lincster]

Update...

So I switched from testosterone shots to pellets. They insert them under the skin. The shots get rough. They build scar tissue and become more painful with each shot. The pellets go in and last 4-6 months...closer to 6 from what the doctor says. This ends up cheaper and less hassle. There is no ups and downs. If anyone does TRT or is thinking about it, dude, pellets are the way to go. Night and day difference. All the rush and pump I expected to get from the shots never happened. The pellets...holy smokes...all of that and more. I feel better...physically, mentally, overall. Just way happier and feel better. I feel like I've found the fountain of youth and gone back 10-15 years.

My wife tried pellets, she had the opposite effect.
got a pellet every 4 months.
Felt great first 2 months, then could feel it weening off.
Did this for 2 years with different doses.
Went to injections, weekly, works great.
Numbers are great, feel better etc.

Every body is different.
Gotta find what works for you.

 

[Mac]

Same. I did Cypionate injections for about a year and a half with better total T numbers, but none of the upside I was hoping for and very poor available T. Switched to an actual HRT Dr and she put me on pellets. The first time getting them was a bit gnarly, I almost wish they could do it under general anesthesia! But once we figured out that lidocaine has very little effect on me (I’m a brown haired ginger), subsequent insertions have been fine. The total T number has been a moving target and so has been the estrogen. I think we are settled on 12 pellets every 6.5 months, and e blockers for the first 35 days. That stops the sudden hair shed, teenage acne and what little mood changes I did have.

I’ve never been a gym rat but with numbers like mine I actually WANT to lift heavy things. The muscle pump is instantaneous and recovery time is literally minutes, not hours or days like it used to be. I can even lift to muscle failure and the soreness is gone by the evening. No drawbacks to note except above which are handled by the e blockers early on. I do donate “power red” blood cells to keep my RBC/hemoglobin levels in check but that’s something I feel good about anyway.

My Dr does a great job. Didn't feel a thing. He pulls labs every 6 weeks for the first 3 months and if all is good, then we go once a year. I get my blood drawn from my other Drs and giving blood, so 8-12 times a year so everything gets checked regularly. I have had no issues with the "negative" side effects of testosterone.

Not a gym rat here either but I have to urge to go workout now. With my other peptides, I might see some big changes.

 

[Mac]

My wife tried pellets, she had the opposite effect.
got a pellet every 4 months.
Felt great first 2 months, then could feel it weening off.
Did this for 2 years with different doses.
Went to injections, weekly, works great.
Numbers are great, feel better etc.

Every body is different.
Gotta find what works for you.

My wife does the pellets too. They work great for her. She has the same take on it as I do. She just feels better physically, mentally, much happier. She lost a lot of weight too (didn't need to lose) by just being more active.