Frequently Asked Questions

Cinch Bio is a telehealth platform connecting patients with licensed physicians for peptide therapy protocols. The process is straightforward:

1. Complete intake. Fill out the health history form at cinchbio.com/intake.html. This covers your goals, current health status, medications, and relevant history. It takes about 10 minutes.

2. Physician review. An independent licensed physician reviews your submission within 24 hours. They determine whether a protocol is appropriate for you, may request additional information or labs, and issue a prescription if clinically indicated.

3. Pharmacy fulfillment. Your prescription is filled by a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy and shipped directly to your address — typically within 3-5 business days of prescription issuance.

4. Protocol support. Your protocol includes dosing instructions, reconstitution guidance, and physician access for follow-up questions.

Yes — always. All peptide protocols at Cinch Bio require a valid prescription from a licensed physician. This is not a formality. Peptide therapy is medical treatment, and prescription oversight exists to ensure the right protocol is matched to the right patient at the right dose.

Cinch Bio does not sell peptides directly. We connect patients with independent physicians who evaluate your health history and determine clinical appropriateness. Prescriptions are issued only when medically appropriate. The physician may decline or request additional information — that is part of the process working correctly.

Peptides purchased without a prescription from unregulated sources carry significant risks: unknown purity, incorrect dosing, no physician monitoring, and no recourse if something goes wrong. The prescription pathway exists to protect you.

The reviewing physician makes an independent medical determination about what is appropriate for your situation. You can absolutely indicate your goals and interest in specific protocols in the intake form — physicians take patient preferences into account. However, the physician is not obligated to prescribe any specific compound and will make their determination based on your health history, current medications, and clinical appropriateness.

If you have questions about why a particular protocol was recommended or not recommended, physician communication channels are included in your protocol package. Medical decisions belong to the physician; Cinch Bio does not override or pressure those decisions.

It depends on the peptide. Some compounds available through Cinch Bio protocols have direct FDA approval for specific indications:

FDA-approved: Tesamorelin (Egrifta/Egrifta SV) for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) for T2DM and obesity. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) for T2DM and obesity.

Compounded under physician prescription: Most peptides (BPC-157, TB-500, sermorelin, ipamorelin, etc.) are not individually FDA-approved drugs but are legally compounded by licensed 503A pharmacies when prescribed by a physician. Compounding pharmacies operate under FDA oversight and state pharmacy board regulation. Compounded medications are legal and have a long history in American medicine.

Research peptides: Some compounds (selank, semax, AOD9604) exist in a research category — they have human safety data from international clinical programs but are not FDA-approved for any indication. These are supplied for research purposes under a different framework.

Peptides as a class have favorable safety profiles compared to many conventional medications — they are short amino acid chains that the body recognizes as biological, and most have relatively short half-lives. However, "peptide" is not a monolith. Each compound has its own mechanism, risk profile, and contraindications.

General safety factors that apply across protocols:

Injection site reactions are the most common adverse event across injectable peptides — redness, mild swelling, or irritation at the injection site. Proper technique and site rotation reduce this significantly.

Hormone axis effects are relevant for GH-stimulating peptides (sermorelin, ipamorelin, tesamorelin). These peptides elevate GH and IGF-1, which has real downstream effects — including glucose metabolism changes and potential concerns in patients with active malignancy. Monitoring is advisable.

Individual variation is significant. Most people tolerate most protocols well; a minority experience effects that require dose adjustment or discontinuation.

Each protocol page at cinchbio.com details the specific adverse event profile for that compound. The physician review process is the primary safety gate — contraindications are screened during intake.

Requirements vary by protocol. The reviewing physician will specify any required baseline labs as part of the prescription process. Common pre-protocol labs include:

General baseline: Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), complete blood count (CBC), lipid panel.

GH axis protocols (sermorelin, tesamorelin, ipamorelin): IGF-1, fasting glucose, HbA1c. Tesamorelin specifically requires HbA1c screening given its documented effect on glucose metabolism.

GLP-1 / weight protocols (semaglutide, tirzepatide): HbA1c, fasting glucose, thyroid panel. Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 is a contraindication.

Testosterone-adjacent protocols: Full hormone panel including total testosterone, free testosterone, LH, FSH, estradiol, SHBG where relevant.

If Sir does not have recent labs, most protocols can be started with a standard panel available through direct-pay lab services (LabCorp, Quest, Ulta Lab Tests) without an additional physician visit.

Start with your primary goal and work backward:

Fat loss / weight management: GLP-1 protocols (semaglutide, tirzepatide) are the most clinically validated options with the strongest efficacy data. AOD9604 and MOTS-c are research-stage options for those seeking GH-axis-independent fat metabolism support.

Injury recovery / tissue repair: BPC-157 and TB-500 are the primary recovery protocols. BPC-157 has more organ-specific data (gut, tendon, ligament); TB-500 has broader systemic regeneration research. They are frequently combined.

Muscle, body composition, anti-aging: GH axis protocols (sermorelin, ipamorelin + CJC-1295, tesamorelin) drive IGF-1 normalization, lean mass support, and visceral fat reduction. Tesamorelin is the strongest of the GHRH analogues with FDA-approval track record.

Cognitive function / focus: Semax (BDNF, neuroprotection) and Selank (anxiolytic, GABA, BDNF) are the primary options. Often combined.

Longevity / immune support: Epitalon (telomere-adjacent), Thymosin Alpha-1 (immune modulation), NAD+, MOTS-c.

The intake form asks about your goals and the reviewing physician will recommend what fits. The protocol pages at cinchbio.com/protocols.html provide detailed breakdowns for each compound to help Sir orient before intake.

Many protocols are designed to be complementary — different mechanisms, no receptor overlap, additive benefits. Common well-established combinations:

BPC-157 + TB-500: The classic recovery stack. BPC-157 handles localized repair; TB-500 provides systemic tissue and vascular regeneration. Different mechanisms, often prescribed together.

Ipamorelin + CJC-1295: GHRP + GHRH combination. Ipamorelin releases GH via ghrelin receptors; CJC-1295 stimulates the pituitary via GHRH receptors. Amplifies the GH pulse through two independent pathways.

Semax + Selank: Cognitive enhancement + anxiolytic. Semax drives BDNF and focus; Selank reduces anxiety without sedation. Complementary and both intranasal.

Combinations to avoid: Two GHRH analogues together (tesamorelin + sermorelin, or tesamorelin + CJC-1295) — overlapping receptor activity without additive benefit, possible desensitization. The reviewing physician will flag any combination concerns.

Timeline varies by protocol and individual. Realistic expectations by category:

GLP-1 / weight (semaglutide, tirzepatide): Appetite changes typically within 1-2 weeks. Measurable weight loss by 4-8 weeks. Significant results at 12-24 weeks at therapeutic dose.

Recovery (BPC-157, TB-500): Many users report noticeable tissue response within 2-4 weeks. Acute injury recovery timelines vary significantly by severity and individual healing capacity.

GH axis (sermorelin, ipamorelin, tesamorelin): IGF-1 levels begin rising within 4-6 weeks; measurable body composition changes typically at 8-16 weeks. Sleep quality and recovery are often the first noticed effects. These protocols require patience — they work with the body's own GH rhythm, not around it.

Cognitive (semax, selank): Often the fastest-acting protocols. Some users report noticeable effects within days of the first intranasal dose. Full effect typically builds over a 14-21 day cycle.

Longevity (epitalon, NAD+, thymosin alpha-1): These protocols work on slower biological timescales. Observable changes in energy, immune resilience, and biomarkers typically at 4-8 weeks, with the most meaningful effects from sustained protocols.

All peptides are shipped lyophilized (freeze-dried) in sealed, nitrogen-purged vials. This form is stable at room temperature for transport. Cold packs are included in shipments during warmer months to maintain temperature during transit.

Storage before reconstitution: Refrigerate (2-8°C / 36-46°F). Do not freeze. Keep away from light. Lyophilized peptides stored properly remain stable for 12-24 months depending on the compound.

After reconstitution (mixing with bacteriostatic water): Refrigerate immediately. Use within 28-30 days. Never freeze reconstituted solution — freezing destroys peptide structure.

Bacteriostatic water (BW) is included or available through cinchbio.com/supplies.html. Use only bacteriostatic water — not sterile water, not saline — for peptide reconstitution. BW contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol that prevents bacterial growth and extends post-reconstitution stability.

Detailed reconstitution instructions are included with every shipment and accessible on each protocol page.

Cinch Bio does not currently bill insurance carriers. Compounded peptides and telehealth physician fees are out-of-pocket expenses.

HSA and FSA eligibility: Many patients successfully submit Cinch Bio expenses for HSA/FSA reimbursement, as physician-prescribed treatments are generally HSA/FSA eligible expenses. We provide itemized receipts identifying the physician fee and pharmacy charges separately. Consult your HSA/FSA plan administrator to confirm eligibility — rules vary by plan and the nature of the prescription.

We do not provide letters of medical necessity or insurance appeal letters at this time.

Physician access is included in your protocol. If you experience unexpected side effects, have questions about dosing, or want to discuss adjustments, you can reach the reviewing physician through the patient portal included with your protocol package.

For urgent medical concerns — severe allergic reactions, significant adverse events — seek emergency medical care immediately and notify your physician.

Most side effects encountered in peptide protocols are mild and manageable: injection site irritation (rotate sites), water retention (common with GH-axis peptides, usually resolves in 2-3 weeks), and transient fatigue. Protocol-specific adverse events are detailed on each compound's page.

If a protocol is not working or causing problems, the physician can adjust the dose, switch compounds, or discontinue. You are not locked into anything. The goal is results that work for you safely.