unintentional weight loss

[Maggie Peklo]

Hello – I have a patient struggling with unintentional weight loss, despite efforts with increased caloric intake. She is undergoing workup with conventional medicine to rule out any concerning etiology, thus far everything has come up negative (CT – incidentally noted a possible NET of the small bowel but MRE was negative, CT otherwise unremarkable, negative EGD/Colonoscopy, comprehensive blood work, etc). Her home has mold and she is working on getting out, also has extreme stress issues, HPA axis dysfunction, which she is also working on. Curious if there are any peptides that could be helpful for her?

Thanks in advance!

[Madison Lepore]

Hi Maggie,

I’m glad to hear that the extensive work-up for concerning etiologies, including a negative MRE regarding the possible NET, has been reassuring so far. Chronic stress and HPA axis dysfunction can certainly contribute to unintentional weight loss. Persistent activation of the HPA axis elevates cortisol levels, which promotes catabolism, impairs nutrient absorption, suppresses appetite in some cases, and disrupts overall metabolic homeostasis. During periods of stress, the brain can release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which influence immune activity and may drive further inflammation. This is especially important when additional stressors like mold exposure are present, since environmental toxins can amplify both inflammatory and metabolic disturbances

Peptides That Can Help:  

MK-677 (Ibutamoren, a GHRP-mimetic): This peptide stimulates endogenous growth hormone secretion, which can help increase appetite and support anabolism. Some patients experience mild water retention or bloating initially due to increased glucose and water uptake into cells, but this tends to stabilize. Typical protocols involve cycling off after 3 months of use to maintain effectiveness.

Oral BPC-157:  BPC-157 is known for its gut-healing properties and may support nutrient absorption and improve gastrointestinal function, which is particularly important if malabsorption is suspected due to stress or inflammation, which in her case we can pretty much guarantee she is having malabsorption issues.

Selank: While not directly anabolic, Selank may help increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), levels of which can be depleted during chronic stress. By supporting BDNF, Selank may improve stress resilience and cognitive function. Additionally, Selank has anxiolytic properties that may help regulate stress response and HPA axis reactivity, thereby addressing one of the potential contributors to her unintentional weight loss.

Other Supportive Options:

Clinoptilolite (e.g., Med Therapy Pro or Med Darm-Repair): A naturally occurring volcanic ash mineral recognized for its ability to bind and remove mycotoxins and environmental toxins from the gut. This has scientifically shown that it can help restore gut barrier function, support the microbiome and enhance nutrient and mineral absorption. Even after she moves away from mold exposure, she could still continue the clinoptilolite just for ongoing protection against environmental toxins, including nanoparticles found in plastics.

Hopefully these recommendations are helpful! @justinbiofuse-net

[Annie Sewell]

This is very interesting. I have  very similar client. Extensive work-up with no obvious pathology. She just r/o mold. I have avoided any GH peptides because her IGF-1 is north of 300. Could this be a related to her HPA axis dysfunction and/or cell danger response?

She does take xyrem for narcolepsy and xyrem does promote the release of GH. She’s been on it for two years.

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