Peptide therapy has been a treatment option for decades in other countries and used within the world of bodybuilding for over 20 years.
It has now become a viable option to the general public for its ability to help with a variety of chronic and acute issues. Given peptides are highly specific to function but not location and well-tolerated by most, they have taken the health and wellness world by storm. As of January 2015, there were more than 60 US FDA-approved peptides, 140 peptides being evaluated in clinical trials, and 500 in pre-clinical development.
So what are peptides? Peptides reproduce what the body already knows to do through their signaling, neurotransmitters, hormones, and enzymes, making them complementary protocols to a healthy lifestyle. Think of it this way; our cells are intelligent, we’re just giving them the ability to show their intelligence.
Simply put, peptides are a string of amino acids, which can then bind together to form a protein. A well-known peptide in fitness and longevity is, of course, growth hormone, which is actually quite large and consists of 191 amino acids. The peptides we work with are usually 50 amino acids or smaller.
What are the 7 best peptides for fat loss?
MOTS-C
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide and what is called an exercise mimetic. Considering that mitochondria are one of the most important organelles in our cells, it is not surprising that the benefits are vast with this peptide. MOTS-c activates at the cellular and systemic levels, and the benefits are exceptionally far-reaching. They include implications in the regulation of longevity, obesity, diabetes, and physical performance.
MOTS-c can translocate into the nucleus in response to metabolic stress and regulation of adaptive nuclear gene expression. This allows the peptide to promote resistance to metabolic stress by upregulating the mitochondrial genome.
Multiple studies have demonstrated MOTSc’s ability to enhance lipid beta-oxidation, increase thermogenic brown fat, decrease the fat gain on a high-fat diet, and improve glucose uptake during glycolysis.
MOTS-c can be used for the benefit of weight loss, improving insulin sensitivity, energy production, neuro-protection, and longevity. Given, Mots-C improves intracellular NAD+ and AMPk, which are associated with metabolism and longevity, it’s an exciting multi-purpose peptide for those seeking optimization.
Tesamorelin
Tesamorelin is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog that has been shown to increase IGF-1 levels in men and women, and decrease adipose tissue. It can also reduce c-reactive proteins which are created in the liver in response to inflammation and are inversely associated with general biomarkers of health. Although the main focus is on weight loss, Tesamorelin can improve cognitive function in healthy adults with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
It is an option to explore for people carrying the ApoE4 gene, which is a strong genetic risk factor for developing this condition. A controlled study of 152 adults who self-administered subcutaneous injections of Tesamorelin or a placebo for 20 days, showed extremely favorable effects on their cognitive state despite their disease state.
Tesamorelin has been used actively under the brand name Egrifta for a decade for a specific subset of the population with disease complications that include excess abdominal fat. It can be useful in reducing visceral adiposity, positively affecting insulin resistance, and lowering triglyceride levels in healthy people. Additionally, the benefits demonstrated the reduction in visceral abdominal fat that remained for upwards of 52 weeks according to a double-blind placebo clinical trial.
AOD9604
AOD9604 is a peptide fragment of the human growth hormone’s (HGH) C-terminus, which harbors the fat-reducing activity of HGH without the negative effects.
A trial conducted in 2004 on 300 obese patients by a Melbourne-based biotechnology company, states that they recorded successful weight loss over the course of 12 weeks. Patients were subjected to different doses of it once a day, and the group given the 1mg dose lost the most weight, triple that of the control group, and showed small but consistent improvement in cholesterol levels too.
Similar to human studies, studies in animals showcase both the effectiveness and safety of this peptide in reducing body weight, increasing fat oxidation, and increasing lipolysis in obese animals. AOD9604 has the potential to result in more significant weight loss in a shorter period than diet and exercise alone. Results are often seen prior to 12 weeks, but of course, lifestyle choices impact the speed of progress as do genetics and innate metabolism. Given the safety, it’s a perfect peptide to start if you’re seeking to drop fat with few side effects.
Tesamorelin also improves the overall framework of the body. This peptide works well for individuals 30+ since the production of GH naturally begins to lower as we age and it helps improve it. Physical activity supports the release of GH as well.
This peptide is the mildest growth hormone-releasing peptide and also the most versatile one. It is said to be the most suitable peptide as it doesn’t induce these side effects like desensitization, hunger stimulation, or unnecessary plasma growth, like other peptides.
CJC 1295 (with & without DAC)
Since a lot of peptide companies are producing CJC 1295 with and without DAC I thought it would be helpful to review both. CJC 1295 with DAC (aka Drug Affinity Complex) is known as a long-acting GHRH (growth hormone stimulating hormone). However, regardless. of whether CJC 1295 is the DAC version or not its primary purpose is to boost protein synthesis levels and help fuel the growth of muscle tissue in the body.
Some claim CJC 1295 with DAC has an advantage over CJC 1295 (without DAC) given it does not have a limited duration of action. However, others believe we should be concerned about unregulated and inconsistent hGH release associated with DAC’s extended-release. I fall into the latter group based on my functional medicine foundation.
A study of healthy participants between the ages of 21 and 61 found that CJC 1295 with DAC prolonged elevated levels of growth hormone as well as IGF-1 with no increase in prolactin, leading to fat loss and increased muscle mass via improved protein synthesis.
CJC 1295 DAC can be used for relatively short periods since it lengthens the duration of the body’s natural HGH secretion. However, your dose timing doesn’t impact your body’s decision when those natural GH peaks occur, which isn’t exactly advantageous. So, for example, if your blood sugar is high during one of those HGH peaks, then hGH will not convert to IGF-1, and you will lose the benefits.
CJC 1295 without DAC, on the other hand, does not come with the same warning and is the preferred compound clinically. A reminder that it’s essential to do your research and work with a member of the International Peptide Society to make sure you are safe while working towards your health goals.
CJC 1295 stimulates growth hormone secretion and will keep a steady increase of HGH and IGF-1, leading to fat loss and muscle growth. With no increase in prolactin and better stimulation and release of hGH, clinical results showcase fat loss, increased lean muscle mass, and better lipid profiles. Another benefit of this peptide is its ability to promote slow-wave sleep (e.g. Delta sleep), which is the sleep stage associated with muscle recovery and memory formation.
Interested in skin elasticity and collagen? CJC 1295 has demonstrated skin repair capabilities, as well.
Interested in how to maximize the efficacy of CJC 1295? CJC 1295 actually works synergistically with Ipamorelin for improved fat loss and the promotion of lean body mass. More below.
Ipamorelin
Ipamorelin is within a class of what are called growth hormone secretagogues, which aid the body’s production of endogenous growth hormone. Users report an accelerated fat loss, improved sleep, mood, increased energy, as well as long-term growth hormone production. That is especially evident when programmatically combined with CJC 1295. After a cycle, the body sees a prolonged boost in HGH production far beyond their initial dose, thus allowing longer-term maintenance of benefits.
Ipamorelin does this by stimulating the pituitary gland to release growth hormone naturally by its action as an analog to the well-known hunger hormone ghrelin. Unlike a lot of other GHRPs, however, Ipamorelin does not have a laundry list of negative side effects like elevated cortisol or increased appetite, which allows patients to use it for a broad range of issues and goals. Many patients use Ipamorelin for a short amount of time (~3 months) for fat loss benefits, increased metabolism, and general improvements in their body composition.
Growth hormone production decreases by about 15% with each decade of life, resulting in decreased mental and physical function. Thus, why HGH secretagogues may be beneficial for those seeking to maximize performance in sports, the gym, or for aesthetics.
GHRP-6
GHRP-6 stands for Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide which contains 28 amino acids. This HGH secretagogue promotes GH secretion that increases body mass on account of muscles, with a substantial reduction in body fat.
It increases both GH and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1), which makes it an optimal choice for athletes and bodybuilders, and also for people who are just looking to improve their general stamina during workouts.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that male participants over 60 years old, who took hGH for six months gained on average 8.8% lean body mass and lost 14% fat mass. In a hypothyroid population, GHRP-6 was found to increase the HGH response, which could lead to similar results of increased muscle mass and reduced body fat.
Tesofensine
Tesofensine is a serotonin-noradrenaline-dopamine reuptake inhibitor that was initially researched for its effect on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Tesofensine’s caused the trial participants to lose too much weight while in the trials. Soon after investigation began into its ability to modulate satiety and appetite. Tesofensine is currently in phase 3 clinical trials with the FDA and is supported by further research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
A two-week study of 203 obese patients hinted that Tesofensine could have the ability to reduce weight two times more than any weight-loss drug currently on the market. During a six-month clinical trial, participants lost on average 25 lbs each. Tesofensine has even been called a “novel potent weight loss medicine” by the Queensland University of Technology and has shown minimal side effects.
Get in touch to learn more from our experts for free.