If you think of a hormone as a tree made up of many protein branches and even more peptide twigs, it’s easy to see how a hormone can have many side-effects if used wrongly.
Peptides on the other hand are much smaller and have been designed to stimulate specific receptors for growth hormone so you can tailor your results.
Essentially, they can be used for muscle gain or weight loss, recovery, reduced inflammation and are at the forefront of lots of new individual specific treatments for a range of disorders.
To begin with, we need to understand how our bodies function. At the base of our brain rests a small gland called the Pituitary Gland. Despite the fact that the Pituitary Gland is small, it is the control unit to other hormonal glands, for example, Adrenals and Thyroid, which are vital to a vast part of controlling your body and general wellbeing.
In order to keep a sustainable balance in your body, the Pituitary Gland sends signals (hormones) into the circulatory system to the other organs and glands in your body to control or create their own hormones as needed.
These hormones are keeping your body strong and healthy. Unfortunately, as we age they will start to decline.
One of the hormones produced by the brain’s Pituitary Gland is Human Growth Hormone (GH or HGH). Human Growth Hormone keeps up body regulation, the digestive system and insulin levels.
But what signals the Pituitary Gland? Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), which originates from the Hypothalamus.
HOW IT WORKS
There are many kinds of peptides, which work on different areas of the body. Specifically, there are peptides that can increase our own body’s production of GHRH from the Hypothalamus to naturally release more Human Growth Hormone.
These Amino Acids stimulate our Pituitary Gland to make and excrete more of Human Growth Hormone into the bloodstream. The boosts in production will assist in potentially lessening the effects of ageing.
To understand the benefits of anti-aging, it is important to understand the benefits of increased Human Growth Hormone in the body. HGH acts on many tissues throughout the body. In children and adolescents, it stimulates the growth of bone and cartilage.
In people of all ages, it boosts protein production, promotes the utilisation of fat, interferes with the action of insulin, and raises blood sugar levels.
GH also raises levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is important in the development of lean muscle and is a key factor in the negative feedback loop that causes decreased natural production and release of HGH from the pituitary when the hypothalamus is made aware of the level of HGH in the body.
This means that when there are low levels of HGH the hypothalamus will release stimulators of HGH called Growth Hormone Releasing Hormones (GHRHs) and when the levels are high it will work to lower production.
WHAT’S INSIDE PEPTIDES
Before looking at whether peptides are right for you, let’s look at what’s inside them.
Put simply, they are small proteins made up of fewer than 50 amino acids. Few amino acids have been more demonised of late than peptides for potentially giving unfair advantage in sports.
But as one peptide specialist said, “to brand all peptides evil would be like excommunicating poppies because of the plant’s link to drugs.
In fact, in small doses, and within medically approved and prescribed products, peptides can be a lacklustre complexion, body and life’s best friend.”
