Morning workout timing: GH peptides, creatine and protein — how do you order them?

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fatjacked

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I'm after people's takes on the order they stack supplements, peptides and food around AM training sessions — mostly weight training for me, but on cardio or sport days I follow basically the same pattern.

Some context: I'm a guy in my early 40's, long-time lifter, 6' 215lbs, on tirz since January after starting at 265. Right now I'm shifting into the recomp part of my weight loss, and the goal is to land somewhere near 205-210, but I decided I needed to get back to adding muscle instead of simply fighting to hold onto what I have. I've had IGF-1 checked twice this year, once just before beginning this CJC/IPA cycle, and my z-score came back 0.3. Back when I was obese my testosterone was low, then it recovered to the bottom of the normal range once the weight came off. My plan was to run the GH peps first and judge how recomp goes before considering anything TRT related. Putting on muscle was never an issue for me while I was fat, even with the low T, though I clearly shed some lean mass once tirz started.

What I'm doing right now:

  • ~5:15 wake up, pin 500mg CJC/IPA blend, zero calorie energy shot
  • ~5:30 lift for 1 hour, usually followed by 15-30 mins of zone 2 cardio
  • ~7:00 shower
  • ~7:15 5g creatine monohydrate in a glass of tap water, fairlife protein shake (42g protein / 240 calories)
  • ~7:30 take AM meds and supplements (statin, claritin, D3, zinc, tart cherry, taurine, CoQ10, multi)
Things I'm weighing:

  • I've been aiming to stay fasted for a minimum of 2 hours after pinning the CJC/IPA so the GH pulse is as strong as possible.
  • From what I read previously, when you take creatine relative to training doesn't matter much, yet I know people who swear by a creatine / electrolyte drink during the session. Trying that appeals to me, but I'm also conscious that it could break the fasted state while the GH peptides are supposed to be working (a few of the products I've looked at carry some carbs / calories).
  • I'm pretty strict about getting protein in soon after training to get muscle protein synthesis going. I've also come across advice to take protein right BEFORE a workout, but that raises the same concern about blunting the CJC/IPA.
  • I gave CJC/IPA at bedtime a shot rather than first thing in the morning, but delayed gastric emptying seems to leave me not fasted enough, and I was frequently restless and struggled to sleep.
  • Honestly, I feel like I could use more of a boost — most lifts aren't going up, I'm basically holding performance steady, and some days I'm dragging. My sleep hygiene and quality are fine, but work and parenting mean 7-8 hours a night is tough, and weekdays are usually closer to 6-7.

Any feedback on this setup is welcome, or I'd just like to hear how you run your own routine and what your reasoning is. I'll re-test IGF-1 in about another 4 weeks to see what this GH cycle is doing.
 
For me, peptide dosing can come either side of a workout — it makes no difference. Morning, evening, with food, without food, any which way. IGF-1 stays elevated regardless, and muscle still gets built.

I get my IGF-1 tested monthly, and none of the timing variations have moved it in any meaningful way for me. Fat has come off while muscle has gone on. If you're nailing the thing that matters most (LIFTING), you're probably fine. Should a peptide be wrecking your sleep, then either shift when you take it or stop taking it. Quality sleep does far more for anabolism and recovery than a few mg of a GHRH.

Getting hung up on timing for protein synthesis is majoring in the minors, particularly if you're not a professional bodybuilder. Pick a routine that lets you get the most lifting time in across years and decades.
 
I take tirz, and I pin CJC/IPA fasted in the morning before hitting the gym, which is basically the same call you landed on. Trying bedtime never worked out — the delayed emptying meant my stomach wasn't empty, and the restless sleep cost me more than any benefit from pinning at a set hour. For most people, when they take creatine and when they get protein in after lifting is not something that needs to be nailed down, so if eating a bit around the session lets you push harder, I wouldn't let the pulse worry me. Keeping the quality of the lift and your sleep in order matters more than hitting an exact 2-hour fast.
 
John_C said:

I take tirz, and I pin CJC/IPA fasted in the morning before hitting the gym, which is basically the same call you landed on. Trying bedtime never worked out — the delayed emptying meant my stomach wasn't empty, and the restless sleep cost me more than any benefit from pinning at a set hour. For most people, when they take creatine and when they get protein in after lifting is not something that needs to be nailed down, so if eating a bit around the session lets you push harder, I wouldn't let the pulse worry me. Keeping the quality of the lift and your sleep in order matters more than hitting an exact 2-hour fast.
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That's useful, thanks. Fasted lifting has basically been my default forever, well before I started any peps at all — the reason is just that my schedule forces me to get up and go straight to the gym. Going forward, though, I won't stress much about switching that around.
 
fatjacked said:

That's useful, thanks. Fasted lifting has basically been my default forever, well before I started any peps at all — the reason is just that my schedule forces me to get up and go straight to the gym. Going forward, though, I won't stress much about switching that around.
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Respect for managing that — morning training is something I can't stand. Without lunch in me, plenty of fluids, and something to eat after work, I run out of steam almost immediately.
 
7.62fmj said:

Respect for managing that — morning training is something I can't stand. Without lunch in me, plenty of fluids, and something to eat after work, I run out of steam almost immediately.
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For a morning training session, have you thought about adding mots c and/or nad+? A lot of people find it an absolute game changer.
 
Shittersfull said:

For a morning training session, have you thought about adding mots c and/or nad+? A lot of people find it an absolute game changer.
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It's something I've considered. I gave l-carn a shot not long ago, so I'll give that some time to see what it does before adding anything else.
 
7.62fmj said:

It's something I've considered. I gave l-carn a shot not long ago, so I'll give that some time to see what it does before adding anything else.
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Great, tackling one item at a time makes sense. I remain doubtful about the "bro" label though — a genuine bro would just take the whole stack in one go...
 
Shittersfull said:

Great, tackling one item at a time makes sense. I remain doubtful about the "bro" label though — a genuine bro would just take the whole stack in one go...
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Ah, but you haven't seen my backwards hat!

In fairness, the term bro science does contain the word science as well.
 
fatjacked said:

That's useful, thanks. Fasted lifting has basically been my default forever, well before I started any peps at all — the reason is just that my schedule forces me to get up and go straight to the gym. Going forward, though, I won't stress much about switching that around.
Click to expand...

7.62fmj said:

Respect for managing that — morning training is something I can't stand. Without lunch in me, plenty of fluids, and something to eat after work, I run out of steam almost immediately.
Click to expand...
Mornings have been my training window for basically my whole life, and I'm still setting PRs now that I'm in my 40s. Reta is a recent addition, so I don't yet know what effect it will have — but I figure the payoff will justify it.

Once the session is done I eat to refuel, then take creatine and a multi vitamin. Whether I'll add other peptides is something I'm still looking into...we shall see.
 
Shittersfull said:

For a morning training session, have you thought about adding mots c and/or nad+? A lot of people find it an absolute game changer.
Click to expand...
My pattern is to hold off until my weight has been stuck for about 2 weeks, then I mix up 20mg of MOT-C and use it for a fasted morning session on an every-other-day schedule, which gets me through the plateau.
 
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