Build your first stakk.

What a stakk is

A stakk is a multi-peptide protocol assembled for a specific goal — recovery, longevity, growth, metabolic, sleep, etc. It's the unit of PepStakk's product. A stakk is deliberate: chosen peptides, defined doses, defined schedules, defined cycles. Not a random assortment.

Most first-time Stakkers start with a two- or three-peptide stakk for a single goal. That's the right call — small, focused, easy to evaluate. You add complexity later, once you know how your body responds.

Step 1 · Choose a goal

What do you actually want? The honest answer matters more than the cool-sounding one.

Common first-stakk goals:

• Recovery — heal a tendon injury, recover from heavy training, repair gut lining, accelerate post-surgical healing.
• Body composition / growth — improve lean mass, sleep quality, recovery, GH-mediated effects.
• Metabolic — weight loss, glucose control, GLP-1-driven appetite regulation.
• Longevity — telomere maintenance, mitochondrial support, anti-aging mechanisms.
• Sexual health — libido, function, hormonal balance.
• Cognitive — focus, neuroprotection, mood regulation.
• Sleep — depth, REM quality, circadian regulation.

Pick one. Stakking for two goals at once is possible, but as a first stakk it's harder to know what's working. Run a single-goal stakk for a cycle; evaluate; expand from there.

Step 2 · Find the peptides

Two paths to finding peptides that match your goal:

Path A · Ask the Advisor

In the PepStakk app, the Advisor is a conversational AI that knows the Library. Tell it your goal: "I want a stakk for tendon recovery — what should I look at?" The Advisor returns peptide candidates with mechanism, evidence tier, dosing references, and common stack patterns. You can keep asking follow-ups — "How long is a typical cycle?" "Any interactions with what I'm already taking?" — and the Advisor stays in context.

Path B · Browse the Library

The Library is browsable by function — pick the function that matches your goal (Healing & Recovery, GH Secretagogues, GLP-1, Longevity, etc.) and read the peptides PepStakk tracks. Each peptide has a detail page with mechanism, evidence tier, dosing ranges, cycle conventions, and links to research.

For each candidate peptide, check three things:

• Evidence tier — what's the strongest study supporting this peptide for your goal? T1/T2 is a confident pick. T3 means "preclinical mechanism only — treat as hypothesis." T4 means "community-reported — investigate further before committing."
• Cycle pattern — does this peptide need cycling? How long on, how long off? Some run continuous; most don't.
• Stack compatibility — does it pair well with the other peptides you're considering? The Advisor flags known stack patterns and known conflicts.

Step 3 · Assemble the stakk

Pick two or three peptides. Use the "Add to Stakk" action in the app for each. Define for each:

• Dose — per-injection amount. Use the dosing range from the Library detail page, lean toward the conservative end for your first cycle.
• Frequency — daily, every other day, weekly. Depends on peptide and goal.
• Cycle pattern — typical: 8 weeks on, 4 weeks off. Some peptides run continuous; check the Library detail page for conventions.
• Start date — when does the on-cycle begin?

Common first-stakk patterns by goal:

• Recovery (tendon / joint) — BPC-157 + TB-500 is the classic combination. BPC-157 daily subcutaneous; TB-500 weekly. 8-week cycle, 4 off. Well-tolerated, well-characterized.
• GH secretagogue — CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin. Pre-bed dosing. 12-week cycles common. Avoid using if you're under 25 or have a history of growth-related conditions; consult a clinician.
• Metabolic / weight — semaglutide or tirzepatide. These are approved drugs; go through a licensed practitioner, not a research vendor. The compounding pathway is legitimate; the research-grade pathway is not appropriate for metabolic peptides given the side-effect profile.
• Longevity — Epitalon is the most common single-peptide longevity protocol. 20-day cycles, IM or SubQ. The evidence is mostly Russian clinical-trial data; treat as moderate confidence.

These are starter patterns, not prescriptions. Your stakk should match your goal, your body, and your tolerance for protocol complexity.

Step 4 · Calculate doses + schedule

Once your stakk is defined, the app handles the math. Two surfaces:

Dose (the Calculator)

Most peptides arrive as lyophilized powder in a vial; you'll mix them with BAC water to create an injectable solution. The Calculator does reconstitution math:

• Input the peptide weight in the vial (typical: 5mg or 10mg)
• Input the volume of BAC water you'll add (typical: 2mL or 3mL)
• Input your target per-dose amount (from the Library dosing range)
• Calculator returns the volume to draw on a U-100 insulin syringe

Save the reconstitution profile so you don't redo the math every cycle. The Calculator also tracks shelf-life — most reconstituted peptides last 4-6 weeks in BAC water under refrigeration.

Run (the Schedule)

The Schedule generates day-by-day dose plans from your stakk's cycle definitions. Each scheduled dose appears on the Dashboard for the day; mark each one drawn when you take it. The Schedule shows your full cycle plan, what's currently cycling, what's tapering, and what's ready to restart.

Step 5 · Source the peptides

This is where most newcomers run into the regulatory complexity, so it's worth being precise about your options. PepStakk's Resupply Stack has four supplier tiers; which tier you source from depends on the peptide and your situation:

• Compounding tier — for peptides available via a licensed compounding pharmacy with a prescription. Patient-specific (503A) or in volume to practitioners (503B). The regulated pathway. Requires a clinician to prescribe.
• Channel tier — wellness centers, telehealth providers, hormone-optimization clinics. They handle the prescription pathway end-to-end and dispense to you directly. The Stakker's-eye-view path: book with a Channel partner, get prescribed by their practitioner, receive the peptide compounded for you.
• Source tier — research-grade vendors. RUO labeling applies — per regulatory labeling, products are sold for laboratory and research purposes, not for human consumption. Widely used by self-directed peptide users; PepStakk lists what vendors disclose so you can evaluate their disclosure quality.
• Distribution tier — wholesalers and drop-shippers between Compounding-tier makers and Channel-tier practitioners. You won't usually order direct from Distribution as a Stakker; this tier is relevant when you want to know where your Channel partner is sourcing from.

Optional step 6 · Get clinician eyes on it

The Clinician Network is built for exactly this — a Reviewing Clinician provides async written feedback on your stakk. Send them what you've assembled — peptides, doses, cycle, goal — and they return informational feedback within a defined window.

Worth doing for a first stakk, especially if you're new to peptides, on other prescriptions, or have specific health considerations. The review is informational, not a clinical relationship — but it's a real check against blind spots before you start.

Async stakk reviews are on the roadmap and gated on the Premium tier launch. Until then, the Apply form at /network opens the waitlist.

What happens after Day 1

Once your stakk is running, the Dashboard is your daily surface. Open the app, see today's doses, log each one. Watch supply runway — when it hits the restock window (14 days remaining), plan your next order. Adjust doses or cycle length if you're tracking effects and they suggest a refinement; the Schedule honors any pattern change.

Most first stakks need at least one full cycle (typically 8 weeks) before you can meaningfully evaluate. Don't stop early just because you don't feel a dramatic shift in the first two weeks; peptide effects often build over weeks, not days.

Common first-stakk mistakes

• Too many peptides at once. If you can't tell what's working, you can't iterate. Start with two or three; expand once you know.
• Dose creep. "If a little works, more must work better." Almost never true with peptides; downregulation and side effects compound. Stay within Library dosing ranges.
• Skipping cycles. Continuous use of cycle-required peptides downregulates receptors and reduces effect. Off-cycles aren't optional.
• Not logging doses. Supply forecasting depends on actual consumption data. The Schedule's "mark drawn" action takes two seconds; not doing it produces drift.
• Sourcing without reading COAs. Every supplier you consider should have third-party Certificates of Analysis. If they don't disclose one, they aren't ready for your business.
• Going it alone when you shouldn't. A Reviewing Clinician costs less than your peptide order. If you have any complicating health factors, get eyes on the stakk before you start.