Cost drivers
| Higher cost | Lower cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Peptide | Tesamorelin (commercial) | BPC-157, GHK-Cu (compounded) |
| Dose | Daily SC injection | Weekly or topical |
| Pharmacy | Specialty 503B / commercial | Established 503A |
| Supervision | In-clinic, monthly check-ins | Telehealth, minimal monitoring |
Cycle length matters
Most clinically used peptides are dosed in cycles of 4 to 12 weeks, often followed by an off-cycle period. The total cost picture is the cycle cost, not the weekly price. Tissue-repair peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500 typically run shorter cycles. GH-axis peptides like tesamorelin and sermorelin run longer because the body composition effects accrue over months.