Recently, peptides have become commonly used and are a large topic on social media. However, many wonder if they are safe to use and whether they have negative side effects.
For background, peptides are short chains of amino acids linked together by chemical bonds that are injected into the body to promote things like weight management, hormone regulation, and muscle and tissue repair. Peptides have become very popular recently for people to purchase from various health practitioners in order to reap the benefits that peptides provide.
According to Dr. Scott Shapiro, a board-certified medical practitioner with Scott’s Restorative Health, one of the most popular peptides that people have been using is CJC-1295, a peptide that increases growth hormone production.
“[CJC-1295] gives the body a gentle push to release more of its natural growth hormone,” Scott said on doctorscotts.com. “The same hormone that keeps us recovering well, sleeping daily and feeling strong.”
Another peptide Scott said that has been very popular is BPC-157. This peptide improves growth and repair in tissue in the body.
“BPC-157 is one of the most restorative peptides we use. It helps the body repair tissue, calm inflammation and heal tendons, ligaments and muscles,” he said on doctorscotts.com.
Both BPC-157 and CJC-1295 support growth in muscles and tissue. In contrast, peptides such as Palmitoyl pentpeptide-4 is said to support overall skin health.
According to GenScrip.com, a website that offers peptides and works closely with scientists, universities and biotech firms, this peptide helps overall skin health and can improve aging effects.
“Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 is a small, highly specific biologically active peptide which conjugates long chain fatty acid to improve skin penetration and skin affinity.”
Even though peptides can improve one’s health in individuals, using them can be potentially dangerous. Verywellhealth.com, a website that focuses on helping people learn about health, peptides may cause side some negative side effects.
According to verywellhealth.com, “Users have reported side effects such as injection site reactions, fatigue, headaches and gastrointestinal issues.”
Peptides have been and will likely continue to become used more often, and people need to decide for themselves if the risks that peptides may have are worth the benefits they provide.
