If you’re on the hunt for a way to boost your health, improve your skin and kickstart your immune system, consider taking peptides. These are shorter chains of amino acids and can be absorbed more easily by the body because they are broken down into their base components. Peptides also work to enhance athletic performance, help treat osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions and more.
They’re also popular for anti-aging and can be used with other ingredients like retinol and AHAs for optimal results. There are more than 7,000 known types of peptides hanging out in your body right now, and they’re constantly working to regulate hormones, optimize organ function and keep you looking great.
Peptides are an essential part of your body’s protein production, allowing the cells in your body to create new proteins for cell growth and repair damage. These amino acid building blocks are the raw materials needed for proteins such as collagen and elastin, which is why peptides are so important to the overall health of the body.
In addition to helping your body produce proteins, peptides are involved in other physiological processes including healing and cell regeneration. They can also play a role in improving mental clarity and mood, increasing energy levels, promoting weight loss and enhancing sexual function, among other things.
You can gain peptides from many different sources, including consuming protein-rich foods such as meats, beans and lentils, milk and eggs. You can also get them from dietary supplements. Collagen peptides are a very popular type of peptide that’s found in many dietary supplements as they are known to improve skin, but they can also support the health of hair, nails and joints. Another common type of peptide is copper peptide, which can be found in skincare products such as anti-aging serums.
For skincare, peptides are best used in a product that’s designed to sit on the skin for prolonged periods of time, such as a serum. They’ll be absorbed more efficiently if they’re applied after cleansing and before applying creams or lotions on top of it. For example, the peptide copper hexapeptide (GHK-Cu) is often included in youth serums and creams as it’s known to promote the production of collagen, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, stimulate cellular renewal, reduce inflammation and more.
In the past, peptide therapy was only available in medical offices or clinics, but at-home treatments are becoming more and more popular for their convenience. They make it easy to get the benefits of peptides without having to spend precious time driving to a location or filling prescriptions at a pharmacy. If you’re interested in learning more about incorporating peptides into your routine, read on for everything you need to know about these powerful ingredients.