What Is a Signal Peptide?
November 23, 2023
Signal peptides are among the ingredients used in nootropic peptides. They send signals to the cells in our bodies to make them work smarter, believed to improve the speed at which we produce collagen and elastin–essential for healthy, youthful skin.
You can also find signal peptides in products designed to promote certain cellular repair tasks that are thought to boost muscle mass and recovery and help promote better focus, endurance, and strength within sports and physical exercise.
For example, a signal peptide product believed to assist with faster healing and recovery might use carrier peptides that bring important minerals like manganese and copper to the part of the body that has been injured or where muscles have been stressed.
How Do Different Peptides Function?
Peptides cover a broad scope of applications and ‘jobs,’ so although they may have similar overall aims, each peptide-based product or supplement might work slightly differently.
We’ve discussed signal peptides, which effectively send messages to prompt the body to carry out repairs at a cellular level. Other peptides include inhibiting peptides, which block unwanted actions or communications, thought to prevent our bodies from producing enzymes that cause skin to lose elasticity or form wrinkles.
How is peptide therapy administered? Most skincare serums and treatments come in the form of a gel or cream, whereas signal peptides for use in sports are more often powdered to add to protein shakes or supplied as injectables.
Translating Peptide Ingredient Lists
One of the potentially confusing factors is that most peptide products, supplements, and nootropics won’t show the active ingredient in this simplified way. Instead, the manufacturer will include the scientific or technical name of the peptide they are using.
Most start with either ‘tri’ or ‘hexa’–this is simply a term that shows the number of amino acids within the specific peptide product. Below is a summary of the popular peptides used in beauty and skincare supplements and the benefits they are believed to offer:
- Tripeptide and oligopeptide: making the skin firmer and stronger.
- Tetrapeptide: helping skin repair, reduce skin inflammation, and addressing redness and color pigmentation
- Dipeptide: boosting hydration and helping skin stay moisturized
- Hexapeptide: acting as a ‘liquid Botox’ that reduces wrinkles and lines
If you’re buying a signal peptide to help with skincare, can you use peptides and retinol together? Retinol is often combined with peptides in the same formula or used concurrently as part of an advanced skincare regime.
Using Signal Peptides in Beauty and Skincare
The reason signal peptides are often considered the next generation in skincare is that they are regarded as widely beneficial and can provide specific or broad-scope advantages to help with healthy skin, protect the skin barrier, repair damage, and enhance the appearance of aging skin.
People using peptide-infused serums to manage specific skin issues, such as acne, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and redness, can pick products that have a blend of ingredients, such as ceramides, vitamin C, and retinol, alongside peptides. The combination of ingredients that promote collagen production and peptides–which are believed to improve the natural resilience and repair properties of the skin–may be an effective way to manage even stubborn issues like deep lines and wrinkles.
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