Published:
August 30, 2025

Peptides for Inflammation Reduction

Peptides for inflammation reduction may be the secret to protecting your heart. Discover how tiny proteins from food calm swelling and boost blood vessel health.

Table of contents

Swelling in the body can lead to serious health problems, especially in the heart and blood vessels. When your immune system sends too many signals, it can cause damage instead of protection.

Researchers have found that some peptides from common foods like milk and eggs can block these harmful signals. They help blood vessels stay relaxed and reduce the chemicals that cause swelling. Even peptides made by your own heart may play a role in keeping inflammation low.

This discovery could change how we prevent heart disease. These small proteins may become a big help in keeping the body calm and healthy.

Key Takeaways

  • Some small proteins in eggs and milk can lower swelling in the body.
  • These food peptides block key signals that cause inflammation.
  • When blood vessels stay relaxed, blood flows more easily.
  • Peptides made by the heart also help calm inflammation.
  • Human studies show these peptides reduce harmful chemicals in the blood.
  • Eating foods with these peptides might help protect against heart problems.

Peptides That Fight Inflammation

Blocking Inflammation With Peptides from Eggs and Milk


According to a study, some peptides from food proteins can lower inflammation by blocking key signals in cells.

In their study, a short peptide named Ile-Arg-Trp, which comes from egg protein, reduced inflammation in rats with high blood pressure. It also worked in lab-grown human blood vessel cells. The peptide stopped the body from making harmful signals like TNF-α and interleukin-6, which are known to attract immune cells and cause swelling. It also reduced NF-κB, a main signal that turns on many inflammation-related genes. When NF-κB is blocked, the cell cannot send as many danger signals. The same group also tested another peptide called Ile-Gln-Trp, which worked in similar ways. Both of these peptides not only calmed inflammation but also helped the blood vessels relax more easily. 

This shows that they improve blood flow while also stopping damage inside the blood vessel walls. The results mean that these food-based peptides could help lower the risk of long-term heart problems by calming the body’s inflammatory response.

Milk Peptides Lower Harmful Inflammation in Humans


According to a study, two small peptides from milk—IPP and Peptides from everyday foods like eggs and milk might help calm inflammation and protect the heart. Could these small protein pieces be the key to fighting swelling and keeping blood vessels healthy?—can also lower inflammation and protect the heart. These peptides come from fermented casein, a milk protein. They were tested in both lab studies and human trials.

The research showed that they block the JNK-MAPK pathway, which is a chain of signals inside cells that leads to inflammation and plaque buildup. By turning off this pathway, IPP and VPP keep immune cells from getting activated and damaging the blood vessel walls.

In human studies, these milk peptides also reduced markers in the blood that are tied to inflammation. For example, people who consumed milk proteins had lower levels of MCP-1 and CCL5, which are two chemicals that call white blood cells to the blood vessel lining. When these levels drop, it means there is less immune cell activity and less swelling in the blood vessels. This is important because constant swelling can lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks.

These results suggest that regular intake of these peptides may lower inflammation and help prevent heart disease.


Peptides Work by Controlling Inflammatory Signals and Protecting Blood Vessels

According to a study, peptides reduce inflammation in the body by acting on different targets inside blood vessel cells.

Some peptides, like Ile-Arg-Trp and Ile-Gln-Trp, not only lower blood pressure but also reduce harmful inflammation. These peptides were shown to block NF-κB, which is a master switch that turns on inflammation in the body. When this switch is turned off, fewer immune-related genes are activated, and fewer inflammatory substances are made.

The researcher also pointed out that peptides can block other harmful reactions caused by inflammation. For example, some peptides prevent white blood cells from sticking to the inside of blood vessels, which is a key early step in heart disease.

Other peptides, like those from spirulina or milk, also reduce chemicals like VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, which usually tell white blood cells where to go. One milk-based peptide called NOP-47 was tested in humans and helped improve blood flow by increasing nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels.

The combined effects of these peptides—stopping inflammation, relaxing vessels, and blocking harmful cell signals—make them strong candidates for future treatments that protect the heart and blood vessels.

Peptides That Fight Inflammation


Blocking Inflammation With Peptides from Eggs and Milk

According to a study, some peptides from food proteins can lower inflammation by blocking key signals in cells. 

In their study, a short peptide named Ile-Arg-Trp, which comes from egg protein, reduced inflammation in rats with high blood pressure. It also worked in lab-grown human blood vessel cells. The peptide stopped the body from making harmful signals like TNF-α and interleukin-6, which are known to attract immune cells and cause swelling. It also reduced NF-κB, a main signal that turns on many inflammation-related genes. When NF-κB is blocked, the cell cannot send as many danger signals. The same group also tested another peptide called Ile-Gln-Trp, which worked in similar ways. Both of these peptides not only calmed inflammation but also helped the blood vessels relax more easily. 

This shows that they improve blood flow while also stopping damage inside the blood vessel walls. The results mean that these food-based peptides could help lower the risk of long-term heart problems by calming the body’s inflammatory response.


Milk Peptides Lower Harmful Inflammation in Humans

According to a study, two small peptides from milk—IPP and Peptides from everyday foods like eggs and milk might help calm inflammation and protect the heart. Could these small protein pieces be the key to fighting swelling and keeping blood vessels healthy?—can also lower inflammation and protect the heart. These peptides come from fermented casein, a milk protein. They were tested in both lab studies and human trials. 

The research showed that they block the JNK-MAPK pathway, which is a chain of signals inside cells that leads to inflammation and plaque buildup. By turning off this pathway, IPP and VPP keep immune cells from getting activated and damaging the blood vessel walls. 

In human studies, these milk peptides also reduced markers in the blood that are tied to inflammation. For example, people who consumed milk proteins had lower levels of MCP-1 and CCL5, which are two chemicals that call white blood cells to the blood vessel lining. When these levels drop, it means there is less immune cell activity and less swelling in the blood vessels. This is important because constant swelling can lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks. 

These results suggest that regular intake of these peptides may lower inflammation and help prevent heart disease.


Peptides Work by Controlling Inflammatory Signals and Protecting Blood Vessels

According to a study, peptides reduce inflammation in the body by acting on different targets inside blood vessel cells

Some peptides, like Ile-Arg-Trp and Ile-Gln-Trp, not only lower blood pressure but also reduce harmful inflammation. These peptides were shown to block NF-κB, which is a master switch that turns on inflammation in the body. When this switch is turned off, fewer immune-related genes are activated, and fewer inflammatory substances are made. 

The researcher also pointed out that peptides can block other harmful reactions caused by inflammation. For example, some peptides prevent white blood cells from sticking to the inside of blood vessels, which is a key early step in heart disease. 

Other peptides, like those from spirulina or milk, also reduce chemicals like VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, which usually tell white blood cells where to go. One milk-based peptide called NOP-47 was tested in humans and helped improve blood flow by increasing nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. 

The combined effects of these peptides—stopping inflammation, relaxing vessels, and blocking harmful cell signals—make them strong candidates for future treatments that protect the heart and blood vessels.


Specific Peptides with Cardioprotective and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Some peptides made by the heart, like BNP and ANP, do more than help it pump—they also fight inflammation. 


Evidence from Animal Studies


According to a study, mice that lack B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are more vulnerable to vascular inflammation. These mice developed mesenteric vasculitis more easily, showing that BNP plays a protective role in blood vessels. This means BNP helps shield the vascular system from inflammatory damage.

In other animal experiments, mice with higher levels of circulating natriuretic peptides were protected from inflammation in fat tissue. These mice were genetically modified to lack the clearance receptor for natriuretic peptides, which resulted in higher NP activity. 

As a result, they were shielded from fat-related inflammation. Based on these findings, researchers concluded that natriuretic peptides may calm inflammation not just in blood vessels, but in fat tissue too.

Another study also explored the protective effect of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which causes strong inflammation. When the rats were given human ANP, they showed less lung damage and lower levels of inflammatory cytokines. This suggests ANP may help reduce damage from inflammatory lung injury, especially in sepsis-like conditions.

In addition, another research demonstrated that BNP and ANP could reduce the release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) from immune cells. In their in vitro studies, BNP suppressed the pathways responsible for inflammation by lowering activation of NF-kB and other key molecules. These results mean that natriuretic peptides help the heart pump better and they may also directly reduce harmful immune responses.

Data from Human Studies

Inflammation in people is linked to higher levels of circulating natriuretic peptides

In the MESA study involving 5,481 participants, higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were associated with a 16% increase in NT-proBNP, a marker of cardiac stress. This connection remained strong even when other health factors were taken into account. 

Over a four-year period, individuals with higher IL-6 still had about 6% higher NT-proBNP, showing a long-term relationship between inflammation and NP levels.

In a controlled study by the same group, 115 healthy people were given a small dose of LPS to simulate infection. After this, NT-proBNP levels rose from a median of 21 pg/mL to 54 pg/mL. MR-proANP also increased. This rise was not linked to changes in blood pressure or heart rate, meaning the peptides were likely released due to inflammation, not heart strain. This suggests that even in healthy people, inflammation alone can stimulate the release of natriuretic peptides.

Finally, in a large sample of over 13,000 hospitalized patients, those with acute respiratory infections or sepsis had BNP levels 36% higher than patients without these conditions. This increase remained even in patients without heart failure. The data suggest inflammation on its own can raise BNP levels. In another subset, higher C-reactive protein and white blood cell counts were also linked to higher BNP. 

This supports the idea that inflammation in general—not just one type—can cause the heart to release more peptides.

✂️ In Short


Natriuretic peptides like BNP and ANP are more than markers of heart failure. They act as protective agents that respond to inflammation and help the body recover. These peptides rise in response to inflammation in both animals and humans. They help reduce damage, limit immune overreactions, and stabilize tissues. In clinical practice, it's important to consider inflammation when interpreting natriuretic peptide levels, as high values may not always point to heart failure but could reflect an inflammatory state.

Final Words

Peptides from food and the human body can help lower inflammation, protect blood vessels, and improve blood flow. These tiny protein pieces work by stopping harmful signals that cause swelling and tissue damage. Some come from eggs and milk. Others are made by the heart itself. All of them target the body’s early warning systems that often lead to long-term health problems. Research shows that these peptides act in lab settings and they have real effects in both animals and people. They help calm the body’s response before it turns harmful. That makes them a useful tool in lowering the risk of heart disease and other inflammation-related issues.

As science learns more, these simple proteins may become part of future treatments for a healthier heart.

FAQs

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