Several peptides are currently being studied for their potential to positively impact brain health. These peptides work in a variety of ways, including reducing inflammation, improving neuroplasticity, protecting against neurodegeneration, and helping protect brain cells.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides are small chains of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) which we naturally produce for use in a wide variety of biological processes, including metabolism, brain function, hormonal regulation, immune system responses, and communication between cells.
Peptide therapy involves taking specific, supplemental peptides in order to enhance specific biological functions. More than 7000 different kinds of naturally occurring peptides have been identified, each with their own unique purposes and actions, but they aren’t all used therapeutically in drugs or supplements.
Peptides used in medications and supplements are often synthetic peptides, which have been created to mimic the actions of natural peptides. Synthetic peptides in many cases offer advantages over natural versions, as they can be designed to offer increased stability and bioavailability (allowing our bodies to absorb and use them more efficiently).
Ongoing research is aimed at identifying which peptides may be most beneficial for human health (and how they might work).
Peptides generally trigger a series of cellular responses and communications that continue after the peptides themselves are broken down into amino acids, which the body also uses. Side effects are also minimal with most peptide therapies.
The concept of using supplemental peptides for the treatment or prevention of different health conditions and symptoms is not new. Insulin, the standard therapy for type 1 (and sometimes type 2) diabetes, is a peptide hormone, and has been used in treatment since the 1920s.
In the century since synthetic insulin was introduced, numerous additional peptide treatments have emerged, including for muscle growth and weight loss, skin and hair health, hormone regulation, immune system support, and anti-aging, among other uses.
Peptide treatments may come in the form of oral supplements or medications, skincare products, IV treatments and injectables, or nasal sprays, depending on the type of peptide and condition being treated.
Peptides for brain health are a newer, but promising, area of study and treatment. Certain peptides may be able to help improve cognition, enhance memory and focus, stimulate the formation of new neurons (neurogenesis), decrease neuroinflammation, and help to protect the brain from damage. Peptides for brain health may be most exciting for their potential role in preventing, slowing, or even reversing age-related cognitive decline.
Here, we’ll explore some of the most popular and promising peptides for brain health, how they may benefit your cognition, and how to get started.
Selank Peptide Therapy
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Get Selank InjectionsWhich Peptides are Used to Support Brain Health?
There are a number of different peptides that may offer brain health benefits by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, stimulating the formation of new neurons, facilitating communication among nerve cells, and more.
Here are a few of the most popular and best studied peptides for brain health:
Selank has shown promise as an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) treatment, with preliminary studies finding that it may work similarly to benzodiazepine drugs, with a lower risk of side effects and without the same risk of addiction. Selank may also help to improve cognition, learning, stress, depression, and immune function, and it may be used as a supportive treatment during alcohol withdrawal. Selank is best utilized by the body when taken as a nasal spray.
Pinealon, also called EDR peptide or Glu-Asp-Arg, is a tripeptide (a peptide derived from three amino acids) that targets the pineal gland. The pineal gland is best known for regulating circadian rhythm (the body’s 24 hour clock) and regulating certain hormones. Primarily through its influence on the pineal gland, Pinealon may help to improve sleep, regulate melatonin production, improve cognitive function and learning, and increase oxygen flow to the brain. Pinealon is available as an oral supplement.
There are also a number of other peptides for brain health that are currently being researched, such as Cerebrolysin and FGL. These have demonstrated some promising results, but they are not yet available to patients or consumers.
Beyond the peptides described above, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is popular as an IV treatment for anti-aging and wellness. While NAD+ is actually a coenzyme (a molecule that helps enzymes perform their functions), not a peptide, it is often used in combination with peptide therapy for brain health, or as an alternative option. NAD+ is naturally occurring in all of our cells, but decreases as we get older. Supplemental treatment may help to enhance cognitive function and neuroplasticity, improve mood, boost energy, and protect brain cells from oxidative stress and damage.
This is an evolving and often cutting edge field of study and drug and supplement development, and over the next few years, we are likely to see more options become available to support various facets of cognition and mental health.
Potential Benefits of Peptides For Brain Health and Cognitive Function
All peptides for brain health work in their own unique ways, but many of them center around a similar set of core cognitive benefits.
Possible benefits of brain-supporting peptides include:
Preventing Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Peptides may help to prevent, slow, or lessen the effects of cognitive aging (the gradual decline in brain function as we get older), keeping us sharper and more nimble for longer. Research has shown that peptides can help to combat the causes of age-related cognitive decline largely thanks to their neuroprotective properties.
Slowing or Treating Neurodegenerative Conditions (Including Alzheimer’s)
Certain peptides may be able to help treat Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other neurodegenerative conditions associated with aging.
A number of rodent studies have been done in this area with very positive results. For example, in a recent study, mice were given a peptide that was intended to block an enzyme called CDK5, which has been found to be overactive in the brains of many people with Alzheimer’s. When the mice were treated with this peptide, they were shown to have reduced inflammation (reduced activation of the microglia, which produce inflammatory cytokines and are often abundant and overactive in those with Alzheimer’s.) They also had reduced observable neurodegeneration, and improvements in their ability to navigate through a water maze (a test of cognition). Dihexa and other peptides have been demonstrated to have similar effects, though they work in different ways (not by targeting CDK5).
Improving Learning, Memory, and Attention
Brain-supportive peptides may help to improve learning, memory, focus, and overall cognition, both for those with ADHD and related concerns, and for healthy individuals who just want to optimize their brain function. For example, the peptide FGL has been shown to improve learning and memory through a process called synaptic transmission (a type of signaling and communication between neurons).
Reducing Anxiety and Improving Mood
Some peptides have been shown to help reduce anxiety, improve symptoms of depression, and regulate mood. For example, one small clinical trial found that the peptide Selank had similar anxiolytic effects to the drug medazepam (a benzodiazepine). Animal and cell studies have shown similar effects. Other peptides, as well as the coenzyme NAD+, have been shown to help improve mood and depression.
Enhancing Sleep Quality
Certain peptides, including Pinealon and AEDG, may help to regulate circadian rhythm and promote regular, restful sleep, which leads to its own cascade of benefits for cognition and mental health.
Helping the Brain Heal From Stress or Damage
Peptides often work by increasing the production of new neurons, protecting existing neurons, and helping the brain adapt to change during or following times of stress. For example, the peptide Semax has been shown to help treat and heal damage caused by ischemic stroke (the most common kind of stroke).
How do Peptides for Brain Health Work?
Peptides work in a number of different ways to support cognition, brain health, and mental health. Peptide treatments are designed to mimic the effects of our naturally occurring peptides, which play important roles in a plethora of biological functions.
Some of the key ways peptides work for brain health include:
- Acting as neurotransmitters
- Stimulating communication between nerve cells
- Promoting the formation of new nerve cells (neurons)
- Regulating the expression of certain genes associated with cognition
- Helping to regulate certain hormones
- Increasing neuroplasticity
- Protecting brain cells from inflammation, oxidative stress, and damage
- Blocking certain enzymes that contribute to neurodegeneration
- Improving synaptic function
How to Start With Peptide Therapy
If you’re interested in getting started with peptide therapy to support your brain health, the first step is to be clear about your specific goals. This will help you (and your practitioner) to determine which peptide(s) may be best for you.
As peptide treatments grow in popularity, many wellness centers are starting to offer therapy protocols personalized to your individual goals, concerns, and health history.
Other factors to take into consideration before beginning peptide therapy include cost and availability in your local area.
Whether in supplement, IV, or nasal spray form, many specialized peptides are quite expensive, with treatment protocols (including for general wellness) often costing several hundred dollars per month.
However, some options are significantly less costly. These include peptide blends that you may find at your local health food store, which might be less concentrated or potent than individual peptide therapies, but may still be effective.
As some peptides must be administered via IV or intramuscular injection (many peptides have very low bioavailability when taken orally – in other words, your body doesn’t absorb them well), you may also need to look into whether any clinics in your area offer the treatments you’re looking for.
Peptides are thought to be most effective when combined with other brain-supporting habits, especially the foundations of a balanced and anti-inflammatory diet, a regular fitness routine, a mindfulness practice, and getting adequate sleep.
They may also work well alongside other supplements, medications, and treatments for cognitive support, depending on your individual condition.
Research is still in the relatively early stages for many of the nootropic (cognition supporting) peptides currently in use. There is still more to learn about long term effectiveness and safety. However, as of now, side effects are thought to be generally rare and minimal. Side effect risks vary depending on the peptide and the condition being treated.
Possible side effects may include:
- Allergic reactions (including swelling, rashes, hives, or trouble breathing)
- Pain, irritation, or swelling at the injection site (if applicable)
- Dizziness
- Temporary fatigue
- Headaches
- Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, or other cardiovascular effects
- Hormonal imbalances
Make sure to speak with a trusted healthcare provider before introducing peptide therapy into your wellness routine or treatment protocol.
Selank Peptide Therapy
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