Peptides are short chains of amino acids, typically containing 2-50 amino acids. They are essentially small proteins. There are many different types of peptides, including neuropeptides that regulate neural function, antimicrobial peptides that have antibiotic properties, and protein-derived peptides created through enzymatic cleavage of proteins.
Some key things to know about peptides:
- Peptides are shorter than proteins, which typically contain over 50 amino acids. Peptides and proteins are both made up of amino acids linked together in chains.
- Peptides play diverse biological roles including cell signaling, immune defense, hormone action, and enzyme function regulation.
- Bioactive peptides can be derived from dietary proteins, especially from milk, eggs, meat, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy. These food-derived peptides may have health benefits.
- Many peptide hormones like insulin, oxytocin, and adrenaline regulate major body processes like metabolism, reproduction, appetite, and stress response.
- Some peptides being studied or used therapeutically include:
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs to treat diabetes
- Thymosin peptides to treat diseases like hepatitis
- Antimicrobial peptides being researched to overcome antibiotic resistance
Now you know better
what a peptide is! In short: peptides are short amino acid chains that play many critical biological roles.
At Balance Hormone Clinic, we offer cutting-edge peptide hormone therapies to help patients optimize energy, strength, recovery, cognition, sleep, libido, and overall wellness. Our expert medical team customizes treatment plans using the latest bioidentical peptides and hormones.
We invite you to schedule a consultation to find out if our therapies are right for you.