Peptides are old science that have finally made their way to the US, after having been used for years in Europe. In this blog I want to outline some things I’ve learned from peer-reviewed research and my good friend Darshan @ Next|Health :)
What is a peptide?
A peptide is a chain of amino acids (but less than 50, no larger – otherwise it would be a protein). They are natural signaling molecules found in our body. Peptides are little pieces of amino acids that signal your cells to heal your body and protect you from illness, infections, etc. (just like Insulin which is a peptide!) They have high specificity – meaning they are able to efficiently target the designated organ – plus they have low side effects (doesn’t affect the liver or kidneys) and have no drug interactions, which makes them safer than most pharmaceuticals. Injecting peptides increases your body’s natural signaling.
What about Human Growth Hormone?
Growth hormone is a hormone naturally released by the pituitary gland. Exogenous growth hormone is injecting more of this hormone into your body, which creates negative feedback and shuts down your body’s natural production of this hormone. Peptides, on the other hand, hit 2 receptors on the pituitary gland, stimulate the receptor, and promote natural release. So basically – instead of shutting down your body’s natural production of peptides, injection will stimulate the receptors to release MORE.
Additionally there is a cancer risk associated with growth hormones. They release igf1 which causes tissue necrosis (note – when giving growth hormone you measure / track it with IGF1 levels). Peptides actually release igf1 and 3, which helps keep igf1 stable and has some anti-cancer effects. Some 2nd generation peptides – Cjc And Ipamorelin – only activate a 20-30% bump in igf1. At this level there are a number of benefits – such as quality of sleep improvement and changes in body composition. We’ll get more into the benefits below…
But first, let’s cover what 2nd Generation peptides are:
2nd generation peptides are the newest versions and are much more efficient. The cjc1295 peptide, for example, binds to receptors 3x longer than earlier peptides.
Tessamoralin is a strong 2nd generation peptide that increases igf1 more than previous versions and also helps reduce more fat tissue. It is advised to start with cjc-i! Before trying tessamoralin and wait 6-8 weeks to notice change.
The best way to inject is always on an empty stomach (because insulin blocks it) (try for 5 days a week – 2 days off). What makes peptides so efficient is that you can use them for years without any desensitization of receptors, so there is no decline in results.
Here’s a breakdown of some benefits & their corresponding peptides:
Libido:
- *Melanatan* peptide
- Stimulates melanocyte-stimulating hormone to increase melanin production
- Also increases libido
- Pt141 is a fragment of melanatan (the part that increases libido). Works in brain not body. 80% of men who fail viagra / cialis have been successful with this peptide
Sleep:
- *DSIP* peptide (works for sleep):
- Found in breast milk
- Variable results but great for some
- Helps you get deeper sleep but doesn’t help you fall asleep
- Used for pain & opioid withdrawal
Inflammation, the gut, & bone density:
- *BPC157* peptide
- “Body protection compound” it’s a protein found in gastric juices
- Natural function is healing gut mucosa
- Can take orally, too
- Has anti-inflammatory & nerve regeneration effects
- Helps with bone density & osteoarthritis
- Often paired with THYMOSIN BETA 4
- Used for acute injuries / soft tissue
Hair loss:
- GHK copper (in the form of topical foam or spray) stimulates hair follicles as well as extends the life of hair follicles
- PPT TDM – paired with valproic acid topical to stimulate hair follicles
Toxins:
- *neutropic peptides protect neurons from toxins and keep nerves healthy
Nerve health:
- *cerebralisin – helpful for those with neurodegenerative disease and can regrow nerve endings and synapses for those with AD
- ApoE4 – you can use this as prevention from nerve damage as well as to improve brain function in general (more alert and clear). This is sometimes called the the “limitless peptide”
Attention & focus:
- *cmax is most effective for concentration and focus
- Clink is beneficial for concentration as well as can help with immunity and has anxiolytic effects
- Can alternate these two during week
Immunity:
- *thymosin alpha 1 – immune boosting peptide
- Increases T cells B cells
- th1 and th2 are FDA approved for malignant melanoma. In one study the placebo had more side effects than this peptide…insane!!
Anti-aging:
- *epithalamin – is THE ultimate anti-aging peptide !!
- Works on regulating melatonin levels.
- Can be used along with dsip for things like jet lag and cardiovascular health
Weight Loss:
- *5 amino 1 nq is coming soon. Research so far shows a 10% overall weight loss in 10 days in white adipose tissue
- One study examined peptide-1 (7–36)amide (rGLP-1) injected subcutaneously 4 times a day for only 5 days to type 2 diabetic patients who were also over weight (Naslund et al., 2007). Results showed a 15% decrease in mean food intake per meal as well as weight loss.
- Another study also found peptide-1, also known as Liraglutide, to be effective for weight loss as well as reducing triglyceride levels in patients with heart failure (Sharma et al., 2018).
I know it can *definitely* feel overwhelming to have to pick which peptide to use but the good news is you can mix & match if you want to. There are no issues associated with combining peptides, so you could choose 8-9 at once if you wanted to.
What about supplements?
- A 2019 review article revealed that chia seeds can release peptides following digestion (Grancieri et al., 2019). In fact, peptides formed by GI digestion may act like a hormone.
- Collagen peptide supplements can increase bone mineral density. One study showed that post-menopausal women with age-related reductions in bone mineral density were able to increase bone formation and reduce bone degradation via peptide supplementation alone (Konig et al., 2018).
Hope this was helpful! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below… would you try this?
