What are Peptides ?
A Comprehensive Guide To Peptides.
Peptides are a huge buzzword in the anti-aging and fitness communities lately. However, what exactly are these peptides? And can they actually reverse effects of aging and in turn improve your physique? Below is a comprehensive guide to peptides.
Peptides basically refers to naturally synthesized structures that are built from amino acids into chains. The human body produces peptides to help in healing, fight inflammation and infection, and rebuild tissues. Cell duplication and construction also depends on peptides. Because of the almost-infinite number of structure combinations of constituent amino acids, these structures are widely used in medicine industry for everything ranging from healing to sweetening of coffee.
Types of peptides
There are many peptides. However, only a few peptides are widely used for skin care. The most popular are the collagen stimulating peptides like Matrixyl. Next, there are copper peptides that are also known to reduce inflammation. One product that you can try that contains these peptides is the Neova Night Therapy. Finally, we have neuropeptides. These are some of most innovative peptides. They are known to relax facial muscles thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The most popular neuropeptide is called Argireline or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8.
Why use Peptides ?
Scientific research has established that peptides can greatly help to manage wrinkles on your skin as well as reversing the signs of aging. Nevertheless, that is not the sole benefit of peptides. Some of the main reasons that make most people to use peptides include:
– Skin Care Peptides Encourage Collagen Production for More Youthful Skin
Collagen is not fully replaced when it’s depleted by age as well as environmental factors such as sunlight. Consequently, smooth, young skin starts to get thinner and wrinkled with time. As collagen gets depleted, it produces some peptides. Scientific Research from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) shows that the peptides that are produced send a “message” to the skin that it needs to generate more collagen. When you apply skin care peptides on your skin, the skin “thinks” that it is a product that can break down collagen and that the body has to generate new collagen. Therefore, you can effectively minimize wrinkles and also offer your skin a vibrant appearance by using skin care peptides which can trigger the manufacturing of collagen. It’s therefore very important that you use a top quality peptide wrinkle cream.
Matrixyl (also known as palmitoyl/ oligopeptide pentapeptide) is the peptide that’s most commonly used in skin care since it’s a neuropeptide which minimizes fine lines well. Research also shows that a good peptide cream can help in repairing wounds as well as improving the conditions of the skin. There are no bad side effects which are caused by skin care peptides.
– Drug Research
Peptides are important in researching as well as developing new pharmaceuticals. The peptides can either be natural /synthetically produced so as to offer patients assistance in areas such as immune function as well as hormone production. PeptideGuide.com says that, the peptides that are used in medications are quite easy and also inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, it says that synthetic peptides can positively affect the function of natural peptides that are already inside the body.
– Essential Body Functions
Peptides naturally occur in each and every cell of any living thing. They perform different functions, such as producing enzymes which help the body to break down harmful substances. Additionally, peptides also create antibiotics for the immune system as well as hormones which regulate everything starting from growth to sexual development. Life wouldn’t be possible without peptides.
– Peptides in Skin Care Products Help Remove Wrinkles
Wrinkle creams which have anti-aging peptides are very popular as well as very effective. Argireline -Acetyl hexapeptide– is marketed as a safe, cheaper as well as a non-invasive substitute to Botox. The Argireline works by simply causing the facial muscles to relax, thus reducing wrinkles. It’s often combined together with Leuphasyl, which also helps to relax small muscles that are under the skin. This is very useful for fading wrinkles that are around the eyes as well forehead wrinkles. There is a lengthened version of Argireline that’s known as Octapeptide. Octapeptide works by making the tiny mall muscles that are below the skin longer and it also reduces muscle tension.
– Anti-Microbial Treatments
When your skin is damaged by either the sun, acne lesions or an injury, your body gets ready to defend itself against the invasion of harmful microbes. Lesions also create an opening for such invasions. The body gets aware of this and it therefore floods the affected area with white blood cells as well as antimicrobial peptides. A study conducted by the University of California, San Diego and the VA San Diego Health Care Center, established that application of some peptides is as effective as fast-acting antibiotics, since they destroy the cell wall of the raiding pathogen thus leaving it with few mutation defenses.
– Imaging
The Body usually scans work by simply sending dyes in the bloodstream which fluoresce immediately they come across certain tissues. The quantity of dye that’s concentrated in the affected area, be it an arthritic site, tumor or an inflammation, could determine whether the problem is spotted early or missed due to lack of difference with the nearby tissue.
According to study for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, Peptides are usually drawn to acidic as well as hypoxic tissues, which depict tumor and inflammation sites. The researchers discovered that certain peptides found in the fluorescing materials accumulate even at the sites of early stage tumors. They fluoresce at magnitudes 5 times greater than those in control experiments without peptides. Imaging studies offer doctors another weapon for detecting possible life-threatening cancers very early.
– Aspartame
Aspartame that is present in numerous diet beverages is a manufactured peptide. The peptide was produced in the laboratory during the trials of an anti-ulcer drug when phenylalanine and asparatic acid were combined. The dipeptide bond is proven to be 200x sweeter than sugar, this was discovered when chemist James M. Schlatter unintentionally licked the dipeptide from his finger. Both phenylalanine and asparatic acid are not innately sweet.
Summary:
Peptides usually take time so as to effectively work (apart from the fast effects of certain neuropeptides). Peptides are best when they are applied in creams/serums for some time. The results start to be visible after 4-12 weeks. Remember that maintenance is very crucial with peptides. Immediately you quit using them you’ll notice the difference.
