Storage and transport quick-reference. For the why-does-cold-chain-matter framing, contamination basics, and label conventions see Storage and Handling Best Practices. For the deeper read on what actually goes wrong on a thermal excursion (hydrolysis vs aggregation, freeze-thaw as the silent killer, the visual-cue → action table), see Cold-Chain Reality. Specific product instructions always take priority - the numbers below are the catalogue defaults, not absolutes.
Lyophilised (sealed vial, never reconstituted)
Almost all catalogue peptides ship lyophilised. In that state they’re far more stable than the reconstituted form.
| Class | Long-term | Short-term OK at 20°C | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| GH-axis (Mod GRF, CJC, Ipamorelin, Tesamorelin, Sermorelin) | −20°C, 2–3 yr | 2–4 wk | Refrigerator (2–8°C) is fine for 6–12 mo. |
| GLP-1 family (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Retatrutide, Liraglutide) | −20°C, 18–24 mo | ~1 wk | Manufacturer pens specify 2–8°C; greys ship lyophilised. |
| BPC-157 / TB-500 / GHK-Cu / KPV | −20°C, 2–3 yr | 2–4 wk | BPC-157 is unusually stable; tolerates worse than this in practice. |
| IGF-1 LR3 / DES / PEG-MGF | −20°C, ~2 yr | ~1 wk | More fragile than GH-axis. Avoid extended room-temp. |
| Melanocortin (MT-I, MT-II, PT-141) | −20°C, 2–3 yr | 2–4 wk | Light-sensitive; keep in original packaging. |
| Thymosin Alpha-1 / Beta-4 | −20°C, 2 yr | 2–4 wk | Standard tolerances. |
| Selank / Semax / DSIP / Epitalon | −20°C, 1–2 yr | 2–4 wk | Russian-research compounds; manufacturer guidance is sparse. |
Reconstituted (vial in active use)
After adding bacteriostatic water, expect a much shorter window. The benzyl- alcohol preservative buys multi-week tolerance; without it, days.
| Class | Refrigerated (2–8°C) | Room-temp tolerance | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| GH-axis (most) | 28–30 d | 4–6 h between doses | Standard for GHRH analogues + GHRPs. |
| GLP-1 family (compounded) | 28 d | Pen up to ~6 wk per label | Manufacturer pens: check the product insert. |
| BPC-157 / TB-500 | 30–60 d | 2–4 h | BPC-157 in BAC water tolerates extended chilled storage. |
| GHK-Cu (systemic SC) | 14–21 d | 2–4 h | Topical formulations behave differently per product. |
| IGF-1 LR3 / DES / PEG-MGF | 14–21 d | 1–2 h | Most fragile reconstituted; aim to use on a 4-week blast. |
| Melanocortin (MT-II, PT-141) | 30–60 d | 2–4 h | Keep light-protected. |
Freezing reconstituted vials
- Generally avoid. Freeze-thaw cycles add aggregation and micro-particulate risk. Lyophilised + reconstitute-when-needed beats reconstitute + freeze for almost every compound.
- Exception case: high-volume vials that can’t be used within 30 d (e.g., a 10 mg BPC-157 vial reconstituted to 5 mL at 250 mcg/d) can be aliquoted into smaller vials and frozen at −20°C. Single freeze, single thaw - not a rolling freezer rotation.
- Insulin pens: never freeze. Manufacturer guidance is universal here.
Travel and transport
| Trip duration | Lyophilised vials | Reconstituted vials |
|---|---|---|
| <24 h (day trip) | Insulated bag, no ice needed. | Insulated bag with single ice pack. |
| 1–3 d (weekend) | Insulated bag with one ice pack at start. | Soft cooler with two ice packs swapped daily. |
| 3–14 d (vacation) | Soft cooler with rotated ice packs; refill at hotel fridge. | Hotel fridge on arrival; only carry next-dose volume in cooler. |
| Air travel | Carry-on, with the prescription label visible. TSA accepts it. | Same; gel ice packs are allowed if frozen solid at screening. |
Don’t check temperature-sensitive vials in the hold - cargo holds are climate-controlled but can dip well below freezing in winter. Always carry-on.
Excursion rules (when something goes wrong)
- Out-of-fridge for <6 h: almost always fine. Note it in the vial log and continue.
- Out-of-fridge for 6–48 h: use the vial within the next week or two and watch for cloudiness, particles, or unexpected response drift. Discard if any appearance change.
- Out-of-fridge for >48 h, lyophilised: probably fine but compress the use-by window to 14 d once reconstituted.
- Out-of-fridge for >48 h, reconstituted: discard. Cost of re-recon is small relative to a degraded protocol.
- Frozen accidentally (insulin pens): discard. Never use a thawed insulin-pen GLP-1.
- Cloudiness, precipitation, colour change: discard. No exceptions.
Cross-references
- Storage and Handling Best Practices - the deeper article on why each rule exists.
- Reconstitution Cheat Sheet - the math companion for fresh vials.
- Reconstitution Fundamentals - bacteriostatic-water selection and why the preservative carries the multi-week window.
- Peptides and Travel - the operator-level extension of this guide for trips: customs disclosure, in-flight scheduling, the hotel-mini-fridge problem, time-zone shifts on fasted-window protocols.