Beginner: reta solo or stacked with tesa?

Guccipoppi

Guccipoppi

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Gm folks!

I wanted to get everyone's input on the plan I have for my peptide journey.

Since I've never done this before, my idea is to begin with RT5 alone — that way I can figure out how it feels, watch how my body responds, and find out if it genuinely supports my weight loss.

Buuuut I've also been considering adding TSM5 into the mix for visceral fat loss, and I'm just wondering if that's too much to take on right at the start. Would it be smarter to go slow and run RT5 solo first, or is an RT5 plus TSM5 stack fine for someone new?

I'm still researching and working everything out, so I'd really like to hear from people who've used either one, especially anyone who began with one and later brought in the other!
 
They work well together, because Tesa pushes fat loss heavily toward visceral fat, and a GLP creates a caloric deficit that makes the loss of that dangerous adipose tissue even more pronounced.

That said, the rule for every compound is to bring in one at a time, let it stabilize, and only then add the next one. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, you'll never figure out which one caused it.

Starting with the GLP is the better route.

Getting a baseline IGF-1 before beginning either one would be wise. You only get one shot at it (and a GLP caloric deficit will distort your results), and you'll regret not knowing what your baseline was.
 
...when you say RT5, are you talking about a 5mg vial/kit of reta?...does the same go for the tesa?....Be certain you have your dosing figured out before you start....good luck
 
Dropping a comment here mainly to say I'm interested too

Right now I'm holding steady on Reta, and the scale is still going down

That said, the idea of synergy with tesa really does sound tempting
 
honestly, Tesa is a massive hassle. a vial that's been reconstituted will be doing well to make it through 7 days. The real FDA approved Tesa is meant to be mixed and shot on the same day, with whatever's left thrown out. If you're only just beginning, my advice is to kick off with a GLP-1, and Triz would be my pick. It costs less and delivers solid results with minimal sides.
 
Faberhome22 said:

honestly, Tesa is a massive hassle. a vial that's been reconstituted will be doing well to make it through 7 days. The real FDA approved Tesa is meant to be mixed and shot on the same day, with whatever's left thrown out. If you're only just beginning, my advice is to kick off with a GLP-1, and Triz would be my pick. It costs less and delivers solid results with minimal sides.
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Wow, it really degrades that quickly?

That sounds like a serious hassle. Is there any data backing that up?
 
Yeah, like everyone else has mentioned. Begin with just Reta on its own, and only bring in other peptides afterward — either when you hit a plateau and need to push past it, or when what you're aiming for shifts.

For a sensible starting point, go with 0.5mg-1mg every 5-7 days, keep it steady for a couple of weeks to gauge how you're responding, then increase the dose if necessary and take it from there.
 
Shittersfull said:

Stick with a single compound for now. Reta alone is likely all you'll need. What's your weight loss goal?
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I definitely want to drop at least 10kg, no question about that. I was under the impression that tesa would be necessary to shift stubborn fat, though maybe if I keep up my gym routine while using Reta, it won't be needed.
 
The FDA label for Egrifta, which is the brand name, is here.

fda label

Search for the shelf life and you'll usually come across 14 days. In my own case, though, gelling begins by day 7. All in all, CJC 1295 holds up better, needs a smaller amount per injection, and costs less.
 
Guccipoppi said:

I definitely want to drop at least 10kg, no question about that. I was under the impression that tesa would be necessary to shift stubborn fat, though maybe if I keep up my gym routine while using Reta, it won't be needed.
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10kg is nothing when it comes to reta. Run reta for 3 months first. After that, you can think about tesa. You won't need tesa.
 
Just like what's seen in the HIV research, tesa mainly serves the smaller group of users whose IGF-1 is running low. That's the situation where results are likely. In other cases, the gains tend to be fairly modest, and far too much of the praise ends up attributed to the wrong peptide or substance.
 
Guccipoppi said:

I definitely want to drop at least 10kg, no question about that. I was under the impression that tesa would be necessary to shift stubborn fat, though maybe if I keep up my gym routine while using Reta, it won't be needed.
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there's no need for it. Tesa didn't move scale weight even in the trials. What they showed via MRI was a reduction in visceral fat.
 
HolyTrinity said:

Yeah, like everyone else has mentioned. Begin with just Reta on its own, and only bring in other peptides afterward — either when you hit a plateau and need to push past it, or when what you're aiming for shifts.

For a sensible starting point, go with 0.5mg-1mg every 5-7 days, keep it steady for a couple of weeks to gauge how you're responding, then increase the dose if necessary and take it from there.
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I'm begging you all to bear with me, because the question I'm about to ask is going to make me sound like a complete beginner.

When someone gets a 5mg Reta vial, is the 0.5mg-1mg figure the amount you work out once it's been reconstituted?
 
A lot of people here use Tesa, or have used it, to trim the waist. When you're just starting out, though, the fat you're carrying isn't "stubborn" — it's simply spread all over. I hope that doesn't come across as harsh, but honestly, beginning with reta by itself will likely deliver the same outcome as adding tesa this early in the process. If your body fat % is on the higher side, you'll almost certainly see meaningful waist reduction from reta on its own.
 
Stacking reta with tesa gets a strong endorsement from me. My original goal was only around 15 lbs of loss, and at the start I ran reta/cag on its own. Funny enough, that was the very first peptide I ever touched. Results from that pairing were outstanding — 20 lbs came off — yet I also noticed my strength and muscle dropping off. And even with all that weight gone, a persistent bit of sneaky fat stayed wrapped around my middle!

Next I gave cjc/ipa a shot, and it made me feel awful. Then tesa joined the stack. Week 9 of reta/tesa is where I am now. About 6lbs of muscle has come back, and my midsection is flatter than it has ever been!

Count me as a convert! My plan going forward is to keep reta at a low dose and rotate tesa on and off.
 
I had planned to follow that same route, and a handful of people told me to let reta do its " thang " on its own first. Solid guidance — I'm down 42 and sitting at my goal weight. Whenever you can manage it, introduce one pep at a time so u can tell what is actually doing the work. No two people are the same. Stubborn belly fat hasn't really been an issue for me, though I do carry a bit around the love handle area — and I'm also 54, so I try to be realistic about " fat " around the waist area. ha
 
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