Lyophilised research peptides are stored in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 °C, or frozen at -20 °C for longer storage, sealed and protected from light. After reconstitution with [bacteriostatic water](/product/bacteriostatic-water-10ml) the solution is kept refrigerated, never shaken, and never refrozen.
For research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This article is educational and references published laboratory research; it is not medical advice and does not describe an approved use of any compound.
Peptide degradation is usually a storage problem, not a product problem. Lyophilised material is comparatively forgiving; reconstituted material is not. This is the handling protocol Vitality Peps recommends to research customers.
Lyophilised vials, before reconstitution
- Refrigerated at approximately 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for routine storage.
- Frozen at minus 20 degrees Celsius or lower for long holds.
- Protected from light. Keep vials in their carton.
- Sealed. Do not pierce the stopper until the vial is being prepared.
- Follow the storage instructions on the product label as soon as the parcel arrives.
Reconstitution
Let the vial reach room temperature first. Introducing cold diluent to a cold vial encourages condensation, and taking a chilled vial straight into a warm room does the same on the outside of the glass.
Vitality Peps ships bacteriostatic water alongside most vials for exactly this step. Add it slowly down the inner wall of the vial. Do not aim the stream at the powder cake. Swirl gently until clear, never shake.
After reconstitution
- Refrigerate immediately. Do not leave the reconstituted vial at room temperature.
- Label with the compound, the batch reference and the reconstitution date.
- Minimise freeze and thaw cycles. Aliquot if the preparation will be drawn on repeatedly.
- Inspect before each draw. Cloudiness, visible particulates or discoloration means the preparation is discarded.
- Bacteriostatic water preparations are conventionally treated as viable for a limited number of weeks refrigerated, not indefinitely.
Common handling mistakes
- Shaking the vial to speed up dissolution.
- Storing the reconstituted vial in a refrigerator door, where temperature swings most.
- Reusing a needle across vials.
- Failing to record the reconstitution date, which makes the preparation unusable for any reproducible work.
Research use only
Vitality Peps supplies these materials strictly for in vitro research. These are laboratory handling notes only. Not for human or veterinary consumption.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a lyophilised vial keep?
Sealed and refrigerated, most lyophilised peptides remain stable for many months; frozen at -20 °C they keep longer still. The limiting factors are moisture and light, so vials stay capped and in their box until use.
How long does a reconstituted vial keep?
Reconstituted solutions are far less stable than powder. With bacteriostatic water and refrigeration, laboratory practice is to use the solution within a few weeks and to discard it if it turns cloudy or shows particles. Single-use water without preservative shortens that window to days.
Can I freeze a reconstituted peptide?
Freezing a solution is possible but each freeze and thaw cycle risks aggregation and loss of the peptide. If a solution must be frozen, it is divided into single-use portions first so that no portion is thawed more than once.
Does shipping without refrigeration harm the peptide?
Follow the storage instructions on the product label when the parcel arrives. Vitality Peps dispatches within 24 hours on working days and delivers in 1 to 4 working days to the 27 EU countries and Monaco.
How do I know if a peptide has degraded?
Signs are a cloudy or discoloured solution, visible particles, or powder that has become gummy or discoloured. A degraded vial is discarded. Purity can only be confirmed by laboratory analysis, which is why batch reports matter.
For research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This article is educational and references published laboratory research; it is not medical advice and does not describe an approved use of any compound.
References
- Peptide handling and storage, general laboratory guidance
- Pikal et al., Formulation variables and stability of freeze dried human growth hormone
- Effect of product temperature during primary drying on long term stability of lyophilized proteins
- Glass transition and protein conformation in freeze dried storage stability