Everyone’s dream is to stay healthy and maintain the high performance of their body. Well, there are various activities that human beings do to uphold a high level of a healthy status; such activities include the consumption of a balanced diet. A balanced diet significantly provides the necessary nutrients for a healthy and young-looking body. For instance, peptides, among other nutrients, provide the body with required amino acids for use I various body functions.
For many years, the impact of peptides in the human immune system has been known. Peptides act as the raw materials for building and strengthening the human immune system. Likewise, various immune supplements are used to provide the body with essential amino acids and peptides that aid in fighting against micro-organisms such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria.
What Is The Definition Of A Peptide?
Peptides refer to short chains that contain a varying number of amino acids attached by peptide bonds. The peptides contain an approximate of two to fifty amino acids. Different peptides have a varying length of the amino acid chain. For example, a chain that has less than ten amino acids in its chains is called the oligopeptides. Examples of the oligopeptides include the tetrapeptides, dipeptides, and the tripeptides.
Likewise, there are even much longer peptide chains that are continuous in nature and lack branches, such peptides when they encompass more than fifty amino acids; they are called the biological polymers. A protein is a biological polymer with more than fifty amino acids. Consequently, there are different families of peptides; for instance, there are antimicrobial peptides that fight microbial organisms affecting the body. Such antimicrobial peptides entail; defensin, cathelicidin, magainin, and cecropin family.
What are the natural peptides of medical importance?
Notwithstanding the impact of various amino acids on the immune system, they also positively contribute to the formation of collagen fibers that maintain a younger look in the old population. Amino acids, such as glutamic acid, BCAAs, and glycine, play a role in the immune system besides contributing to the collagen quantities.
Glycine.
Glycine is known for its anti-inflammatory functions; however, there is growing evidence of the function of glycine in the cytoprotective and immunomodulatory function as well. Research shows that glycine helps maintain and even boast the functioning of macrophages, which eventually suppresses the formation of inflammatory cytokines and free radicals.
Additionally, various studies have shown how collagen proteins facilitate the fight against the micro-organisms. Recently, scientists found out that;
- Macrophages in the lymphatic system enhance the functioning of the NK cells.
- Collagen fibers play a crucial role in positioning the natural killer cells near the target cells. This functionality greatly helps in the productive delivery of effector responses, among other cytokines.
L-Glutamine.
This is a free amino acid that is readily available for human body use. Research has shown that this amino acid plays a significant role in the regulation of immune system function. Notably, the various cell that forms the immune system use glutamine to survive and proliferate, thus maintaining their functionality and ultimately offering the defensive purpose against the micro-organisms. These functions are attained when the L-glutamine;
- Helps in the regulation of glutathione synthesis. Glutathione is a protein that functions in protecting cells from oxidative stress.
- Moreover, L-glutamine upholds the functioning of the immune system through the activation of the macrophages and lymphocytes. These two cells offer immense support in a healthy immune response.
More studies are showing that the presence of glutamine in athletes reduces the risk of developing respiratory tract infections. For instance, athletes who take an oral l-glutamine benefit from reduced incidences of exercise-induced decrease in plasma glutamine levels. Consequently, there is reduced lymphocyte count and hence low risk for upper respiratory infections.
Furthermore, glutamine upholds the endurance of the athlete’s immune system. Athletes who are under strict training risk developing infections, rather the use of glutamine supplementation, boasts the ratio of the T-helper cells to the T-suppressor cells, hence maintaining a steady immune system against the micro-organisms.
Notwithstanding the recent controversy of the use of peptides in sports, studies are still being carried out to evaluate the ability of amino acids such as glutamine in regulating the inflammatory responses and reducing oxidative stress.
Arginine.
This is a conditionally vital amino-acid. Notably, arginine acts as a precursor to nitric oxide, an element that constitutes various functions of the human body. For instance, it regulates the flow of blood through sequential vasodilation, activation of the immune system, and mitochondrial function.
Moreover, arginine is needed to support adaptive and innate immune systems following its function in different pathways that involve the cells of the immune system. Recent studies have shown that arginine enhances the functionality of T-cells, preserves the immune function that enhances their ability to fight microbial organisms.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAS).
This chain of amino acids comprises of Leucine, Valine, and Isoleucine. These amino acids form peptides that are associated with the repair and maintenance of muscle proteins. Furthermore, some studies prove the involvement of this type of peptides in the immune system, besides helping to raise the expression of genes that take part in antioxidant defense, specifically in patients who are experiencing microbial infection and incidences of malnutrition.
Tryptophan
Despite not being found in collagen, tryptophan plays a role in supporting the immune system. Studies show that tryptophan actively participates in soothing an overactive immune system in instances of auto-immunity.
Peptides play a significant role in establishing a strong immune system. Different peptides constitute different amino acids that determine the function of the peptides. The interlinking of constituent amino acids forms peptides through peptide bonds. Amino acids, such as arginine, Valine, Leucine, and isoleucine, form the peptides that are involved in the maintenance of the immune system.
Furthermore, research shows that L-Glutamine enhances the functioning of the immune system through the activation of the macrophages and lymphocytes. Macrophages and lymphocytes form the basis of a healthy immune response. If you need further assistance on various peptide supplement formulations, call us or visit our offices for detailed information. We are pleased to see you understand the role peptides play in maintaining your immune system.
References
Bourne, L. (2020). A new, powerful antimicrobial peptide that can give the immune system a helping hand. Retrieved 30 June 2020, from https://lucbourne.scienceblog.com/51/a-new-powerful-antimicrobial-peptide-that-can-give-the-immune-system-a-helping-hand/
Marcinkiewicz, M., & Majewski, S. (2016). The role of antimicrobial peptides in chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Advances In Dermatology And Allergology, 1, 6-12. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48066
Vollmar, A. (2005). The role of atrial natriuretic peptide in the immune system. Peptides, 26(6), 1086-1094. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2004.08.034
Wiesner, J., & Vilcinskas, A. (2010). Antimicrobial peptides: The ancient arm of the human immune system. Virulence, 1(5), 440-464. doi: 10.4161/viru.1.5.12983
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