Peptides occur naturally in the body and their broad applications for healing are impressive. New uses for peptides in healing the body, stimulating the libido, muscle building and weight loss are being discovered every day.
Did you know that there are 20 naturally-occurring amino acids and that they can be combined into many different molecules? When a molecule consists of several amino acids it’s called a peptide. Peptides are a crucial component in many bodily functions. Without certain peptides, the body would cease to function. Peptides are found in every cell and tissue of the human body and perform a wide range of essential functions. There are over 600 peptides in current studies and the FDA has approved many of them for use in medical practice.
You might think that you don’t know what a peptide is, but I guarantee that peptides are so built into everyday life that you hear about peptides frequently. One of the best-known peptides is commonly used in diabetes therapy. It saves lives every day. Yes, it’s Insulin! Insulin was identified in the 1920s by Canadian physician Frederick Banting and his medical student Charles Best. Insulin has 51 amino acids and was considered one of the greatest medical discoveries of the 20th century.
Another common peptide is called sermorelin. Sermorelin is a growth hormone releasing analog that stimulates the pituitary gland into releasing growth hormone and is commonly used to aid in strength and energy, bone health, muscle mass increase weight loss, immune function, skeletal health and libido increase.
Here are some other peptides that are receiving new attention in functional and anti-aging medicine:
• BPC-157 for Gut Health, Ligament, & Tendon Repair
• CJC-1295/Ipamorelin: Weight Loss, Muscle Building, GH Stimulation
• AOD-9604: Fat Burning, Bone, & Cartilage Repair
• PT-141: Libido Enhancement
• Ibutamoren: Muscle Building
Because peptides are commonly found in the body they may have fewer side effects than medications that aren’t as natural. Horst Kessler, a Professor at Munich University, said: “Peptides are wonderfully well-suited as medication, the body already uses them as signaling molecules, and when they have done their job, they can be recycled by the body — no accumulation, no complicated detoxification.”
At EC3Health, we have seen a sharp increase in practitioners’ interest in peptides. Having had the privilege of attending the peptide module at the recent A4M Conference in Orlando, and the Practical Training on Peptides in Puerto Rico by the Clinical Peptide Society, we believe that this therapy is poised to become an important part of the anti-aging field. Patients now demand more natural and safe treatments that can give them results, with fewer chemicals and side effects.
At EC3 we are in a unique position to comment on this new trend and excited by the results that many in our network are seeing in their patients. We look forward to seeing improvements in patient health and quality of life as more of these natural peptides are studied and their healing gifts are revealed.
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