Peptides: The new revolution in healthcare

Peptides have recently gained popularity through the use of peptides for weight management. There are however many other peptides which can be used for health purposes therapeutically or for health optimisation.

Peptides sit squarely in between supplements which are relatively inherently safe, and pharmaceutical medicines which are often dangerous in the wrong hands. Hence why doctors can only prescribe them. Supplements can be used safely through recommendations and your own research. Supplements in Australia are well regulated and generally safe.

Peptides sit on another level to supplements in terms of action. Supplements are mostly stimulating the body to act if needed. The body decides if it needs that nutrient or stimulation and responds accordingly. Mostly.

Peptides are biological messengers which can override what the body will do naturally. This makes them dangerous. And why it is my opinion that they should only be dispensed and prescribed by practitioners. The reason for this guide is to educate and be part of the process. Understand the opportunities but work with an experienced practitioner to guide you.

What Are Peptides?

A peptide is simply a short chain of amino acids joined together like beads on a string. Two to fifty amino acids make a peptide. More than that, and it becomes a polypeptide or a protein. Despite their size, peptides are powerful communicators. Each one has its own function, signalling the body when to repair, when to grow, when to rest, and when to protect.

The first therapeutic peptide was insulin, discovered over a century ago. It transformed the lives of diabetics and marked the beginning of a new era, the ability to create molecules that mirror the body’s natural language. Since then, science has advanced dramatically. Today we have peptides that can improve cognition, speed healing, regenerate tissue, enhance immune resilience, and even retrain mitochondrial function, all while working harmoniously within the body’s natural systems.

This is what makes peptides unique. They’re not drugs that override biology. They’re signals, written in the body’s native code, that remind your system what to do, when to do it, and how to do it efficiently. After 30+ years as a practitioner, I have learnt many things. Over time, you accumulate knowledge, and it fits into a rationale that becomes unique to that practitioner. Like a skilled tradesman, a skilled practitioner brings their experience from clinical work, research, observations and time. Time is often the most important contributor to a skill set.

Common peptides and the potential benefits

• Tissue repair and recovery: Support healing of muscles, tendons, joints, and skin after injury or surgery (e.g., BPC-157, TB-500).

• Muscle growth and body composition: Stimulate growth hormone release and protein synthesis to build lean mass and reduce fat (e.g., CJC-1295, Ipamorelin).

• Fat loss and metabolic health: Regulate appetite, improve insulin sensitivity, and enhance fat oxidation (e.g., Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, MOTS-c).

• Cognitive function and focus: Boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), memory, and mental clarity (e.g., Semax, Dihexa, Noopept).

• Immune system support: Enhance immune regulation and balance inflammatory responses (e.g., Thymosin Alpha-1, LL-37).

• Skin and hair regeneration: Promote collagen production, wound healing, and follicle health (e.g., GHK-Cu).

• Sleep and recovery enhancement: Improve deep sleep quality and repair processes through growth hormone modulation (e.g., DSIP, GH secretagogues).

• Hormonal balance and libido: Restore sexual function and hormonal signalling in men and women (e.g., PT-141, Kisspeptin, Oxytocin).

• Anti-aging and longevity: Support mitochondrial health, cellular repair, and stem cell activity (e.g., Epithalon, FOXO4-DRI, Humanin).

• Stress resilience and mood regulation: Stabilise neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine to reduce anxiety and improve emotional balance (e.g., Selank, Oxytocin).

There is more to the health story however

When I first graduated I thought I knew everything. The longer I have been practicing, you realise how little you know. Simply because the human body is so complex. That being said, I have developed a unique way of looking at the body that is not often discussed. Many practitioners, understandably, are looking for quick fixes because this is what patients and the public are often looking for. Everyone wants rapid and stunning results. The human body does not work like this however. Just like nature, it takes time and cycles to move in different directions.

What I have more recently discovered however, is that peptides can really accelerate healing, faster than diet, lifestyle and supplements alone. And if used with intelligence and part of a larger plan, the results can be stunning and life changing. Peptides are that additional layer of therapeutic potential which is harnessing the body’s own innate healing potential. Something pharmaceutical medicines have not been able to achieve. Results are fast but at a cost.

Over the years my understanding of the body and how it performs has been refined. I often take it back to the basics of Diet, Exercise, Sleep and Mindfulness. These are indeed the most important factors in maintaining health. And over time when the right balance of these are adhered too, the body will heal itself.

If you are interested however in health optimisation, as I am, then there is another level of complexity you need to understand to truly optimise body function. This I am about to explain to you.

The body is in a gradual state of decline from the day it is born. Our potential to heal and rejuvenate slowly reduces and accelerates from the age of 21. Depending on your genetics and how well you support them with diet, exercise, sleep and mindfulness. You may have heard of stem cells. This is our system of healing and rejuvenation which deteriorates with age. The goal of this system is to restore your ability to maintain and produce stem cells to heal the body.

Metabolic disease, inflammation and energy production

You may have heard of metabolic disease. Another name for it, I believe is aging. The speed at which we age is largely linked to the degree of metabolic flexibility i.e how well our body can perform it’s day to day functions. How well it takes your food and processes it into energy fuel for the cells to perform their daily activities. As we age our metabolic flexibility reduces, just like our physical flexibility. This is known as metabolic inflexibility.

Metabolic inflexibility comes with increased inflammation, which drives all chronic disease and ageing.

Metabolic inflexibility causes our bodies to reduce the supply of fuel to our cells and in turn our cells cannot produce sufficient energy for their daily activities. And so the cycle declines over time and accelerates as we get older. Towards the end of our life we age faster and faster and the last 10 years of our lives are typically defined by rapid decline. How soon this occurs depends on your diet, exercise, sleep and mindfulness.

Metabolic inflexibility is characterised by fat accumulation around your organs, visceral fat which is often invisible. It affects our ability to produce hormones, which are vital for our wellbeing and recovery, our sleep is affected, mood and energy levels. Our pain levels increase and flexibility reduces as acids accumulate due to inefficient organs and clearance.

While all the attention at the moment in science is focusing on this metabolic inflexibility which typically rises its ugly head around the age of 40….there is another part to the story which begins in our 20s.

This is called mitochondrial inflexibility or capacity. Ie your ability to efficiently produce energy in the cells. It was thought that for many years metabolic inflexibility drove mitochondrial dysfunction, however now science is showing that the reduction in the ability of mitochondria to produce energy efficiently, starts in our twenties and proceeds, contributing to the metabolic inflexibility. And this is the reason why so many people struggle to lose weight, sleep properly, move their bodies and have balanced moods….because this mitochondrial inefficiency is often the neglected piece in puzzle of health, healing and ultimately health optimisation.

This is what I am focused on and how peptides can play a vital role with the right combination of diet, exercise, sleep, mindfulness and supplements.

This approach truly is the most advanced form of holistic treatment.

Many of you reading this may have your focus on peptides alone as the new wonder drug and approach. They are not. Peptides are part of a bigger picture and have to be used in a way to address what I have discussed, otherwise they are just another supplement or pharmaceutical. Yes you can use them to address singular health issues….but as a practitioner in his 50s I am not interested in this anymore. I want to be able to mentor and guide people towards real health and vitality that will serve them into their old age with vigour.

If you want to learn how to use peptides as part of a larger system of health and longevity, then I have developed a program that guides you through this process. If you want to apply to be a participant you can email support@butterworthhealth.com. I have a screening process to see if this is the right program for you, because it is not for everyone which is fine.

Peptides for research purposes

Peptides are serious medicines and need to be treated as such. To help people to get access to quality peptides for research purposes, I have created a system to identify what peptides may be beneficial for your particular symptoms. If you are interested to get started, send me an email at support@butterworthhealth.com and I will send you a document to complete. Then I can suggest the best options for you.

I have also written a PDF guide explaining peptides and how to use them as a starting point. This guide can be used as a reference point or by practitioners to help guide them on the use of peptides.

Health Optimisation Peptides Guide

A$9.95

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Summary of uses for common peptides;

Peptide	Common Uses
BPC-157	Soft tissue repair, gut lining support, inflammation reduction
TB-500 (Thymosin β4 fragment)	Muscle/tendon healing, cell migration support, tissue remodelling
GHK-Cu (Copper peptide)	Skin regeneration, wound healing, collagen production
CJC-1295	Growth hormone release, fat metabolism support, improved recovery
Ipamorelin	Growth hormone release, improved sleep/recovery, body composition support
Sermorelin	Stimulate endogenous growth hormone, energy support, fat loss assistance
Tesamorelin	Visceral fat reduction, tissue repair, lipid metabolism improvement
AOD-9604	Fat breakdown support, metabolic boost, lipogenesis reduction
Collagen peptides	Skin elasticity improvement, joint/connective tissue support, hair/nail health
PT-141 (Bremelanotide)	Sexual health/libido enhancement, erectile function support, libido regulation
Semaglutide (GLP-1 analogue)	Weight management, appetite suppression, blood sugar regulation
Thymosin α1	Immune modulation, T-cell activation support, infection resilience
IGF-1 LR3 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Long R3)	Muscle growth support, nutrient uptake improvement, protein synthesis promotion
Oxytocin peptide	Social bonding/hormonal regulation, stress reduction, metabolic modulation
FGF-1 (Fibroblast Growth Factor-1)	Tissue repair/regeneration, wound healing, cellular proliferation support