Are peptides the future of medicine?

Peptides are small particles made up of amino acids; being smaller than regular proteins they are able to penetrate deeper and faster. These peptides can be synthesized in the lab or be found in nature. In the last years, numerous research has been focusing on finding new uses for these particles; so far, they are known to have anti-inflammatory, antiaging, and antimicrobial properties. In the beauty industry, peptides are being used more often, especially collagen peptides that can improve the skin condition and aging signs. On the other hand, these collagen peptides can also be used as a supplement for athletes; they improve muscle-building and enhance performance; however, some have been considered performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIED’s) and has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. These same peptides have also been used together with complementary physical therapies and additional supplements to preserve cartilage and recovery of muscles and tendons after intensive training. Collagen is found all over our body, mainly in our skin, hair, and nails, but collagen quantity tends to diminish through the years; hence sign of aging start to be present in our bodies. Consumption of collagen peptides is linked to the improvement of these signs of aging. But not everything is related to beauty; some bioactive peptides are able to improve conditions like high blood pressure, inflammation, coagulation conditions, and immune response. Besides antiaging, the immune response produced by bioactive peptides has been widely studied. Previous research has shown they can regulate the immune response in situations like organ transplantation, cell growth and proliferation of cancer, auto-immune conditions, and proteoglycans synthesis, which can improve cartilage and tendon damage. Between November 13-15, a session named Peptide Certification: The Evolving Trends and Applications of Peptides Therapies will take place where experts in the field will educate about peptides’ therapeutic properties.