Glossary
Peptide & GLP-1 glossary
Plain-English definitions of the words that show up on a vial label, a syringe, or a prescription — what each one means, and nothing about what to take. Every entry is a definition, not advice.
Reconstitution
LyophilizedLyophilized means freeze-dried — the dry powder or small “cake” inside a peptide vial that you mix with liquid before use.Bacteriostatic waterBacteriostatic water is sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol added as a preservative, allowing repeated withdrawals from the same vial.ReconstitutionReconstitution is dissolving a lyophilized powder into a liquid so it becomes a solution with a known, calculable concentration.DiluentA diluent is the liquid you add to a dry powder to dissolve it — for peptide vials, that liquid is usually bacteriostatic water.
Units
Micrograms & milligrams (mcg vs mg)A milligram (mg) equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg). Both measure mass, not liquid volume or syringe markings.International unit (IU)An international unit (IU) measures a substance's biological activity, not its weight — so it can't be converted to mg with a fixed factor like mcg and mg can.U-100 syringeA U-100 syringe is scaled so that 100 units equal 1 mL — meaning 1 unit is 0.01 mL of liquid, whatever that liquid is.Needle gaugeNeedle gauge is a numeric scale for a needle's diameter — the higher the gauge number, the thinner the needle.
Injection
Biochemistry
PeptideA peptide is a short chain of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds — the same link that builds proteins, just fewer of them.Amino acidAn amino acid is a small molecule with an amino group and a carboxyl group — the building block that links up to form peptides and proteins.GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1)GLP-1 is a naturally occurring gut hormone involved in glucose regulation, gastric emptying, and appetite signaling.SecretagogueA secretagogue is a substance that triggers a cell or gland to release, or secrete, another substance.GHRH (growth-hormone-releasing hormone)GHRH is a hormone made in the hypothalamus that signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.Half-lifeHalf-life is the time it takes for the amount of a substance in the body to drop to half of what it was.Receptor agonistA receptor agonist is a molecule that binds to a receptor and activates it, triggering the receptor’s normal response.
Regulatory
Compounded medicationA compounded medication is one prepared by a compounding pharmacy or outsourcing facility, rather than manufactured as a mass-produced, FDA-approved product.Research use only (RUO)Research use only means a product is labeled and sold for laboratory research purposes and has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for human use.TitrationTitration is the process of gradually adjusting a dose over time, in steps set by a prescriber, rather than starting at a final target dose immediately.
Definitions are educational and general — they describe what a term means, never what you should do. Amidra never recommends a dose, compound, or schedule. Not medical advice.