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Peptides and Your Health – What You Need to Know

May 26, 2019
Peptides and Your Health – What You Need to Know
Peptides have become the newest area of research for the enhancement in some healing processes. Patients are accepting new alternative modalities to assist themselves in various disease processes such as diabetes, erectile dysfunction...

Peptides have become the newest area of research for the enhancement in some healing processes. Patients are accepting new alternative modalities to assist themselves in various disease processes such as diabetes, erectile dysfunction and tendon and bone healing.

What are Peptides?

They are amino acids that are attached or hooked together into a chain. Just think of a bunch of box cars on a train track that are connected to each other as they travel along from one destination to another. They can be switched around into different positions which will have either no effect or a beneficial effect on the physiology of a patient. Each peptide has a determined amount of amino acids.

There are many peptides made within the human body. Most of these you have heard of and even know their functions. Here are some well known peptide hormones: Human Growth Hormone, Glucagon, Insulin, Ghrenlin, Oxytocin, Prolactin, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.

For instance Human Growth Hormone ( Somatotrophin ) has 191 amino acids. Its beneficial effects include: cell growth and cellular regeneration. It is produced in the anterior pituitary by somatotrophic cells where they are stored and secreted in a pulsatile manner.

Evolutionary scientific methods has shown that newer peptides are being used to impact the health and longevity of the patient especially with the repair of injuries.

Today we a discussing BCP-157.

This a a peptide consisting of 15 amino acids ( Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val). It is a synthetic peptide that has been derived from Thymosin _Beta. Thus, it is not a naturally occurring peptide.

BCP-157 has been shown to have many effective benefits:

It has an anti-inflammatory effect by protecting the endothelial layer in tissues within the stomach and duodenum ( part of the small intestine). Thus, it maybe an alternative modality for the treatment of gastrointestinal ulcers. Currently H2 ( Histamine 2 ) blockers and Proton Pump Inhibitors are being used for gastrointestinal inflammatory processes. However these drugs inhibit acid production which is needed to breakdown foods into their necessary nutrients for our bodies to maintain good health and to function at its optimum.

The protective effects of BCP -157 maybe interactive in many pathways including: prostaglandins, nitrous oxide, dopamine and the somatosensory nervous system.

This peptide has been shown to be a catalyst in wound healing such as in tendon repair injuries. Some individuals are now using BCP-157 to aid in sports related injuries and even post-surgical procedures for total knee replacement and rotator cuff repairs.

BCP-157 may have additional beneficial properties in angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels and the formation of a new microvasculature structure to enhance blood flow.

Angiogenesis is needed in all wound repair. Additionally it may have an adjuvant benefit in patients with erectile dysfunction by creating new blood vessels and thus increasing flow in the penile tissue.

BCP-157 is used as a subcutaneous injection. The usual dosage is 200-400 ug/ day twice daily. It can be used for 2-4 weeks and maybe repeated if necessary.

In conclusion:

BCP-157 has been thought to aid in the following : Joint and Tendon, Bone Rejuvenation by accelerating fibroblast formation. It has a protective effect in the gastrointestinal tract from inflammatory processes that damages the tissue. This includes damage caused by non-steroidal drugs ( nsaids) such as Motrin, Naprosyn, for aspirin.

It also has been shown to have neuroprotection within the hippocampus of rats.

It must be noted that much of the research has been in the animal models. However, many individuals have acquired such peptides through physicians from FDA approved sterile compounding pharmacies that have been approved to make such peptides.

Patients individual physiology must be evaluated with the proper and thorough History and Physical along with obtaining a blood analysis by a Board Certified Integrative and Functional Medicine Physician. This should be done prior to even starting to use BCP 157 or other current peptides as a treatment modality.

Yale (Yoel) R Smith MD is Board Certified in anti-aging and regenerative medicine. Our practice will be investigating the use of these peptides on an individual per patient basis and will only obtain such peptides from the highest quality pharmacies.