PEPTIDE THERAPY

What is a Peptide?

A peptide is a biologically occurring chemical compound containing two or more amino acids connected to one another by peptide bonds. A peptide bond is a covalent bond that is formed between two amino acids when a carboxyl group or C-terminus of one amino acid reacts with the amino group or N-terminus of another amino acid in a condensation reaction (a molecule of water is released during the reaction). The resulting bond is a CO-NH bond and forms a peptide, or amide molecule. Likewise, peptide bonds are amide bonds.
(More information about peptide bonds.)

The word “peptide” itself comes from πέσσειν, the Greek word meaning “to digest.” Peptides are an essential part of nature and biochemistry, and thousands of peptides occur naturally in the human body and in animals. In addition, new peptides are being discovered and synthesized regularly in the laboratory as well. Indeed, this discovery and innovation in the study of peptides holds great promise for the future in the fields of health and pharmaceutical development.

How Are Peptides Formed?

Peptides are formed both naturally within the body and synthetically in the laboratory. The body manufactures some peptides organically, such as ribosomal and non-ribosomal peptides. In the laboratory, modern peptide synthesis processes can create a virtually boundless number of peptides using peptide synthesis techniques like liquid phase peptide synthesis or solid phase peptide synthesis. While liquid phase peptide synthesis has some advantages, solid phase peptide synthesis is the standard peptide synthesis process used today. Read more about peptide synthesis.

The first synthetic peptide was discovered in 1901 by Emil Fischer in collaboration with Ernest Fourneau. Oxytocin, the first polypeptide, was synthesized in 1953 by Vincent du Vigneaud.

Peptide Terminology

Peptides are generally classified according to the amount of amino acids contained within them. The shortest peptide, one composed of just two amino acids, is termed a “dipeptide.” Likewise, a peptide with 3 amino acids is referred to as a “tripeptide.” Oligopeptides refer to shorter peptides made up of relatively small numbers of amino acids, generally less than ten. Polypeptides, conversely, are typically composed of more than at least ten amino acids. Much larger peptides (those composed of more than 40-50 amino acids) are generally referred to as proteins.

While the number of amino acids contained is a main determinate when it comes to differentiating between peptides and proteins, exceptions are sometimes made. For example, certain longer peptides have been considered proteins (like amyloid beta), and certain smaller proteins are referred to as peptides in some cases (such as insulin). For more information about the similarities and differences among peptides and proteins, read our Peptides Vs. Proteins page.

Classification of Peptides

Peptides are generally divided into several classes. These classes vary with how the peptides themselves are produced. For example, ribosomal peptides are produced from the translation of mRNA. Ribosomal peptides often function as hormones and signaling molecules in organisms. These can include tachykinin peptides, vasoactive intestinal peptides, opioid peptides, pancreatic peptides, and calcitonin peptides. Antibiotics like microcins are ribosomal peptides produced by certain organisms. Ribosomal peptides often go through the process of proteolysis (the breakdown of proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids) to reach the mature form.

Conversely, nonribosomal peptides are produced by peptide-specific enzymes, not by the ribosome (as in ribosomal peptides). Nonribosomal peptides are frequently cyclic rather than linear, although linear nonribosomal peptides can often occur. Nonribosomal peptides can develop extremely intricate cyclic structures. Nonribosomal peptides frequently appear in plants, fungi, and one-celled organisms. Glutathione, a key part of antioxidant defenses in aerobic organisms, is the most common nonribosomal peptide.

Milk peptides in organisms are formed from milk proteins. They can be produced by enzymatic breakdown by digestive enzymes or by the proteinases formed by lactobacilli during the fermentation of milk. Additionally, peptones are peptides derived from animal milk or meat that have been digested by proteolytic digestion. Peptones are often used in the laboratory as nutrients for growing fungi and bacteria.

Peptide fragments, moreover, are most commonly found as the products of enzymatic degradation performed in the laboratory on a controlled sample. However, peptide fragments can also occur naturally as a result of degradation by natural effects.

Important Peptide Terms

There are some basic peptide-related terms that are key to a general understanding of peptides, peptide synthesis, and the use of peptides for research and experimentation:

Amino Acids – Peptides are composed of amino acids. An amino acid is any molecule that contains both amine and carboxyl functional groups. Alpha-amino acids are the building blocks from which peptides are constructed.

Cyclic Peptides – A cyclic peptide is a peptide in which the amino acid sequence forms a ring structure instead of a straight chain. Examples of cyclic peptides include melanotan-2 and PT-141 (Bremelanotide).

Peptide Sequence – The peptide sequence is simply the order in which amino acid residues are connected by peptide bonds in the peptide.

Peptide Bond – A peptide bond is a covalent bond that is formed between two amino acids when a carboxyl group of one amino acid reacts with the amino group of another amino acid. This reaction is a condensation reaction (a molecule of water is released during the reaction).

Peptide Mapping – Peptide mapping is a process that can be used to validate or discover the amino acid sequence of specific peptides or proteins. Peptide mapping methods can accomplish this by breaking up the peptide or protein with enzymes and examining the resulting pattern of their amino acid or nucleotide base sequences.

Peptide Mimetics – A peptide mimetic is a molecule that biologically mimics active ligands of hormones, cytokines, enzyme substrates, viruses or other bio-molecules. Peptide mimetics can be natural peptides, a synthetically modified peptide, or any other molecule that performs the aforementioned function.

Peptide Fingerprint – A peptide fingerprint is a chromatographic pattern of the peptide. A peptide fingerprint is produced by partially hydrolyzing the peptide, which breaks up the peptide into fragments, and then 2-D mapping those resulting fragments.

Peptide Library – A peptide library is composed of a large number of peptides that contain a systematic combination of amino acids. Peptide libraries are often utilized in the study of proteins for biochemical and pharmaceutical purposes. Solid phase peptide synthesis is the most frequent peptide synthesis technique used to prepare peptide libraries.

What are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. They are smaller than proteins and typically consist of 2 to 50 amino acids. Peptides play crucial roles in various biological processes in the body and are involved in functions such as cell signaling, hormone regulation, immune response, and tissue repair.

Peptides can be naturally occurring or synthetic, and they can be found in various sources such as food, animals, and plants. Some peptides are produced within the body, while others can be obtained through dietary sources or developed in laboratories.

In recent years, peptides have gained attention in the field of medicine and wellness for their potential therapeutic and performance-enhancing properties. Certain peptides have been studied for their effects on muscle growth, fat loss, injury recovery, cognitive function, immune system modulation, and more.

Different peptides have different mechanisms of action. Some peptides work by binding to specific receptors on cell surfaces, initiating a signaling cascade that triggers various physiological responses. Others may act as enzyme inhibitors or mimic the action of natural hormones.

It's important to note that the use of peptides in medical or performance-enhancing contexts should be approached with caution and under the guidance of healthcare professionals. Peptides may have potential benefits, but their safety, effectiveness, and legal status can vary depending on the specific peptide and its intended use.

American Made Peptides

ALL ARTICLES AND PRODUCT INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

The Importance of Peptides Made in the USA

Whether your peptide research is in the pharmaceutical field, delves into the depths of biochemistry, or is focused on cosmetic applications, one thing is clear: the quality of the peptides used for experimentation is of paramount importance. Peptide research has fueled medical, pharmaceutical, and biochemical advancement across the globe, and it is clearly vital that this research utilizes peptides that are up to the most stringent and exacting quality control and purification standards available. Experienced researchers worldwide know this – that’s why they demand peptides made in the USA.

Unlike peptides synthesized in many other parts of the world, American-made peptides such as those synthesized by peptidesciences.com are subject to rigorous and uncompromising manufacturing processes finely tuned to produce the most pure, highest quality peptides. As a result, researchers can rest assured that their studies and experiments will not be corrupted or skewed by peptides tainted by fillers, impurities, or peptides with lower net peptide content or absolute peptide content than claimed. It is clear that settling for less than anything but USA made peptides could put your valuable research in jeopardy.

Quality USA Made Peptides for Reliable Results

At Ultimate Prime Health, our U.S. made peptides are meticulously assessed and scrutinized at every level of the development and manufacturing processes. From the initial step of each peptide project to the final finishing stage, state-of-the-art analytical processes conducted by highly qualified peptide scientists ensure that purity and quality of the peptide is of the highest standard. Additionally, advanced solid phase peptide synthesis techniques coupled with cutting-edge cleavage and purification of the peptide post-synthesis allow our USA made peptides to be assessed at a level of quality fit for any manner of pharmaceutical study or biochemical application. Such uncompromising quality control is paramount to ensuring the purity of our peptides and the integrity of your research results.

USA Made Peptides VS Non-USA Made Peptides

The exacting production, manufacturing, purification, and analysis processes that peptides made in the US undergo assure peptide researchers that their peptides will be of the high standard necessary to ensure that research results are trustworthy and reliable. Such assurance is far preferable to non-USA made peptides that can be ridden with fillers used to cut manufacturing costs or impurities borne of substandard quality control. Any such peptide product not subjected to the rigorous production and manufacturing standards as those peptides made in the US may not be fit for laboratory research or any clinical application.

No matter if your peptide research is driven by biochemical study, pharmaceutical drug discovery, or any other laboratory use, one thing is clear – only trust USA made peptides.

Peptide Bonds

What is a Peptide Bond?

A peptide bond is a covalent bond that is formed between two amino acids. To form a peptide bond, a carboxyl group of one amino acid reacts with the amino group of another amino acid. As a result, a molecule of water is also released. This is referred to as a condensation reaction. The resulting bond is a CO-NH bond and is henceforth referred to as a peptide bond. Additionally, the resulting molecule is termed an amide.

Peptide Bond Formation

In order to form a peptide bond, the molecules of the amino acids in question must be orientated so that the carboxylic acid group of one amino acid is able to react with the amine group of another amino acid. At its most basic, this can be illustrated by two lone amino acids combining through the formation of a peptide bond to form a dipeptide, the smallest peptide (i.e. only composed of 2 amino acids).

Further, any number of amino acids can be joined together in chains to form new peptides: as a general guideline, 50 or less amino acids are referred to as peptides, 50 – 100 are termed polypeptides, and peptides with over 100 amino acids are generally referred to as proteins. For a more detailed description of peptides, polypeptides, and proteins, refer to the Peptides Vs. Proteins page of our peptide glossary.

Hydrolysis (a chemical breakdown of a compound resulting from a reaction with water) can break down a peptide bond. Though the reaction itself is quite slow, the peptide bonds formed within peptides, polypeptides, and proteins are susceptible to breakage when they come into contact with water (metastable bonds). The reaction between a peptide bond and water releases about 10kJ/mol of free energy. The wavelength of absorbance for a peptide bond is 190-230 nm.

In the biological realm, enzymes inside living organisms can both form and break down peptide bonds. A number of hormones, antibiotics, antitumor agents and neurotransmitters are peptides, most of which are referred to as proteins (due to the number of amino acids contained).

Structure of the Peptide Bond

Scientists have conducted x-ray diffraction studies of several small peptides in order to ascertain the physical characteristics of peptide bonds. Such studies have indicated that peptide bonds are rigid and planer. These physical characteristics are principally derived as a result of the resonance interaction of the amide: the amide nitrogen is able to delocalize its sole pair of electrons into the carbonyl oxygen.

This resonance directly affects the structure of the peptide bond. Indeed, the N–C bond of the peptide bond is actually shorter than the N–Cα bond, and the C=O bond is longer than normal carbonyl bonds. In the peptide, the carbonyl oxygen and amide hydrogen are in a trans configuration, not a cis configuration; such a configuration is more energetically favorable due to the possibility of steric interactions in a cis configuration.

The Polarity of the Peptide Bond

Usually, free rotation should be able to take place about a single bond between a carbonyl carbon and amide nitrogen, the structure of a peptide bond. However, the nitrogen in this case has a lone pair of electrons. These electrons are near a carbon-oxygen bond. As a result, a reasonable resonance structure can be drawn, in which a double bond links the carbon and nitrogen. Consequently, the oxygen has a negative charge and the nitrogen has a positive charge. Rotation around the peptide bond is therefore inhibited by the resonance structure. Additionally, the real structure is a weighted hybrid of these two structures. The resonance structure is a significant factor in depicting the true electron distribution: the peptide bond has approximately 40% double-bond character. As a result, it is rigid.

Charges result in the peptide bond having a permanent dipole. The oxygen has a -0.28 charge, and the nitrogen has a +0.28 charge as a result of the resonance.

Peptide Purity

How is Peptide Purity Achieved and Verified?

At Ultimate Prime Health we provide peptides that exceed 99% purity. Using state-of-the-art solution and solid phase peptide synthetic technology, we are able to offer the finest quality peptides and proteins fit for any research study or application. Peptide purity is achieved and verified through uncompromising manufacturing and production processes, quality control measures, and the implementation of both high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis.

HPLC and Mass Spectrometry

High performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC, is a scientific technique used to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. It is a superior process that allows highly accurate peptide testing to be accomplished. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a technique used to measure masses within a sample by ionizing chemical species and sorting the ions based on their mass to charge ratio. The results are plotted with the ion signal as a function of the mass to charge ratio. Both methods are highly accurate peptide testing techniques and scientifically prove the purity and identity of peptides ordered from peptidesciences.com.

Peptide Sciences takes great pride in the quality of all of the products we manufacture, and we implement testing at all stages of peptide production at our peptide snythesis lab, verifying our peptides’ sequential fingerprints for precision accuracy in every preparation.

What is the Recommended Peptide Purity Level?

Ultimate Prime Health provides only the highest purity peptides (>99% pure) for sale for research and development use. However, preparations of peptides synthesized for research by many other manufacturers can vary widely in purity. Occasionally, researchers can wonder what the minimum acceptable level of peptide purity is for their given purpose. Generally, the higher the peptide purity level, the more favorable the preparation; critically, for certain applications (such as in vitro studies or clinical trials), only exceedingly pure peptides will be appropriate (greater than 98% purity). However, there are some applications for which a lower peptide purity would be acceptable. The minimum recommended peptide purity level for a given application will therefore depend upon that specific application. Examples of minimum acceptable purity levels are as follows.

Highly Pure (>95% Peptide Purity)

• In vitro and in vivo studies
• Clinical trials
• Drug studies in which peptides are used as pharmaceuticals
• Cosmetic peptides for cosmeceuticals
• Crystallography
• Monoclonal antibody production
• Quantitative protease studies and enzyme studies
• Quantitative receptor – ligand interaction studies
• Quantitative blocking and competitive inhibition studies
• Quantitative ELISA and RIA protocol standard
• Chromatography standard

Mid-range Peptide Purity (>85%)

• Peptide blocking studies (Western blot)
• Phosphorylation studies
• NMR studies
• Cell attachment studies
• Phosphorylation studies
• Semi-quantitative studies of enzyme-substrate interactions
• Epitope mapping tests
• Biological activity testing

Lower Peptide Purity (>70%)

• Peptide arrays
• Performing an ELISA standard for measuring titers of antibodies
• Antigens for polyclonal antibody production or affinity purification

Those peptides with greater purity are appropriate for use in an application with a lower minimum acceptable level of purity. Peptide Sciences provides exceedingly high purity peptides that will meet or exceed all previously stated purity requirements.

How Peptides Work

CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, BPC-157, AOD, MK677, IGF-1 LR3, and Tesamorelin are peptides that are often used in various contexts, including research, medical treatments, and performance enhancement. Here's a brief overview of how each of these peptides works:

CJC-1295: CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide that stimulates the release of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland. It works by binding to specific receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which leads to an increase in GH secretion. This peptide has been studied for its potential benefits in increasing muscle mass, reducing body fat, and improving overall body composition.
Ipamorelin: Ipamorelin is a peptide that also stimulates the release of GH. It acts by binding to specific receptors in the pituitary gland, which triggers GH release. Like CJC-1295, Ipamorelin is often used to support muscle growth, fat loss, and enhanced recovery.
BPC-157: BPC-157 is a peptide derived from a protein called Body Protection Compound. It has been studied for its potential healing properties and ability to promote tissue repair and regeneration. BPC-157 may help with injury recovery, reducing inflammation, and improving overall joint and tissue health.
AOD (Anti-Obesity Drug): AOD refers to AOD-9604, a modified form of a fragment of human growth hormone. It is used primarily for its potential weight loss effects. AOD works by stimulating the breakdown of stored body fat and increasing energy expenditure, which may aid in weight reduction.
MK677 (Ibutamoren): MK677 is a selective agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. It increases GH and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels by mimicking the action of the hormone ghrelin. MK677 is known for its potential to improve muscle mass, bone density, and sleep quality.
IGF-1 LR3 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Long R3): IGF-1 LR3 is a modified form of the naturally occurring hormone IGF-1. It has a longer half-life compared to endogenous IGF-1. IGF-1 LR3 is involved in cell growth, proliferation, and regeneration. It is often used for its potential muscle-building and recovery properties.
Tesamorelin: Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide that stimulates the production and release of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It can increase GH levels and has been studied for its potential benefits in improving body composition, reducing abdominal fat, and enhancing exercise performance.

It's important to note that the use of these peptides should be approached with caution and under the guidance of healthcare professionals. The effects, safety, and legal status of these peptides can vary, and they may have different regulations depending on the country. Additionally, individual responses to these peptides can vary, and they may have potential side effects or interactions with other medications.

How Much Does Peptide Therapy Cost?

Your overall cost will depend on the peptide therapy clinic you visit and the type of peptide treatment you choose. Whether you buy online or in person, the average cost of peptide therapy can range anywhere from $100 to almost $900 monthly. Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t typically cover peptide therapy, so you will need to create a budget to pay for your expenses.

Are Peptides Safe?

Medical peptides are FDA-approved as a safe treatment for healthy individuals. In addition, since these peptides are naturally occurring compounds that can be found in many foods, they are the least likely candidates to cause side effects. However, peptide supplements are another matter altogether. The FDA doesn’t regulate peptide supplements, which means many of them are not tested to meet federal safety standards. You will need to be careful when purchasing supplements from an unknown company, as some medications can cause adverse effects due to their ingredients. It is imperative to buy peptide supplements from a trusted company to ensure you’re receiving quality products. If you currently take medications or have a pre-existing medical condition, you’ll need to consult with your physician before starting peptide therapy.

How are Peptides Given?

Because naturally occurring peptides are normally broken down as food, the human body normally can’t absorb synthetic peptides into the intestine to fully utilize their beneficial properties. So to ensure that your body can draw out the full potential of the peptides and receive the best results, peptide therapy is usually administered through subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intravenous injection. With the injections, peptides are introduced directly into the bloodstream, where they can effectively attach themselves to receptors and send signals throughout the rest of the body.

What are the Benefits of Peptide Therapy?

Many healthy adults over the age of 30 find that there are several benefits to taking peptides, which include:

Decreased joint and muscle pain
Accelerated healing
Increased energy and strength
Improved muscle mass
Enhanced sexual stimulation and performance
Improved cognitive thinking and memory retention