Benefits & Risks of Peptide Therapeutics for Physical & Mental Health

Andrew Huberman

Apr 1, 2024

Episode description

In this episode, I explain the major categories and types of peptides currently in use for therapeutic purposes. I discuss peptides for improving tissue rejuvenation and repair, promoting longevity, improving muscle growth and fat loss, and boosting mood, vitality, and libido. I explain the biology of how these peptides work and both their potential benefits and risks. I also discuss peptide sourcing, dosages, cycling, routes of administration, and how peptides work in combination.

This episode will help you better understand the rapidly expanding landscape of peptide therapeutics and how to evaluate if specific peptides might be advantageous towards achieving your physical or mental health goals.

Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode: https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/NOL4NN0X

Thank you to our sponsors
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Journal Articles
Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth: https://bit.ly/3TYHRoB
Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing: https://bit.ly/3xcwRLc
Modulatory effects of BPC 157 on vasomotor tone and the activation of Src-Caveolin-1-endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway: https://go.nature.com/43DYYz2
Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound Healing: https://bit.ly/3J0sS77
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1): a growth hormone: https://bit.ly/43WpDaN
MK-677, an Orally Active Growth Hormone Secretagogue, Reverses Diet-Induced Catabolism1: https://bit.ly/3PInRnA
Two-Month Treatment of Obese Subjects with the Oral Growth Hormone (GH) Secretagogue MK-677 Increases GH Secretion, Fat-Free Mass, and Energy Expenditure: https://bit.ly/3PJKrfB
Kisspeptin signalling and its roles in humans: https://bit.ly/4cBfMeh
Age-Related Changes of the Pineal Gland in Humans: A Digital Anatomo-Histological Morphometric Study on Autopsy Cases with Comparison to Predigital-Era Studies: https://bit.ly/3TGYzHv

Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned
Dr. Natalie Crawford: Female Hormone Health, Fertility & Vitality: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-natalie-crawford-female-hormone-health-fertility-vitality
Dr. Michael Eisenberg: Improving Male Sexual Health, Function & Fertility: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-michael-eisenberg-improving-male-sexual-health-function-fertility
The Science of How to Optimize Testosterone & Estrogen: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/the-science-of-how-to-optimize-testosterone-and-estrogen

Timestamps
00:00:00 Peptides
00:03:20 Sponsors: Mateína, Levels & Joovv
00:07:44 What is a Peptide?, Effects
00:12:06 Peptide Sourcing, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
00:14:48 Rejuvenation & Tissue Repair: BPC-157, Angiogenesis
00:21:50 BPC-157 & Tissue Injury; Mode of Delivery
00:27:53 BPC-157: Safety, Doses, Cycling, Tumor Risk
00:35:16 Sponsor: AG1
00:36:43 Tissue Repair: Thymosin Beta-4, TB-500
00:40:49 Growth & Metabolism: Growth Hormone, IGF-1, Risks
00:45:25 Secretagogues, Sermorelin, Tesamorelin, CJC-1295
00:52:21 Sponsor: LMNT
00:53:44 Ipamorelin, Hexarelin, GHRP-3, MK-677; Risks & Timing
00:58:69 Peptides for Growth Hormone & IGF-1, Risk; Combinations & Dosing
01:06:12 Longevity: Thymosin Beta-4, Epitalon (Epithalon)
01:12:09 Vitality: Melanotan, PT-141 (Vyleesi), Risks
01:17:21 Vitality: Kisspeptin
01:21:46 Peptides, Potential Benefits, Side-Effects & Risks
01:24:19 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #Science #Health

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Question BPC-157's safety due to lack of human data

Despite widespread anecdotal reports of success, there is essentially no formal human clinical trial data on BPC-157, making its use a large-scale human experiment.

#risk

#supplement

Beware BPC-157's potential to accelerate tumor growth

By promoting the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), BPC-157 could potentially accelerate the growth of existing tumors, which thrive on increased blood supply.

#cancer

#supplement

Evaluate Sermorelin's impact on REM sleep quality

Andrew Huberman stopped taking the growth hormone peptide Sermorelin because he found that while it deepened his sleep, it significantly reduced his rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

#sleep

#supplement

Utilize Tesamorelin to reduce visceral fat in HIV patients

The peptide Tesamorelin, sold under the brand name Egrifta, is an FDA-approved drug for the specific purpose of reducing visceral fat in HIV patients.

#peptides

#visceral-fat

Leverage therapeutic peptides for diverse cellular benefits

Unlike targeted drugs, therapeutic peptides often have pleiotropic effects, meaning a single peptide can influence many different cell types and pathways simultaneously.

#peptides

Avoid peptide contamination to protect immune health

Peptides from gray or black markets often contain lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a contaminant from the manufacturing process that can cause a problematic immune response over time.

#immune-system

#peptides

Beware hexarelin: avoid receptor shutdown risks

Hexarelin, the strongest growth hormone-releasing peptide, carries a significant risk of desensitizing its target receptors, which could permanently shut down your body's natural growth hormone pathway.

#peptides

#side-effects

Utilize Epitalon to mimic youth and promote cellular longevity

The longevity peptide Epitalon is a synthetic version of Epithalamin, a compound released by the pineal gland in youth that is associated with anti-inflammatory effects and cellular longevity.