WHAT DO PEPTIDES DO FOR MUSCLE GROWTH AND WEIGHT LOSS?

WHAT DO PEPTIDES DO FOR MUSCLE GROWTH AND WEIGHT LOSS?

A common peptide stack for improving body composition is CJC-1295 and ipamorelin (or GHRP-6/GHRP-2). A typical dosage of CJC-1295 and GHRPs is a 1:1 ratio at 1 mcg/kg body weight. For example, a 100-kg individual (~220 lbs) would aim for 100 mcg of CJC-1295 and 100 mcg of a suitable GHRP per dose. This dose will elicit a near-saturation response that rapidly increases growth hormone levels.

Note that these peptides must be injected (subcutaneously or intramuscularly) to retain their functionality. Consuming them orally would expose them to enzymes in the gut that separate the amino acids into smaller fragments, thereby eliminating the functional amino acid sequence. Alternatively, GHRPs and GHRH agonists can be administered intranasally when formulated accordingly.

In most cases, multiple daily doses and consistent usage are necessary for any notable benefits. The short-term effects of peptides will not amount to much, aside from a transient increase in appetite.

When fat loss is the goal, bodybuilders will often inject these peptides about 30 minutes before performing cardio, since the spike in growth hormone has permissive effects on lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation [9]. For muscle gain, it’s more common to pin about 20 minutes prior to meals.

USING PEPTIDES FOR BODYBUILDING: NATURAL OR ENHANCED?
As you might expect, the use of peptides for bodybuilding has been met with rebuke and criticism from the natural bodybuilding community. Many natural bodybuilders argue that taking performance-enhancing peptides is tantamount to using anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).

The peptide saga has been complicated, and categorizing these substances as “performance-enhancing drugs” is open to interpretation. Depending on the specific class of peptides and their mechanisms of action, they may or may not alter natural biorhythms. Nevertheless, nobody can dispute that the synthetic origin of peptides like ipamorelin, CJC-1295 (Mod-GRF 1-29), TB500, and BPC157 precludes them from being allowed for use by natural bodybuilding competitors.

Some bodybuilders contend that certain peptides, specifically GHRPs and CJC-1295, don’t break the barrier of “naturalness” since they work by increasing the body’s endogenous production of growth hormone. Technically, that’s not the same as injecting HGH or IGF-1, which is a form of hormone replacement therapy.

It remains unclear if there are significant body composition advantages of “peptide therapy” with growth hormone secretagogues. Research on these compounds rarely focuses on body composition and athletic performance; one study of MK677 (ibutamoren), an orally active growth hormone secretagogue, shows modest improvements in muscle mass and lean body mass compared to control groups [13]. Though there is no shortage of in vitro data showing the muscle-protecting effects of GHRPs [14].
In any case, the use of synthetic growth hormone secretagogues is not allowed by competitors in sanctions that adhere to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances. Pretty much every natural bodybuilding organization has also banned these peptides.

Granted, it’s not entirely clear how they can test for the use of peptide therapy in athletes and bodybuilders, notably GHRPs and CJC-1295 that work by mimicking the innate pulses of growth hormone secreted by the endocrine system. The resulting increase in plasma growth hormone levels after injecting GHRPs + CJC-1295 is transient, often lasting less than 30 minutes, and their biological half-lives are also very short. Although, recent evidence suggests that the metabolites of GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and ipamorelin have much longer half-lives, and are detectable in urine [15].

USING PEPTIDES TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BUILD MUSCLE MASS: WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
Most gym-goers and bodybuilders that use injectable peptides extrapolate the muscle-building and fat-loss benefits from studies in rodents and anecdotal “data” from like-minded individuals on Internet forums. It’s no surprise that peptides are often lumped together with other “softcore” PEDs like selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) despite being a completely different class of compounds with unrelated mechanisms of action.

Curiously, many people are receptive to using SARMs for bodybuilding despite their poor track record in clinical studies [16]. It’s safe to say that GHRPs and other synthetic peptides are generally less risky than SARMs, but they may still cause side effects comparable to taking HGH, such as water retention, headaches, carpal tunnel, and reduced insulin sensitivity.

Moreover, both SARMs and synthetic peptides carry a high risk of side effects since nobody knows where these compounds are coming from when ordering online. Technically, they are not legal for sale over-the-counter in the United States, so odds are you’re not even getting what you ordered.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a compounding pharmacy or doctor that prescribes you a SARM or GHRP, but that’s a long shot unless you have a medical condition necessitating their use. And so we’re clear, wanting to build muscle and cut body fat is not a medical condition, neither is wishing you could be young again.

Yet, you’ll have no problem finding “anti-aging” clinics that are quick to prescribe you a low dose of recombinant HGH. If you have a spare $5,000+ burning a hole in your pocket, that might be something to consider instead of GHRPs and other synthetic peptides.