Synthesized from 40+ experts

How to start, slowly.

Pick one goal. Start with one compound at the lowest dose. Re-test bloodwork at four weeks. Then decide.

Tailor for you · optional

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Step 1

Foundation rules

Where every expert agrees, without exception.

  1. 01

    Get bloodwork first — period.

    CBC, CMP, lipid panel, HbA1c, fasting glucose, total + free testosterone, IGF-1, hs-CRP, TSH/free T4. You can't tell if a compound is helping if you don't know your baseline.

    Every single expert in our corpus opens with this.

  2. 02

    Pick ONE goal first.

    Don't stack a fat-loss protocol with a longevity protocol with a cognitive protocol. You'll learn nothing about any of them and you'll multiply side-effect risk.

    Bachmeyer, Tatem, Jones DC all repeat this.

  3. 03

    Start at the lowest studied dose.

    Wait 4 weeks before judging anything. Add a second compound only after the first has shown effect or clear absence of effect.

    Universal across the corpus.

  4. 04

    One change at a time.

    If you start a new peptide AND a new training program AND a new diet in the same week, you'll learn nothing about any of them.

    Andy Galpin and Layne Norton repeat this constantly.

  5. 05

    Cycle on, cycle off.

    Every peptide we cover has a cycle structure. Receptor habituation is real. Continuous use of compounds designed for cyclical use shortens their effective lifespan.

    Bachmeyer and JD Denham emphasize this most strongly.

  6. 06

    Talk to a real doctor.

    Not a clinic that sells the thing they're prescribing. A primary care physician who will run your labs and tell you when to stop.

    Universal across the corpus and the only legal-cover position we'll publish.

Step 2

Pick your goal

Each track shows the lowest-risk starter, what to add next, and the full advanced stack.

Fat Loss
Lose body fat without losing muscle.
Muscle & Recovery
Heal injuries, build lean mass, improve sleep depth.
Longevity & Cellular Health
Mitochondrial repair, immune balance, healthspan.
Cognitive & Focus
Sharper recall, lower anxiety, BDNF/NGF boost.

Fat Loss

Lose body fat without losing muscle.

Start here · lowest risk

Tirzepatide

Dose0.5–2.5 mg / week
TimingSubcutaneous, same day each week

Most-studied GLP-1/GIP dual agonist. Start at 0.5 mg, titrate up every 4 weeks. The lowest-risk entry point — strong human safety data, side effects are predictable.

Then add

Retatrutide

Dose0.25–0.5 mg / week

When: Once you've held a maintenance dose of Tirzepatide for 8+ weeks and want the glucagon-receptor edge for visceral fat. Or skip Tirz and start here under physician supervision.

Full advanced stack

Retatrutide4–8 mg/week (titrated)Weekly SubQ
AOD-960430 units fasted AMMon–Fri
MOTS-c1–10 mgWorkout days, fasted AM
Tesamorelin1 mg AM + 1 mg PM5 days on / 2 off — visceral fat finisher

Expert consensus

Bachmeyer calls Reta + MOTS-c his top metabolic stack. Dr. Jones DC reports 94% clinic success with AOD + GLP-1 + Tesamorelin sequencing. Jay Campbell and Nick Trigili stack Tesamorelin as the visceral fat finisher.

Cycle structure

Reta: 12–16 weeks active, taper 6 weeks. MOTS-c: 6–8 weeks on / 2 weeks off. SLU-PP-332: workout days only.

Approximate cost

$300–500 starting; $600+ for full advanced stack

What to monitor

Subjective: Waist measurement weekly · Energy on fasted lifts · Recovery quality
Bloodwork: Fasting glucose + HbA1c (8–12 wks) · Lipid panel · ALT/AST · Resting HR (+8–10 bpm = back off)

Common mistakes

  • ×Going keto on Retatrutide — Bachmeyer says 40–55% carbs required for the glucagon receptor
  • ×Chasing the scale weekly before week 4 — judge at week 8
  • ×Stacking Reta + Tirz simultaneously — Bachmeyer warns against this

Muscle & Recovery

Heal injuries, build lean mass, improve sleep depth.

Start here · lowest risk

BPC-157

Dose250–500 mcg / day
TimingSubcutaneous, fasted AM (systemic) or near sore area

Lowest-risk healing peptide. Decades of animal data, no serious adverse events in humans, clear effect on tendon/gut/inflammation. Universal expert endorsement.

Then add

TB-500

Dose2 mg every other day

When: Add after 4 weeks on BPC-157 if you have systemic injuries (multiple sites, soft tissue) or want amplified recovery. The classic 'Wolverine stack.'

Full advanced stack

BPC-157250–500 mcg/daySubQ daily
TB-5002 mg every other daySubQ
CJC-1295 (no-DAC)1 mgBefore bed, 5 on / 2 off
Ipamorelin300 mcgStacked with CJC, before bed

Expert consensus

Every source agrees CJC + Ipamorelin is the foundational GH stack. Bachmeyer, Dr. Jones DC, JD Denham confirm BPC-157 + TB-500 as the recovery anchor. Nick Trigili: 'TRT alone is the engine — peptides are the turbo.'

Cycle structure

BPC-157 + TB-500: 8–12 weeks on, 4 weeks off (resistance builds at ~30 days). CJC/IPA: 5 on / 2 off, 12-week cycles, 4-week break.

Approximate cost

$150–350 (BPC + TB ~$100–150; add CJC/IPA $150–200)

What to monitor

Subjective: Sleep depth (first sign CJC/IPA works) · Morning soreness vs prior cycle · Grip strength
Bloodwork: IGF-1 quarterly (don't run too high) · Total + free T · CBC (hematocrit under 50%)

Common mistakes

  • ×CJC with DAC instead of no-DAC — 6–8 day active version has no off switch (Dr. Jones DC)
  • ×AM dosing GH peptides — pituitary repair window is overnight; dose before bed
  • ×MK-677 instead of secretagogues — Dr. Tatem ran personal trial, hit pre-diabetic A1C; avoid

Longevity & Cellular Health

Mitochondrial repair, immune balance, healthspan.

Start here · lowest risk

Thymosin Alpha-1

Dose0.5 mg / day
TimingSubcutaneous, daily, 4–6 week cycle

FDA-approved (Zadaxin). Acts as an immune 'thermostat' — up-regulates when needed, calms when overactive. Cleanest-profile longevity peptide to start with.

Then add

MOTS-c

Dose1–10 mg per session

When: After 4–6 weeks on TA-1 if you want mitochondrial biogenesis. Bachmeyer: must be paired with magnesium glycinate 400 mg + CoQ10 200 mg as co-factors.

Full advanced stack

Thymosin Alpha-10.5 mg/daySubQ, 4–6 wk cycle
EpitalonPer compounder10-day course, 2–3x/year
MOTS-c1–10 mgWorkout days
SS-310.5–2 mg/day8 weeks BEFORE adding MOTS-c (Bachmeyer's sequence)
NAD+50 mg SubQ or 250–500 mg oral NMNAM

Expert consensus

Bachmeyer's 'God Protocol' centers on MOTS-c + Epitalon + BPC-157 + Thymosin Alpha-1 as a lifelong scaffold. Dr. Seeds endorses MOTS-c + SS-31 for mitochondrial-first model. Jay Campbell calls Klotho 'the fountain of youth molecule.'

Cycle structure

Epitalon: 10-day course 2–3x/year. TA-1: 4–6 weeks on, break. SS-31: 8-week foundation before MOTS-c. MOTS-c: 6 wks on / 2 wks off, never year-round.

Approximate cost

$200–300 (without Klotho); +$380/mo with Klotho

What to monitor

Subjective: Energy floor (not peaks) · Sleep depth · Morning joint stiffness · Cognitive sharpness
Bloodwork: hs-CRP (target <2.0) · IGF-1 · CMP · Epigenetic age test annually

Common mistakes

  • ×Adding SS-31 before MOTS-c is established — Bachmeyer: 'rebuilt engine in a car with no gas'
  • ×Running MOTS-c year-round — Enhanced Man warns: fast heartbeat + insomnia at high doses
  • ×Skipping magnesium glycinate + CoQ10 as MOTS-c co-factors — required, not optional

Cognitive & Focus

Sharper recall, lower anxiety, BDNF/NGF boost.

Start here · lowest risk

Semax

Dose500 mcg / day
TimingSubcutaneous (NOT nasal — JD Denham is explicit)

Russian-developed neuropeptide with strong BDNF/NGF effect. Cyclical only — 1 month on, 1 week off. Cleanest cognitive entry point with established dosing.

Then add

Selank

DosePair with Semax

When: Add as PM counterpart for calm + focus balance. Jacob Nachinson's locked pairing: Semax AM, Selank PM.

Full advanced stack

Semax500 mcg/dayAM SubQ, 1 mo on / 1 wk off
SelankPer compounderPM, paired with Semax
Methylene Blue5–10 mg/dayEarlier in day; 2 mo on / 1 mo off; MUST pair 500 mg Vit C
BPC-157250–500 mcgDaily — secondary BDNF benefit

Expert consensus

Bachmeyer uses Semax for BDNF/NGF and Alzheimer's prevention. JD Denham runs SubQ (not nasal). Dr. Jones DC calls Semax + Selank 'temporary fertilizer' — cyclical only. Enhanced Man stacks MB at 2 mo on / 1 mo off.

Cycle structure

Semax: 1 mo on / 1 wk off — it's fertilizer, not forever. MB: 2 mo on / 1 mo off strict.

Approximate cost

$80–150 (Semax/Selank $60–80; pharma-grade MB $30–50)

What to monitor

Subjective: Pre-workout mental sharpness · Recall during meetings · Anxiety baseline
Bloodwork: Nothing specific — watch for overstimulation (disrupted sleep, elevated HR)

Common mistakes

  • ×MB with SSRIs — serotonin syndrome risk, hard contraindication
  • ×Nasal Semax instead of SubQ — SubQ outperforms intranasal systemically (JD Denham)
  • ×Running Semax daily without cycling — Dr. Jones DC: receptors habituate

Step 3

What experts warn against

Hard rules — these come up across multiple sources.

  • ×

    MK-677 (Ibutamoren)

    Spikes insulin resistance and A1C. Dr. Tatem's personal trial hit pre-diabetic range. Banned from compounding 2023.

    Jones DC, Froese, Tatem

  • ×

    CJC-1295 with DAC

    6–8 day active half-life with no off-switch. The DAC version dysregulates GH pulsatility long-term.

    Dr. Jones DC, Bachmeyer, JD Denham

  • ×

    MB with SSRIs

    Methylene Blue + SSRIs = serotonin syndrome risk. Hard contraindication.

    Universal

  • ×

    Stacking SLU-PP-332 with BAM-15

    Mitochondrial damage. Castore (EliteFTS) ended up in the ICU on a similar over-stack.

    Castore

  • ×

    Going keto on Retatrutide

    Glucagon receptor effectiveness drops ~40% on low-carb. You'll get muscle catabolism instead of fat loss.

    Bachmeyer

  • ×

    GH peptides with active cancer history

    Theoretical concern across all GH-axis peptides. IGF-1 is permissive for cell replication.

    Universal — flag with oncologist before any GH peptide use

Still not sure?

Tell the AI your situation — current bloodwork, what you've tried, what's not working — and it'll point you at the track that fits.

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