What are peptides?
Peptides are small chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. They regulate a variety of biological functions and processes to optimize cellular functioning in the body. These naturally occurring peptides act as signaling molecules within the body and instruct other cells and molecules on what functions to perform. There are over 7,000 known peptides within the human body, and each is responsible for facilitating a different response and action within the body.
Some common functions of peptides include:
- providing pain relief
- aiding in soft tissue repair
- accelerating healing processes
- promoting weight loss and lean muscle gain
- reversing symptoms of sexual dysfunction
- improving hormone production and cognitive function.
Levels of peptides in the body decline as we age, which contributes to the development of age-related illness and the aging process itself.
What is Peptide Therapy?
Peptide therapy is one of the newest options for preventive health and wellness and is quickly becoming widely recognized as a revolutionary modality in healthcare. Since the synthesis of the first therapeutic peptide, insulin, in 1921, remarkable achievements have been made resulting in the approval of more than 80 peptide drugs worldwide. The development of peptide drugs has thus become one of the hottest topics in pharmaceutical research.
In peptide therapy, the unique property of peptides are harnessed and used to treat specific conditions as well as prevent illness and optimize health. Replacing declining peptides that are lost with age in order to rejuvenate cellular processes and reverse or inhibit epigenetic influences is the treatment process is known as peptide therapy.
The real job of peptide therapy is to help your body use its own innate healing abilities to move toward optimal health.
Peptides play a major role in how your body responds to diet and exercise. Peptides can accelerate improvements in issues of fatigue, endurance, poor recovery, or injury and healing. Adequate peptide levels are imperative for performing at optimal levels. With peptide therapy, the number of peptides is restored to stimulate cellular regrowth systems within the body as a treatment option for specific conditions.
How does it work?
Peptides are typically administered directly into the bloodstream through subcutaneous injections, but some may also be administered as nasal sprays or oral forms. This form of treatment can be entirely customized to the patient’s unique needs and goals. By using this targeted method, we can produce a specific reaction in the body and treat a variety of conditions.
Some of the benefits of peptide therapy can include but are not limited to the following:
- Accelerate healing processes
- Boost hormone levels
- Build muscle mass
- Facilitate weight loss and visceral fat reduction
- Decrease joint and muscle pain
- Enhance cognitive function and memory
- Reduce depression and anxiety
- Help reverse symptoms of sexual dysfunction
- Improve sleep quality
- Increase levels of energy, stamina, and strength
- Lower blood pressure
- Promote healthy immune function
- Reduce signs of aging
Since peptides are naturally found throughout the body, they can create ripples of effects across multiple systems that may affect other bodily functions such as your digestion, metabolism, weight loss, sexual desire, inflammation, neuropathy, and a myriad of age-related conditions. Peptide therapy can aid in treating these conditions by mimicking your body’s own peptides, which elicit a particular desired response. As peptides are naturally occurring and specific in function, they are well tolerated within your body with minimal to no side effects of treatment. Peptide therapy has low toxicity, high potency and specificity, high chemical and biological diversity, and has been a proven enhancement in cell growth.
Common Peptides used in Peptide Therapy
WEIGHT LOSS
CJC 1296/Ipamorelin
This is a combination of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) and Growth Hormone Releasing Proteins (GHRP) peptide.
How this works in the body:
This peptide combination helps to signal your own body’s production of growth hormone in natural pulses by the anterior pituitary gland. Growth hormone improves the cellular use of energy, optimizes cellular functioning, increases protein synthesis, and reduces cellular death and oxidation. CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin combines a GHRH with a GHRP to produce a natural pulsatile release of human growth hormone in order to promote muscle growth and fat burning and promote sleep without increasing appetite.
Benefits:
- Stimulates muscle growth
- Facilitates fat burning
- Improves memory retention
- Promotes slow wave sleep
- Increase in energy
How it’s administered:
Administered by subcutaneous injection morning and night. May also be administered pre and post work out to accelerate benefits of exercise. No food for 90 minutes before or after.
Cost:
$175/ month
AOD 9604
AOD 9604 is a modified form Growth Hormone which is a 191 amino acid peptide. The last 15 amino acids (176-191) of the Human Growth Hormone polypeptide have been reproduced as a specific peptide and is called GH Frag 176-191 or AOD 9604.
How this works in the body:
AOD-9604, also known as Tyr-hGH Frag 176-191, has been proven to have a strong fat burning capacity, without creating a desire to overeat. It doesn’t affect blood sugar or tissue growth. It triggers fat release from the obese fat cells predominantly and works to reduce the accumulation of new fat in fat cells as well as increasing fat burning. What is extraordinary about the AOD-9604 is its ability to reduce abdominal fat stores.
Benefits:
- Reduces body fat
- Triggers fat release from obese fat cells predominantly more than lean ones
- Mimics the way natural growth hormone regulates fat metabolism
- No adverse effects on blood sugar or growth
- Stimulates lipolysis
- Inhibits lipogenesis (transformation of non-fatty foods into body fat)
How it’s administered:
Subcutaneous injection in the morning after fasting
Cost:
$150/month
If combined with weekly lipo mini IM injections and weight management support $200/month
LONGEVITY
Epithalon
Epithalon is a 4 chain amino acid peptide that is an analogue of the natural substance Epithalamin which is naturally produced in the pineal gland of the brain.
How this works in the body:
Epithalon’s primary role is to increase the natural production of telomerase, a natural enzyme that helps cells reproduce telomeres, which are the protective parts of our DNA. This allows the replication of our DNA so the body can grow new cells and rejuvenate old ones. Younger people produce a relatively large amount of telomerase and longer telomeres. The longer the telomere strands are, the better cell health and replication they provide. However, as people age, the production of telomerase falls and consequently cell replication and health decline. This is the main reason that people age.
Benefits:
- Increases lifespan by lengthening telomeres in human cells
- Promotes deeper sleep
- Delays and prevents of age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and dementia
- Acts as an antioxidant by reducing lipid oxidation and ROS (Reactive oxygen species) along with normalizing T cell function
- Improves skin health and appearance
- Heals injured and deteriorating muscle cells
- Restores and normalizes melatonin levels in those who have lost some pineal function due to aging
- Can increase resistance to emotional stress
How it’s administered:
Administered by subcutaneous injection for 10 days, once a year.
Cost:
$575 for 10 day course once a year
NAD+
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, or NAD+, is a potent peptide protein that is composed of two amino acids (hence called dinucleotide). NAD+, which is essential for building energy and a youthful life, declines as people age. It is scientifically proven that by the time humans reach middle age, the concentrations of NAD+ reduce to half of its normal levels, resulting in lower bodily functions. Supplementing with NAD+ peptides help maintain Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide levels in the body, thereby fighting aging and inducing longevity.
What it does in the body:
NAD+ is a vital endogenous peptide that is involved in more than 500 enzymatic reactions in the body and hence helps regulate vital bodily functions such as metabolism and energy production, DNA repair, acts as a secondary messenger via calcium dependent signaling mechanism and serves as an immunoregulator. Several research studies have shown that exogenous administration of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide+ helps regulate the optimal levels of NAD+ in the body which thereby promotes healthy aging and healthy functioning of the body.
Benefits in the body:
- Reduces aging
- Decrease stress
- Promotes DNA repair and longevity
- Promotes healthy sleep cycles
- Elevates metabolism and induces high energy levels
- Maintains healthy cell cycle
- Acts as an immunoregulatory component
- Protects our cells from oxidative stress
- Helps reduce the production of beta amyloid and slow the decline of mental cognition (aka decreasing our risk of Alzheimer’s Disease)
- Helps prevent and manage cardiovascular disease
- Improves insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing other metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity
How it’s administered:
Can be administered intravenously (IV), intramuscular (IM) injection, or subcutaneous (SQ) injection
Cost:
IV: $250 for 500 mg or $150 for 250 mg
Injectable dose $150/month
Nasal spray $150/month
TISSUE REPAIR
BPC 157
BPC 157 peptide, which stands for “body protective compound” is a synthetic peptide made of 15 amino acids and is derived from human gastric juice.
How this works in the body:
This peptide has been shown to accelerate the healing of injuries and wounds in muscles, tendons, ligaments, nervous system, gastric tissue, and skin by increasing the blood flow back to injured sights. BPC 157 is cytoprotective (protects cells from damage), and neuroprotective (protects and grows neurons), and reduces inflammation.
Benefits to the body:
- Accelerated wound healing
- Improves digestive tract function, protects and heals gastric mucosa
- Decreases inflammation
- Increases nitric oxide production and angiogenesis
- Improves depression and anxiety symptoms
- Reduces alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- Cardioprotective and reduces blood pressure and counteracts prolonged QT syndrome
How it’s administered:
It can be administered by injection or orally for systemic purposes, or injected directly into injured body parts for targeted healing of a specific injury.
Cost:
Injectable form $175/ month
Oral Capsules $175/month
IMMUNITY AND TISSUE REPAIR
Thymosin Beta 4 (TB4) or TB500
TB4 is a hormone secreted by the thymus, which is an immune system function organ of the human body.
How this works in the body:
The primary function of this hormone is to stimulate the production of T cells and antibodies which are important parts of the immune system. However, this hormone is also very important in tissue repair and collagen production, and plays an important role in protection, regeneration, and remodeling of injured or damaged tissues.
Benefits:
- Promotes rapid wound healing with no scarring
- Repairs soft tissues like tendons, ligaments, and muscles from sports/athletic injuries
- Helps treat pressure and venous stasis ulcers
- Enhances collagen deposition
- Works at the cellular level supporting tissue stem cells to regenerate and heal injured tissue
- Potent anti-inflammatory for wounds, muscles, and joints
- Prevents adhesion and fibrous band formation in injured tissue
- Protects and restores neurons post TBI or ischemic stroke
- Promotes hair growth
How it’s administered:
Injected subcutaneously. Do not use for more than 3 months
Cost:
$150/month
IMMUNITY
Thymosin Alpha-1 (TA1) or Thymullin
TA1 comes from thymic tissue and restores immune function by stimulating the production of T cells, natural killer cells, interferon production, and anti-tumor effects.
How this works in the body:
TA1 is involved in modulation of the immune response by producing specific immune cells that combat infections and destroy tumor cells. It protects cells against oxidative damage associated with aging. It reduces insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
Benefits:
- Treatment of chronic inflammatory/ autoimmune conditions including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, chronic candidiasis, environmental toxins
- Employed in conditions that require immune response (Hepatitis B and C, HIV, adjunct in chemotherapy for cancer, response to vaccinations, etc.)
- Can be prescribed for acute viral illness to reduce duration of illness and mount strong immune response
- Improves symptoms of chronic stress and depression
- Assists with weight management and the treatment of Type II Diabetes and reduces metabolic syndrome
How it’s administered:
Administered by subcutaneous injection once every 3 days for 2 weeks to 3 months depending on diagnosis.
Cost:
Approximately $5 per dose
COGNITIVE FUNCTION/MENTAL HEALTH
Selank
Selank is a 7 chain amino acid that is a synthetic analogue of the human peptide, tuftsin.
How this works in the body:
This peptide increases BDNF in the brain, and influences neurotransmitters that enhance cognition function and offset loss of cognition associated with dementia or neurodegenerative disorders. Selank has pronounced anxiolytic activity. It acts as a stable neuropsychotropic, antidepressant, and anti-stress drug that relieves aggression and fear reaction in different animal species. Selank has a nootropic action, which positively influences the formation of memory and learning processes. Selank has similar properties to the physiological effects of benzodiazepines. This suggests that there is a similar basis of their mechanism of action that is the allosteric modulation of GABA receptors. They enhance the GABA effect by allosteric modulation, which increases the frequency of opening of channels for chlorine ions. It does not have the unwanted side effects of Benzodiazepines such as withdrawal, dependence, and amnesia. Numerous clinical studies have shown that Selank has strong antianxiety and neuroprotective effects in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorders.
Benefits:
- Antidepressant and anxiolytic
- Increases action of GABA
- Improves sleep balance (sleep/wakefulness)
- Prevents weight gain and metabolic syndrome through reduction of insulin resistance and lowering of blood sugar
- Antiviral properties that have been shown to help reduction of illness with influenza, herpes, and CMV
How it’s administered:
Administered intranasally
Cost:
$125/month
SEXUAL HEALTH
Bremolanotide / PT-141
PT-141 was developed from the peptide Melitonan 2, which is a synthetically produced variant of a peptide hormone produced in the body that stimulates the production of melanocytes. PT-141 provides libido enhancing effects by stimulating the nervous system to enhance sexual desire, arousal, and sexual satisfaction in both men and women.
How it works in the body:
PT-141 increases sexual desire and drive in men and women, and increases blood flow to genitals. Unlike Viagra and other related medications, it does not act upon the vascular system but directly increases sexual desire via the nervous system.
Benefits:
- Increase in sexual drive and desire in men and women
- Increase in sexual frequency
- Treatment of erectile dysfunction
- Treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder
- Increase in energy
How it’s administered:
Can be administered intranasally or injected subcutaneously no more than twice per week
Cost:
Injectable vial 10 ml $125
Nasal spray $150
For more information on getting peptide therapy, please contact our front office at 385-272-4292
Written by Dr. Cindy Wasek, DNP, APRN
