Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has expanded into the future of medicine. We are now able to replace more than 60 hormones (called peptides) that decrease with age. Until recently, we have only been able to replace sex hormones which has been a boon for improving symptoms and quality of life, treating disease, healing sexual tissues and function, and extending healthspan and lifespan. You may have heard of the peptide known as growth hormone, now being used by (some) anti-aging practitioners but frowned upon by the FDA and having negative long-term side effects.

Recent research has opened up a whole new knowledge base of specific and safe peptide hormones now available to you. These peptides serve many important functions in the body, and just like sex hormones, they decrease as you age. The loss of these peptide hormones accelerates the aging process by decreasing both healthspan and lifespan. A simple yet elegant experiment demonstrates this: A young mouse and an old mouse were sewn together so they shared a blood supply and put on an immunosuppressant so they would not reject each other. The older mouse made the younger mouse older and the younger mouse made the older mouse younger. The younger mouse’s peptides caused the older mouse to grow younger while the older mouse’s lack of peptide production could not sustain the younger mouse’s youth.

There are now over 60 peptides available that can help with a multitude of symptoms or simply make you feel better. Here are some of the benefits associated with just two of these peptides:

Weight loss

Sleep

Bone density

Muscle mass

Immune function

Libido

Sexual function

Mood

Motivation

Memory

Cognition

Cardiovascular capacity

Lipid profile

Inflammation

Oxidative stress

Nitric oxide

Endurance

Exercise capacity

Energy

Pancreatic islet cell function

Glucose utilization

Blood cells

Skin and hair

Blood vessels

Kidney function

Wound healing

Telomerase activity

Stem cells

This is just a partial list.

Legend tells us that Ponce de León searched Florida for the Fountain of Youth. Whether he found it or not, it is now clear that the loss of both sex and peptide hormones contributes to aging and diminished health.

 

To learn more on how to increase your healthspan, lifespan and quality of life, attend a free seminar from 6 to 7:30 p.m., April 16, at St. Petersburg Health & Wellness, 2100 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. For more information and to make an appointment, call 727-202-6807. See ad page 27.