Learn what peptides are, how they work & how they can benefit you.
What Are Peptides?
Peptide Therapy is one of the most talked about treatment protocols within the fields of anti-aging, longevity, and integrative medicine. To understand peptide therapy, let’s start with understanding peptides themselves. Peptides are short chain amino acids connected by peptide bonds and are naturally occurring biological molecules. Peptides are found in all living organisms and play significant roles in several essential biological functions. The maintenance of appropriate peptide concentrations and activity levels are essential in achieving homeostasis and maintaining optimum health. Peptides are unique in that their structure, shape and length allow them to bind to very specific cell receptors(minimizing side effect risks) and they have the ability to act as either hormones or signaling molecules.
Put simply:
- metabolism
- energy
- immune system function
- neuro-cognitive performance
- even sexual function can be directly influenced and improved by peptides
How Peptide Therapy Works
One way to understand peptide therapy is to compare it to conventional medications. When you take most medications, the body will absorb these compounds into the blood stream from the digestive system. From there, the medications with bind to their target cells or tissues to cause the desired effect (also known as the medication’s indication) and also possibly bind to other cells/tissues and cause undesired actions (also known as side effects). In this manner, our bodies react to medications.
Peptides, on the other hand, will bind to specific cell receptors and through secondary messenger systems, will cause that cell or tissue to perform a very specific function or release a specific hormone. In this manner, we respond to peptides, making them safer than many traditional prescription medications. Additionally, our bodies see peptides as natural biological molecules vice a foreign substance, which also contributes a smaller risk of side effects.
Benefits of Peptide Therapy
Most peptides therapies are administered subcutaneously but many can be prescribed as transdermal creams, nasal sprays, and oral capsules. Currently, FDA approved peptides can be used therapeutically to increase lean muscle mass, improve exercise recovery, reduce body fat , increase energy and endurance, accelerate healing of tendons, ligaments, and muscles, balance the immune system, regulate hormones, increase healthy growth hormone production, increase libido, improve focus and concentration, improve symptoms of depression and anxiety, and treat neurological conditions.
Questions About Peptide Therapy?
If you have additional questions about peptide therapy or if you would like more information about these peptides, please call us to schedule your initial consultation.
Dr. Greg Jones NMD
