I spent six weeks systematically testing Semax at different doses to find my personal sweet spot. Each dose was tested for a minimum of three consecutive days to allow for cumulative effects, with 5-day washout periods between dose levels.
100 mcg/day: Imperceptible. Three days at this dose and I could detect nothing above baseline. Possibly subthreshold for me.
200 mcg/day: Very subtle. By day 3, I thought I noticed a slight improvement in reading speed and comprehension, but I was not confident this was not placebo. If there was an effect, it was right at the threshold of perception.
300 mcg/day: This is where Semax became real for me. Clear improvement in verbal fluency that I noticed during a dinner conversation on day 1. I was more articulate, more responsive, more engaged. Focus during work improved noticeably. I could work for 2-hour blocks without checking my phone, which is unusual for me.
600 mcg/day: Stronger version of 300 mcg. The cognitive enhancement was more pronounced and the onset was faster -- within 10 minutes rather than 15-20. Working memory felt tangibly expanded. However, I developed a tension headache by late afternoon on 2 of the 3 test days. Nothing severe, resolved with ibuprofen, but consistent enough to be a pattern.
900 mcg/day: Too much for me. Strong tension headache within 2 hours of administration. Mild restlessness and a kind of cognitive overstimulation -- thoughts were faster but less organized, like having too many browser tabs open. Felt slightly wired but not in a productive way. Reduced back to 300 mcg the next day.
Conclusion: My personal optimal dose is 300-400 mcg. Below that I cannot reliably feel it; above 600 mcg the side effects outweigh the benefits. This aligns with the standard Russian clinical dosing, which probably means the Russians knew what they were doing when they set the recommended range.
Important note for anyone starting: individual dose response seems to vary significantly. I have read reports from people who find 200 mcg overwhelming and others who need 900 mcg to feel anything. Start low and titrate up systematically.