What Are Peptide Bioregulators, and How Do They Work?

About 50 years ago, Professor Vladimir Khavinson, who was the Director of the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology until his death on January 6, 2024, initiated research on bioregulatory peptides. What are bioregulators: bioregulators are substances that naturally occur in the body and play a regulatory role in various physiological processes. They are involved in maintaining balance, optimizing function, and promoting overall well-being. Bioregulators can include peptides, proteins, hormones, enzymes, and other molecules that have specific effects on different organs, tissues, and systems. The most common are bioregulators peptides. His clinical and experimental studies demonstrated the importance of short peptides as bioregulatory molecules of a variety of fundamental biological processes. Since then, short peptide-based therapy has become a reality; studies on the functions of these short chains of amino acids, which have great powers in regulating, normalizing and improving numerous metabolic processes, have had great development.

Short peptides can help you in many ways

Always new products based on short peptides are available and, although these compounds cannot be considered as medicines, they can effectively help relieve the symptoms of certain diseases, prevent the occurrence of pathological conditions, contribute to increasing people’s overall state of well-being and helping them have a better life. One of the peculiarities of these biological compounds, made of short amino acid chains, is the great ease in permeating biological membranes, carrying information inside the cells and interacting with important molecules such as DNA and proteins. Prof. Khavinson, in addition to studying the efficacy of short peptides for human health, have developed a technology for the production of biologically active complex peptide preparations from extracts of different tissues. Do peptide bioregulators work? Peptide bioregulators have shown promising potential in various areas, but it is important to note that scientific research on their efficacy is still ongoing. Studies have suggested that peptide bioregulators may have positive effects on specific organs, systems, and physiological processes. They are believed to interact with cellular receptors, triggering beneficial responses that support optimal functioning and promote overall well-being.

Short peptides target specific body organs and biological processes

Epithalamin (of which the synthetic analogue, Epitalon) is the main active ingredient in the Nanopep EPITIDE® supplement. It is a short peptide which can increase the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, and improve the immunological parameters. It has been demonstrated how Epithalamin can eliminate imbalance in pro-oxidation and antioxidation systems, and therefore have geroprotective and antiaging effects. Based on data on the amino acid composition of peptide bioregulators, new principles have been developed for the design of short biologically active peptides endowed with tissue-specific activities. Thymus-specific dipeptides and heart, liver, cerebral cortex, and pineal gland-specific tetrapeptides have been found to stimulate the in vitro growth of explants of the respective organs. Epitalon reproduces the antiaging effects of Epithalamin, including those related to its geroprotective activity; it has also been shown to restore the circadian rhythms of melatonin and cortisol production, prolong the functional integrity of the retina and improve visual functions in patients with retinal pigment degeneration.

Who Can Benefit from Peptide Bioregulators

As peptide bioregulators regulate various biological processes, optimizing the body at the cellular level, the benefits depend on the focus area. They contribute to treating various disorders and dysfunctions, staying perfectly safe. With their small size (significantly active ultrashort ones consist of up to 7 amino acids), they affect specific gene activity and, as a result, protein synthesis to boost health and longevity by managing the targeted healing or aging process. Thus, tissue-specific peptides are focused on specific organs. For instance, Timalin is derived from calf thymus to regulate immune function, Epithalamin is derived from the pineal gland to regulate melatonin production, and Retinalamin is derived from animal retinal tissue to regulate retinal cell function in humans. Altogether, lots of goals can be achieved, like:

• improving concentration, providing memory and cognitive support;
• managing stress and sleep;
• regulating the thyroid gland to boost immune health;
• normalizing functions of the retina and the visual system;
• optimizing the ovary structure and function;
• enhancing lifespan and healthy aging, etc.

Those who want or need to get the above benefits and restore homeostasis in specific physiological systems can take specifically designed peptide bioregulators, which will activate the body’s natural mechanisms.

Current Research on Peptide Bioregulators

There are long-term studies on pharmacodynamic, biological characteristics, and the clinical efficacy of peptide bioregulators. In particular, their potential to slow aging is explored. For instance, during the last 25 years, Epitalon has been studied in silico, in vitro, and in vivo. The obvious neuroendocrine and anti-aging effect has been proven. This synthetic peptide influences melatonin synthesis, stimulates antioxidant defenses, and restores reproductive function in humans. It has been shown that it increases lifespan. Still, it remains uncertain whether it acts just in this sole way. Clinical trials of peptide bioregulators (in actual human volunteers) have also proven their efficacy to enhance the function of respective organs. Thus, there are new concepts in science as to the design of short tissue-specific peptides that perform functions typical to specific tissues. Principal fields for scientific research are as follows:

• gerontology (slowing down aging, restoring organ function, etc.);
• neurobiology (related to the central nervous system, memory, emotions, and adaptation processes);
• pharmacology (developing new supportive supplements based on peptide regulators for the treatment of specific health conditions).

Scientists are focused on the key benefits of peptide therapy, including high target specificity and selectivity. They work on new delivery systems to enable controlled release with targeted delivery of short peptides to specific tissues or cells.

What Science Can and Cannot Confirm about Peptide Bioregulators

Thus, despite an increasing number of supportive supplements based on peptide bioregulators, the science news in this field remains quite limited due to ongoing research. As of today, evidence-based findings include:

• efficacy for specified therapeutic purposes;
• longevity and anti-aging benefits;
• DNA binding has been proven in vitro.

There are still challenges, like:

• insufficient proof of cell nuclear penetration to interact with DNA;
• dosage is often not standardized.

Not all peptide bioregulators, offering potential for healthy aging and wellness, are FDA-approved. That is why they remain in a legal twilight zone in the USA, even though numerous tests have confirmed that short peptides are safe and efficient.

Nanopep is at the cutting edge of short peptide-based supplements

Based on these studies, Nanopep’s Research and Development department has developed an innovative class of efficient short peptides supplements, which can positively interact with many key biological processes. Nanopep’s NATURA SANAT thyroid health formula®, which contains an ovary complex of seven different aminoacids and oligoelements such as Zinc, Iodine and Selenium, has powerful beneficial effect for the normalization of the functional state of the thyroid. Ovary complex, Vitamin E and Folic acid, which are the components of NATURA SANAT women’s health formula® is useful for regulating and strengthening the delicate biological structures of the ovary, and its benefits include:

• Maximize the women’s reproductive system health and reserves
• Support the reproductive system during preparation for pregnancy
• Participate in the regulation of the menstrual cycle and alleviates the unpleasant symptoms of menopause

To normalize the functional state of the retina, Nanopep’s R & D teams created NATURA SANAT vision health formula, a supplement that can bring positive effects on this key organ of human body, including:

• Support and prolong the healthy function of the visual system
• Alleviate the symptoms of retinopathy of different genesis
• Help the recovering from the visual system surgeries

AEDG (EPITALON®) and EDR (PINEALON) are two effective short peptides active in STRESSFOLL®, a specifically designed supplement useful for normalising the functional state of the brain. Stressfoll® also contains various vitamins, such as Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6), Biotin (B8), Choline and Selenium. This product has a multiplicity of positive effects on our body, including:

• Boost memory and concentration levels
• Stimulate cognitive functions
• Protect against various neurodegenerative diseases

All of these features of Stressfoll® promote the activation and normalization of brain reserves and produce a range of benefits to combat current diseases and prevent new ones.  Sources

• [Peptide bioregulators: the new class of geroprotectors. Communication 1. Results of experimental studies]. Khavinson VKh, Kuznik BI, Ryzhak GA.
• [Age features of bioregulatory therapy of dental diseases.]. Pinelis IS, Pinelis YI, Kuznik BI, Iordanishvili AK, Vasiliev MA.
• [35-year experience in research of peptide regulation of aging]. Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN.
• Anti-aging peptide bioregulators induce reactivation of chromatin. Lezhava T, Monaselidze J, Kadotani T, Dvalishvili N, Buadze T.
• Life span extension and cancer risk: myths and reality. Anisimov VN.