Peptide Critic Community

I've been taking Tirz for 2 years. I was basically on 2.5 mg the first year while I was losing weight. I went from 190 to 120lbs. I had attempted to increase the dosage to 5 after the first month but the nausea was so unbearable that I reverted to 2.5 after only 2 weeks at 5mg. I hit goal weight of 120 in about 10 months. I stayed on it though because of the other benefits I get from it. Prior to taking Tirz, I was nearly crippled from chronic joint pain due to psoriatic arthritis. I also had major brain fog, sleep issues and severe fatigue due to Hashimotos/hypothyroid issues. With Tirz, all of that is completely gone and I feel amazing so I plan to stay on this forever. Over the past year, I have been taking 1.75mg doses just for those benefits.

SW: 190 | CW: 120 | Height: 5'6" |Age: just turned 61 in May. Here is my before/after pic for those interested.

@Randy
First, I want to apologize in advance for the following wall of text! I have gone through so many therapies to help my daughter with her neurological issues and we currently still use red light therapy. She is the reason I started research peptides as well.

A little background on her is probably helpful here. At birth, she had a stroke in the left basal ganglia area of her brain followed by a hypoglycemic episode that left her extremely disabled afterwards. For nearly 3 years following her birth, she was in what is called a waking coma also called unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, which is a condition where a person appears awake, with sleep-wake cycles, but lacks conscious awareness of themselves or their surroundings. She met none of the developmental milestones of course. Through lots of treatments, therapies, perseverance, and just plain stubbornness on my part to refuse to accept the doctors’ claims that she would never get better, slowly but surely, she began to improve. Things we take for granted with our other kids were miracles. She was able to sit unassisted for the first time at 3 years old, learned to chew food at 3 and a half, and at age 5 despite doctors telling me it would never happen, she was able to walk unassisted for the first time. It was a slow journey but she was getting better and gaining skills every day & I finally had hope for full recovery.

But then at age 12, it all fell apart and doctors didn't have a clue what was going on. Basically she suddenly switched like overnight. She regressed in all the skills she had gained and get progressively worse as the years passed with no diagnosis. Finally at age 22, after years of doctors and several scary hospitalizations, they figured it out - autoimmune encephalitis. I wont overload you with the horrible symptoms but it is described to be like your brain is on fire. Once they started her on the proper treatment including IVIG, her symptoms slowly began to improve. But having had this going on so long, she has sustained a lot of damage to her brain from the constant inflammation. Although she was worlds better in so many ways, she still was nonverbal, has sensory issues, nystagmus, tremors, seizures, anxiety, and motor & autonomic dysfunction. Trying to restart communication, physical and occupational therapies has been a real struggle. It felt like even though she wanted to participate, her brain would not or could not cooperate.

I heard about brain laser therapy, sometimes called red light therapy, as a promising treatment and was at first pretty skeptical. How can shining a red light on your head fix your brain?? I ordered a medical book by Dr Michael Hamblin, who is considered the world's the most documented authority on the subject.

Research studies show it is helpful for a ton of other issues too. After reading it and also thoroughly looking into tons of research studies on it, I decided this might be worth trying for her.

So what is it? The medical term is PBM or photobiomodulation, a non-invasive technique that uses low-level light therapy (specifically near-infrared light) to modulate mitochondrial activity, boosting energy (ATP) production and reducing inflammation. This process accelerates tissue repair and relieves pain. It can also potentially improve cognitive function or treat certain neurological conditions. My biggest problem was that I had no idea where to buy a reputable device. For the brain specifically, it is called tPBM or transcranial photobiomodulation. I learned early on in my studies that not all red light devices are not able to penetrate the skull to address brain inflammation adequately. For a device to be effective, it has to have the correct, energy fluence (total energy delivered per unit area, measured in Joules per square centimeter (J/cm²). It also requires specific irradiance which is the power density Irradiance is the power of the light source per unit area, measured in milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm²). It must also have the right pulse frequency which is important for safe treatment of the brain because it minimizes the heating effect while increasing the possible penetration depth. And lastly, the correct NIR wavelength is crucial to deliver real results.

There are tons of so-called 'red light' devices sold almost everywhere but many of those are not medical grade devices and from my research, none seemed to have the adequate power to penetrate the skull or even the correct near-infrared (NIR) frequency bands necessary for successful treatment. I looked into all types of different treatments from cold laser therapy but many of those devices were for physicians only and also cost over $8,000 for a single wavelength device. Alternatively, treatment by a doctor was extremely expensive not to mention there are no doctors within 4 hours of us that even offer anything like that. The red light devices from Amazon and other places seemed questionable to me. I had no way of knowing (short of learning how to test electrical currents and light frequencies) if any of these were legitimate devices or just a regular light with a red lens. I looked and researched for several months.

I ultimately went with a company called Vielight founded by another leading doctor in the field of tPBM, whose devices had been used in several of the research studies I had read and after going through their site and studies, I decided to purchase one of their products. I bought Neuro Duo 4 which has alpha and gamma wave settings. I have only used the alpha setting with her so far but went for the duo one just because of the extent of her issues. She has only been using the device for less than two months but the results so far have been amazing. We have started out slowly as recommended and are currently at 3 twenty minute sessions a week using an alpha wave setting. Her tremors & seizures have stopped and her headaches seem to be gone as well. Her focus has improved tremendously and she is now learning to use a keyboard and tablet to learn to type to talk. Her sensory issues and anxiety have also improved. The changes are night and day, truly. The company has done several studies themselves as well that are listed on their site. They also offer really good support and are quick to respond if you have questions. On my last call with them I mentioned, I was in several groups with lots of kids with the same issues and they even gave me a 10% discount code for me and to share on any of their stuff. They also offered a refund policy, you can try the product for 6 months and if their devices do not help, you can return it for an 80% refund. That impressed me considering how much money I had wasted n stuff that didn't help at all. Needless to say, I didn't return it. I really think it is the missing link for a lot people. The most important issue is making sure you get a device that has the right light frequency/ power & wavelengths for your condition. Here is a pic of her device :
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I have to say your giveaways are seriously awesome. especially considering you have already provided the best forum I have seen. May all the best karma show up at your door!

Lemon Bottle is NOT a peptide. It is a cosmetic fad treatment marketed as a subQ lipolysis that is supposed to breakdown fat. The main ingredients are Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Lecithin, and Bromelain. There is no clinical evidence that it is effective. It is risky as well with a potential of very serious side effects. A major reason for this is the bromelain. Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme found primarily in pineapples. Allergies to it occur when your immune system misidentifies the enzyme as a threat and releases histamines. This can cause a range of symptoms, from mild tingling in the mouth to severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis. Normally these reaction are rare when bromelain is taken orally but injecting it into subcutaneous tissues raises the histamine risk and also can cause ulcers or tissue necrosis (death of skin and tissues).

I would advise major careful research before trying it out.

@Randy I get mine at Amazon. Here's the link - https://www.amazon.com/NUMSTAT-Antiseptic-Numbing-Benzocaine-Isopropyl/dp/B0CMB5VFGY/ref=sr_1_1_pp

@theone @theone You may want to look into pinealon. It is a bioactive tripeptide synthesized from Glutamine, Asparagine, and Arginine that can have a big impact on sleep quality. It works by targeting the pineal gland which produces melatonin and regulates circadian rhythms which can potentially improve sleep quality. It is also neuroprotective, and has a major role in managing the endocrine system which affects growth, moods, metabolism, injury and stress responses, reproduction, and energy. My research subjects have had good results on 300mcg subQ. I also recently switched administration to nasal with even better improvements.

My peptide research is also along those lines. I have had noticeable results with PE-22-28, Pinealon, SS-31, BPC157, KPV, TA-1 and TB4. Several of these peptides are also good for other issues but below is some relevant info regarding the neuro benefits that you may find helpful.

Pinealon - a synthetic tripeptide (Glu-Asp-Arg) that crosses the blood-brain barrier to modulate neuroplasticity-related gene expression. It interacts directly with DNA sequences to upregulate genes responsible for neuroplasticity. It regulates neurotransmitters like serotonin, helping to protect the brain against oxidative stress, cognitive decline and allows the brain to better adapt, learn, and form new synaptic connections. Research shows it upregulates specific neuroprotective proteins in the cerebral cortex, improving neurological function and dendritic spine morphology. By modulating neurotransmitter release, it also supports natural circadian rhythms and enhances mental clarity, working memory, and focus

PE-22-28 - a synthetic peptide fragment derived from BDNF, one of the most important proteins in the brain for learning, memory, and emotional regulation. It acts as a selective TrkB (tropomyosin receptor kinase B) agonist, mimicking BDNF activity and enhancing downstream pathways that support brain health.

It is often referred to as a “BDNF mimetic” and offers potent neuroprotective and antidepressant-like effects without the overstimulation or side effects commonly seen with other mood-enhancing agents.

PE-22-28 exerts its effects by binding to and activating TrkB receptors, the same receptors activated by natural BDNF. This triggers a cascade of intracellular signaling pathways including:

PI3K/Akt Pathway

• Promotes cell survival
• Inhibits apoptosis (cell death)
• Supports neural growth and repair

MAPK/ERK Pathway

• Enhances synaptic plasticity
• Improves learning and memory
• Encourages long-term potentiation (LTP)

PLCγ Pathway

• Supports intracellular calcium signaling
• Modulates neurotrophic and neurogenic responses

By mimicking BDNF and stimulating TrkB, PE-22-28 improves neuroplasticity, helps the brain adapt to stress, and enhances emotional resilience—all crucial factors for addressing mood disorders and cognitive decline.

KPV - a tripeptide composed of the amino acids lysine, proline, and valine. It is derived from the C-terminal end of the alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a peptide produced by the pituitary gland. KPV also has potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects:

Chronic Inflammatory Conditions: KPV can inhibit neuroinflammatory pathways (like NF-κB) and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine production

Systemic Inflammation: KPV's systemic anti-inflammatory effects may benefit individuals with metabolic or neuroimmune disorders.

Potential Role in Neurological Health:

Brain Inflammation: Preliminary evidence suggests it might help reduce neuroinflammation, potentially
benefiting conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or traumatic brain injury.

SS-31 - The Szeto-Schiller peptide is a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant and membrane stabilizer that “protects and restores mitochondrial structure, promotes ATP synthesis, reduces electron leakage and cardiolipin peroxidation, and has no effect on healthy mitochondria” (Zhu, 2022). It does this by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), which helps protect mitochondrial components such as proteins, lipids, and DNA from oxidative damage, thereby preserving mitochondrial function. By stabilizing the mitochondrial inner membrane, it assists with electron transport and ATP production and energy metabolism. SS-31 has anti-apoptotic properties, meaning it can inhibit programmed cell death. It helps maintain mitochondrial membrane potential and prevent the release of pro-apoptotic factors from mitochondria, thereby preserving cell viability (Pang, 2015). Additionally, SS-31 has been shown to reverse the mitochondria fragmentation (Machiraju et al., 2019). This helps with both normal mitochondria degradation as well as mitochondrial dysfunction-related conditions such as heart failure, ischemia-reperfusion injury, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic disorders. (https://www.meetingpointhealth.com/peptides-for-mitochondrial-health/

Thymosin beta-4 & Thymosin alpha-1: Peptides derived from the thymus that have roles in immune modulation and anti-inflammatory processes, may improve neurological outcomes after stroke or brain damage.

BPC157 Neuro and cardio protection

Neuroprotective benefits -

• lnfluences serotonergic, dopaminergic, opioid and GABAergic systems
• Improves nerve regeneration
• Decreases neuroinflammation

Depends on how severely your gum health has degraded. In early stage gum disease, LL-37 is a helpful peptide that naturally combats peridontitis. It directly disrupts bacteria & toxins, and dental plaque biofilms. It is also immunomodulatory and has tissue regernerating properties. BUT, in advanced gum disease, bacterial DNA can bind with LL-37, which can render the peptide inactive and actually trigger more bacteria & chronic inflammation. This is because as the dental plaque bacteria die off, they release extracellular DNA. This DNA binds tightly to LL-37, forming a stable complex which can act as a matrix for more bacterial accumulation and trigger chronic inflammatory responses in the gums. So if you have severe issues, you are probably better off with clinical treatment first like localized slow release antibiotics.

From a personal study, one of my subjects recently had full mouth dental implants which required removing all teeth, removing some bone and then placing 12 implants into the bone. A temporary dental prosthesis was attached to the implants the day of the surgery. Normally this temporary prosthesis would be worn for 8-12 weeks while the gum tissues healed. At my subjects 2 week follow-up, the surgeon was amazed because the gum tissues had already completely closed up and healed. My subject was on a regimen of KLOW, LL-37, cartalax and epitalon.

@Capricorn74

Angiogenesis is the biological process by which new blood vessels form from pre-existing ones to support growth, wound healing, and tumor expansion. It is triggered by pathogens, physical trauma, or toxic chemicals.

Inflammation on the other hand is a protective chemical and cellular process triggered by cell injury or infection, driven primarily by key mediators like histamine, prostaglandins, and cytokines. Angtiogenesis doesn't cause inflammation. In a case like yours, a chronic existing injury & damage had already triggered an inflammatory state as your body attempted to repair the damage. You said you had had issues for 16 years, so as in many cases, the repair process was ineffective but ongoing. As these calcium deposits continue to accumulate and grow bigger, they become irritated and can cause severe pain. Your body attempts to repair the damage in several ways including sending macrophages to breakdown the hardened crystals. It also triggers an inflammatory response to create a protective cushion around the injury in an attempt to limit movement and stop further injury. As it heals from calcification, it can be painful as the tissues reabsorb the calcium. When the body is not able to heal quickly due to aging or continued injury to the area then the constant inflammation can actually cause even more damage to surrounding blood vessels and tissue creating an ongoing vicious cycle.

TB500 and BPC157 are similar to the body's own peptides that are used in this process. They focus on signaling progenitor and repair cells & promote nutrient and oxygen delivery to the injury by angiogenesis which is the formation of new blood vessels. While they also help to regulate and decrease inflammation, the process of forming new blood vessels will increase blood flow to the area which will cause pain.
Had your body been able to repair itself without supplementing with peptides, it would have gone through the same painful steps.

Basically, to sum it up, the peptides did not cause your increased pain, they just jumpstarted and sped up a stalled healing process in which pain is already a byproduct.

@Randy I second this suggestion! Cartalax has helped my neck and back issues immensely. I had C4,5,6 fused in my neck over 10 years ago and now the vertabrae above and below are wearing out due to the added stress of compensating for the fusion. After about 3 weeks of Cartalax, pain level is 80-90%less

So glad I happened across this site. I am really impressed by the depth of information & ease of access available across vendors and pricing. This is a very useful site!

I have been researching peptides that may aid in healing a stroke (basal ganglia) with autoimmune encephalitis situation for a research subject that is very dear to me. I have been studying past and present clinical studies and research journals for a couple of years before beginning actual research trials last year. I have learned a lot but there is still so much more with new research coming out all the time. Thank you to the site owners for their hard work in setting up this community!

Many people mistakenly believe that bacteriostatic water and sterile water are the same thing and that can cause dangerous results due to severe infection risk.

Sterile water is 100% distilled water while sterile saline water is distilled and includes 0.9% sodium chloride but neither has any preservatives so once opened, it is at high risk for bacterial/microbial contamination and only should only be used for immediate single use doses.

Bacteriostatic water is sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol added. It actively kills bacteria and can keep the peptide mixture stable for 14-28 days after opening.

Because bac water alone can cause mild stinging/irritation for nasal solutions, it is recommended to first reconstitute the peptide with bac water to prevent bacterial growth. Then combine that mixture with sterile 0.9% saline to dilute it and prevent irritation to the sinuses.

Edit - There are also other peptides that you shouldn't reconstitute with BAC water. These peptides require acetic acid water (because they have a net positive charge at neutral pH that causes them to aggregate rather than dissolve.

Some peptides that are better reconstituted with acetic acid water include:

• GHK-Cu — the copper complex is poorly soluble in neutral water
• AOD-9604 — often requires mild acid for complete dissolution
• IGF-1 LR3 — acidic conditions prevent aggregation
• GHRP-2 and GHRP-6
• Melanotan 1 and Melanotan 2
• NAD+ - dissolves in BAC water but benefits from acidic pH for improved stability and to prevent crystallization at higher concentrations

I recently did a trial of subQ PE-22-28 to evaluate mood enhancement and increased memory and learning with my post-stroke research guinea pig.

While there was some improvement it was slight so I decided to run a trial with nasal administration. The difference is very noticeable! Onset is much quicker and benefits are much more obvious.

I'm looking into possibly trialing DSIP & pinealon. Curious if anyone has researched others on subQ vs nasal that were revealed to have better efficacy with nasal route?

This is a very helpful resource - https://pep-pedia.org/browse

@PricklyPear

It isn't recommended to use bacteriostatic sodium chloride for most peptides. The problem is with the sodium chloride. Peptides are delicate amino acid chains and the added salt (sodium chloride) in bacteriostatic saline, even in a peptide that may contain sodium, can potentially alter its chemical stability or cause dissolve poorly (clumping) which can make it less effective.

Bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol is almost always the preferred choice unless the peptide is sensitive to benzyl alcohol degradation or explicitly requires a salt-based buffer.

For your question on GLP1 analogs, there is some research and clinical compounding data that show that semaglutide, liraglutide, and exenatide do have a sensitivity to benzyl alcohol and would be more effective with sterile saline. Keep in mind though when using sterile saline that the peptide may degrade more quickly due to more preservatives.

Seems like her doctor may be confusing Monjauro (tirzepatide which is a GIP/GLP) with GLP1s. Reseach studies show that Tirzepatide is associated with a significantly lower risk of primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension compared to GLP-1 s. In fact, . findings suggested potential neuroprotective effects from its dual GIP/GLP-1 action. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002939425006531

Started VIP about 6 month ago for my research baby. Amazing results from day one. I was interested in the effects on problems from former stroke and current ongoing autoimmune encephalitis disorder with chronic gut biome issues including poor intestinal motility and constipation, debilitating ocd, anxiety and sensory issues. There are more and more studies though that show the gut and brain are interconnected through the gut-brain axis and the vagus nerve, and that gut health is linked to anxiety, depression and other mental issues. In fact, the gut's enteric nervous system is often called the "second brain". Research shows that the gut produces many of the same brain neurotransmitters and about 95% of the body's serotonin, a key neurotransmitter for mood, which is why gut health is so closely tied to mental well-being.

We began with VIP at 200 mcg subQ daily. She did have pretty intense facial and body flushing for about 20 minutes post injections but it it didnt cause any discomfort or other symptoms. Within a week, her anxiety and and sensory problems were 70-80% improved. OCD issues were almost negligible. Bowel habits are improving as well with only an occasional need for laxatives. We switched to try nasal spray administration about 2 months ago and it appears to work just as well and there is no facial/body flushing.

VIP is regarded as a potent anti-inflammatory peptide that also acts as a neurotransmitter and has widespread functions in the body, including regulating digestive secretions and blood flow, and modulating the immune system. In our experience so far it has lived up to the hype!

It seems like these designations of “Research Use Only” and “Physician Use Only” are mainly to protect the profits of big pharma companies. They want people to believe it is about protecting health when if that were the only reason they would make these accessible through quality regulation but they just prefer to make it criminal. If they cared one whit about the health of the average person, we would also have things like universal healthcare world-class investment in medical funding that benefits everyone. It's about the money.

@MyB I heard Peptide Sciences reopened as New England Biologics. The site looks very similar aside from the name and colors. Anyway, all of the same library info is on the new site as well - https://neb.co/all-peptides/