Dosage and Storage
Best practices for handling, reconstituting, storing, and disposing of research peptides safely.
🔬 General handling
- Handle only in a clean laboratory or controlled research environment
- Avoid unnecessary exposure to air, moisture, light, and heat
- Use appropriate laboratory PPE (gloves, lab coat, eye protection)
🧪 Reconstitution (for laboratory preparation)
- Use sterile laboratory-grade water or appropriate solvent specified by your protocol
- Introduce liquid slowly down vial wall to avoid foaming
- Gently swirl — do not shake
- Record preparation date and solvent used
❄️ Storage
Lyophilized (powder / unmixed)
- Freezer (-20°C or lower): up to 1–2+ years
- Refrigerator (2–8°C): several months
- Store dark, dry, and sealed
Reconstituted solutions
- Refrigerator (2–8°C)
- Do not freeze unless protocol explicitly requires
- Typical research stability: 14–30 days (compound-dependent)
🧼 Contamination control
- Use sterile tools and containers
- Wipe vial septum with alcohol before and after access
- Do not reuse needles or pipette tips
- Discard if turbidity, precipitation, or color change is observed
📌 Documentation & traceability
- Label containers with compound name, concentration, solvent, and date
- Maintain preparation and usage logs
- Store SDS (Safety Data Sheets) on file
Dispose of unused material and consumables according to local chemical waste regulations. Do not pour down drains or place in household waste.
Storage temperatures by stage
| Stage | Temperature | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lyophilised, unopened | 15–25 °C, dark | Up to 36 months from manufacture |
| Lyophilised, in fridge | 2–8 °C | Maintains stability up to 24 months |
| Reconstituted, in fridge | 2–8 °C | 30–60 days depending on compound |
| Reconstituted, frozen aliquot | −20 °C | 6–12 months, one freeze-thaw only |
| Working aliquot during withdrawal | Briefly at room temp | Minutes only |
Shelf life by peptide class
| Peptide class | Examples | Reconstituted shelf life (2–8 °C) |
|---|---|---|
| Long-acting GLP-1 / dual / triple agonists | Retatrutide, Tirzepatide, Semaglutide | Up to 60 days |
| Healing / cytoprotective peptides | BPC-157, TB-500 | ~30 days |
| Growth-hormone secretagogues | CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, GHRP-6 | ~30 days |
| Cosmetic and mito peptides | GHK-Cu, KPV, MOTS-c | ~30 days |
| Other | NAD+, SS-31, Selank, Semax | 14–30 days |
Aliquot before you freeze
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are the single biggest cause of unexplained activity loss. The fix is simple: at first reconstitution, draw the solution into 5–10 single-use aliquots in sterile microtubes, label each with date/batch ID/concentration, and freeze at −20 °C. When you need a dose, thaw exactly one aliquot.
Safe disposal of unused peptides and sharps
- Used vials, needles, and syringes go in a UV-resistant sharps container marked with the date opened.
- Unused reconstituted peptide should not be poured down the drain — it goes in the sharps container too.
- UK research labs typically dispose of sharps through a licensed clinical-waste contractor (e.g. SRCL, Daniels). Domestic users in the UK can return sharps to local NHS sharps-return schemes.
Frequently asked: dosage & storage
How long does retatrutide last after reconstitution?
Up to 60 days at 2–8 °C without freezing, or 6–12 months in single-use frozen aliquots at −20 °C.
Can I store a reconstituted vial at room temperature?
No — once reconstituted, all peptides on this site need refrigeration (2–8 °C). Room-temperature storage of a reconstituted vial accelerates degradation and microbial-growth risk.
What temperature should I aim for in my lab fridge?
Anywhere in the 2–8 °C band is fine. Avoid the freezer compartment and the door shelves (door-shelf temperature spikes when the fridge is opened).
How many freeze-thaw cycles can a peptide tolerate?
One. Always aliquot before the first freeze, then thaw only what you need. A second freeze-thaw cycle can cause 5–20% activity loss depending on the compound.