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19d • Peptide Tips
⏰ Peptide Timing: The Most Overlooked Factor That Could Be KILLING Your Results
This topic came up on the podcast yesterday with John, and honestly, it blows my mind how many people are leaving results on the table simply because they don't understand timing.
You can have the best peptides from the most vetted vendors, perfect reconstitution, dialed-in dosing... and still get subpar results if your timing is off.
Let's break down the major categories and when you should actually be using them.
GH SECRETAGOGUES – The Fasted State is NON-NEGOTIABLE
This is probably the biggest one people mess up.
If you're using Ipamorelin, CJC-1295, Tesamorelin, MK-677, or any growth hormone secretagogue and you're dosing after meals... you're literally wasting your money.
Here's why:
- Growth hormone and insulin have an inverse relationship
- When insulin is high (after eating), GH release gets suppressed at the pituitary level
- Even a small meal can blunt your GH response for hours
But there's another piece people miss - ghrelin. That "hunger hormone" isn't just making you want food. It's also a direct stimulator of GH release.
- When you're fasted, ghrelin is elevated
- Your body is already primed to release growth hormone
- GH secretagogues amplify a pathway that's already active
Dose in a fed state? High insulin, low ghrelin, blunted response.
Dose fasted? Low insulin, high ghrelin, maximum response.
The protocol:
- Minimum 2 hours after eating
- If you're on GLP-1s, you can comfortably push this to 3-4+ hours since the appetite suppression makes longer fasts easy
Best timing:
- Upon waking (easiest fasted window)
- 30-60 minutes before bed (2+ hours after dinner for that natural nighttime GH pulse)
- Pre-workout if training fasted
ENERGY & MITOCHONDRIAL PEPTIDES – Morning, Always
This seems obvious, but I still see people asking about dosing MOTS-c or NAD+ in the evening. Don't do that. These peptides are designed to optimize cellular energy production. Taking them late in the day is like drinking coffee at 9pm - you're working against your body's natural rhythm.
The energy category includes:
- MOTS-c – The mitochondrial MVP. Enhances metabolic flexibility, improves how your body uses fuel. Morning dosing aligns with when you need that metabolic support most. Many people dose on training days, 5x per week.
- NAD+ – Cellular energy cofactor. Supports everything from mental clarity to physical energy. Morning or early afternoon, never evening.
- SS-31 (Elamipretide) – Targets the inner mitochondrial membrane. Morning dosing, often daily during a protocol.
- 5-Amino-1MQ – Boosts NAD+ levels indirectly through NNMT inhibition. Morning dosing for metabolic support throughout the day.
The logic: Your mitochondria are most active during waking hours. You want these compounds working when your body needs energy, not when it's trying to wind down for sleep.
NOOTROPICS & COGNITIVE PEPTIDES – Early Day for Most
- Semax – The cognitive driver. Enhances focus, memory, BDNF. Dose in the morning. If you dose too late, some people report difficulty sleeping because their brain is still in "go mode."
- Selank – The calm focus peptide. More flexible timing since it's anxiolytic, but morning or early afternoon is still ideal for most. Some people split doses (AM/PM) for all-day calm.
- Dihexa – Potent cognitive enhancer. Morning dosing to support mental performance during active hours
The pattern: Anything that enhances cognitive performance or mental drive = morning. You want these compounds active when you're working, learning, creating - not when you're trying to sleep.
SLEEP & RECOVERY PEPTIDES – Evening/Nighttime
This is the flip side. Some peptides are specifically designed to work with your body's nighttime processes.
- DSIP (Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide) – Targets sleep architecture and deep sleep. Dose at bedtime. This one is specifically designed to enhance those delta wave stages where recovery actually happens.
- Melatonin-based blends – Obviously nighttime. These work with your circadian rhythm, not against it.
- GH Secretagogues (bedtime dose) – If you're doing a twice-daily protocol, your bedtime dose catches that natural nighttime GH pulse. Just make sure you're 2+ hours past dinner.
- Epitalon – Supports circadian rhythm and sleep quality. Evening dosing makes sense since it works on melatonin regulation.
HEALING PEPTIDES – Timing is More Flexible (With Some Caveats)
BPC-157 and TB-500 are the most forgiving when it comes to timing. They're working on systemic healing processes that aren't as dependent on circadian rhythm.
- BPC-157: Can be dosed any time. Some prefer morning, some split AM/PM for consistent levels. If targeting a specific injury, the location matters more than the time.
- TB-500: Fully systemic - administration site and timing don't matter much. Most people dose 2x weekly on whatever schedule works for them.
- GHK-Cu: Flexible timing, though some prefer evening dosing since a lot of tissue repair happens during sleep.
The caveat: If you're stacking healing peptides with GH secretagogues, coordinate them. Many people dose BPC-157 in the morning and save their GH secretagogue for bedtime (or vice versa).
INTIMACY PEPTIDES – Timing is Everything (Obviously)
- PT-141: 30-60 minutes before anticipated activity. Effects can last 6-72 hours depending on dose. Don't just randomly dose this one and hope for the best - plan it out.
- Kisspeptin: Morning dosing aligns better with natural GnRH rhythm if using for hormonal support.
THE BIG PICTURE
Morning (Fasted):
- GH Secretagogues (dose 1)
- Energy peptides (MOTS-c, NAD+, SS-31)
- Nootropics (Semax, Selank, Dihexa)
Afternoon:
- Healing peptides if doing split dosing
- Selank redose if needed
Evening/Bedtime:
- GH Secretagogues (dose 2, if applicable - 2+ hours after dinner)
- Sleep peptides (DSIP, melatonin blends)
- Epitalon
As Needed:
- PT-141 (30-60 min before)
- BPC-157/TB-500 (flexible)
WHY THIS MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK
Your body isn't running the same processes 24/7. Hormones fluctuate. Metabolic activity changes. Sleep and repair cycles kick in at specific times.
When you time your peptides to work WITH these natural rhythms instead of against them, you're not just getting better results - you're getting the results you're actually paying for.
I see people in the community all the time wondering why their GH secretagogues aren't doing much. Nine times out of ten? They're dosing after meals. Simple fix, massive difference.
Questions about timing for your specific protocol? Drop them below. 👇
Disclaimer: All peptides discussed are research chemicals for laboratory use only. Not for human consumption. Not FDA approved. This is educational content, not medical advice.
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⏰ Peptide Timing: The Most Overlooked Factor That Could Be KILLING Your Results
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