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The Peptide Podcast

The Peptide Podcast

By: The Peptide Queen
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 The Peptide Podcast makes health and wellness decisions SIMPLE, FAST, and FUN. In less than 15 minutes each weekday, you’ll get accurate, unbiased updates on peptides—from disease prevention and performance health to anti-aging and more. Hosted by The Peptide Queen, a clinical pharmacist with more than 15 years of experience, the show cuts through internet confusion to give you clear, reliable information so you can choose what’s best for you.This website and its content are copyright of The Peptide Podcast - All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • The Science of Meal Timing, Fasting, and Weight Loss

    The Science of Meal Timing, Fasting, and Weight Loss
    Oct 16 2025
    Today, we’ll examine an important debate in nutrition: whether skipping breakfast or skipping dinner is more effective for your health and metabolism. We’ll unpack what the research says, how your body’s internal clock affects metabolism, and why the timing of your last meal can make or break your weight loss—especially if you’re on a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide, dual GIP/GLP-1 like tirzepatide, or triple agonist like retatrutide. If you want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. https://pepties.com/partners/ Let’s get into it. Circadian Rhythms and Eating Windows Our bodies are wired to follow a circadian rhythm—a 24-hour cycle that controls hormones like melatonin, cortisol, and insulin. One key thing to understand is that your body follows the rhythm of the day. When it’s light out, you’re naturally wired for activity—your metabolism is active, digestion works efficiently, and your body is more sensitive to insulin. As daylight fades, melatonin levels rise, signaling it’s time to slow down, rest, and prepare for sleep. Here’s the kicker: melatonin doesn’t just make you sleepy—it also reduces insulin sensitivity. That means when you eat late at night—say at 8 or 9pm—your body doesn’t handle sugar or calories as well. Instead of using that energy, you’re more likely to store it as fat. So, a meal at 5pm when it’s still light out? Your body’s insulin response is stronger. You burn and use more of what you eat. But a meal at 9pm in the dark? Your body’s gearing up for sleep, not digestion. Calories from that meal are more likely to go into fat storage. Breakfast vs. Dinner Skipping—What the Data Says Let’s talk about what the research shows when it comes to skipping breakfast versus skipping dinner. Several studies have looked at early time-restricted feeding, where you eat earlier in the day, like between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., versus eating later, where you skip breakfast and stretch meals into the evening. One of the most cited studies, published in Cell Metabolism. The study looked at men with prediabetes who followed an early time-restricted feeding schedule for five weeks. Even though they didn’t lose weight, they had significant improvements in insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and markers of oxidative stress compared to those eating over a twelve-hour window. The takeaway? Eating earlier in the day improved metabolic function even without reducing calories. Another study found that early eaters experienced lower evening hunger and better fat oxidation, meaning their bodies were burning fat more efficiently. By contrast, those eating later in the day had higher insulin and glucose levels after meals, signaling greater insulin resistance. And more broadly, research consistently shows that eating late at night, especially after seven or eight in the evening, is linked to increased body fat and higher risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The reason is straightforward: insulin sensitivity drops as the day goes on, so your body is less efficient at processing glucose at night, and those late calories are more likely to be stored as fat, especially around the belly. So while skipping breakfast might be easier for some people, from a metabolic standpoint, skipping dinner—or at least finishing it earlier—tends to be more beneficial. This connects directly to why fasting works for weight loss. Fasting gives your insulin a chance to drop, which signals your body to tap into stored fat for energy. Front-loading your meals earlier in the day aligns with your body’s natural rhythm: insulin sensitivity is higher, digestion is more efficient, and your body has more opportunity to burn fat overnight. People who eat earlier often report feeling more energized, less hungry in the evening, and sleeping better—all key factors in long-term weight control. Now, if you’re taking medications like semaglutide, tirzepatide, or retatrutide, timing becomes even more important. These drugs slow gastric emptying, which helps you feel full longer but also means that eating a large dinner late at night can lead to bloating, nausea, heartburn, and in turn, poor sleep. Digestion naturally slows down as melatonin rises and your body prepares for sleep, so combining a late meal with slower gastric emptying can make it harder for your body to rest and burn fat overnight. A good rule is to finish your last meal two to three hours before bed, ideally around five or six in the evening. This gives your body time to digest, allows insulin levels to drop, and lets you switch into fat-burning mode. What’s the counter argument? Of course, it’s important to remember that meal timing isn’t one-size-fits-all. While the research often favors early eating, some people naturally aren’t hungry in the morning, and skipping breakfast can actually...
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    7 mins
  • Tesamorelin Peptide Therapy

    Tesamorelin Peptide Therapy
    Oct 9 2025

    Today, we’re talking about tesamorelin, a peptide that works through the growth hormone pathway and is especially effective when it comes to targeting stubborn belly fat.

    If you want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going.

    https://pepties.com/partners/

    So, what exactly is tesamorelin? In simple terms, it’s a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog—basically, it signals your pituitary gland to release more growth hormone (GH). Why does that matter? Because GH plays a big role in fat metabolism, especially when it comes to visceral fat, the deep fat that surrounds your organs in your abdominal region.

    Here’s how it works: when GH levels rise, your body starts breaking down fat for energy—a process called lipolysis. Visceral fat, in particular, is very responsive to GH. Reducing this type of fat isn’t just about looking better; it also improves metabolic health, boosts insulin sensitivity, and lowers inflammation, all of which support long-term health and reduce your risk of heart disease.

    Why not just give GH directly?

    Your body only produces a certain amount of GH naturally, and this declines with age. Giving exogenous GH can boost levels quickly, but it comes with higher risks like swelling, joint pain, and sometimes insulin resistance if overused.

    Tesamorelin, on the other hand, stimulates your own pituitary gland to release GH naturally, which tends to be safer and more physiologic over time. That said, GH injections might be preferred in certain clinical scenarios, but for most people, tesamorelin offers a more controlled approach.

    What about side effects?

    Some common ones include joint pain, swelling, and muscle aches. These happen because GH causes fluid retention and increased tissue growth, which can put pressure on joints and muscles.

    Also, tesamorelin can slightly increase blood sugar, so people with diabetes or prediabetes should be monitored carefully. But why does this happen?

    Since tesamorelin works by boosting your growth hormone, it can have an impact on how your body handles glucose. Growth hormone naturally makes your body a little less sensitive to insulin, which means your cells don’t take up sugar as efficiently. So, some people might notice a slight rise in fasting blood sugar when they start using tesamorelin.

    But here’s the interesting part: growth hormone also increases IGF-1, which has some insulin-like effects. In most healthy people, this helps balance things out, so blood sugar doesn’t spike dramatically. But if someone already has prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, it’s something to keep an eye on.

    The takeaway? Tesamorelin can slightly raise blood sugar, but it’s usually manageable. Regular monitoring is smart, especially for anyone with a history of blood sugar issues. And compared to direct growth hormone injections, tesamorelin tends to have less of an effect on blood sugar because it stimulates your body to release GH naturally, instead of flooding your system with it.

    Typical dosing of tesamorelin

    For men, peptide therapy is often 1 mg at night to support natural GH peaks during sleep, and 1 mg in the morning before fasted cardio or exercise. Women usually do 1 mg daily. Tesamorelin can be expensive, so many people cycle it 5 days on, 2 days off to reduce cost, or just do 1 mg at night, which still supports GH production and can even improve sleep.

    Typically, tesamorelin is cycled for 8 weeks on, then 8 weeks off, and most people start noticing results after 4 to 6 weeks. This cycling helps manage cost, reduce potential side effects, and allows the body to maintain responsiveness to the therapy.

    My Final thoughts

    Tesamorelin is a powerful tool for targeting visceral fat and improving body composition safely through your natural GH pathways. It’s not a cheap therapy, but if used strategically—especially timed with sleep or exercise—it can give great results while minimizing side effects.

    Thanks for listening to The Peptide Podcast. If today’s episode resonated, share it with a friend, please share this episode!

    Until next time, be well, and as always, have a happy, healthy week.
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    5 mins
  • GLOW Peptide Therapy

    GLOW Peptide Therapy
    Oct 2 2025
    I’m so glad you’re here today because we’re diving into a therapy that people are buzzing about—GLOW peptide therapy. If you want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. https://pepties.com/partners/ Now, you’ve probably heard me talk about individual peptides before, but this one’s a peptide stack—a combination of three peptides that are designed to work together. And honestly, the name says it all. People who use this blend often say they recover faster, their skin looks healthier, and they just feel better overall. That’s why it’s called GLOW. So today, I’m going to walk you through what GLOW peptide therapy is, what’s actually in it, how each of these peptides work, typical dosing, cycles, side effects, who should avoid it, and finally—I’ll go through some of the most common questions people ask. The Three Peptides in GLOW GLOW therapy combines BPC-157, TB-500 or thymosin beta-4, and GHK-Cu. Each one does something unique, but when you put them together, you get this synergistic effect that’s bigger than the sum of its parts. Let’s start with BPC-157. This peptide is naturally derived from something we all have in our stomach lining—it’s literally called the body protection compound. And the name fits. It helps protect and repair tissue, calm down inflammation, and even support gut health. A lot of people first hear about BPC-157 because athletes use it for muscle strains, tendon injuries, or joint pain. But it’s also been studied for gut issues like ulcers and leaky gut. The magic is in how it helps new blood vessels form so your tissues can actually heal faster and stronger. The next thing I want to touch on is that the GLOW peptide stack sometimes lists TB-500 or Thymosin Beta-4 (TB4) as if they’re interchangeable. And while they’re closely related, they’re not exactly the same. Both of them are best known for their role in healing and recovery. They guide cells to the site of an injury, help reduce scar tissue, improve blood flow by encouraging new blood vessel growth, and calm down excess inflammation so real healing can happen. Where they start to differ is in their scope of action. Thymosin Beta-4 is the full-length, naturally occurring peptide — the master version, if you will. Because it’s the entire chain, it interacts with more pathways and has been studied in a wide range of areas: wound healing, heart repair after a heart attack, corneal healing, brain and nerve protection, even immune system regulation. TB-500, on the other hand, is a synthetic fragment of Thymosin Beta-4. It contains the “active core” that drives cell migration and blood vessel growth. That makes it very effective for tissue repair, tendon healing, wound closure, and circulation. But it doesn’t have all the extra regulatory sections that give the full peptide those broader effects on the heart, brain, or immune system. What’s good to know, is that in practice, most formulations use TB-500 because it’s more stable (both in the body and for storage), widely available, and it’s cost-effective. Some clinics may use the full Thymosin Beta-4, but that’s far less common due to the cost of production. From a user perspective, both serve the same purpose in the stack: recovery, regeneration, and repair. However, TB-500 does not have all the broader effects that the full-length Thymosin Beta-4 peptide has. Think of it this way, TB-500 tends to be seen as more targeted — very good at tissue and tendon repair, wound closure, and improving circulation, but without the same wide-ranging effects on the heart, brain, or immune system that you see with the complete TB4 peptide. Okay, moving along to the last component of the GLOW peptide stack: GHK-Cu or the copper peptide. You might’ve already seen this one in the skincare world—creams and serums often brag about having copper peptides because they boost collagen, smooth wrinkles, and improve elasticity. But GHK-Cu is more than just cosmetic. Inside the body, it promotes wound healing, reduces inflammation, fights oxidative stress, and even supports hair regrowth. This is the peptide that really brings the “glow” to GLOW therapy. People notice their skin looks fresher and healthier, their hair feels stronger, and they just have that rejuvenated look. Now, each of these peptides—BPC-157, TB-500 or TB-4, and GHK-Cu—can be prescribed and given separately as a subcutaneous injection, and sometimes that’s the right approach depending on someone’s goals. But for convenience, they’re often combined into a single formulation or vial, which makes daily use a lot simpler. Instead of juggling three different injections, you’re working with one balanced blend that delivers the same benefits in a more streamlined way. Why Combine Them? So, why put these three together? Well, BPC-157 is ...
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    14 mins
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