Epitalon 3mg (60 capsules) (Telomere Length)

Epitalon Research Formula

Until very recently, Sub-Q administration has been the most common means of administering peptides. This is because peptides are easily degraded by enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, do not cross GI cell membranes all that well, and are generally too large for transporters in the digestive tract to deal with. As it stands, most peptides have an oral bioavailability of less than 1%.

Over the last several decades, however, scientists have developed an arsenal of tools that help to make peptides more orally bioavailable. These tools are not only aimed at the delivery of peptides for medicinal purposes, but to ease administration during research as well. After all, it is easier to administer oral peptides to most mammals than it is to administer an injection. With appropriate formulation, some peptides can now even be administered with food or water. The tools that make this possible include:

• Chemical modification
• Mucoadhesive polymeric systems
• Co-administration of enzyme inhibitors
• Co-administration of absorption enhancers
• Formulation vehicles.

Formulation vehicles are proving to be a highly beneficial option because they provide multiple protections at once. Microencapsulation, for instance, protects the peptides from enzymatic degradation and boosts absorption by bypassing the need for transporters. As such, multiple peptides that were once considered to only be administrable via injection, like insulin, are now being developed for oral administration. As a result of these advances, the oral bioavailability of peptides has increased from less than 1% in most cases to as high as 50% in some situations.

Epitalon has one advantage in that it is an exceptionally small peptide. This allows much of it to be packaged easily into a micro-encapsulated vehicle. This also makes it easier for the peptide to penetrate cell membranes and to penetrate the blood-brain barrier once it is absorbed. Additionally, Epitalon has no tertiary structure because it is so small. This means that enzymatic degradation is less of a problem. All these features combined to make Epitalon an excellent candidate for oral research administration using these new techniques.

Epitalon Research Benefits

An oral form of Epitalon is sought after because making it easier to administer Epitalon will open whole new branches of research. The peptide has been under active investigation for nearly 50 years, mostly because of its well-known effects on DNA activity. Epitalon is helping scientists to better understand how to turn specific genes or regions of DNA on and off. Having specific control of gene activation could eventually be used to make us stronger, smarter, more resistant to disease, or even extend our lives. Epitalon offers tantalizing evidence about how we can learn more about the control of DNA expression. Thus, having an easy-to-administer oral formulation is fundamental to extending Epitalon research efforts and hastening the rate of discovery.

What Does Epitalon Do?

Epitalon has long been understood to preserve telomeres, which are the protective end caps found on fragments of mammalian DNA (chromosomes). Telomeres protect DNA from degradation as it is replicated during cell division (one cell splitting into two). Telomeres themselves suffer degradation, however, and eventually become too short to be effective. At this point, a cell will either commit cell suicide in a process called apoptosis or it will go dormant in a process called senescence. Both processes lead to tissue aging and eventual dysfunction. Senescence is one of the primary drivers of aging.

Epitalon has been shown to activate an enzyme called telomerase, which repairs telomeres. More active telomerase generally means that cells age more slowly and remain functional for longer. The net result is that overall aging appears to be slowed down. Research in rodents indicates that Epitalon may extend life by as much as 27% via this mechanism[2], [3].

As it turns out, Epitalon does not only activate telomerase. As noted above, Epitalon has been shown to affect expression for several genes through alteration of DNA structure. This process, called epigenetic modification, is of intense interest to scientists because it provides the foundation for controlling gene expression at a very fine level. If we someday learn how to harness epigenetic technology, humanity could potentially alter everything from an individual’s eye color to how intelligent a person is or how long someone lives. Here is a look at some of the known genes that Epitalon influences.

Known Effects of Epitalon

Immune System

Epitalon interacts with at least a half of a dozen genes involved in the function of the immune system. By altering CD5 expression, Epitalon can enhance differentiation of cells in the immune system. By regulating IL-2, Epitalon adjusts white blood cell production.

Skin

Epitalon changes the expression of MMP2 and Tram1, both of which are important to the health of skin. MMP2 is critical to the maintenance of thinks like collagen and elastin, which are critical components of skin, tendons, muscle, and more. Tram1 is a general regulator of protein production and helps to increase how much protein is produced by cells during growth, wound repair, or as a response to exercise. Mice exposed to Epitalon have 30-45% more fibroblast activity[4]. Fibroblasts are the cells the produce extracellular matrix.

Neurological System

Cutting edge research (carried by the father of modern peptide synthesis, Professor Vladimir Khavinson), indicates that Epitalon stimulates the growth of neurons. Dr. Khavinson’s work shows that Epitalon increases the production of nestin, GAP43, Beta Tubulin III, and Doublecortin in cells derived from the lining of the mouth. Each of these peptides is a marker of neuron differentiation, suggesting that Epitalon alters gene expression in a way that favors the development of nerve cells[5], [6].

The eyes, which are an extension of the neurological system, are also impacted by Epitalon. Research shows that the peptide may help to preserve the normal structure of the eye and boost bioelectric functions in the retina that are critical for sight[7].

Cancer

When Epitalon is given to rats with cancer, tumor growth slows and rates of metastasis (spread of cancer) decrease. There is current research into whether Epitalon can slow or prevent the growth of Her-2/Neu positive breast cancers. It is thought that these beneficial effects are mediated through Epitalon’s activation of PER1, which is under-expressed in cancer[8], [9].

Epitalon (Oral) Summary

Epitalon has several beneficial properties but is limited to some extent in research settings by the need to administer it via injection. The development of an orally bioavailable form of Epitalon would not only open the door to future development as a pharmaceutical agent, but it would also enhance the current rate at which research can be conducted. It would also expand the areas of application for Epitalon. The development of orally bioavailable peptides is a necessary step in the continuing evolution of peptide sciences, with Epitalon being just one of many orally bioavailable peptides to come.

Storage Instructions:

All of our products are manufactured using the Lyophilization (Freeze Drying) process, which ensures that our products remain 100% stable for shipping 3-4 months reconstituted (mixed with bacteriostatic water) to maintain stability. After reconstitution, the peptides will remain stable for up to 30 days.

Lyophilization is a unique dehydration process, also known as cryodesiccation, where the peptides are frozen and then subjected to low pressure. This causes the water in the peptide vial to sublimate directly from solid to gas, leaving behind a stable, crystalline white structure known as lyophilized peptide. The puffy white powder can be stored at room temperature until you're ready to reconstitute it with bacteriostatic water.

Once peptides have been received, it is imperative that they are kept cold and away from light. If the peptides will be used immediately, or in the next several days, weeks or months, short-term refrigeration under 4C (39F) is generally acceptable. Lyophilized peptides are usually stable at room temperatures for several weeks or more, so if they will be utilized within weeks or months such storage is typically adequate.

However, for longer term storage (several months to years) it is more preferable to store peptides in a freezer at -80C (-112F). When storing peptides for months or even years, freezing is optimal in order to preserve the peptide’s stability.