Word list
Peptide words, explained simply
Every word you will run into on a label or in a guide, in one place.
- Peptide
- A short chain of amino acids. Amino acids are the same building blocks that make protein in food.
- Reconstitution
- Adding liquid to a dry powder so it becomes an injectable liquid. Mixing, in one word.
- Bacteriostatic water
- Sterile water with a tiny amount of benzyl alcohol in it. The alcohol stops bacteria from growing, so a mixed vial keeps for weeks. Also called bac water or reconstitution solution.
- Acetic acid
- A very dilute acid used only for powders that will not dissolve in water alone. Most peptides never need it.
- mg (milligram)
- A unit of weight. Vial sizes are usually written in mg, like a 10 mg vial.
- mcg (microgram)
- One thousandth of a milligram. 1,000 mcg equals 1 mg. Small doses are written in mcg.
- mL (milliliter)
- A unit of liquid volume. A standard insulin syringe holds 1 mL.
- IU (international unit)
- A measure of activity rather than weight. HGH is sold in IU instead of mg.
- Units on a syringe
- The numbered lines on a U-100 insulin syringe. 100 units equals 1 mL, so 20 units is 0.2 mL.
- Concentration
- How much peptide sits in each mL of liquid. A 10 mg vial with 2 mL of water is 5 mg per mL.
- Subcutaneous (subQ)
- Into the fat layer just under the skin, usually the belly. This is the most common route.
- Intramuscular (IM)
- Into the muscle. Less common for peptides.
- Half-life
- How long it takes the body to clear half of a dose. A short half-life usually means more frequent dosing.
- Titrate
- To step a dose up slowly instead of starting high.
- Cycle
- A set stretch of time on a compound, followed by time off.
- Stack
- Two or more compounds used in the same period because they work on different pathways.
- Lyophilized
- Freeze-dried. That white puck or dust at the bottom of the vial.
- Vial
- The small sealed glass bottle with a rubber top. You never remove the top, you push the needle through it.
- Gauge
- Needle thickness. A higher number is a thinner needle. Insulin syringes are usually 29 to 31 gauge.
- Sharps container
- A hard sealed container for used needles.
Ready to mix? See how much water each vial takes.