Peptide stacking is making waves in the fitness community—and for good reason. If you’re looking to rebuild lost muscle, stacking peptides may be a beneficial addition to your wellness routine. We spoke with experts to break down what peptide stacking is and its potential benefits.
What Is Peptide Stacking?
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In order to understand stacking peptides, let’s first break down what peptides are.
“A peptide is a short chain of amino acids,” explains Jessica DeLuise, MHS, PA-C, CCMS, physician assistant with a master’s degree in health science and physician assistant studies. “Amino acids lead to peptides which then build proteins. Peptide chains can contain anywhere from a few to up to 100 amino acids. In our body, peptides are utilized in various biological functions including neurotransmitters, hormones, and building tissues. There are 20 main types of amino acids, coming from both plant and animal protein sources.”
Peptide stacking has become popular in the worlds of anti-aging and fitness. The practice involves taking two or more peptides together (oral tablets, powders, or injections) to address the natural changes that occur with growing older.
“The goal of peptide stacking (in most cases) is weight loss, lean muscle synthesis, boost efficacy of workouts, improved energy, anti-aging effects, among other benefits,” DeLuise notes.
According to Jay Campbell, co-founder of BioLongevity Labs, 5x international best-selling author and former CSCS and ACE CPT, “It is important to understand that utilizing therapeutic peptides without first addressing hormonal deficiencies is like pouring water into the gas tank of an exotic sports car.”
Nurse practitioner Kristina (@kristinastout on TikTok) stresses the importance of first-timers taking one peptide to start out. She shared in a video, “I always like to tell new patients who have never been on any peptides before that I like to start you off on one peptide at a time, give it a couple months, and then we can always add on a peptide. If I were to start patients out on three or four peptides at a time, we’re never gonna know which one is causing you to see certain benefits or certain side effects.”
The Benefits
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Campbell outlines the top benefits of optimizing hormones while using therapeutic peptide stacks: quicker post-workout recovery, deeper sleep, improved skin elasticity, reduced body fat, muscle gain, and overall better well-being.
“Certain peptides and peptide ‘stacks’ have shown promise for the desired effects of healing, weight loss, etc.,” DeLuise adds. “Additionally, certain peptides show an increase of hormone GH (growth hormone) after taking the peptide, which may help muscle building, body fat composition.”
After hitting 30, you naturally lose 3% to 8% of lean muscle every decade if you don’t perform regular strength training or consume a protein-rich diet.
“Using therapeutic hormones and peptides as one ages can offset the potential sarcopenia even more significantly,” Campbell stresses. That said, it’s crucial to continue performing regular resistance training to boost muscle and strength.
Safety of Peptides for Those 45+
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Campbell notes that when peptides are dosed with health and longevity in mind, they are generally safe, with side effects being rare or mild.
“Common side effects would be observed as rashes at the point of injection and potential mild nausea if an individual’s biochemistry doesn’t agree with the peptide being administered,” Campbell notes.
At the same time, DeLuise cautions that there’s more research needing to be done: “There is a lack of human studies on many peptides and their associated ‘stack’ combinations, which is integral to make recommendations, understand the short and long-term effects, and assess the safety across multiple populations of individuals.”
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications. Read more about Alexa
