Peptides in Plain English: the tiny molecules making a big impact on medicine, with Dr. Orel Swenson
Wellness doesn’t come in a single pill, cream, or shot, but it can be enhanced by peptides: precision molecules that help you heal quicker, sleep sounder, shed weight, boost recovery and clear brain fog. Orel Swenson, MD, MBA, is an experienced emergency medicine physician and entrepreneur, who is using peptides as a powerful tool in his practice. He’s tried them. Tested them. And seen firsthand how they are shaping the future of regenerative medicine.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act like tiny, highly targeted messengers in your body. They are nature’s way of sending instructions for things like burning fat, repairing tissue, speeding up healing, or balancing hormones. Your body already makes thousands of peptides, including insulin, growth hormone, oxytocin, and melatonin.
Peptide therapy simply uses bioidentical versions of these natural compounds to give your body a little extra of what it needs. It’s a way to fine-tune specific functions and support your body’s own processes.
“The difference between hormones and peptides is that hormones replace something your body is already doing. Peptides, on the other hand, encourage what your body is naturally capable of. They don’t replace, they activate, by triggering your body’s own systems to respond,” says Dr. Orel Swenson, the Founder of Aeonic Health, board-certified physician and former emergency doctor, who has spent more than a decade on the front line at renowned medical institutions including ChristianaCare and Johns Hopkins.
It was only once he stepped away from the emergency department to complete his MBA that he started his own journey to health, prioritizing sleep, exercise, and injury prevention. “After years of seeing what the body can endure, I am now obsessed with demonstrating what it can achieve,” he says.
The wellness industry loves to sell the idea of eight hours of sleep, the 5 AM Club, and an stress-free existence. But what about the busy executive? The traveller? The parent? Real life doesn’t always follow the narrative.
“Peptides don’t replace healthy habits. But they can amplify them. They help your body to heal, regulate, and perform like it’s supposed to.”
“Peptides don’t replace healthy habits. But they can amplify them. They help your body to heal, regulate, and perform like it’s supposed to.”
“Peptides aren’t like directed drugs,” Dr. Orel explains. “They’re more of a shotgun approach, but with minimal side effects and real potential as a safe way to support recovery after injury or help build muscle. Cognitive peptides, for example, can be useful for tackling issues like brain fog as our natural peptide levels decline with age.”
Peptide therapies
Muscle Gain /
Enhanced muscle growth and strength through sermorelin, supporting the release of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), taken as subcutaneous shots.
Skin Rejuvenation /
Collagen production, wound healing, and skin firmness and elasticity through GHK-Cu cream, a naturally occurring peptide known for its regenerative properties.
Sexual Health /
Enhanced sexual function, arousal and release response for both men and women through PT-141, taken as subcutaneous shots.
Joint Pain Relief /
Improved joint health and gut and tissue repair through BPC-157, a synthetic peptide derived from a protein found in the stomach, taken as subcutaneous shots.
Fat Loss /
Accelerated fat burning, appetite control, and improved metabolism through GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide), taken as subcutaneous shots.
Dr. Orel is also Senior Lecturer at the Geneva College of Longevity Sciences. An advocate of regenerative medicine, he argues that if stem cells show promise, why wait until advanced osteoarthritis to use them?
“To me, this field is about enhancing the body’s natural cellular abilities, not replacing lifestyle but amplifying what’s already there. Think of it like adding NOS to a car. It will make any car go faster, but if you’re already a Ferrari not a Fiat, you’ll get even more out of it. The real question is your baseline. And I believe we need to move away from the old idea that it’s either all on the patient or that medicine will solve everything.
“The future is in meeting people where they are and adding tools that help them do what they can, better.”
“The future is in meeting people where they are and adding tools that help them do what they can, better.”
Confused about where to start? Follow these five tips
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act like tiny, highly targeted messengers in your body. They are nature’s way of sending instructions for things like burning fat, repairing tissue, speeding up healing, or balancing hormones. Your body already makes thousands of peptides, including insulin, growth hormone, oxytocin, and melatonin.
Peptide therapy simply uses bioidentical versions of these natural compounds to give your body a little extra of what it needs. It’s a way to fine-tune specific functions and support your body’s own processes.
“The difference between hormones and peptides is that hormones replace something your body is already doing. Peptides, on the other hand, encourage what your body is naturally capable of. They don’t replace, they activate, by triggering your body’s own systems to respond,” says Dr. Orel Swenson, the Founder of Aeonic Health, board-certified physician and former emergency doctor, who has spent more than a decade on the front line at renowned medical institutions including ChristianaCare and Johns Hopkins.
It was only once he stepped away from the emergency department to complete his MBA that he started his own journey to health, prioritizing sleep, exercise, and injury prevention. “After years of seeing what the body can endure, I am now obsessed with demonstrating what it can achieve,” he says.
The wellness industry loves to sell the idea of eight hours of sleep, the 5 AM Club, and an stress-free existence. But what about the busy executive? The traveller? The parent? Real life doesn’t always follow the narrative.
“Peptides don’t replace healthy habits. But they can amplify them. They help your body to heal, regulate, and perform like it’s supposed to.”
“Peptides don’t replace healthy habits. But they can amplify them. They help your body to heal, regulate, and perform like it’s supposed to.”
“Peptides aren’t like directed drugs,” Dr. Orel explains. “They’re more of a shotgun approach, but with minimal side effects and real potential as a safe way to support recovery after injury or help build muscle. Cognitive peptides, for example, can be useful for tackling issues like brain fog as our natural peptide levels decline with age.”
Peptide therapies
Muscle Gain /
Enhanced muscle growth and strength through sermorelin, supporting the release of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), taken as subcutaneous shots.
Skin Rejuvenation /
Collagen production, wound healing, and skin firmness and elasticity through GHK-Cu cream, a naturally occurring peptide known for its regenerative properties.
Sexual Health /
Enhanced sexual function, arousal and release response for both men and women through PT-141, taken as subcutaneous shots.
Joint Pain Relief /
Improved joint health and gut and tissue repair through BPC-157, a synthetic peptide derived from a protein found in the stomach, taken as subcutaneous shots.
Fat Loss /
Accelerated fat burning, appetite control, and improved metabolism through GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide), taken as subcutaneous shots.
Dr. Orel is also Senior Lecturer at the Geneva College of Longevity Sciences. An advocate of regenerative medicine, he argues that if stem cells show promise, why wait until advanced osteoarthritis to use them?
“To me, this field is about enhancing the body’s natural cellular abilities, not replacing lifestyle but amplifying what’s already there. Think of it like adding NOS to a car. It will make any car go faster, but if you’re already a Ferrari not a Fiat, you’ll get even more out of it. The real question is your baseline. And I believe we need to move away from the old idea that it’s either all on the patient or that medicine will solve everything.
“The future is in meeting people where they are and adding tools that help them do what they can, better.”
“The future is in meeting people where they are and adding tools that help them do what they can, better.”
Confused about where to start? Follow these five tips
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