What are Research Peptides?

Hop onto any bodybuilding forum and plenty of bald men will be talking about Peptides. You might have even come across a Peptide add or two, but what exactly are these mystery compounds?

The most common of these compounds is called Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a Peptide that is often used as part of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in HRT Clinics.

Research Peptides can differ wildly from one another based on the Amino Acid sequence, and, of course, the quality.

With much more research on these compounds, there has been a boom in online sale of Peptides, Peptide Hormones, and other research chemicals.

To see how these work, what they do, and where to get them, grab yourself a cup of coffee and keep reading. Fyi this might get a little scientific at times.

What are Research Peptides?

Peptides can be described as Amino Acids that are bound with Peptide bonds – hence the name.

These are found throughout nature, and some are even very popular like Collagen or Creatine – both Peptide supplements.

We know from various studies and clinical trials that certain Peptides have a massive therapeutic potential in treating certain health conditions.

This can vary from Growth Hormone deficiency to recovery from injuries.

The important thing to remember is that the beneficial effects will differ from one Peptide to another.

Something like HGH will not have the same effects as Body Protection Compound 157 (BPC 157) because they have different sequences of Amino Acids.

Certain Peptides are even used by everyday individuals, such as Bodybuilders who use Peptides for muscle growth, fat loss, or recovery from injuries.

Most Peptides are on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances, but you can still buy these as Research Chemicals online.

Peptides also differ from Proteins. Yes, both are made from the building blocks of biology, Amino Acids, but they will differ wildly in pharmacokinetics – also please do not inject blended chicken breast.

What Are Research Peptides Used For?

As mentioned, researchers have developed a great variety of different Peptides, all with different Amino Acid chains.

This means they will differ wildly in their structure, and therefore their use in the medical world differs as well.

For instance, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is being researched as a medication for obesity [1].

HGH will increase both Glucagon and Lipase levels in the body, which in turn will release fat from Adipocytes (fat cells) into the blood.

This can then be used through the Beta Oxidation process a lot easier.

Something like Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is actually being used as a Testosterone therapy, as HCG will increase luteinizing hormone levels in the body.

This in turn will lead to a great increase in Testosterone levels [2].

So, while popular articles online might say “Peptides can do this and that”, you have to remember that these Peptides differ greatly from one another.

The body has various receptors, and these compounds have specifically been designed to act on certain ones.

Peptide research is a growing market, and with so many health benefits becoming more apparent, many could benefit from these particular Peptides.

Benefits of Research Peptides

Now that we have established that Peptides are natural, but can also be artificially created, we can start looking at how certain individual Amino Acids and their chains could lead to specific benefits.

For tense and purposes, we are going to look at the big three factors:

Muscle Growth

It’s not just hulking men and women who are looking to increase their muscle mass, but pretty much everyone on the planet would benefit from building muscle.

Body composition has become increasingly important as a life quality determining factor.

Certain Peptides, such as IGF-1 (Insulin-growth-like Factor 1), MGF (Mechano Growth Factor), HGH, CJC-1295, and various others, have been shown to have some effect on muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

MPS is simply the process the body undergoes to build muscle, so higher MPS means more muscle – granted you have the food to build muscle.

Bodybuilders have been using these Peptides for muscle growth for years, granted they also make use of other substances.

That said, there is substantial Peptide research showing that this could help with increasing muscle mass, especially in untrained individuals.

Fat Loss

Food has become our biggest downfall, and more than 30% of the world is obese [3]. This is a staggering number, and frankly, it’s only going to get worse.

Obesity has also been linked to various other health complications, and drug discovery for fat loss has been increasing at a massive rate.

Peptides could very well be a treatment. Peptides like HGH, HGH Fragment, CJC 1295, and Melanotan II have been shown to help with fat loss.

Not all of these are FDA-approved, yet, and while testing patients did experience positive effects, certain Peptides do still have some side effects.

Researchers are still looking to develop Peptides that have higher efficacy for fat loss without a negative interaction. At the moment, the best Peptides for Fat Loss seem to be HGH and HGH Fragment.

Injury Recovery

As we age we will naturally have injuries. This is not something we can avoid, but we can at least get the best treatment possible.

Sure, resistance training and a diet rich in healthy food would help, but certain Peptides have been shown to have a positive effect on cells.

The most common Peptides for this function are BPC-157 and Thymosin Beta-4 (TB-500).

The former is known to increase Angiogenesis (increased growth of blood vessels) and the latter is a strong anti-inflammatory compound [4, 5].

There are other Peptides that could have similar effects like HGH, however, more research is needed.

Are Research Peptides Legal?

The legal status of these Peptides is always brought into question. It can be summarized very easily.

They are not FDA-approved, they are not recommended for human consumption, and they can only be sold as “research chemicals”.

These are still being studied for human use, and while they have the potential to be a treatment for a/various medical condition(s), they are not approved for treatment, yet.

Certain Peptides can legally be procured from Hormone Therapy Clinics, or if you want to skip that step, you can purchase Peptides directly from various research Peptide Vendors.

Who Should Use Research Peptides?

The most obvious way to know if you need Peptide therapeutics is simply to have your blood tested with a company like Let’s Get Checked.

Once you know what your shortcomings are, you can decide what is needed.

The other option you have is to work through a Hormone Therapy clinic.

Both can guide you through the process of using Peptides for a medical condition treatment. As you will be working with a healthcare professional, you are also less likely to face side effects.

Overall, whether you’re looking to use synthetic Peptides to improve your body composition and build some lean muscle, or if you’re simply looking to fight the effects of aging, Peptides can help.

How to Use Research Peptides?

As mentioned before, the two methods of going about Peptide therapy are either using a vendor or working with wellness professionals at an HRT Clinic. Both have their benefits and drawbacks.

The best thing you can do is have your blood tested, really an invaluable service to your own health.

You can then identify where your hormones and other health markers are, and then see which Peptides would be appropriate for your current situation.

Healthline media websites will often give symptoms to look out for, but because there are 100s of Peptides, it is hard to say which symptoms you should look out for.

This is why HRT clinics could be beneficial, as you will be working with doctors with relevant experience.

Once the body has been exposed to these Peptides, you simply need to manage your side effects in combination with living an appropriate lifestyle.

Patients who combine these Peptide supplements with a lifestyle change do seem to have the best results.

Peptides present massive benefits if you use them correctly. They can increase muscle mass, decrease fat mass, fight inflammation, improve longevity, improve fertility, and so much more.

Forms of Research Peptides

Most Peptides you find online will be sold as a powder which you then mix with bacteriostatic water. That said, you might find some Peptides that are in capsule form or even nasal sprays.

Research Peptides Side Effects

Because there are so many different Peptides, it is hard to pinpoint certain side effects that are present across the board. However, these are some of the more common side effects of Research Peptides:

• All Peptides that cause an increase in Growth Hormone levels can lead to an increase in insulin resistance.
  
• While most Peptides would benefit your cardiovascular system, Peptides like EPO (Erythropoietin) can massively increase red blood cell count, increasing the risk of blood clots.
  
• Certain Peptides like Melanotan II are known to place a strain on the Kidneys.

Overall, more research is needed on these research Peptides to pinpoint all the side effects that could develop. That said, they have far fewer sides than Steroids or SARMs.

Research Peptides Clinical Trials

Because Research Peptides are such a unique and effective treatment for various ailments, there have been many clinical trials on these.

When looking at these, you should ideally find trials done on human subjects, over a period longer than 12 weeks ideally.

Certain Peptide supplements are fairly new, so you might only find animal studies. These are not great, but in combination with more research, you could get a pretty good idea of what the Peptide does.

Are Peptides the Same as Steroids?

No, peptides and steroids are entirely different. Steroids are synthetic hormones based on testosterone, estrogen, or progesterone.

Steroids are complete hormones that affect the entire endocrine system and nearly all cells in the body.

In contrast, peptides are amino acid chains, not hormones. They occur naturally in some foods and don’t bind to androgen receptors like steroids.

Unlike steroids, peptides are legal. You can buy peptides without a prescription, while steroids require a doctor’s authorization.

Steroids also pose serious health risks. They may harm blood flow, increase clot risks, and suppress the immune system in certain cases.

Where Can I Buy Research Peptides?

You have two routes when it comes to purchasing Peptides.

The first option is to use a company like Amino Asylum or Chemyo to purchase these Peptide supplements – granted they cannot be sold as supplements.

The other option you have is to make use of an HRT clinic.

Here you will be working with medical professionals to get the best therapeutic potential from these short chains of Amino Acids.

Research Peptides Pricing

Peptides can get pretty expensive really quickly. While most of these are not bioactive Peptides, you’re still going to pay.

Growth Hormone famously costs several hundred dollars per month. Most popular articles on Peptides will probably just use that as a reference, however, because HGH is illegal, we need to look at some other popular Peptides:

Research Peptides vs. Other Compounds

	Research Peptides	Supplements	Steroids	SARMs
FDA Approval	Not approved	Not approved	Approved (for some)	Not approved
Strength	Generally stronger	Typically milder	Very potent	Potent, but not as potent
Functions	Often have multiple	Usually have one	Multiple functions	Specialized functions
Mechanism of Action	Different from Steroids	Varies	Bind to androgen receptors	Bind differently
Side Effects	Varies	Few side effects	Significant side effects	Potential side effects

Research Peptides vs Supplements

Research Peptides are probably a step up from everyday supplements, such as protein powder, or even collagen proteins.

Research Peptides are not FDA approved, yet, but they seem to be a lot stronger than OTC supplements.

It is also common for a single Peptide to have multiple functions, unlike supplements which usually only have one.

Research Peptides vs Steroids

While Anabolic Steroids are still used as therapeutics by some doctors, they are wildly different from Peptides.

Steroid molecules will bind to the androgen receptors in the body, whereas Peptides have a different pharmacokinetic path.

Not only will the site of action change the way these compounds act, but they will massively alter the side effects as well.

Research Peptides vs SARMs

SARMs are Steroids 2.0 essentially. They were designed to replace Steroids in the medical world, and also differ wildly from Peptides.

They do not bind at the same site in the human body, and while SARMs can only be used for some treatment options, Peptides could be used for a disease or two.

Are Research Peptides Legit?

Absolutely! The science behind research peptides speaks for itself, with numerous studies validating their effectiveness.

Unlike proteins, peptides have a unique mechanism of action, and they also differ significantly from steroids.

This distinction makes them somewhat niche and challenging to grasp for many people.

Research peptides are highly effective and legitimate. It’s only a matter of time before the FDA reviews existing studies and considers legalizing these short chains of amino acids.