Are Peptides Foundational or Optional?

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00:00:05:21 – 00:00:22:05
Synergee
Welcome, Synergee listeners. On this episode of the Synergee Podcast, we are diving into one of the most exciting frontiers in functional and regenerative medicine peptides. Joining us today is Michael Antonelli, founder of Health Devotee, a cutting edge health optimization company
specializing in longevity hormone optimization, regenerative therapies, and, of course, peptides with a mission to help individuals unlock their full healing and performance potential, Michael blends clinical expertise with the latest science to support patients with customized protocols for energy resilience, metabolism, sexual health, and more in functional medicine Ridgeland MS.

00:00:42:23 – 00:00:51:15
Synergee
If you’ve heard the word peptides, but you aren’t quite sure how they work or how they differ from other therapies, this episode is your deep dive.

00:00:51:15 – 00:00:58:22
Synergee
So lean in, get your favorite writing utensil and take some really good notes. We are so excited that you joined us today.

00:00:58:22 – 00:01:03:00
Synergee
This is not necessarily a new topic, but it’s kind of a hot topic right now in functional medicine Ridgeland MS.

00:01:03:06 – 00:01:28:04
Synergee
And I’ve had lots of people calling into the clinic asking the question, do you guys do peptides? And it was my team that first came to you with that question. I’m like, silly girl. We’ve been doing peptides for a long time. Glutathione is a peptide. Insulin is a peptide. Like what is that? You know. But the peptides we’re going to dig into what they are, what they do to the body and how our body naturally makes peptides, how we can use peptides as a tool to improve vitality in your wellness journey Ridgeland MS.

00:01:28:04 – 00:01:30:23
Synergee
And so we’re super glad that you’re here today for this conversation.

00:01:30:23 – 00:01:45:15
Synergee
So Michael, we got to start with the story, right. The story behind the story. Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to be here with us today. So tell us, how did you land in this peptide space? Did it all start here to start in healthcare? Where did it start?

00:01:45:15 – 00:01:48:07
Michael
Great place to start and thank you for having me on today.

00:01:48:07 – 00:02:13:01
Michael
It’s truly a pleasure to be here and to be able to impact your community. But the journey started about two decades ago in the nutraceutical world and started with the company medics, rubbing elbows and learning from people like Jeffrey Bland and Mark Hyman. And at that point I really saw what the power of natural therapy can be or should be, especially when you layer in eating right, moving right, thinking right.

00:02:13:01 – 00:02:30:08
Michael
And I was like, okay, I’m all in. What do I do from here? And you just start networking and learning and educating and you almost get angry at the same time because you’re like, well, what do you mean, a doctor is it supposed to be more than five minutes or wait, why don’t I just leave? What? What five prescriptions?

00:02:30:08 – 00:02:59:21
Michael
I’m leaving. What natural opportunities. Right. I got an, a Dex or an in body scan, or a blood chemistry that revolved around more than a CBC and a CMP. So at that point, I knew that I wanted to end up starting my own company to help more people. And over the last 20 years, I had different leadership positions with a variety of nutraceutical companies and also I dabbled in the bioidentical hormone world that at that point is where I was seeing firsthand the power of peptides.

00:02:59:21 – 00:03:24:03
Michael
So when your hormones are optimized, when you’re utilizing things like peptides and the right nutraceuticals, I saw transformations right before me. And then Covid hit. And like so many of us took that time to really reflect on where do I want to go from here, what I want my legacy to be? Do I want to keep working for these big companies, collecting a nice paycheck, or do I want to really disrupt what’s happening?

00:03:24:05 – 00:03:59:20
Michael
And at that point, I had developed some really good contacts all over the world with different unique bio actors and ingredients and emerging technologies where I could easily start shifting the conversation around health span optimization and harnessing the hallmarks of aging through the very best of the very best. And that’s where I saw the opportunity of peptides, because at that point, the FDA was starting to get their hands on the 503 A and B compounded versions where I saw an opportunity open up was with there are peptides that can be done orally, not all of them, but there are some.

00:03:59:22 – 00:04:27:08
Michael
And at that point, I started seeing on the R&D side companies that were already creating these research centers where they were identifying peptides naturally occurring in nature and ramping up human clinical studies. So all the knocks on peptides before that were you can’t do morally and there’s no human data. Very quickly I was able to disrupt that, but also blend peptide therapy with classical conventional nutraceutical therapy under one brand.

00:04:27:10 – 00:04:44:12
Michael
And so that’s where Chevy was born, where we started shifting and started not talking about lifespan so much, but about health span and things that we could be doing and incorporating every day that can make tremendous differences in our quality of life, how we’re feeling and how well we’re aging.

00:04:44:12 – 00:04:59:19
Synergee
and I love that you talked about, you know, how we think, how we move our body, what we’re feeding ourselves matters. And I see peptides kind of as the cherry on the top right. And we’re doing all these things to make things work better. So for our audience, let’s back up and talk about what is a peptide, great place to start. And peptides are small strings of amino acids.

00:05:05:17 – 00:05:35:21
Michael
So you have amino acids, peptides and then proteins. So peptides are chains of amino acids ranging from two to around 40 amino acid chains. There’s some peptides that are more than 50. But in our sweet spot, especially on the oral side, we like to go for smaller chains. But peptides are there to help communicate fix some of the wiring within our body, similar to what power lines are doing in our neighborhoods, right where you’ll see, you know, we’ll lose power, but only a block’s affected or a town’s affected.

00:05:35:21 – 00:05:57:00
Michael
Not usually the whole state. Peptides are there to actually fix that cell to cell communication. So you hit it on it earlier. Insulin, glutathione are peptides. You might have also heard about the GLP ones. These are also peptides. So there’s so many different things happening from injection to oral to topical that the listeners are starting to be like they’re perking up.

00:05:57:00 – 00:06:10:10
Michael
They’re okay. What’s going on here? Why aren’t I on a peptide? And they’re coming to you saying, what do I need? Tell me, guide me now. But it’s a tremendous time in healthcare with the power of peptides to elevate a variety of protocols.

00:06:10:10 – 00:06:27:13
Synergee
And there’s a complete amount of, I would say, misunderstanding or mis miseducation. So hence the reason why we do things like this is because it is so important for them to understand, you know, not only what it is, it’s the uniqueness of the individuality of each of them.

00:06:27:18 – 00:06:52:01
Synergee
And I know we’ll get there. But also what your company does in combining these peptides with nutraceuticals as well, nutritional support inside and the nice synergy in the blends of them too. So I love how you explain that, I think they’re getting a bad rap in some respects for those people that there’s this polarization that’s happened, particularly in the area of GLP ones.

00:06:52:01 – 00:07:15:04
Michael
Right. They’re either good or they’re bad. And I think what we’re here to dispel today and, and maybe demystify in some ways and, you know, talk about more and encourage is that they’re not good or bad. It is again unique for the person to specifically repair and heal. So let’s go to the regenerative piece of that.

00:07:15:06 – 00:07:20:11
Synergee
So how do peptides actually repair? How do they work?

00:07:20:11 – 00:07:35:18
Michael
Yeah. Great question. Because when we think about some of the peptides that are more well known, specifically some of the thymic peptides in BPC 157 that are known for their regenerative and repair mechanisms, what peptides are doing? Again, getting back to that analogy of the wires, right.

00:07:35:18 – 00:07:55:04
Michael
In our neighborhood, when communication is impaired, so is our ability to heal and repair more efficiently. So I always like to say when we were younger and we got that paper cut, we’re able to bounce right back. But we think about that older person that gets the paper cut and they’re bleeding longer, they’re bruising longer. Their healing is longer.

00:07:55:10 – 00:08:19:18
Michael
That’s what’s happening because signaling is impaired. And what our body’s naturally producing to facilitate resolution is impaired. So peptides are going back in and fixing the communication, fixing the message to allow the body to naturally thrive on its own. Or back when we were in our prime. And this is why you start looking at where the regeneration properties were shining.

00:08:19:18 – 00:08:41:19
Michael
It was bodybuilders. It was athletes who were looking for that edge were willing to take more risk. One, it’s more animal studies versus human studies. And we saw that population be enhanced, be changed. And these are people that are already on so much. I always like to say when you’re already a high supplement user, you’re doing a lot of things.

00:08:41:21 – 00:09:09:17
Michael
Both, you know, some approve, some not a pro, but you could take and pinpoint that one thing made a difference, and you’re seeing a lot of peptides be used for that reason. When we could heal more efficiently, we’re healthier. We stay on the field better. We’re regenerating in between workouts. That allows our foundation, our structure, to be in a better position to bounce back or get more reps, or whether it’s pre-surgery or it’s the bone fracture.

00:09:09:17 – 00:09:17:21
Michael
There’s so many instances that the utilization of these peptides are enhancing the healing process dramatically.

00:09:18:03 – 00:09:19:14
Synergee
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00:09:24:12 – 00:09:33:07
Synergee
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Synergee
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00:09:48:01 – 00:10:06:16
Synergee
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Synergee
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Synergee
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Synergee
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Synergee
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00:10:52:04 – 00:11:17:07
Synerge
So let’s talk about the person that’s having challenges recovering like recovering from exercise. So they exercise. And for three days they’re just super super sore. They can’t make it work. Or they injure themselves every time they start working out. They get into a good routine, then they’re injured and then they can’t exercise because they’re injured. What peptides are typically used in a situation like that to promote the ability to exercise and recover?

00:11:17:07 – 00:11:24:04
Michael
Yeah. So the ones are going to come up a lot, whether in literature or listening to a podcast like this or going to Reddit or going to a health care provider.

00:11:24:10 – 00:11:45:01
Michael
BPC 157 is going to be one that comes up a lot, and the thymus and beta 4 or 500, these are going to be ones that continually come up for its ability to be making a dramatic difference. The nice thing is some of these are injected. Some of these could be done orally. So you have an option depending on what your comfort is or what the availability is.

00:11:45:03 – 00:12:00:13
Michael
And I think the biggest x factor that you hit on before is that there’s the good and there’s the bad. But what we do know as consistent is that when you’re under the right supervision and care of the right provider, that’s where we see the most efficient outcomes, regardless of all the noise outside of this.

00:12:00:13 – 00:12:13:14
Synergee
Yeah. Would you agree that working on the foundation that we talked about earlier is a big part of that picture? Like without the foundation peptides don’t do a whole lot. Right. Or they may cause miscommunication within the body.

00:12:13:14 – 00:12:20:18
Michael
That’s right. You or they’re not going to be as impactful as they could be. You know. So absolutely all this needs to happen.

00:12:20:18 – 00:12:37:18
Michael
This isn’t going to be a magic bullet, but what we’ve seen in bigger protocols can be the X factor, the icing on the cake. And that’s where we see patients that might have hit that plateau or have seen several other providers end up in front of you, and then you’ve got them results that no one else has.

00:12:37:18 – 00:12:46:07
Synergee
Right? I’m sure this is probably just a daily occurrence with both of your offices. Peptides are certainly part of that toolbox for that efficient outcome.

00:12:46:07 – 00:12:59:19
Synergee
Yeah. So Kelly and I had the unique opportunity years ago to embark on the formal education around peptides years ago with anti-aging restorative medicine, which we’re so thankful for.

00:12:59:19 – 00:13:21:09
Synergee
And, you know, that’s what we really try to help other providers understand is how important it is to be educated. But we got so excited walking out of our module like, yes, we can initiate some of these and literally the next day after the class, there were no more peptides, right? It was like this mass shut down.

00:13:21:14 – 00:13:37:21
Synergee
So I just wanted to take a few minutes and talk about what has happened over the last few years in this area of peptides. And, is that still going on and how is that impacting us now?

00:13:37:21 – 00:13:44:03
Michael
Yeah, and I’m no expert on the 503 A or B pharmacy, but I’ll speak on how I’m interpreting it and how we’ll see how that goes.

00:13:44:08 – 00:14:07:11
Michael
But during that time before that, many peptides were in this great area. The 503 A’s and B’s have outlined substances that they have the ability to compound in many of these peptides. We’re not on either list, but it was a gray area. Right. Where were they falling? Where were they categorizing? So pharmacies, especially the ones that were disruptive and innovative.

00:14:07:11 – 00:14:30:11
Synergee
Right. They were going about formulating this and even years before this, the leading peptide pharmacy got hit by the FDA because they were doing a lot of this, but it was really them being isolated. It wasn’t a trickle down effect to other pharmacies. So they continue to compound. Then around that time you were at that training, they put their foot down and said, here’s a list of peptides that don’t have the safety data we’d like them to have.

00:14:30:11 – 00:14:49:11
Michael
So we’re saying they’re not safe until proven otherwise. And with that, that, you know, resolution or outcome. 503 has now had a stand. Try to keep pushing the needle or they do they stop filling these prescriptions. And that left a lot of providers on the front line. Like what do we do? Where do we go from here?

00:14:49:13 – 00:15:11:08
Michael
This also had this trickle effect, because many of those peptides on that list had to be injected in order to be utilized. And bioavailable. That was the unfortunate part. But what that opened up this door, of which peptides can be delivered orally and classify as supplements. And so that’s where you’re seeing this shift of things like BPC 157.

00:15:11:08 – 00:15:39:16
Michael
Also the discovery and utilization of peptide fragments like the thymus and beta four fragment or even bile regulators. Right. The 2 to 3 amino acid chains, all these things started happening. And then in the background where these research companies, who we’re partnering with that are utilizing artificial intelligence in other lab settings where they’re identifying peptides naturally occurring and going through the steps to certify as grass are generally regarded as safe.

00:15:39:21 – 00:16:16:18
Michael
Get the human data that some of these organizations are seeking. And so we’ve been kind of tapping into the best of all these options. But under one brand, identifying peptides that can be delivered orally and safe and identifying the doses that they’re recommended at. While this was all happening, a lot of the 5 or 3 compounding pharmacies were coming together, raising money, labeling, lobbying against what the FDA was saying and since then, some of these peptides have been overturned and now approved or back to be utilized with some clearer guidance and guidelines.

00:16:16:19 – 00:16:43:21
Michael
So again, we haven’t even talked about the black market and research only compounds and chemicals and peptides. But what we do know is that there are a handful of 5 or 3 pharmacies doing the right thing with very high quality standards that are offering peptides through practitioners like you. Then there’s companies like me that for those that don’t want to inject or like what they’re seeing about the oral utilization of certain peptides, we’re in the mix as well.

00:16:43:21 – 00:16:52:19
Synergee
So you mentioned Michael the bio regulators. So what is the difference between a peptide and a bio regulator. Because that’s a relatively new term even for me.

00:16:52:19 – 00:17:08:17
Michael
Yeah, there’s a lot out of Russia. These bio regulators are usually 2 to 3 amino acids. A lot of these are occurring in glandular as they were researched. Doctor, actually, Professor Calvert Stein is the main researcher on a lot of these bio regulators.

00:17:08:19 – 00:17:30:08
Michael
And you’re starting to see these European companies bring in products here, like Nature Marvels, for example, is one of the main bio regulator companies. They’re, they’re, more wide ranging and its modulation in the body. So where peptides are going to be more pinpointed in what we think it’s doing or what it should be doing, the by regulators are more generalized.

00:17:30:08 – 00:17:53:19
Synergee
So like thyroid bio regulator, or vascular or for eyes. Right. It’s more conditioning or, or organ specific. So you’re having this is another tool in the toolbox. And there’s some companies that are combining bio regulators with peptides or putting them into bigger supplements. So you’re going to start seeing that become more and more popular.

00:17:53:21 – 00:18:08:01
Michael
Although similar shortcomings to some of these peptides, a lot of animal data, not a lot of human data yet. And that may change, may not. So you have to really, I think just think about what’s important for you and where you’re at in your healing journey.

00:18:08:01 – 00:18:16:12
Synergee
So with that being said, are there certain disclaimers that are needing to be on certain bottles like what is the speak around that?

00:18:16:12 – 00:18:28:21
Synergee
Like, are companies like yourself having to put that out there that there is only, you know, not enough human research right now, but only research with animals.

00:18:28:21 – 00:18:37:08
Michael
Yeah. Well, I think it’s up to the company to share what they want to disclose, because with our brand, for example, we’re only going through health care practitioners.

00:18:37:08 – 00:19:03:03
Synergee
So there’s already that buffer, that layer where practitioners are doing a workup and advanced assessment to identify what you should be on, how long, how to dose it. And so what we do is we invest in practitioner education and that peer to peer community mentorship environment so we can talk about best practices. We could talk about this fast changing research world and more importantly, how it translates into real world outcomes.

00:19:03:04 – 00:19:24:02
Michael
So we’re trying to do our part, but it takes a whole, ecosphere and environment because we’re just one piece of it. But yeah, I guess it’s you’re right. There’s a lot out there and there’s a lot of options. So we made a decision very early on that we wanted to go through practitioners to be the ones to say, here’s what you need and why.

00:19:24:02 – 00:20:00:11
Synergee
And I have to say we really appreciate that too. That is a hard stance for companies, because we do know from a profitability standpoint that a lot of companies have chosen to go direct to consumers because it does, you know, leverage the finances a little bit better. But we are thankful because we do know that these are being used as a part or should be used as a part of a comprehensive plan, moving the needle towards that health and used, you know, in monitored and regulated and, and in many cases, you know, yes, some of them could be used long term.

00:20:00:17 – 00:20:10:18
Synergee
But I would imagine that just like certain foods are used to heal and walk through different seasons of life, there are certain peptides that will be used in the same way. So it’s not a forever thing.

00:20:10:18 – 00:20:24:13
Michael
No, I always say that we don’t look at any of our therapies or solutions as new multivitamins in your journey. These are short term heavy hammers that you may only need for 30 to 90 days to reassess.

00:20:24:15 – 00:20:40:06
Michael
And you can pulse in and out. But really, you know, our bodies are so unique. One thing for me may not work for you. So it’s really just providing what we feel is these huge formulas dosed correctly that you can consider at different points of your healing.

00:20:40:06 – 00:20:53:06
Synergee
So Lori and I really like to focus on hormone balancing, blood sugar balancing, sex hormone balancing, thyroid hormone balancing. How are peptides different from hormones when it comes to helping create that balance?

00:20:54:19 – 00:21:11:11
Michael
Yeah, I don’t think it’s a replacement. I will tell you if you have inadequate hormone levels. It’s almost like trying to work something that requires batteries, but the batteries are dead. I mean, you can hit that remote as many times as you want.

00:21:11:13 – 00:21:30:15
Michael
It may not work. Maybe you’ll get the ability for one channel to be changed, but everything is in harmony. And so again, we’re not a magic bullet, but you want to make sure your hormones are where they need to be, right? With bioidentical hormones and doing the right testing, we want to make sure that you’re eating the right foods.

00:21:30:15 – 00:21:54:00
Michael
Or I get these, you know, these low grade food sensitivities. You keep creating this inflammatory response. But peptides are there and when used correctly, are a game changer. Right. To me it’s an unfair advantage. But when you have the right nutrients right, you’re taking the right vitamins. And it’s what’s so beautiful about the practices you’ve built because it’s not one size fits all.

00:21:54:02 – 00:22:15:21
Michael
And what your goals are, what your body needs today may look very different 90 days from now or a year from now. And so we got to keep fine tuning and making sure that everything is working and being used that your body needs at that point. So you’re right. I think it’s the right place, right time, right? Right solution.

00:22:15:21 – 00:22:38:04
Synergee
Yeah. And I want to go back to something that you said very early. I truly believe so and I’ve been saying it a lot as patients have been coming in, my clients coming in over the past several months. I think this is a really incredible time to be in functional medicine. I do, the tools that are in our toolbox now that we haven’t had.

00:22:38:09 – 00:23:13:09
Synergee
It’s also a very difficult time to be in it, because the amount of education and knowledge that it takes to practice safely, and to do no harm, is a lot. It’s heavy. But I’m so grateful for companies like you all that do invest in our education and our knowledge, because you speed up our ability to learn. I have had the opportunity to try a few things, and I know we’ll probably get there, but I just want to say the brain boost for me has been a game changer.

00:23:13:11 – 00:23:26:19
Synergee
Intermittently. That alpha GPC, I don’t know what the combinations are, but, I want to know where that particular formula originated from and kind of what was the what’s the backstory to that? Because I think it’s incredible.

00:23:26:19 – 00:23:36:10
Michael
Well, thank you for that. And all of our formulas have that formulation journey. And this is important too because we serve the listeners and your patients.

00:23:36:10 – 00:24:01:16
Synergee
Right. That’s who we represent. And when you look at the data or even you just look at your patient flow today, how many people are complaining about fatigue, whether it’s not waking up refreshed, crashing in the afternoon, this brain fog that doesn’t seem to go away, the inability to focus or be motivated if you don’t have all those fine tuned again, kind of like the hormone part, everything else we do is not going to be as impactful.

00:24:01:21 – 00:24:26:08
Michael
So getting this formula right was so important. So when we pull the doctors that we trust and utilize, what they’re using and what we’re seeing, what patients are turning to, how many patients are drinking coffee all day, the energy shots, the energy drinks. And we look at the data, around 60% or more of us are slow or fast, metabolize foods.

00:24:26:10 – 00:24:49:12
Michael
And so we keep turning to caffeine. And some people, if they know they drink caffeine based beverages past 10 a.m., they’re up all night. Others, they’re drinking it all day, but they’re metabolizing it so fast they’re getting no real benefit. Then you layer in this other group of patients that genetically don’t do well with caffeine. So we were one of the first companies globally to launch through our research collaborations.

00:24:49:15 – 00:25:12:01
Michael
An ingredient called presenting. And presenting is the main metabolite that caffeine converts into on the body. But by delivering the downstream form, you’re bypassing or biohacking all the conversion issues. So you literally have pure energy the way the body needs it. And it only lasts three to 3.5 hours. What? No jitters, no crash and no tolerance build up.

00:25:12:06 – 00:25:36:05
Synergee
So that was the backbone of Brain Boost Alpha GPC organics Lion’s Mane and AC to low thyroxine and low dose l-theanine are also in here to balance the brain waves, to give us alertness, to give us this boost, but without feeling like we’re we’re shaking. You literally get the work done or get the test done. You look back like, wow, I got a lot more done today.

00:25:36:05 – 00:26:03:08
Michael
What was that? Must have been the brain boost. You can also do this as a pre-workout. So we think about how many patients are falling short of their goals because they’re just not willing to move, to walk, to get to the gym. They won’t leave the couch. So motivation is such an important part. What we’ve noticed is that through this formula, it sets the tone for positive change, which then sets in all the other things in the protocol to be more efficient and utilized.

00:26:03:08 – 00:26:19:01
Michael
So Brain Boost is a really important place for many to start because of those wide ranging things. When we can rewire the brain, good things will come. And that’s what you’re getting with brain boosting. It works on the first dose. This isn’t one of those things where I take this for a month. Let me know how you feel.

00:26:19:03 – 00:26:37:16
Michael
We also made sure we are very conscious of doing a two capsule dose, because there’s a group that responds so favorably at just one capsule, or there may be days where you had a rough night. You need a little extra help. You can go to two cats. We wanted to give you that dosing flexibility. So regardless of the day that you’re ready to tackle, you have options.

00:26:37:16 – 00:26:54:14
Synergee
I hear you say that I am curious about the downstream effect on the adrenal glands. I treat so many people coming into me on Adderall, Ritalin, all of the stimulants, because they hit a stage in their life where they couldn’t focus anymore, and that’s all they need to do.

00:26:54:15 – 00:27:16:01
Synergee
And so they went and got on a stimulant. And then we see them a year or two, maybe three years later, and they completely crash out their adrenals because they not only didn’t pay attention to what they were having the fatigue, but they overmedicated and kept driving and it crashed them completely out. Is there any risk of that happening with this formula?

00:27:16:01 – 00:27:19:12
Michael
Not that we’ve seen. And I’ll give you one study again, because I’m not a doctor.

00:27:19:12 – 00:27:38:10
Michael
I’m not on the front line like you either. But a patient emailed us directly and this is a powerful email. Again, this is what will gets me out of bed every day. Right? Hearing this. But they were on Adderall since 2008, and they developed an autoimmune disorder. And they’re seeing one of the largest functional medicine doctors probably in the world.

00:27:38:10 – 00:28:01:05
Synergee
Right. That’s the product. I’m not gonna name the practice, but and so this is a patient. So 2008 Adderall usage developed autoimmune disorder and a prescription that they had to take. They can no longer be on Adderall. And they were going crazy. They were scared. They didn’t know what they were going to do without Adderall cold turkey. They switched to brain boost and they didn’t miss a beat.

00:28:01:07 – 00:28:37:09
Michael
And they felt so compelled to email the company because they said they feel like we saved them. And I can’t see that it’s going to be an experience that everyone’s going to have. But we’re all about giving confidence and sharing those stories that there are natural options that hopefully should be utilized as a first line of therapy. But if you already were utilizing prescription options for whatever reason, that you do have something like Brain Boost or other things within our, our portfolio that you could, under the right supervision, maybe titrate off and then hopefully eventually utilize

00:28:37:09 – 00:29:02:20
Synergee
Yeah. While working on the repair. And we talk about that all the time. There are so many things that we use in the short term while working on what created the dysfunction. Right. And then simultaneously and over time, we can titrate things back out again. So I do see that as an opportunity to really work with our clients that come to us on meds for ADHD and or those that really are having inattentiveness and poor focus.

00:29:02:20 – 00:29:20:06
Synergee
I had a very interesting story this week, and a lady who came to me and I said, just listen, give it a shot. She was heading out to a conference, a real estate conference. Specifically. She wanted to be at the top of her game. And I said, just, you know, give it a try. She came back from Chicago after her weekend and she was in a group class.

00:29:20:06 – 00:29:42:11
Synergee
And she goes, I just have to tell you, like, I had the best weekend. She goes and looks at my handwriting. So her handwriting actually improved in clarity, like so. There was a profound impact in not only how she felt and energy, but also in her stability and her, which translates to handwriting a lot. We see that a lot.

00:29:42:14 – 00:29:46:19
Synergee
So yep. Another story for your for your book, Michael.

00:29:46:19 – 00:29:52:22
Michael
Well, thank you for that. It’s amazing. This is what gives us purpose. And this is why I started the company.

00:29:52:22 – 00:29:59:15
Michael
And I do like going back to something that you guys did. And I know we said it earlier is the combination of things.

00:29:59:20 – 00:30:15:22
Synergee
And you just said it. It’s not just a single peptide. You do have a single peptide. You guys do have that much like others, you know, BPC, CP, the EPA, those types of things. But you also have formulas that blend and create a for no better term, because that’s why we use the word synergy in what we do.

00:30:15:22 – 00:30:21:22
Synergee
But the synergy, the synergistic effects of those. So I think it’s pretty profound what you guys have done with that.

00:30:21:22 – 00:30:35:12
Michael
Well, a lot of these areas that we’re tackling are major areas, and it’s not going to take a single bullet to knock down. It’s going to take several well-researched and vetted ingredients coming together to provide value to modulate multiple pathways.

00:30:35:12 – 00:30:45:23
Michael
And that’s kind of our sweet spot. How we’re formulating, how we’re translating the research. It’s to attack it at multiple angles to get the outcome that you and your patient are seeking.

00:30:45:23 – 00:30:57:00
Synergee
So which peptides do you consider to be foundational for longevity and vitality? Because, you know, we hear it all the time. I’m looking for longevity because that’s the buzzword right now.

00:30:57:00 – 00:31:03:22
Synergee
Or vitality to live with with energy. And live to the fullest. So what are you seeing in the peptide world for those?

00:31:03:22 – 00:31:08:17
Michael
That is a big question. How much time do we have? But I’ll say maybe 1 or 2.

00:31:08:17 – 00:31:28:07
Michael
There’s some out there. What I think is really important because, you know, we talked about some of the things like BPC and KP, those are like more shorter term heavy lifting, you know, facilitates some of the healing and then move on one peptide or actually say a couple peptides that I think are long term foundational are going to be addressing the skeletal muscle and bone density.

00:31:28:09 – 00:31:49:16
Michael
And that’s where I think we think about things. On the natural discovery side, an ingredient comes to mind, peptide strong, peptide strong through our collaboration with Nori. Toss. This is the eye finder. They’ve cataloged over 9 million peptides. We launched Peptide Strong very early on. We were first in the US with it. It now has three human clinical studies published.

00:31:49:18 – 00:32:15:08
Michael
But peptide strong is there to activate muscle protein synthesis, modulate fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. It’s going to help reduce inflammation induced by exercise, also improve bone density, improve strength, performance and recovery. Right. Who doesn’t want that? And then we’re looking at novel ways to deliver oldies but goodies. Right. Leucine is an ingredient that is tried and true.

00:32:15:14 – 00:32:38:16
Michael
We have a lot of data on it. And through other research collaborations there’s Di peptides occurring in leucine. So we were one of the first companies to also launch di leucine as a way head to head. It outperforms leucine you don’t need as it is as high of a dose. It’s better absorbed. It lasts longer. And we have it also in combination with the peptides strong as a dual peptide matrix.

00:32:38:18 – 00:33:03:04
Michael
I think these are so important. And we’ve had what’s really unique about these peptides is that we’ve had younger patients, both male and female, write to US providers. But even older patients. And so we’re seeing the flexibility of these peptides to modulate regardless of where we’re at in our age trajectory. And that’s what’s exciting is that we’re not in a corner with just one demographic.

00:33:03:06 – 00:33:22:07
Michael
These are wide ranging. And again, both of these are being used in different synergies. We have it as a powder. We have it as a capsule. Depending on whether you have pill fatigue that day. Do you rather make a big shake and smoothie with everything in it. But the foundation of our bones and muscles is so critical.

00:33:22:07 – 00:33:34:16
Michael
And that’s why we call it even one of our anabolic peptides longevity. Because we wanted to help that conversation on a provider patient level, on the role of muscle mass as being one of the main predictors of how well or how poor we’re aging.

00:33:34:16 – 00:33:40:21
Synergee
Yeah. Our listeners get to hear us oftentimes talk about how important muscle mass is for longevity.

00:33:40:21 – 00:33:54:15
Synergee
You know we say it’s money in the bank metabolically speaking in terms of your wellness journey Ridgeland MS. So Mike I’ll share with our audience a little bit more about leucine. Why is leucine so important as an amino acid to help support that muscle development and maintenance over time?

00:33:54:15 – 00:34:02:06
Synergee
the main building block. Right. So we think about these amino acids or peptides. Think of them as Legos.

00:34:02:08 – 00:34:21:11
Synergee
And you’ll have, you know, small Legos that you get in the little pack. Right. Those were the bio regulators. But the more Legos you have, you build these elaborate designs and that’s what you’re getting is leucine is the glue for muscle development. But not only that, what I see is leucine in the data. It’s not only great for age related muscle decline.

00:34:21:13 – 00:34:47:02
Synergee
We even see it with athletes in weakened warriors, or to immune related muscle decline or even prescription related muscle issues. Right? When we think about statins or potentially GLP ones, not under the right supervision, leucine is one of those essential amino acids that are critical. That’s why you see even some protein powders that will advertise fortifying with even more leucine, because it’s the one that’s going to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

00:34:47:04 – 00:35:03:02
Synergee
And so what a lot of researchers are doing now is looking for ways, well, how can we improve the absorption, or are there a better forms of things we already have a lot of confidence in? And that’s what we’re doing behind the scenes globally as a way to in the longevity world, there’s new things happening all the time.

00:35:03:02 – 00:35:14:16
Michael
Right. But is there a way to streamline the outcome and improve patient compliance and convenience. And again, it’s hard to have a protocol that does not thrive without sufficient leucine levels.

00:35:14:16 – 00:35:30:13
Synergee
So specifically around mitochondria and energy, going back to that person who is wanting to feel good and get the most out of their workout, are there specific peptides that you have seen really rising stars and respect to the mitochondria.

00:35:30:13 – 00:35:51:04
Michael
So mitochondria, peptides, not so much in our wheelhouse on the oral side. But on the injectable side you’ll see things like Mots C and SS 31. Those are going to be two that are being taught on a CME level, right about a triple for mitochondria. There’s some other rising stars that I still want to see a little bit more data come out.

00:35:51:06 – 00:36:03:04
Michael
But again oral peptides, we can’t do everything. And that’s some of the shortcomings. But luckily at both of your practices, you have the ability to source the very best of all of these approaches.

00:36:03:04 – 00:36:18:03
Synergee
That’s a beautiful thing. It’s still on this quest always of a lot of questions, a lot of digging into the pharmacy’s education and just, you know, are modes of practice.

00:36:18:03 – 00:36:39:04
Synergee
What are they doing? Are there and I’m just curious, are there areas or conferences that you guys go to, that are, creating a standard of care, where you guys are being educated as well? Like, do you guys have a group that you can meet with?

00:36:39:04 – 00:36:43:09
Michael
Yeah. So in terms of the provider groups, we’re aligned with a few of them.

00:36:43:09 – 00:37:03:22
Michael
So you were talking about a forum and the International Peptide Society that’s now headed up by Jim Laval. Right. That’s one of them. Then you have the AMG, the age management group, and within their peptide, the Clinical Peptide Society, which is headed up by Doctor Edwin Lee and Louis Martinez. We’re also a sponsor of that group. They also continued education.

00:37:03:22 – 00:37:22:22
Michael
And then there’s the SSP with Doctor William Seeds. We’re a trusted partner with that group. And they put on the clinical, that the CLA they put on the peptide World Congress, and they have their own peptide certification. So those are probably the three buckets that we support and align with. But it’s more than just being a trusted partner.

00:37:22:22 – 00:37:44:19
Michael
We want to be in the room that the providers are in. So we see what they’re learning, how they’re learning. But more importantly the questions that are coming up, we need to keep our pulse on all of this, whether it directly affects our portfolio. We need to see everything you’re hearing and listening to so we can bring the most value to the practices that we support.

00:37:44:19 – 00:37:56:02
Synergee
And are these products third party tested and are they, you know, are the rigorous standards of KG, cGMP and some of those things being upheld? T two is that a requirement or is that a choice.

00:37:56:02 – 00:38:05:15
Michael
So then as a requirement, you just hope that every company you’re supporting is doing it right? A lot of people are throwing out champs and putting it on the package because it looks good.

00:38:05:17 – 00:38:28:06
Michael
But what does it really mean? Right? It means that every ingredient needs to be vetted as a raw material when it comes into the manufacturing plant, and it’s quarantine until it’s approved and confirmed for identity and potency and making sure it doesn’t have the heavy metals and things like that, then we want to test several times, right? As a finished product, we want to make sure of potency, their identities, their and then the expiration date, manufacturer date, all that said.

00:38:28:08 – 00:38:55:10
Michael
And then there’s some optional things like third party testing. Right. Having a third party lab confirms the identity in addition to the labs you’re using currently. And so we’re identifying this network even on a peptide side. Tapping into pharmaceutical labs that have the methodology and certifications to analyze peptides. And so we’re looking and utilizing all of these approaches for our products.

00:38:55:10 – 00:39:12:10
Michael
And that’s the level that providers are holding us to. And you know what, peptides being such a gray area, there’s like the research only what are you really getting? We need to raise the bar and show what we’re doing and hope that other people, other companies, and other options are doing the same.

00:39:12:10 – 00:39:21:09
Synergee
So, Michael, you mentioned the use of AI and how you’re using AI to target what’s up next? Right. So tell us a little bit more about how that works.

00:39:21:09 – 00:39:39:11
Michael
You know AI is here whether we like it or not. And so especially on the research side, AI is particularly effective for facilitating direction on where you’re spending the funds to research. Right. Clinical studies are expensive. So, for example, several of our research partners are utilizing AI.

00:39:39:17 – 00:40:04:06
Michael
We talked about one group that’s doing peptide discovery, where they’ve catalog and indexed over 9 million peptides, and they’ve brought multiple peptides to market with multiple human studies. We have another partner that’s utilizing AI to map you using proteomics, breast milk and proteins occurring in breast milk. And then they’re able to extract which proteins are responsible for the most therapeutic actions that’s intended.

00:40:04:08 – 00:40:40:08
Michael
So we’ve launched a few bio functional proteins utilizing the proteomics in AI breast milk memetics. We’re also able to leverage AI and Crispr and fermentation to do bioidentical or human equivalent protein production. We were the first globally to launch the first ever bioidentical lactoferrin through that Crispr fermentation technology. And so those are just some examples of how we’re able to look at ingredient selection or these unique bio-actives that we can scale up mega dose and see what it will do in the body.

00:40:40:10 – 00:40:51:07
Michael
And so it kind of takes a lot of the guesswork out. But we’re not just reliant because at the end of the day, it’s how do these finished formulas translate into your protocols and your patient outcomes?

00:40:51:07 – 00:41:19:03
Synergee
Yeah. So you have me thinking about, of course, VPC I would think would be a good contender. K-p-d but what other peptides do we have in our arsenal for targeting inflammation? Because as we know, that’s really what’s driving a lot of our metabolic dysfunction and chronic disease states. So I’m thinking that obviously we approach that from a very broad lifestyle perspective in how we’re moving our body, what we’re choosing to eat, how we’re sleeping, managing our stress.

00:41:19:03 – 00:41:25:06
Synergee
All those things are hugely important. But are there other specific peptides that help in that conversation about the wellness journey Ridgeland MS?

00:41:25:06 – 00:41:41:11
Michael
Yeah. So BPC and KP fear are going to be ones that you’re going to hear a lot about. Not a peptide, but we use it to also anchor this, which is P.A as a lipid resolving mediator. And there’s been a lot of discussion around PMS, PRM, these lipid resolving mediators.

00:41:41:11 – 00:42:08:19
Michael
And I was in a position over a decade ago to be one of the first companies or the first company to launch PMS. And I actually went to the lab in Harvard with Doctor David Sinclair to even study about these resolve ins and things like that. And so PMS like the unresolved inflammation, that’s really a big story, but PR not a peptide, but very useful in helping the body break healthier levels or help the body more efficiently respond.

00:42:08:21 – 00:42:30:13
Michael
On the inflammation side, those are going to be the ones that come up a lot, right? There’s different levels, different degrees of inflammation. Right. The immune inflammation connection. You’re gonna have things like thymus. Now for one on the injectable side is a beta for on the injection side that could also play a significant role. With the fragments on our side that probably aren’t as good for the repair mechanisms as the injectable.

00:42:30:13 – 00:42:50:03
Michael
But for more of the immune resilience, we see that being more beneficial. There’s Ace inhibiting peptides for blood flow to help the body better respond. We have that and a formula actually, and several formulas that we’re using. We already talked about the muscle peptides, which will also impact to a certain degree inflammation and the immune response.

00:42:50:08 – 00:43:12:22
Michael
Where we’re also seeing is the bio functional protein. So not so much a peptide, but we’re utilizing the breast milk memetics to also modulate the inflammatory response as well. So all these are in the arsenal with a lot of the oldies but goodies, right. The curcumin, the perilla seed course, atin, Boswell, amla astragalus. All this is the usual suspects.

00:43:12:22 – 00:43:28:18
Synergee
Right. We create this wide matrix because inflammation is tricky. Inflammation is silent. We want to make sure that we’re addressing it through multiple pathways rather than the prescription side, which is let’s just shut the lights off, inhibit block, and we’ll see what happens.

00:43:28:18 – 00:43:37:17
Synergee
so many exciting things to come. I feel like this will be an ongoing conversation in the world of peptides and, and what’s to come next?

00:43:37:17 – 00:43:47:08
Synergee
Because this is, as you said, how many peptides have your isolated 9000 peptides. So when you said that number I’m like, okay, let’s buckle up.

00:43:47:08 – 00:43:49:00
Synergee
Thousand or 900.

00:43:49:00 – 00:43:50:19
Synergee
What was it again? Say that number again.

00:43:50:19 – 00:44:01:16
Michael
9 million. Over 9 million. Yeah. Oh that’s the nature where we look at. And this is a funny analogy, but you know, there’s some people that peel the apple and they lose their skin.

00:44:01:18 – 00:44:24:21
Michael
They’ve identified countless amounts of peptides within that skin. And so food is our medicine. And it’s unfortunate that the way we cook or the way we’re farming, we’re losing a lot of those natural occurring bioactive peptides. And through a lot of the innovation that’s advancing now, we’re able to make those things that are occurring fractional in our foods.

00:44:24:23 – 00:44:45:12
Michael
And we’re seeing amazing outcomes through peptide discovery. So we’re just warming up. It’s not just a health evidence initiative. There’s so much happening globally. You’re right. This is the time. So if you’re listening and you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, the time is now to take action and obviously to become a patient of either one of your practices.

00:44:45:12 – 00:44:48:03
Michael
I think that if that’s the case partner with someone that is adequately trained in functional medicine, right.

00:44:51:23 – 00:45:13:23
Synergee
Wherever you are listening and you know whatever area you’re in, seek that out. Make sure that they are credentialed. Well, and not only that, they’re invested in long term study because you know, the things that Lori and I learned in our primary education back 15, 20 years ago, you know, it’s the process of evolution. We’re constantly at conferences.

00:45:13:23 – 00:45:37:11
Synergee
We’re constantly learning and studying on webinars, connecting with people like Michael in the industry, grassroots, what’s going on back there to help us understand better what to bring to our consumer, how to help you navigate, how to help you answer these difficult questions. We value your health. Your health is your number one asset. We want to make sure that we’re helping you maximize that the best you can.

00:45:37:11 – 00:45:52:09
Synergee
And I think I want to partner up and just add on one additional thing. And I think sometimes we think when we partner with a healthcare provider in the aspect of nutritional support and wellness, that there’s a finish line.

00:45:52:09 – 00:46:11:02
Synergee
And I think we know that there’s not a finish line, there’s not a finish lining to where, you know, six feet under. But I think sometimes in our heads, we think when we get to this point, you know, we stop and we raise a really good point right now is that this isn’t the time to exit. This is the time to lean in.

00:46:11:04 – 00:46:35:14
Synergee
Because of the evolution of change, what’s coming to market right now is mind blowing and it’s even mind blowing for us that are in it, you know? So stay the course to Kelly’s point, very much lean into finding the right provider for you, who is staying educated and, and recognize it as a journey, as a lifelong journey.

00:46:35:18 – 00:46:52:18
Synergee
Because as the seasons of your life change, your needs change and bloodwork and diagnostics and all of that, uncover these blind spots. But we have the ability to repair and heal alongside the core things that you know, what you eat, what you drink, how you sleep, move and think. And yes, we should all know them by now.

00:46:52:18 – 00:47:06:09
Synergee
Whether we do them or not is a different story, but we should definitely know them by now. But, definitely recognizing that you’re not a failure because you, you know, you know, if you keep going, right, coaching is important to be successful.

00:47:06:22 – 00:47:20:20
Synergee
That’s right. So, Michael, how can people find help? Obviously Lori and, are utilizing your products in our clinics, but if you’re a consumer listening to this, it’s not currently partnered with a functional medicine provider or in a different area.

00:47:20:20 – 00:47:26:01
Synergee
Like, what is the best way for them to find out who is investing in health charity.

00:47:26:01 – 00:47:33:21
Michael
So our website’s a great place to learn and explore this. Plenty of references every product has, why we chose each ingredient.

00:47:33:23 – 00:47:55:06
Michael
And, so that website is WW dot health Jev that’s health gev.com. And you can also follow us on Instagram with the handle Health jeopardy. So you could drop us a note that way. Follow us. And those are probably the two main areas to learn more about what we’re doing and what we’re bringing to market.

00:47:55:06 – 00:48:02:06
Synergee
And I believe we’ll be adding an affiliate link as well in the chat notes of the podcast today, too.

00:48:02:08 – 00:48:16:19
Synergee
So if they are looking for more information or to align themselves with either one of us, that’s another way for them to contact us as well. So thank you so much, and I cannot wait for the rest of this story, because it sounds like there are big things on the horizon.

00:48:16:19 – 00:48:20:05
Michael
We’re just warming up. I really appreciate the invitation today.

00:48:20:07 – 00:48:23:20
Michael
I hope I’ll be invited back so we can continue this evolution together.

00:48:23:20 – 00:48:41:00
Synergee
The Synergee Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. And no doctor patient relationship is formed. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

00:48:41:00 – 00:48:50:06
Synergee
Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

01:08:20:10 – 01:08:26:15
Synergee
Hey, friend. It’s Kelly from the episode. Lori and I want to make sure that you know about something that we pour our hearts into.

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Synergee
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Synergee
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