How to Track Peptide Cycles Properly (Without Becoming a Spreadsheet Person)

The most common mistake we see in protocol logs is treating a peptide cycle like a vitamin: start it, take it, stop when the vial is empty. That's not a cycle — that's drift. Tracking peptide cycles properly means treating each one as a discrete experiment with a defined start, end, hypothesis, and exit criteria.

The five components of a cycle

1. Hypothesis. One sentence. "BPC-157 250 mcg/day SC for 28 days will reduce my shoulder pain from 6/10 to ≤2/10."
2. Protocol. Peptide, dose, frequency, route, site rotation, duration.
3. Baseline. Bloodwork + subjective scores captured in the 7 days before starting.
4. Daily log. Dose confirmation, subjective score, side effects, training load.
5. Exit review. Repeat bloodwork + comparison to hypothesis at end of cycle.

Cycle structure

Most peptide protocols in the published self-experiment literature follow a basic on/off pattern.¹ A standard structure looks like:

• Loading phase (optional): 7–14 days at full dose to establish response
• Maintenance phase: 14–28 days at the same or slightly reduced dose
• Washout: 14–28 days completely off — this is where you observe what reverts
• Re-evaluation: Decide whether to repeat, modify, or discontinue

What to log every day

Friction is the enemy of adherence. A 2-minute daily log beats a 20-minute weekly one. The minimum:

• Dose taken (yes/no, time, site)
• Subjective score 1–10 for the primary outcome
• Subjective score 1–10 for sleep
• Side effects (free-text, even just "none")
• Notable confounders (alcohol, illness, missed sleep)

Bloodwork timing

Three time points: baseline (within 7 days of starting), mid-cycle (week 3–4 for cycles longer than 6 weeks), and end-of-washout (not end-of-cycle — you want to see what stuck).² Always use the same lab; inter-lab variation for markers like IGF-1 is real.³

Exit criteria

Define what would make you stop early before you start. Common ones: significant adverse event, no measurable change in primary outcome by mid-cycle, abnormal bloodwork. Writing these down in advance protects you from sunk-cost reasoning later.

The honest read at the end

When the cycle ends, compare actual to predicted. If you hit your hypothesis, great — note the protocol and repeat. If you didn't, the question is whether to adjust dose, swap the peptide, or accept that this one doesn't work for you. All three are valid answers. Sticking with a protocol that didn't move the needle because you 'invested in it' is the most expensive mistake in this space.