Maybe you train hard or a lot more than you used to, but find you’re still tired, heal slowly, and can’t seem to achieve the weight loss goal you’re aiming for. You may chalk it up to being old or out of shape, which could be the issue, but that may not be the whole story.
The peptides our bodies produce naturally support muscle growth and fat loss. As we age, our bodies produce less of these peptides, making it harder to lose stubborn weight and build new lean muscle mass, let alone preserve what we already have.
However, certain peptide therapies mimic your body’s natural process, encouraging it to release the hormones it needs to do what it already does, just a little more efficiently.
How Peptides Help You Gain Muscle and Lose Fat
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that help our body do the things it needs to, like burn fat or grow muscle. For example, insulin is a peptide your body naturally produces, and it helps you keep your blood sugar levels even. As we age, though, our ability to naturally produce peptides decreases. Peptide therapy can bridge that gap, supporting what your body already does.
Some peptides and peptide therapies boost our ability to produce human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These hormones can help you:
- Repair muscles and grow new ones.
- Increase stamina and endurance.
- Recover more quickly from post-workout injuries.
- Preserve existing lean muscle mass and support lean muscle development.
- Efficiently metabolize fat
How Are Peptides Different from Steroids?
While steroids and peptides are often used for muscle growth, what they are and how they work are fundamentally different.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that mimic cortisol, a hormone your adrenal glands produce naturally. They’re often used to suppress the immune system and provide support for autoimmune disorders, like arthritis or asthma.
This type of steroid does not build muscle. In long-term use, it can lead to muscle wasting and loss of muscle mass.
Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are a synthetic compound that mimics testosterone. They promote muscle growth as well as enhance the development of male characteristics.
While they can be legally prescribed to treat conditions like delayed puberty, low testosterone, and muscle loss due to muscle wasting diseases, anabolic steroids are often used illegally to build muscles. To achieve this effect, though, anabolic steroids must be used in high doses, which can lead to serious side effects like high cholesterol, stroke, and aggressive behavior.
Peptides
Like steroids, the peptides used in peptide therapy are synthetic. However, they target something your body already does naturally and encourage it to release the hormones it already produces. While it may take longer to achieve the results you’re looking for, you’re more likely to experience fewer side effects using peptide therapy than you would with a steroid.
Which Peptides to Choose for Muscle Growth and Fat Loss
Below are some of the best peptides for muscle growth and fat loss. Some only target fat loss while some target only muscle growth, so you may need to “stack” these peptides to achieve optimal results.
AOD 9604
The full name of AOD 9604 is anti-obesity drug 9604, with the 9604 being the developmental code. It’s a synthetic peptide developed from a fragment of HGH that burns fat without affecting your blood sugar levels.
BPC-157
Body Protection Compound (BPC) is a synthetic peptide made of 15 amino acids that mimics the peptide that helps you digest food (gastric juice). The 157 refers to a specific part of the peptide. BPC-157 doesn’t build muscle or encourage fat loss. Instead, it supports muscle repair, recovery, and regeneration.
While there’s little research on how effective BPC-157 is, it does indicate that BPC-157 has the potential to support muscle recovery and healing.
TB-500
Thymosin beta (TB) 500 (the area of the peptide it occurs in) is the synthetic version of thymosin beta-4, a naturally occurring peptide that may play a role in repairing and regenerating damaged tissues and cells. It’s commonly combined with BPC-157 to create the “Wolverine Stack” to accelerate healing and reduce inflammation.
CJC-1295
Unlike other muscle growth and fat loss peptides, the CJC in CJC-1295 is for a brand name, ConjuChem. But like the rest of the peptides on our list, CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide. It stimulates the pituitary gland to release HGH, directly supporting muscle growth and fat loss, as well as recovery.
Ipamorlein
On its own, ipamorelin encourages the pituitary gland’s natural release of growth hormones, increasing fat metabolism while protecting your lean muscle mass. It’s often combined with CJC-1295 to create a longer and more balanced effect.
GLP-1s
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is the synthetic version of the GLP-1 your body produces. It helps you feel full, slows digestion, and controls your blood sugar. They are highly effective for fat loss but do not help you build lean muscle mass.
Sermorelin
Sermorelin stimulates the pituitary gland to help your body naturally produce more HGH, supporting muscle growth, enhancing your fat metabolism, and helping your body recover more efficiently after working out.
Tesamorelin
Tesamorelin is used for fat loss and muscle preservation. It targets what’s known as visceral fat, the stubborn fat that’s often stored around your belly and internal organs, by encouraging your body to produce more GH. This can help your body use its stored fat more efficiently, helping you lose weight without losing muscle mass.
How to Use Peptides for Muscle Growth and Fat Loss
To be clear, none of these peptides will build muscle or help you lose fat automatically. They are supportive peptide therapies that will help you achieve your wellness goals provided you exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet.
To get the most out of any peptide therapy for muscle growth and fat loss, you’ll also have to:
- Eat a healthy diet, one that prioritizes lean protein sources, fruits, vegetables, and soluble fiber.
- Hydrate often. Proper hydration regulates your metabolism and supports muscle growth since water transports amino acids into your muscle tissues.
- Exercise, to build your muscles, strength, and flexibility, and improve your cardiovascular stamina.
- Rest! You don’t have to exercise (or eat healthy) every day. Resting your muscles to give them time to recover strengthens the muscle fibers and helps them grow. Likewise, allowing yourself a cheat day every now and then helps you remember what you’re working toward without feeling guilty (bear claw anyone?)
Achieve Optimal Wellness
Muscle growth and preservation as well as fat loss become more difficult as we age. While that’s part of the aging process, it doesn’t have to stop us. Peptide therapy with the peptides on this list can help you develop new muscle mass, preserve the muscle mass you already have, and lose stubborn fat where it counts. Include proper diet and exercise, and you’ve got a recipe for optimal wellness.
No matter your wellness goals, the team at Complete Wellness and Aesthetics is here to help you achieve them. Our peptides are sourced from facilities with strict quality and safety standards, and every treatment we recommend is customized to your unique needs.
Schedule a free consultation and learn how peptide therapy can help you achieve optimal wellness.