Recover from injuries in just a few days, keep skin smooth and firm and improve performance at work. These are some of the promises advertised by companies that market “peptides,” which are nothing more than short chains of amino acids that are beginning to gain popularity by leaps and bounds in the United States. “They have been used for years among elite athletes. Now, in addition, its use has also been extended to increase longevity and even to delay some diseases such as Alzheimer's, associated with aging,” explains Rachel Keys, dermo-aesthetic nurse and specialist in aging prevention.
Its use is increasingly popular in the United States, especially in California. Silicon Valley executives, for example, are some of its most fervent supporters. One of the reasons that explain this new “boom” is the wide range of possibilities to buy them. Among the most demanded peptides are those pharmacological products approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), - such as Ozempic, used to treat diabetes - to the countless unregulated compounds from Asia, which in The vast majority are of Chinese origin.
But what exactly are peptides? The first thing you need to know is that there are two types: those that are produced naturally by the body itself and those that are synthetic. This early revolution, evidently, corresponds to the latter, which can be prepared in the form of creams, serums or supplied through injectables. The first artificially created peptide in history was insulin. It happened more than 100 years ago, in 1921, and since then more than 80 peptide drugs have been approved worldwide. The first research was carried out with natural human hormones such as oxytocin, vasopressin or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in men is responsible for the production of testosterone. “The main function of peptides is that they prevent the body from many physical and antifungal problems. They protect us from the germs that attack us,” says Rachel Keys.
In the cosmetics sector, for example, they are beginning to use it more and more - also in Spain - to maintain a firm and youthful face. According to Keys, who administers it in her own clinic, it only takes one or two sessions a year to notice its long-term effect. “Of course, you have to be regular. “Once they stop being administered, they lose their effect,” she clarifies. Among its most beneficial effects are the reduction of signs of aging, such as wrinkles and skin laxity, and the production of collagen and elastin. Even some Hollywood celebrities, like Jennifer Aniston, have jumped on the wave by creating their own brands with peptide-based products. In their case, these are products based on collagen powder.
In addition to its enormous potential in the cosmetics sector, Keys affirms that its use already has a long history among elite athletes. “They have great healing power, so they are very useful to accelerate the recovery of some injuries and extend the years in active life.” That is to say: less time in nursing and being able to retire from the professional circuit later and later. What is truly novel is, without a doubt, its use to slow aging, lose weight or even increase intellectual performance. It is, however, a still very virgin field that, right now, has more questions than answers.
The fervor, although it has been at its peak in recent months, was unleashed as a result of the pandemic. In an article recently published in the international magazine Semafor, the author assures that some of them are beginning to become scarce due to the exponential growth in demand in a very short time. Especially those known as GLP-1, whose use has been echoed by celebrities such as Elon Musk, who claims to have lost about 14 kilos of weight thanks to them. "We can help manage aspects such as mental clarity, concentration and even sexual well-being," says Erin Keyes, co-founder and executive director of the North American clinic Telegenixx, in statements to the specialized magazine.
These benefits occur, explains nurse Rachel Keys, thanks to the regulation of growth hormone. “We are talking about specific cases in which a more complex process must be carried out. Blood samples are taken from patients to determine how low the level of that particular hormone is. From then on, a process begins in which they are injected periodically until optimal levels are reached.” She also says that reaching what are considered “optimal levels” can make us “rejuvenate,” in a certain way, in terms of mental abilities. In addition, it can also have a delaying effect on the appearance of diseases linked to aging such as Alzheimer's.
Regarding the dangers that they may pose to human health, the aging specialist does not highlight treatment with peptides as a notable risk within reasonable uses. "It is recommended that those allergic to dextrose, those who have pulmonary edema and all patients with acidosis in the blood - that is, with a low pH level -, among others, abstain."
Some scientific sources consulted by La Vanguardia for this article have expressed doubts about the ability of 'peptides' to increase human longevity in the absence of conclusive clinical studies.
According to researchers such as Wenping Zhang, Lei and Nanxi Wang in the academic article 'Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions', published in the journal Nature, all peptide drugs have been used in a wide range of therapeutic areas, among which Specialties such as urology, pain, oncology and cardiovascular diseases stand out. To date, more than 170 peptides are in active clinical development, and many more are in preclinical studies.
