Peptide therapy is not one specific thing that you can buy at the store. It is an umbrella term that includes many treatments that utilize peptides to deliver something into the cells.
Peptide therapy is often recommended by your doctor and is used when levels of certain peptide hormones are down or when drugs need to be entered into the cell efficiently.
So, what is peptide therapy? Who should get peptide therapy? How much does it cost? What are some examples of peptide therapies? All of these questions and more will be addressed below!
Peptide Therapy
To understand peptide therapy we should begin with what a peptide is. Peptides are
shorter chains of amino acids that are simply constructed. Peptides are similar to proteins in that they are both made up of amino acids, but proteins are much larger and more complex. Peptides usually make up things like hormones and signaling strands that respond on the outside of cells.
Peptides are vital to the functioning of the human body, so it only makes sense that they can be used as a therapy. Some examples of common peptide therapies are insulin, luteinizing hormone, growth hormone, and chorionic gonadotropin (GH). All of these can assist people who are experiencing low levels of these hormones.
Who Should Get Peptide Therapy?
Who should get peptide therapy depends on a number of things.
Mainly this will be determined by your doctor after completing hormone level testing. These hormone tests can use blood, saliva, or urine to detect abnormal and normal levels of hormones in the sample. With multiple tests it can be determined whether there are low levels of a certain hormone. If this is the case there is usually an indication for peptide therapy.
Typically these tests are not done unless there is a family history of a certain disease, or if you are experiencing symptoms. If you notice anything abnormal always let your healthcare provider know so that they can investigate further.
Another reason someone may get peptide therapy is for cancer treatment. Because peptides are small they are able to more easily enter cells and impact their functioning. Certain peptide drugs have been used in the treatment of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and more.
Who Should Not Get Peptide Therapy?
In the past peptide therapies have been abused for non-medical purposes. This is not how peptide therapy is intended to be used and the safety and efficacy of this use has not been researched.
For people that are healthy and have no history of hormone imbalance, peptide therapy should generally not be used without the consultation of a physician. Peptide therapy should only be prescribed by a medical professional, and definitely not purchased from unlicensed professionals, unreliable websites, or used from friends and family.
Costs of Peptide Therapy
The cost of peptide therapy depends greatly on a multitude of factors.
One of these factors is the peptide therapy you are receiving. The cost of insulin is different than the cost of growth hormone.
Another factor is how bad your symptoms are and what your current level of hormone is. The worse the symptoms and the lower the original hormone levels the more peptide you will likely need to take, and therefore more expensive it will be.
Different brands and methods of delivery vary in price as well. Brand names are typically more expensive, while generic brands may cost less.
Finally, how much you weigh can impact the ultimate cost as well. If you have a higher body weight then you will likely need a higher dose than someone with a lower body weight.
Ultimately, the cost of your peptide therapy will be much different than the person sitting next to you. The more peptide hormone you need, the more expensive it will be for you.
Human Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone that naturally occurs in the body and promotes the body’s natural growth and development. Human growth hormone is released by the pituitary gland that is located inside the brain. When low levels of HGH are produced it can have a serious impact on the way the body grows. Therefore, when the peptide hormone HGH is low, peptide therapy can help.
Benefits
The traditional benefit that is thought of with human growth hormone is increased lean muscle mass and a decrease in levels of body fat. In addition to this benefit, there are benefits that include eliminating depression and anxiety, helping you feel more social, restoring your sexual interest and sexual performance, improving your quality of sleep, helping you remember things better, reducing brain fog, increasing your energy levels, and helping to rebuild strength and stamina. With all of the mental and physical benefits of human growth hormone this is a very promising therapy that can be utilized when levels of natural growth hormone are low.
Side Effects
When human growth hormone is prescribed and taken under the supervision of a licensed medical professional there are very few side effects that occur. Some of the side effects that do occur in a small number of people include allergic reactions, joint pain, headaches, worsening of scoliosis, and intermittent drops in blood sugar. Overall, human growth hormone treatments are safe in most people. However, purchasing growth hormone that is purchased on the black market has a higher risk of side effects and can not be ensured of safety or efficacy.
Sermorelin
Sermorelin is a man made version of growth hormone releasing factor which signals to the pituitary to release growth hormone. Sermorelin is typically used in conjunction with the peptide therapy human growth hormone. Using these together keeps the body in balance to be able to continue creating its own growth hormone as well. You will also get enhanced effects of the growth hormone so that the maximum potential is reached for benefits.
Benefits
Sermorelin has many similar benefits to human growth hormone. Increased muscle mass, fat loss, strengthened joints, increased libido, boosted mood, improved physical performance, improved quality of sleep, supported immune function, tighter and softer skin, and a decrease in the appearance of wrinkles are just some of the many benefits that sermorelin has. Overall, injections of sermorelin are most helpful if you have low levels of growth hormone or growth hormone releasing factor.
Side Effects
All the benefits of sermorelin are very similar to that of human growth hormone, there are actually fewer side effects from sermorelin than growth hormone. This is because sermorelin actually keeps the body producing its own human growth hormone, especially if you stop HGH therapy. The most common side effects are injection site pain redness or swelling. Some rare side effects are itching and trouble swallowing. If this occurs you should contact a healthcare provider immediately. Some other less serious rare side effects are dizziness, flushing, sleepiness, headache, and an inability to sit still. If you are experiencing a side effect you should always contact your doctor to determine if this is something that can be helped or needs additional medical attention.
Where Can You Get Peptide Therapy?
Peptide therapy can be prescribed from a number of healthcare providers. Endocrinologists, also known as hormone doctors, your primary care provider, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants can all prescribe peptide therapies.
Your primary care provider can also refer you to Elite HRT, who can help with creating a treatment plan for peptide therapy.
Elite HRT specifically specializes in human growth hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, and sermorelin for peptide therapies. You can work with a licensed healthcare provider either in person or via a telehealth visit. From your information provided and hormone test results the Elite HRT provider will make a plan especially for you.
Conclusion
Peptide therapy can help many people, from those with diabetes to those who have a difficult time growing. Peptides make it easy to target the cells and get a desired effect because of their small and simple structure. This has made it a very popular way to treat people, especially with hormones that mimic the peptide structure. Always talk to with your doctor about treatments that you are interested in, as they are the best people to assist you in starting a safe and effective treatment plan for peptide therapy.
Resources
How Growth Hormone Treatment Works – Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg