Syringe Filter
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dionysos
Senior Member
I am intrigued to see the answers here as Sterility has become the current cause du jour.
Chizikitide-1977
New_Member
Here is my take on this. As of a few days ago, a number of tests across multiple vendors went public that showed multiple sterility fails for both bacteria and mold. This includes the 2 most popular vendors on this forum (Amo and QSC). There seems to be a very good chance that less than sterile conditions for grey market peptides are quite common.
Some people feel “well if it hasn’t killed me yet, it must be fine”, or point to the fact that they have not heard of any reports of infections in the various peptide communities they participate in. Personally, I disagree with this logic, and it neglects the fact that infection risks can add up over time. Low level fungal infections don’t always appear immediately but can be quite serious and come with many complications. Also, the average peptide user has shifted in the last year or so. When I first started researching semaglutide, most people taking peptides were body builders that were squeamish about steroids. These days a lot of peptide users are overweight (like me), older and with multiple co-morbidities, so both the risk and the consequences of infection for this new group are likely greater than the body builder group. So the fact that we’ve never heard of any reports of serious infection from injection of non-sterile peptides so far doesn’t mean that will continue into the future.
Overall, this is an issue that has only been uncovered recently and it is possible it is not that great of a risk, but at this point we don’t really have all the information and when in doubt it is my preference to err on the side of caution. This is particularly true when the cost is so minimal. Filtering your peptide will cost between $1-$3 for a filter, sterile vial and luer lock syringe. So I think of it as an extra 10-30 dollars of tax per kit, not too bad. Right now, there are multiple threads with people showing off the cases they have for their peptides. My thought is if you can afford 30 bucks for a shiny case, a few extra bucks for some extra protection from a risk we don’t yet fully understand is at least as good of an investment as the case.
Some people feel “well if it hasn’t killed me yet, it must be fine”, or point to the fact that they have not heard of any reports of infections in the various peptide communities they participate in. Personally, I disagree with this logic, and it neglects the fact that infection risks can add up over time. Low level fungal infections don’t always appear immediately but can be quite serious and come with many complications. Also, the average peptide user has shifted in the last year or so. When I first started researching semaglutide, most people taking peptides were body builders that were squeamish about steroids. These days a lot of peptide users are overweight (like me), older and with multiple co-morbidities, so both the risk and the consequences of infection for this new group are likely greater than the body builder group. So the fact that we’ve never heard of any reports of serious infection from injection of non-sterile peptides so far doesn’t mean that will continue into the future.
Overall, this is an issue that has only been uncovered recently and it is possible it is not that great of a risk, but at this point we don’t really have all the information and when in doubt it is my preference to err on the side of caution. This is particularly true when the cost is so minimal. Filtering your peptide will cost between $1-$3 for a filter, sterile vial and luer lock syringe. So I think of it as an extra 10-30 dollars of tax per kit, not too bad. Right now, there are multiple threads with people showing off the cases they have for their peptides. My thought is if you can afford 30 bucks for a shiny case, a few extra bucks for some extra protection from a risk we don’t yet fully understand is at least as good of an investment as the case.
moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
Do you have a good resource for sterile empty vials?
Chizikitide-1977
New_Member
I'm actually switching to pens and plan to filter into the cartridges. So I don't have a source I've bought from that I can recommend, unfortunately. Maybe someone else will chime in.
I did see someone on one of the group buy servers selling syringe filter kits (1 filter, 1 lure lock and 1 vial, all individually wrapped) for a few bucks a while ago, but I can't track that down. I thought that was pretty clever and convenient. If I find that again I'll share a link.
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moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
I've actually got an order of filters on the way from PepTest so all I need now are the vials. I know they're on Amazon but I'd like to avoid them and also avoid having to get a case of 100 if possible
.Thank you for your detailed opinion.
Chizikitide-1977
New_Member
Westend sells them individually, but a bit steeper (3 bucks each).I've actually got an order of filters on the way from PepTest so all I need now are the vials. I know they're on Amazon but I'd like to avoid them and also avoid having to get a case of 100 if possible
Do syringe filters kill bacteria & mold? Or just try to collect/filter particles?
moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
The filter pores are so tiny that they trap bacteria and fungus. You want a .22 micron filter
Chizikitide-1977
New_Member
They don't kill them, but remove them from the solution. I'm sure it's not perfect, but it helps sterilze the peptide or reduce risk anyway (ie harm reduction, not complete safety). I had another thread on this with some more background in the back and forth.
Also check out this video on the process
Passing a “sterility” test does not mean that a product is sterile, it only means that the product passed the test. It’s important to understand what these tests don’t cover and then decide if filtering is merited.
Jano follows USP <61> test protocol (TAMC/TYMC) which is not a “sterility” test as it is intended for pharmas categorized as “non sterile” (orals, topicals). It is a microbial enumeration test limited to aerobic microbial, yeast, and mold colonies and does not measure other contaminants such as endotoxins.
TrustPointe follows USP <71> test protocol which is a sterility test but they are generally not able to fulfill the full requirements of the test as there is a minimum quantity to be tested based on batch size. Passing or failing a TP sterility test doesn’t necessarily equate to a batch passing or failing if the minimum test quantity is not achieved.
I recommend reading a couple of articles about each test to understand their limitations as well as understanding the risks of subq and IM injections.
I personally see syringe filters as an inexpensive step in harm reduction whether it is truly merited or not.
Jano follows USP <61> test protocol (TAMC/TYMC) which is not a “sterility” test as it is intended for pharmas categorized as “non sterile” (orals, topicals). It is a microbial enumeration test limited to aerobic microbial, yeast, and mold colonies and does not measure other contaminants such as endotoxins.
TrustPointe follows USP <71> test protocol which is a sterility test but they are generally not able to fulfill the full requirements of the test as there is a minimum quantity to be tested based on batch size. Passing or failing a TP sterility test doesn’t necessarily equate to a batch passing or failing if the minimum test quantity is not achieved.
I recommend reading a couple of articles about each test to understand their limitations as well as understanding the risks of subq and IM injections.
I personally see syringe filters as an inexpensive step in harm reduction whether it is truly merited or not.
May I ask- Do recommend using a filter every time you inject into your body? Or, just use it when Constituting? I assume it's only when constituting, right?
Btw, if you filter Only when constituting- then why wouldn't people use filters every time? After all, most people only constitute once/month or so - thus filters are affordable.
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moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
When reconstituting. You need a syringe big enough to hold all of the reconstituted liquid, 2 needles, and a sterile vial.
Peptide Test made a video:
Sorry to ask again: But, can someone send 1 or 2 links on where I can buy a recommended Filter? I assume sterile. Preferably, a kit that includes everything. Thanks! (There are several of them on the internet - I'm just trying to buy one you recommend.)
moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
Lab Supplies — Peptide Test
www.peptidetest.com
Thank you so much. I noticed they are on back-order. Do you have a link to another Filter kit?Lab Supplies — Peptide Test
moonpies4misfits
Senior Member
No, I have really searched another source. This was one that was suggested to me. I do see some on Amazon that are a different size and from my understanding you lose a little more product with those. Everywhere else I found when doing a google search only had them in bulk, which is way more than I need. The 25 I ordered from them should last me longer than my current supply. If you're on pepchat there are a few servers in there that may sell kits.
