If you've started reading about peptides, you've probably noticed that most of the "supplies" advice online is buried in jargon. This page strips it down to the items people actually end up buying, and explains each one simply. None of it tells you to use anything — it just explains what the gear is.
The short list
Most people buy the same nine or ten things. Skim the list, then read the notes below for the ones you're unsure about.
- Insulin syringes — small, unit-marked syringes with very thin needles.
- Bacteriostatic water — the sterile mixing liquid used to dissolve freeze-dried powder.
- Blunt mixing needles — dull needles used only for mixing, so you don't chew up the vial lid.
- Empty sterile vials — clean glass bottles for holding or dividing mixed liquid.
- A milligram scale — a 0.001 g precision scale for weighing tiny amounts of powder.
- Alcohol prep pads — for cleaning vial tops and skin.
- Nitrile gloves & gauze — for a clean work area.
- A sharps container — puncture-proof disposal for used needles.
- Storage & a travel cooler — many peptides need to stay cold.
Every item above is linked on the directory's Supplies tab, with reputable sellers for each.
See the full supplies list →Syringes and needles
The supplies most people use are small insulin syringes marked in units (commonly 0.3–1 mL) with very thin needles. How much to draw up is a question for a licensed doctor — a syringe size is just the container. Where you can buy syringes, and whether a pharmacy will sell them without a prescription, depends on your state or country. We cover the sizes in detail in the syringe sizes guide.
Bacteriostatic (mixing) water
Many peptides arrive as a freeze-dried powder that has to be dissolved into liquid before use — a step called reconstituting. The usual liquid is bacteriostatic water: sterile water with a tiny amount of preservative so it can be used over several days. It's a regulated product and may need a prescription where you live. Full detail in the bacteriostatic water guide.
A milligram scale
A milligram (0.001 g) scale weighs amounts far smaller than any kitchen scale, and usually ships with small calibration weights so you can confirm it reads correctly. One important limit: a scale only tells you how much something weighs. It can't tell you what is in a product or how pure it is — that only comes from a seller's independent lab report (a Certificate of Analysis). See the milligram scale buying guide.
Storage and disposal
Two things people forget until it's too late. First, storage: many peptides need to stay cold and out of light — see how to store peptides. Second, disposal: used needles belong in a puncture-proof sharps container, never loose in the trash, and many areas require this by law.
What you don't need
Skip anything that promises to "verify" or "test" purity at home — home kits don't replace a lab report. And you don't need expensive branded versions of basics like gloves, gauze, or alcohol pads; the generic medical-grade versions are the same product.
For the full directory of peptides by type, and the sellers we list for each, head back to the main directory.