Reconstitution (Mixing) Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding Reconstitution

What is Reconstitution?

Reconstitution is the process of turning your lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptide powder into an injectable liquid medicine. Think of it like making instant coffee - you need to add water to the powder to create something you can use.

Why Can't I Just Draw My Dose from the Powder?

Common misconception: "I have a 30mg vial and need 7.5mg, so I'll just draw 1/4 of it."

Reality: The powder in your vial is not liquid - you cannot draw it into a syringe. You must first dissolve it in bacteriostatic water to create a solution with a specific concentration (mg/mL).

Understanding Concentration

When you add water to your peptide:

• The total amount of peptide (mg) stays the same
• It becomes distributed throughout the water
• The concentration tells you how much peptide is in each mL of liquid
• You then calculate how many mL (or units) to draw for your desired dose

Reconstitution Calculator

Before you begin mixing, use our calculator to determine exactly how much bacteriostatic water to add for your desired dosing:

Let's Turn Your Powder Into Medicine! 💉

It's like making instant coffee - we need to add water first

☕

Instant Coffee

Powder + Water = Drinkable Coffee

💊

Your Peptide

Powder + BAC Water = Injectable Medicine

What You'll Need:

• Your peptide vial (with powder)
• Bacteriostatic (BAC) water
• A syringe for mixing
• About 2 minutes

Step-by-Step Mixing Instructions

warning

Meticulous sterile technique is critical. Losing sterility at any point can introduce bacteria and cause serious infection.

1. Prepare:

   • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, then dry.
   • Set up a clean, flat, uncluttered surface. Wipe it with household disinfectant and let it dry.
   • Lay out all supplies: peptide vial, BAC-water vial, mixing syringe and needle, alcohol swabs, and a sharps container. See Supplies Needed.
   • If either vial was refrigerated, let it reach room temperature before you begin. This prevents condensation on the glass.

2. Clean vial tops:

   • Snap off the plastic caps from both vials to expose the rubber stoppers.
   • Using a new alcohol swab for each vial, scrub the stopper for at least 10 seconds.
   • Let the alcohol evaporate. Do not touch the stoppers after cleaning.

3. Calculate and draw BAC water:

   • Decide how much BAC water is needed. Use the amount of peptide in the vial and your target final concentration. See Dosage Calculation.
     Example: A 10 mg vial mixed to 5 mg/mL needs 2 mL of BAC water.
   • Attach a sterile mixing needle to a sterile 3 mL or 5 mL syringe. Remove the cap without touching the needle.
   • Pull air into the syringe equal to the volume of BAC water you will withdraw.
   • Pierce the BAC-water stopper and inject the air. This equalises pressure.
   • Invert the BAC-water vial and slowly draw the measured volume into the syringe. Remove the needle from the vial.

4. Add BAC water to the peptide vial:

   • Insert the needle through the centre of the peptide-vial stopper.

info

Crucial technique: Keep the needle bevel against the inside glass wall. Slowly depress the plunger so the liquid streams down the wall rather than splashing directly on the powder cake. This reduces foaming and protects the peptide.

5. Mix the solution:
   • Withdraw the needle and place the used syringe and needle into the sharps container immediately.
   • Hold the peptide vial upright. Gently swirl in small circles or roll it between your palms until the powder dissolves and the solution looks clear. This can take a few minutes.

danger

Do not shake. Vigorous shaking creates foam and can denature the peptide.

6. Inspect the solution:

   • Hold the vial up to a light. The solution must be crystal-clear, with no particles, cloudiness, or colour change.
   • If any particles remain or the liquid looks cloudy, discard the vial safely. It may be contaminated or inadequately dissolved.

7. Label the reconstituted vial:

   • Write on tape or the vial label:
     • Date and time of reconstitution
     • Final concentration (for example, “5 mg/mL” or “5000 mcg/mL”)
     • Calculated expiration date (commonly 28 days in a refrigerator with BAC water. See Storage).
     • Your initials (useful if multiple people have supplies in the same fridge).

The peptide is now ready for Dosage Calculation followed by Drawing & Injecting.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"I already added water but don't know how to calculate my dose"

If you've already mixed your peptide, you can still calculate your dosing:

1. Remember how much peptide was in your vial (e.g., 30mg)
2. Remember how much water you added (e.g., 2mL)
3. Your concentration = peptide ÷ water (30mg ÷ 2mL = 15mg/mL)
4. For your desired dose, divide by concentration (7.5mg ÷ 15mg/mL = 0.5mL = 50 units)

"My solution looks cloudy"

• Do not use - cloudiness may indicate contamination or improper dissolution
• Check if you're using the correct bacteriostatic water (not sterile water)
• Ensure the peptide was stored properly before reconstitution
• Contact your supplier if the issue persists

"I added too much/little water"

• Don't panic - the peptide amount hasn't changed
• More water = lower concentration = larger injection volume
• Less water = higher concentration = smaller injection volume
• Use the calculator above to recalculate your dosing with the actual amount of water added

"The numbers don't come out even"

• It's okay if your dose requires drawing to 37.5 units instead of 40
• Modern syringes can measure in 2.5 unit increments
• Consider adjusting your water amount next time for rounder numbers

Quick Reference Tables

Standard Mixing Guide (10mg/mL Concentration)

Vial Size	Add Water	Concentration	Common Doses
5mg	0.5mL	10mg/mL	0.5mg = 5 units 1mg = 10 units
10mg	1mL	10mg/mL	1mg = 10 units 2.5mg = 25 units
30mg	3mL	10mg/mL	2.5mg = 25 units 5mg = 50 units 7.5mg = 75 units
60mg	6mL	10mg/mL	10mg = 100 units 15mg = 150 units*

*Note: 150 units requires 1.5 syringes or a larger syringe

Concentration Safety Guide

Concentration	Assessment	Notes
<5 mg/mL	Too Dilute	Large injection volumes, consider using less water
5-10 mg/mL	Ideal	Comfortable injection volume, easy calculations
10-20 mg/mL	Good	Smaller volumes, still comfortable
20-40 mg/mL	Acceptable	May sting slightly, very small volumes
>40 mg/mL	Too Concentrated	Likely to cause discomfort, hard to measure accurately

By Mr Fox

Published April 17, 2025