Epitalon peptide – also commonly referred to as Epithalamin and Epithalon – is another rigorously researched peptide among many others. Scientists aim to discover more about its potential benefits, and whether it can positively impact the future of healthcare.
Despite the promising discoveries though, researchers have also been paying attention to spot any potential side effects.
Because of its increasing popularity in the scientific community, we’ve provided a brief epitalon peptide review. The goal here was to answer some frequently asked questions about the peptide, such as what it is, what it does, and what are some of its benefits.
What Is Epitalon?
Some technical details: It is a synthetic tetrapeptide, meaning that it is made up of 4 amino acids – Glutamic, Glycine, Aspartic, and Alanine acids. It has a molecular structure of C14H22N4O9, and a molecular weight of about 390.35 grams per mole. It has a sequence of H-Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly-OH, and its CAS (Chemistry Abstracts Service) registry number is 64082-79-7.
Epitalon peptide is the same as the natural Epithalamin peptide, which is a hormone created by the pineal gland.
Epitalon (aka Epithalon) is involved in metabolic functions, raising the hypothalamus’s sensitivity to its natural hormone affects the regulation of melatonin levels in non-human test subjects’ bodies – which, by the way, is in charge of correcting the circadian rhythm.
During assessments, epitalon has presented significant, positive results with regards to aspects of anti aging, prolonging life expectancy. It has even shown a positive impact regarding the inhibition of the conception and reproduction of colon, prostate, and breast cancer cells.
Prof. Vladimir Khavinson, a Russian scientist, discovered epitalon and studied it rigorously for over thirty-five years. His findings displayed epitalon’s ability to improve sleep, prevent cancer, and reverse aging just to name a few.
What Does Epitalon Look Like?
Normally, epitalon is in its lyophilized powder state by the time researchers start working with it. The powder is then dilutable, using a mild 1% solution of acetic acid or water, preferably distilled.
In its powder state and at room temperature, the peptide is fairly stable for about three months. However, it requires a storage temperature of four degrees celsius (4ºC) once it is diluted.
Epitalon Shelf Life
Epitalon can then be used for research, safely, for about 2 to 21 days, so long as it stays stored at that temperature. If the researcher wishes to extend the life of the solution, they would have to store it at minus 18 degrees celsius (-18ºC).
What Does Epitalon Do?
Since experimenting with epitalon, researchers have been observing quite a few positive effects. Scientists are aware, and have been for quite some time, that telomeres are responsible, in part, for the aging of the organs and cells in general.
Among the many effects resulting from cell exposure to epitalon is the elongation of telomere, thus at the cellular level, effectively inhibiting, halting, and sometimes even reversing aging effects. What’s more, signs of cell regeneration and healing have been apparent after the cells’ exposure to the peptide.
When carefully observed through a microscope, non-human, animal cells have presented that correction to some degree takes place at the level of the subject’s DNA, opening doors to remarkable results regarding the repair and regeneration of cells.
Researchers have also been presented with epitalon’s ability to govern the subject’s melatonin and cortisol levels, as well as its ability to regulate issues within the reproductive systems of female rodents.
This regulation has been informing researchers about how cells manage themselves, further educating them on how each system functions. When tumors were exposed to epitalon, various types of tumors became smaller, and some of the damage caused throughout their growth was even reversed.
Epitalon Anti Aging Impact
One of the most astonishing impacts that researchers have started to see, however, is that the test subjects exposed to epitalon are living longer than their nonexposed counterparts. Some subjects’ mortality rates have even been reduced by as much as fifty percent, prolonging their lifespan by nearly 1.5 times longer than subjects exposed to mere placebos.
The epitalon-exposed rodents with prolonged lifespans were also prevented from acquiring Leukemia (any form); this was not true for the control group, the subjects of which received only the placebo.
How Does Epitalon Work?
Epitalon promotes telomerase formation; it is a natural enzyme that aids in the cells’ reproduction of telomeres. Telomeres are protective elements of DNA, and they prevent the loss of genetic information.
The function of telomeres results in the shortening of chromosomes, which takes place during cell division. Any time cells divide, telomeres shrink, which is why this process is closely associated with age-related diseases, such as cognitive or cardiovascular diseases, and inevitably, death.
With the intentional activation of telomerase, cells may potentially acquire the ability to continue multiplying, and even surpass their expiration date. By doing so, the mechanism of aging may be reversed since longer telomere strands result in improved cell health and reproduction.
Epitalon, therefore, plays a crucial function in slowing the aging process and reducing its effects, and can potentially prolong lifespan.
Is Epitalon an Anti Aging Miracle?
By studying the process of aging, lot scientists have raised lots of questions. In relation to the topic at hand, some of these questions include, but are not limited to the following:
Are there undiscovered compounds that can inhibit age-related diseases? Can epitalon be an anti aging miracle? or is it merely a hoax? Through the study of aging, its biological processes, and related diseases (biogerontology), scientists will be more able to focus on the potential discovery of anti-aging drugs.
Any form of impact a drug has on the aging process requires the measurement of some endpoint – health span, aging biomarkers, or life span. Aging biomarkers must meet the following criteria:
- Supervise the underlying process of aging
- Needs to be effective on non-human, lab animals
- Endure repeated assessment with the test subject remaining unharmed
- Besides chronological age, it should also forecast lifespan
Prof. Vladimir Khavinson, in the course of over 30 years, conducted experiments on rodents and stumbled upon some intriguing ideas. One idea was that telomere elongation resulting from their activation – both of which are caused by epitalon exposure – may produce anti-aging effects.
Does Epitalon Reverse Aging in Non-Human Animals?
Studies have displayed researchers’ ability to manipulate a gene to reverse age-related deterioration in rodents – albeit partially. Prior to moving deeper into details, it’s crucial to get a better grasp on the aging process.
A Little About Aging
Depending on and determined by their DNA, cells play particular roles in the bodies within which they reside. As cells age, they release toxins around them, and they have a limited life time.
The older (senior) cells then go through the process of programmed cell death (or apoptosis) in efforts to protect the organism. Unfortunately, rather than dying off, these old cells can sometimes stimulate diseases in tissues of other organs (liver, brains, kidney, heart, etc.), without ever being detected.
There is reasonable suspicion among researchers that aging may be due to these old cells and their devious behavior.
An experiment was performed on genetically engineered rodents that were manipulated to age far before their natural time, setting them at an age equivalent to an eighty year old human that is ready to die of age.
The rodents’ telomeres were short and dysfunctional, and experienced a variety of age-related problems (shrunken brain, damaged intestines, impaired sense of smell, atrophied spleens, etc.).
The hypothesis of the researchers was that, by promoting the telomerase activity – an enzyme that makes small DNA units called telomeres (which shut tight the chromosome tips, thus keeping the genes within from coming undone) – early aging could potentially be treated.
The rodents were administered epitalon by the researchers. After just one month, the rodents presented with astonishing signs of revitalization. Their telomerase levels were higher, and their telomeres had grown longer, altogether.
As a result, the animals’ organs showed better function overall. The treated rodents grew their spleen, got back their olfactory sense, and the dormant stem cells of their brains grew in size and even formed new neurons.
At the end of the experiment, the rodents treated with epitalon displayed the physiological equivalence of human youth and thus a prolonged lifespan. Clinical trials of the peptide have shown advantageous impacts reflected by the betterment of various organs’ conditions.
The anti aging and life prolonging properties of epitalon peptide are astounding. Experimental research presents that it does this by the following mechanisms.
Telomerase is the enzyme that telomeres in the body longer and guards DNA from age-related damage. Upon their multiplication, cells have a given amount of cycles they can perform. According to studies conducted by Prof Khavinson, cells exposed to epitalon produced a total of 44 passages, 10 additional divisions as opposed to regular cells.
The research, therefore, backs the evidence that cell life is extended with the treatment of Epitalon.
Aging and Melatonin
Melatonin levels are kept up and managed by the pineal gland. Investigations displayed a notable reduction in melatonin concentration in the blood of aging, non-human animals.
The hormone Melatonin plays a crucial role in nervous, endocrine, and immune system functioning. Bringing in melatonin forms a geroprotective impact. This impact, though, could aggravate possible adverse effects (i.e. neoplastic growth). This brought about the need to look for a way to adequately stimulate the secretion of natural, internal melatonin.
Epitalon seemed to function as an antioxidant and reduced the age-related effects in both the neuroendocrine and immune systems, thus the occurrences of infections and diseases were decreased.
Epitalon Benefits
Besides the findings of studies mentioned earlier, research has also uncovered signs of other potential benefits. They are as follows:
Does Epitalon Prevent Cancer?
Epitalon slows the expansion of malignant tumors and, by activating melatonin secretion, inhibits the advancement of metastasis. By examining the connection between the cancer and pineal gland, we can see how this happens.
The pineal gland is stimulated by epitalon to secrete melatonin (a hormone). Research presents a converse relationship between cancerous tumor growth (in various organs) and melatonin. Converse means that when one goes up, the other goes down, and vice versa.
Does Epitalon Enhance Sleep?
Melatonin produced from the stimulated pineal gland (by epitalon) is responsible for patterns of deep sleep. Potentially, the more the pineal gland is exposed and stimulated by epitalon, the more melatonin is released, enhancing sleep.
Does Epitalon Increase Lifespan?
Again, epitalon stimulates the generation of telomerase, thus elongating and strengthening telomeres in the DNA strands. This reduces apoptosis and prolongs lifespan, which in turn inhibits age-related diseases.
Is Epitalon an Antioxidant?
When it comes to removing free radicals, the peptide does provide strong antioxidant properties. It also removes oxygen-free radicals that contribute to cell destruction – the primary cause of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Does Epitalon Improve Vision?
In rodents with hereditary Retinitis Pigmentosa, epitalon extended the workable integrity of their eyes’ retina. Also, for patients with pigmentary retinal degeneration, it enhanced their overall vision.
Epitalon Side Effects
Little is known about the potential adverse effects of epitalon, and more research has to be done to find out if there is any at all.
The studies mentioned in this article have found no apparent, significant side effects. There has just been a single report of a test subject experiencing a brief moment within which the muscles of the eyes (used to focus) were a little strained.
Still, more studies are being conducted to check for any serious side effects.
Where to Buy Epitalon Peptide
You can buy epitalon and other high quality peptides for research by visiting CorePeptides.com/peptides.
References:
- Anisimov VN, Khavinson VKh, Alimova IN, et al. Epithalon decelerates aging and suppresses the development of breast adenocarcinomas in transgenic her-2/neu mice. Bull Exp Biol Med, 2002.
- Kossoy G, Anisimov VN, Ben-Hur H, et al. Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice. In Vivo, 2006.
- Alimova IN, Bashurin DA, Popovich IG, et al. Effect of Epitalon and Vilon treatment on mammary carcinogenesis in transgenic erbB-2/NEU mice. Vopr Onkol, 2002.
- Khavinson VKh. Peptides and Ageing. Neuro Endocrinol Lett, 2002.
- Kozina LS, Arutjunyan AV, Khavinson VKh. Antioxidant properties of geroprotective peptides of the pineal gland. Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 2007.
- Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA. Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells. Bull Exp Biol Med, 2003.
NOTE: The information found on this website and within this article is intended for educational or informational purposes only. Some or all of the content in these articles are not substantiated by a medical professional and may be based on the opinions of the writer who may not be a medical or accredited professional. Not intended for personal or human use. Please review our Terms and Conditions before purchasing.
Dr. Marinov (MD, Ph.D.) is a researcher and chief assistant professor in Preventative Medicine & Public Health. Prior to his professorship, Dr. Marinov practiced preventative, evidence-based medicine with an emphasis on Nutrition and Dietetics. He is widely published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and specializes in peptide therapy research.