04 · Common questions
FAQ
- Why do peptides ship as a powder instead of a ready-made solution?
- Peptides in solution degrade — the bonds that make them biologically interesting are the same bonds that hydrolyze in water. Freeze-drying removes the water and locks the compound in a stable cake that holds its assay for months and survives shipping without a cold chain. The trade-off is one extra step on your end: reconstitute the vial with bacteriostatic water before testing.
- What is bacteriostatic water?
- Sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol — the benzyl alcohol prevents microbial growth in the vial so a multi-dose vial stays usable for several weeks. It's the standard solvent for research peptide reconstitution. We sell 10ml and 3ml vials.
- How much bac water do I add to a vial?
- It depends on the peptide. The cheat sheet lists the recommended volume for each compound — typically 2 or 3 ml per vial.
- What syringes do I need?
- 31G insulin syringes in 0.3ml, 0.5ml, or 1ml. We don't sell these — pick them up from Amazon. The 0.5ml size is the workhorse for most research volumes.
- How long is reconstituted material stable?
- Most peptides are stable refrigerated (2–8°C) for 2–4 weeks after reconstitution; some shorter. When in doubt, treat as 14 days. Label every vial with its reconstitution date.
- Should I store the powder vials in the fridge before reconstitution?
- Yes — sealed lyophilized vials hold longest when refrigerated. The shipped powder is stable at room temperature for transit, but long-term storage should be 2–8°C, away from light.
- Do you carry a peptide I can't find on the site?
- Possibly not yet. The cheat sheet has a “Request this peptide” button on every row we don't currently carry — file a request and we'll consider it for the next lot.