Peptide Therapy

Peptide therapy is a range of treatments that improve your body’s natural processes. Peptides consist of small groups of amino acids designed to stimulate a specific function in the human body. ⁽¹⁾ They are naturally occurring and play a crucial role in countless physiological processes, as they are the “building blocks” of proteins. ⁽¹⁾

Due to their wide range of functions, peptide therapy is a treatment modality that allows us to treat many different age-related health symptoms in men and women, such as weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and even skin laxity, just to name a few.

“Peptide therapy is a great treatment modality I frequently recommend to my patients struggling with a number of metabolic health issues like visceral body fat, low muscle mass, poor cognition, and systemic inflammation.”

-Dr. Shapiro

At TribecaMed, we only offer FDA-approved peptides as this ensures patient safety and treatment effectiveness. Dr. Jason Shapiro has more than 20 years of experience in internal and anti-aging medical fields. For personalized care and proven results, call our office in Miami Beach at (305) 763-8832 or fill our online contact form.

When considering peptide therapy, it is important to note that only a few peptides are currently FDA-approved for clinical use:

About Peptides

Peptide therapy can offer numerous beneficial applications. At TribecaMed, we offer the following FDA-approved peptides for clinical use.

Sermorelin

Sermorelin is a peptide that mimics a natural hormone called Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) which then stimulates the pituitary gland to produce growth hormone. The net result is an increase in both pituitary health and function as a person ages. ⁽²⁾ By helping your body increase natural growth hormone production, Sermorelin helps to provide some of the same benefits. Optimizing natural growth hormone production is helpful because our bodies produce less growth hormone over time, and we begin to lose out on some of its benefits as a result. ⁽²⁾ Sermorelin is taken as a small, subcutaneous shot or as a sublingual lozenge (or troche).

Dr. Shapiro recommends Sermorelin to be taken at night before bed. Patients who receive Sermorelin treatment may notice several benefits, including but not limited to increased muscle mass, weight loss, reduction in abdominal fat, faster metabolism, improved sleep, better mental focus, and even improved skin elasticity, just to name a few.

Sermorelin may offer a more immediate and better alternative to other methods for growth hormone replacement therapy in aging. ⁽²⁾ Dr. Shapiro prefers this method of growth hormone optimization because it closely mimics the natural process, as opposed to other methods that have a less effective response. It helps slow specific hormone failure, which can help promote more youthful physiological traits. ⁽²⁾

Glutathione

Glutathione is a type of antioxidant that helps the body regulate many different important types of vitamins. ⁽³⁾ It also helps detox the body from harmful toxins or drug interactions. Glutathione also regulates the metabolism of the cells’ mitochondria and helps protect these cells from damage that can be caused by unregulated, unstable molecules. ⁽³⁾ By raising the glutathione levels in the body, this antioxidant can help prevent chronic conditions and diseases. By protecting cells from damage and vulnerability to disease, glutathione has anti-aging qualities that can lead to a healthier life. ⁽³⁾

Common benefits of glutathione therapy include

✔ Strong antioxidant activity

✔ Reduces inflammation and oxidative damage

✔ Supports fertility optimization

✔ Supports liver detoxification

✔ Reduces insulin resistance

✔ Improves cardiovascular health & immune function

✔ Slows cellular aging process

GAC

GAC (Glutamine/Arginine/L-Carnitine) is a blend of three different amino acids. By combining these amino acids into one treatment, we can help provide treatment for a variety of health concerns.

NAD+

NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is not a peptide, but a coenzyme that is crucial in carrying out a number of natural processes on a cellular level, such as DNA repair, metabolism, and other processes involving enzymes. ⁽⁷⁾ According to recent studies, replenishing NAD+ levels in the body can help reverse cell damage in tissue where fat or other tissue has broken down, even in the brain. ⁽⁷⁾ What’s more, promoting NAD+ levels has been considered an effective therapy method for addressing and improving age-associated degenerative diseases as a whole. NAD+ is also a beneficial factor in healthy enzyme activity. ⁽⁷⁾

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a multifaceted peptide and neurotransmitter with numerous benefits across various aspects of health. It can also be used as a potent anti-aging treatment modality. (8) This is because it plays a pivotal role in enhancing social bonding, emotional closeness, and sexual intimacy all of which are vital for building strong relationships. ⁽⁸⁾ Additionally, oxytocin has a calming effect that helps reduce stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels, promoting relaxation, and improving mood. ⁽⁸⁾ Beyond its psychological benefits, oxytocin enhances sexual function by increasing arousal and facilitating orgasm. Lastly, it also has cardioprotective effects, helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. These benefits highlight the importance of oxytocin in both physical and emotional health, making it a key player in overall well-being.

Benefits of Peptide Therapy

Depending on the type of peptide therapy you receive, the following benefits may apply:

Candidates

Peptide therapy provides an effective treatment solution designed to optimize your health. There are countless applications for peptide therapy including anti-aging, fat loss, muscle building, tissue, repair, and optimizing growth hormone production, and improving sexual intimacy just to name a few. If you have a goal of addressing any of these issues, peptide therapy may be a great option for you. After your initial consultation, Dr. Shapiro will let you know if you would benefit from receiving peptide therapy.

Private Consultation

Prior to deciding what kind of peptide therapy will benefit you, it is important to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Shapiro at TribecaMed’s Miami Beach location. During this consultation, he will review your medical history, listen to your questions and concerns, and correlate how you feel with your blood work results. Dr. Shapiro will then create a personalized peptide treatment plan to address your health focus areas. Call our team today at (305)763-8832 or fill our online contact form so that we can schedule your consultation as soon as possible.

Preparation

The first step in your peptide therapy experience includes fasting blood work, which will be followed by a scheduled consultation with Dr. Shapiro in order to identify the best peptide therapy program to address your main health concerns.

Procedure

Each peptide therapy follows a specific protocol depending on the treatment modality: injection, oral capsule, or troche, etc. Usually, peptide therapies require at least 6-9 months in order to elicit an effective anti-aging result. After receiving detailed instructions, many steps of the peptide therapy process will be taken on your own. However, our experienced patient coordinators will be here to help you along the way if you have any questions or concerns. A check-in appointment will most likely be scheduled at our office so that our team can check on how you are doing with your peptide therapy plan.

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

BHRT is a treatment at TribecaMed that aims to resolve low hormone levels. Like peptide therapy, rebalancing hormones can have an energizing effect and help prevent age-related health conditions. It can also improve libido, increase strength, boost cognition, and lessen body fat. This highly customizable treatment is available for both men and women.

Pellet Therapy

Pellet therapy is a treatment meant to encourage an ongoing, more natural replacement of testosterone or estrogen. During this pain-free treatment, we insert hormone pellets beneath the skin. These pellets will release the designated hormone over the course of months.

Pellet therapy is an effective alternative to daily creams or weekly injections. Dr. Shapiro recommends pellet therapy to bioidentical HRT patients who prefer a more convenient approach to receiving testosterone or estrogen replacement.

Personalized Supplement Program

Frequently, you can expect to get the most out of your peptide therapy with a personalized supplement program that supports its effectiveness. To address this, Dr. Shapiro will identify which pharmaceutical-grade supplements support your recommended peptide program. He will design a treatment plan that is tailored specifically to you.

Cost of Peptide Therapy in Miami

The cost of peptide therapy depends on your individual treatment plan. To find out more, and to book a personal consultation with Dr. Shapiro, please call us at (305) 763-8832 or fill out our online contact form.

FAQ

References

1. Barman P, Joshi S, Sharma S, Simran Preet, Sharma S, Saini A. Strategic Approaches to Improvise Peptide Drugs as Next Generation Therapeutics. International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics. 2023;29(4). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-023-10524-3
2. Walker RF. Sermorelin: A better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency? Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2006;1(4):307-308. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.307
3. Hristov BD. The Role of Glutathione Metabolism in Chronic Illness Development and Its Potential Use as a Novel Therapeutic Target. Cureus. Published online September 28, 2022. doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.29696
4. Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, Curi R, Newsholme P. Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1564. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10111564
5. Tapiero H, Mathé G, Couvreur P, Tew KD. I. Arginine. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2002;56(9):439-445. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0753-3322(02)00284-6
6. Vecchio M, Chiaramonte R, Testa G, Pavone V. Clinical Effects of L-Carnitine Supplementation on Physical Performance in Healthy Subjects, the Key to Success in Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis from the Rehabilitation Point of View. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. 2021;6(4):93. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk6040093
7. Covarrubias AJ, Perrone R, Grozio A, Verdin E. NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. 2020;22(2):119-141. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-020-00313-x
8. Stevenson JR, McMahon EK, Boner W, Haussmann MF. Oxytocin administration prevents cellular aging caused by social isolation. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019;103:52-60. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.006