Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFunctionsTypesUsesSide EffectsFood Sources
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Functions
Types
Uses
Side Effects
Food Sources
Different peptides play key roles in several functions within the body, including blood pressure regulation and balancing extracellular fluids. They are also the basis of various medications and supplements. Some peptide supplements may help reduce inflammation, boost wound healing and collagen formation, and build muscle.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
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What Do Peptides Do?
Peptides play many roles in the human body. Some peptides and their functions include:
Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone): This peptide hormone is secreted in the hypothalamus—a small area located in the center of your brain. Vasopressin has two main functions:
Defensins:These peptides are mostly active in the immune system and are thought to be antimicrobial, hence promoting the wound healing process.
Types of Peptides
There are two types of peptides:
Peptides are categorized based on whether they come from plants or animals and the length of the amino acid chain. For example, dipeptides have two amino acids, whereasoligopeptideshave a few amino acids, and polypeptides have between 20 to 50 amino acids.
Uses for Peptides
Peptides possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, andantithrombotic(anti-clotting) effects, among others.
Peptides in Drugs
As of 2017, more than 80 peptide drugs have been approved in the U.S. and other markets around the world. Peptides used in medicines are either naturally occurring or synthetic. Examples of peptide drugs include the following:
Many peptides are currently being studied for use in treating different kinds of cancers. Research shows thatatrial natriureticpeptide (ANP), for instance, can be potentially effective in treating colorectal cancer.
Peptide-Based Vaccines
Peptides play a special role in vaccines. Peptide-based vaccines mimic proteins that are naturally present in pathogens (germs that cause disease), allowing for certain responses to be replicated with what is usually a synthetic vaccine.
Peptide-based vaccines hold plenty of potential, however, they aren’t without their limitations. While the medical and scientific communities hope to develop an effective Alzheimer’s vaccine in the future, the difference between vaccines based on inactive or weakened pathogens and peptide-based vaccines is significant.
Pathogen-based vaccines tend to cause a greater immune response which often leads to better protection.
Jessica Olah / Verywell
Dietary Supplements
Many supplements contain peptides because of their potential health benefits.
Antiaging:Collagen is one of the substances that form skin, bone, and cartilage. Collagen peptides are simply small pieces of collagen. Some studies suggest thatcollagen peptide supplementscan help increase skin elasticity and hydration.Thesesupplementsmay also be able to increase collagen density in the dermis.
Improved wound healing:Collagen is used in various wound treatments, including wound dressings for burn injury scaffolds. Collagen-boosting peptides can rebuild and restore the skin while promoting the production of the extracellular matrix (ECM), a three-dimensional network of collagen, enzymes, and other macromolecules (large molecules that are vital for the body).
Antimicrobial peptides can serve both roles, regenerating skin while providing antimicrobial protection. Peptide wound healing support is especially valuable for people with disrupted healing functions, such as people with diabetes who have non-healing injuries and wounds.
Cosmetics
Due to their potential anti-aging benefits, many topical creams and skin care formulations contain peptides. Some studies have shown that topical application of some peptides may have positive effects on aged and photodamaged skin.
Safety Concerns of Peptide HormonesSupplements containing peptide hormones are often marketed for weight loss and muscle growth. They are produced synthetically (in a laboratory) for use in prescription and experimental drugs to treat various disorders and diseases.However, misuse or unapproved use of these supplements can cause serious health problems. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits the use of all peptide hormones.
Safety Concerns of Peptide Hormones
Supplements containing peptide hormones are often marketed for weight loss and muscle growth. They are produced synthetically (in a laboratory) for use in prescription and experimental drugs to treat various disorders and diseases.However, misuse or unapproved use of these supplements can cause serious health problems. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits the use of all peptide hormones.
Supplements containing peptide hormones are often marketed for weight loss and muscle growth. They are produced synthetically (in a laboratory) for use in prescription and experimental drugs to treat various disorders and diseases.
However, misuse or unapproved use of these supplements can cause serious health problems. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits the use of all peptide hormones.
Side Effects of Peptides
Peptides are usually safe when taken according to the intended use, such as in prescribed medications, vaccines, dietary supplements, or cosmetics. However, abusing peptide hormones (such as insulin, growth hormone, thyroid hormones, anderythropoietin) to promote skeletal muscle growth and/or improved physical fitness can cause serious acute problems, such as:
Peptide hormone abuse can also increase the long-term risk for:
Peptides in Food
Some protein foods are a source of bioactive peptides—the smaller amino acid structures in protein that become active in the body. Emerging research indicates bioactive peptides may have positive health effects, but to date, most research has been conducted in laboratories, not in humans.
A variety of plant and animal food proteins have bioactive peptides, including:
These bioactive peptides are thought to have antimicrobial, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These characteristics could be beneficial in treating gastrointestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and other chronic health conditions, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes.
More research is needed to understand how the digestion and absorption of these bioactive peptides impact the potential health benefits.
Summary
Peptides are compounds that carry out many important functions in the human body. They’re also used and being studied extensively, for the treatment and management of medical conditions and health issues.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Akbarian M, Khani A, Eghbalpour S, et al.Bioactive peptides: synthesis, sources, applications, and proposed mechanisms of action. IJMS. 2022;23(3):1445. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031445Wang L, Wang N, Zhang W, et al.Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Sig Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7(1):48. doi: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4Medline Plus.Desmopressin.Medline Plus.Cyclosporine.Garrido MP, Hernandez A, Vega M, Araya E, Romero C.Conventional and new proposals of GnRH therapy for ovarian, breast, and prostatic cancers.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1143261. Published 2023 Mar 28. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1143261Baig M, Ahmad K, Saeed M et al.Peptide based therapeutics and their use for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other diseases.Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;103:574-581. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.025Malonis R, Lai J, Vergnolle O.Peptide-based vaccines: Current progress and future challenges.Chem Rev. 2019;120(6):3210-3229. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00472Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W.A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study.Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494Sorushanova A, Delgado LM, Wu Z, et al.The Collagen Suprafamily: From Biosynthesis to Advanced Biomaterial Development. Adv Mater. 2019 Jan;31(1):e1801651. doi: 10.1002/adma.201801651Gomes A, Teixeira C, Ferraz R, Prudêncio C, Gomes P.Wound-healing peptides for treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and other infected skin injuries.Molecules. 2017;22(10):1743. doi:10.3390/molecules22101743Aguilar-Toalá JE, Hernández-Mendoza A, González-Córdova AF, Vallejo-Cordoba B, Liceaga AM.Potential role of natural bioactive peptides for development of cosmeceutical skin products.Peptides. 2019;122:170170. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2019.170170Department of Defense Operation Supplement Safety.Peptide hormones as ingredients in supplements.Ferrari CK.Aspectos críticos do abuso de hormônios protéicos no exercício e no esporte: atualização [Critical aspects of peptide hormone abuse in exercise and sports: an update]. Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba. 2013;70(3):153-62. Portuguese. PMID: 24646931.Rutherfurd-Markwick KJ.Food proteins as a source of bioactive peptides with diverse functions. Br J Nutr. 2012;108(S2):S149-S157. doi:10.1017/S000711451200253XChakrabarti S, Guha S, Majumder K.Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 12;10(11):1738. doi: 10.3390/nu10111738Additional ReadingAsserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J.The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(4):291-301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174National Human Genome Research Institute.Peptides.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Akbarian M, Khani A, Eghbalpour S, et al.Bioactive peptides: synthesis, sources, applications, and proposed mechanisms of action. IJMS. 2022;23(3):1445. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031445Wang L, Wang N, Zhang W, et al.Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Sig Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7(1):48. doi: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4Medline Plus.Desmopressin.Medline Plus.Cyclosporine.Garrido MP, Hernandez A, Vega M, Araya E, Romero C.Conventional and new proposals of GnRH therapy for ovarian, breast, and prostatic cancers.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1143261. Published 2023 Mar 28. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1143261Baig M, Ahmad K, Saeed M et al.Peptide based therapeutics and their use for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other diseases.Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;103:574-581. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.025Malonis R, Lai J, Vergnolle O.Peptide-based vaccines: Current progress and future challenges.Chem Rev. 2019;120(6):3210-3229. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00472Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W.A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study.Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494Sorushanova A, Delgado LM, Wu Z, et al.The Collagen Suprafamily: From Biosynthesis to Advanced Biomaterial Development. Adv Mater. 2019 Jan;31(1):e1801651. doi: 10.1002/adma.201801651Gomes A, Teixeira C, Ferraz R, Prudêncio C, Gomes P.Wound-healing peptides for treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and other infected skin injuries.Molecules. 2017;22(10):1743. doi:10.3390/molecules22101743Aguilar-Toalá JE, Hernández-Mendoza A, González-Córdova AF, Vallejo-Cordoba B, Liceaga AM.Potential role of natural bioactive peptides for development of cosmeceutical skin products.Peptides. 2019;122:170170. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2019.170170Department of Defense Operation Supplement Safety.Peptide hormones as ingredients in supplements.Ferrari CK.Aspectos críticos do abuso de hormônios protéicos no exercício e no esporte: atualização [Critical aspects of peptide hormone abuse in exercise and sports: an update]. Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba. 2013;70(3):153-62. Portuguese. PMID: 24646931.Rutherfurd-Markwick KJ.Food proteins as a source of bioactive peptides with diverse functions. Br J Nutr. 2012;108(S2):S149-S157. doi:10.1017/S000711451200253XChakrabarti S, Guha S, Majumder K.Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 12;10(11):1738. doi: 10.3390/nu10111738Additional ReadingAsserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J.The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(4):291-301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174National Human Genome Research Institute.Peptides.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Akbarian M, Khani A, Eghbalpour S, et al.Bioactive peptides: synthesis, sources, applications, and proposed mechanisms of action. IJMS. 2022;23(3):1445. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031445Wang L, Wang N, Zhang W, et al.Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Sig Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7(1):48. doi: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4Medline Plus.Desmopressin.Medline Plus.Cyclosporine.Garrido MP, Hernandez A, Vega M, Araya E, Romero C.Conventional and new proposals of GnRH therapy for ovarian, breast, and prostatic cancers.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1143261. Published 2023 Mar 28. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1143261Baig M, Ahmad K, Saeed M et al.Peptide based therapeutics and their use for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other diseases.Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;103:574-581. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.025Malonis R, Lai J, Vergnolle O.Peptide-based vaccines: Current progress and future challenges.Chem Rev. 2019;120(6):3210-3229. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00472Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W.A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study.Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494Sorushanova A, Delgado LM, Wu Z, et al.The Collagen Suprafamily: From Biosynthesis to Advanced Biomaterial Development. Adv Mater. 2019 Jan;31(1):e1801651. doi: 10.1002/adma.201801651Gomes A, Teixeira C, Ferraz R, Prudêncio C, Gomes P.Wound-healing peptides for treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and other infected skin injuries.Molecules. 2017;22(10):1743. doi:10.3390/molecules22101743Aguilar-Toalá JE, Hernández-Mendoza A, González-Córdova AF, Vallejo-Cordoba B, Liceaga AM.Potential role of natural bioactive peptides for development of cosmeceutical skin products.Peptides. 2019;122:170170. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2019.170170Department of Defense Operation Supplement Safety.Peptide hormones as ingredients in supplements.Ferrari CK.Aspectos críticos do abuso de hormônios protéicos no exercício e no esporte: atualização [Critical aspects of peptide hormone abuse in exercise and sports: an update]. Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba. 2013;70(3):153-62. Portuguese. PMID: 24646931.Rutherfurd-Markwick KJ.Food proteins as a source of bioactive peptides with diverse functions. Br J Nutr. 2012;108(S2):S149-S157. doi:10.1017/S000711451200253XChakrabarti S, Guha S, Majumder K.Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 12;10(11):1738. doi: 10.3390/nu10111738
Akbarian M, Khani A, Eghbalpour S, et al.Bioactive peptides: synthesis, sources, applications, and proposed mechanisms of action. IJMS. 2022;23(3):1445. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031445
Wang L, Wang N, Zhang W, et al.Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Sig Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7(1):48. doi: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4
Medline Plus.Desmopressin.
Medline Plus.Cyclosporine.
Garrido MP, Hernandez A, Vega M, Araya E, Romero C.Conventional and new proposals of GnRH therapy for ovarian, breast, and prostatic cancers.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1143261. Published 2023 Mar 28. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1143261
Baig M, Ahmad K, Saeed M et al.Peptide based therapeutics and their use for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other diseases.Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;103:574-581. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.025
Malonis R, Lai J, Vergnolle O.Peptide-based vaccines: Current progress and future challenges.Chem Rev. 2019;120(6):3210-3229. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00472
Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W.A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study.Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494
Sorushanova A, Delgado LM, Wu Z, et al.The Collagen Suprafamily: From Biosynthesis to Advanced Biomaterial Development. Adv Mater. 2019 Jan;31(1):e1801651. doi: 10.1002/adma.201801651
Gomes A, Teixeira C, Ferraz R, Prudêncio C, Gomes P.Wound-healing peptides for treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and other infected skin injuries.Molecules. 2017;22(10):1743. doi:10.3390/molecules22101743
Aguilar-Toalá JE, Hernández-Mendoza A, González-Córdova AF, Vallejo-Cordoba B, Liceaga AM.Potential role of natural bioactive peptides for development of cosmeceutical skin products.Peptides. 2019;122:170170. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2019.170170
Department of Defense Operation Supplement Safety.Peptide hormones as ingredients in supplements.
Ferrari CK.Aspectos críticos do abuso de hormônios protéicos no exercício e no esporte: atualização [Critical aspects of peptide hormone abuse in exercise and sports: an update]. Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba. 2013;70(3):153-62. Portuguese. PMID: 24646931.
Rutherfurd-Markwick KJ.Food proteins as a source of bioactive peptides with diverse functions. Br J Nutr. 2012;108(S2):S149-S157. doi:10.1017/S000711451200253X
Chakrabarti S, Guha S, Majumder K.Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 12;10(11):1738. doi: 10.3390/nu10111738
Asserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J.The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(4):291-301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174National Human Genome Research Institute.Peptides.
Asserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J.The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trials.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(4):291-301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174
National Human Genome Research Institute.Peptides.
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