The original poster on TRT wants to add CJC/IPA, tesa and Klow to ongoing reta for weight loss down to 185-190 while rebuilding muscle after a two-year shoulder layoff. Replies suggest bloodwork first, question the need for three secretagogues versus HGH, warn against stacking them for generic fat loss, and debate adding stanozolol to protect muscle on TRT during a cut. Most agree nutrition and labs matter more than extra compounds and that tesa pairs well with reta for visceral fat.
What this discussion establishesWhether to stack three secretagogues, switch to HGH, or add stanozolol while cutting
Still openIdeal dosing for the proposed stack and whether the shoulder injury will limit training
Nothing here is advice.
On TRT at the moment. Started reta 2/19/26 and reached 4 mg by week 9. Male, 46 years old, 5’11, started at 221 lb and now at 203 lb. Planning to add CJC/IPA, tesa and Klow. A shoulder injury kept me out of the gym for the past two years but I’m ready to return. Any thoughts or experiences with this combination?
How many mg of reta are in those 40 units? Curious about the real dose because 40 units sounds like a lot of volume this early, though I don’t know the concentration.
I fixed it. Should have written mg instead of units.
You probably don’t need three GH secretagogues. If you want a big GH boost just use HGH since you’re 46 and any shutdown wouldn’t matter much. Otherwise drop one of the secretagogues to save money for more tesa or Klow. What exactly are you trying to achieve with the stack?
Thanks for the reply. Goal is to reach 185-190 with some muscle. In the past I just bulked and ended up with high body fat. At my age I don’t want to push heavy weights and risk injury. Hoping for fat loss to lower BMI plus some muscle gain. Still dealing with rotator cuff and plantar fasciitis issues but otherwise feel healthy and want to stay that way.
Run labs including IGF first then add 2 IU HGH daily. That would cost less than ipa/cjc or tesa. Retest after 8-12 weeks.
Before injecting anything I’d do three things, though the stack seems reasonable if doses are correct and everything is taken daily for three months without quitting early. First get full bloodwork focusing on SHBG, total and free T, E2, progesterone, LH, FSH, IGF-1, cholesterol and cortisol for a baseline. Second calculate BMR and set nutrition so you’re only 200-300 calories above or below maintenance instead of dirty bulking. Also stop worrying about BMI.
Do you have a preferred testing service or site for all those labs? I’ve been looking at Quest’s men’s health panel and Function Health.
Thanks. I just had a panel done two days ago and should get results next week, then I’ll do follow-up bloodwork.
Unlike some others I’m not a fan of cardio. That said I’m now content using an exercise mimetic and a six-minute cardio protocol to get it over with. Main point is I agree you should pick either fat loss or bulking, not both, though you can try to hold onto muscle while dropping weight. Stacking multiple secretagogues for plain weight loss isn’t ideal. Separating them could give longer benefit from the tesa/ipa group. The real issue may be the TRT itself; lowering the dose and adding stanozolol while cutting could help. Tesa is considered the best add-on to reta for visceral fat.
Thanks for the reply. My test levels are low so I need to stay on TRT. Main goal right now is to drop as much weight as possible then add the other peptides later. I’ve made a good start. Staying around 190 with some mass would be ideal since I don’t like feeling skinny. Appreciate all the input and I’ll keep learning about stacks and peptides.
I get that TRT is needed for low test. What I meant is that because test is anabolic you might need stanozolol to keep muscle while losing fat and to avoid water retention. Yeah, forget skinny. 190 with mass usually means cutting to around 175 then bulking to 195 and shredding back to 190. When cutting, target all the fat you can.
Jumping in on the stanozolol point. The original poster has a shoulder issue that already kept him out of the gym for two years. From my experience stanozolol can make injuries worse. It helps with cutting and strength but is tough on joints.
I also have a torn rotator cuff and biceps tendinosis. The dehydrating effect of stanozolol occurs at high doses and can be reduced with collagen, glucosamine and TRT. Since the person is already on TRT the effect should work together.
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