THE VANGUARD BLOG
Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.
Monograph
Overview MOTS-c is a 16-amino acid peptide encoded not in the nuclear genome but in the mitochondrial genome — specifically within the 12S ribosomal RNA gene of mitochondrial DNA. It was identified in 2015 by Changhan David Lee and colleagues at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide (5 amino acids: Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) and a
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Sermorelin is a synthetic 29-amino acid peptide corresponding to the first 29 residues of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (hGHRH). It was the first GHRH analog developed for clinical use and remains the most extensively studied GHRH peptide with FDA approval history — it was…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview PT-141 (bremelanotide; synthetic amino acid sequence: Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-OH) is
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview TB-500 is a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 17-amino-acid actin-binding domain of thymosin beta-4
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Thymulin (also known as FTS — facteur thymique sérique, or serum thymic factor) is a nonapeptide (9 amino acids; pyroglutamate-Ala-Lys-Ser-Gln-Gly-Gly-Ser-Asn) produced by thymic epithelial cells (TECs) in the thymus gland. First isolated by Bach and colleagues in France in the 1970s…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) is a 43-amino acid, naturally occurring protein ubiquitously expressed in nearly all mammalian cells (except red blood cells) and present at high concentrations in platelets, wound fluid, and tissue in active regeneration. It is the most abundant member of the…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are a class of antihypertensive drugs that block the AT1 receptor (angiotensin II type 1 receptor), preventing angiotensin II from exerting its vasoconstrictor, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory effects — without affecting ACE activity or…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a class of antihypertensive medications that block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II by the ACE enzyme, thereby reducing vasoconstriction, decreasing aldosterone secretion, and lowering blood pressure. They are among…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview The combination of dasatinib (a BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia) and quercetin (a plant flavonoid, described separately in the polyphenols monograph) represents the first clinically tested senolytic therapy — a pharmacological approach…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (beta-blockers) are a class of medications that competitively block catecholamine (epinephrine, norepinephrine) binding at beta-adrenergic receptors (β1, β2, β3). They are among the oldest and most widely prescribed cardiovascular drug classes, with…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Metformin (dimethylbiguanide) is a first-line oral anti-hyperglycemic agent derived from galegine, a natural compound found in French
13 May 2026
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