Mixing and injecting, explained simply

What “reconstitution” means

Many peptides come as a small cake of dry, freeze-dried (lyophilised) powder in a sealed glass vial. Before it can be drawn into a syringe, the powder has to be dissolved in a liquid. That step is called reconstitution, or simply mixing.

GHK-Cu, a copper peptide, is one common example that is supplied this way.

The liquid is usually bacteriostatic water (often shortened to BAC water): sterile water with a little benzyl alcohol as a preservative. The water never changes how much peptide is in the vial. It only changes how strong the solution is: more water makes it weaker, so the same amount fills more of the syringe.

What you need

• The peptide vial, with the amount on the label (usually in mg).
• Bacteriostatic water, or the diluent named by the prescriber or manufacturer.
• Alcohol swabs.
• A syringe to add the water, and insulin syringes for drawing up (U-100 is the most common scale).
• A sharps container, or another rigid, puncture-proof container, for used needles.
• A clean, dry surface and a pen to label the vial.

Mixing, step by step

1. Wash your hands and clear a clean surface.
2. Check the vial. Read the amount on the label and the expiry date. Do not use a vial with a damaged seal or with particles in it.
3. Wipe both rubber stoppers (peptide and water) with an alcohol swab and let them dry.
4. Draw up the water you have decided to add. Write the amount down; you will need it for the maths.
5. Add the water slowly, down the inside wall of the vial, rather than spraying it straight onto the powder.
6. Swirl or roll gently until it is clear. Do not shake hard. If the powder needs a moment, let it sit.
7. Label the vial with the date and the strength you made (for example “mcg per ml”).

The maths, in plain words

Three numbers decide what each mark on the syringe means: the amount in the vial, the water you added, and the syringe scale.

1. Strength: amount in the vial ÷ water added = amount per ml.
2. Volume: the amount you want to draw ÷ the strength = ml.
3. Units: on a U-100 syringe, ml × 100 = units.

Worked example (numbers chosen only to show the arithmetic, not a suggested dose). A 5 mg vial mixed with 2 ml of water gives 2.5 mg per ml, which is 2,500 mcg per ml. On a U-100 syringe, 10 units is 0.1 ml, which holds 250 mcg of that solution.

Two common mistakes: mixing up mg and mcg (1 mg = 1,000 mcg), and using a different syringe scale from the one the maths assumed. U-40 syringes exist and look similar, so check the label. “Units” on a syringe are a volume, not an amount of peptide: “25 units” means nothing unless you also know how the vial was mixed.

The free calculator at peptidecalculator.eu does this arithmetic for you: enter the vial amount, the water and the amount per draw, and it shows the units on the syringe. Like this page, it gives no dosing advice.

Storage

• Follow the storage instructions on the product or from the prescriber. Unmixed powder and mixed solution often need different conditions.
• Mixed vials are usually kept in the fridge (2–8 °C), away from light, and never frozen unless the label says so.
• Bacteriostatic water vials are typically labelled for use within 28 days after the first puncture. Check your label.
• Throw away any solution that turns cloudy or changes colour, or that has particles in it.

The same reconstitution steps apply to other lyophilised research vials, such as NAD+.

Injecting under the skin (subcutaneous)

Most peptide injections people describe are subcutaneous: into the fatty layer just under the skin, not into a muscle or vein.

1. Wash your hands and use a new, sterile needle and syringe every time. Never share needles or vials.
2. Wipe the vial stopper, draw up the amount, and tap out any large air bubbles.
3. Choose a site: the belly (at least about 5 cm from the navel), the front of the thigh, or the back of the upper arm. Avoid scars, moles, bruises and irritated skin.
4. Clean the skin with an alcohol swab and let it dry.
5. Pinch a fold of skin and insert the needle in one smooth motion. Short insulin needles are usually inserted at 90°; follow the instructions you were given.
6. Push the plunger slowly, wait a few seconds, then withdraw and let go of the skin. Press lightly with a clean swab if needed; do not rub.
7. Put the needle straight into the sharps container. Do not recap it.
8. Rotate sites from one injection to the next to avoid lumps and irritation.

When to stop and get help

• Redness, heat, swelling or pain at a site that gets worse instead of better, or fever: these can be signs of infection.
• Hives, swelling of the face or throat, or difficulty breathing: call emergency services.
• Fainting, chest pain, or any symptom that worries you.

Research peptides from unregulated sources can be mislabelled or contaminated. See what to check when sourcing and the disclaimer.

Keep reading

Glossary of dosing terms · Side-by-side comparisons · All peptides

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