HoldsUp

Dr. Tyna Moore · 2026-07-09 · Tyna Moore (host), Ksenia Petrushkina

The Right Way to Use HRT, GLP-1s & Peptides | Dr. Ksenia Petrushkina

32 research-tied claims examined: 4 contradicted 1 overstated 1 context 21 supported 5 unverified

21

Supported by research

0:06:06Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Using GLP-1 receptor agonists without adequate diet and exercise causes substantial loss of muscle mass alongside fat loss.

"Lose a lot of weight, a lot of muscle, a lot a lot of fat, because nobody educate them that they have to eat, they have to exercise. They can't just take GLP-1 and sit on the couch and watch TV after work. They have to actually gain the muscle." (said at 0:06:06)

Published clinical trials and meta-analyses show that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) therapy induces weight loss composed of both fat mass and absolute lean/skeletal muscle mass. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining GLP-1 RAs at obesity doses found a significant reduction in absolute lean mass (-1.74 kg overall, and -5.44 kg for semaglutide), with lean/skeletal muscle loss typically accounting for roughly 8.5% to 25% (or more) of total weight lost. Clinical guidelines and systematic reviews emphasize that GLP-1 RA pharmacotherapy should be combined with adequate dietary protein intake and structured exercise (especially resistance training) to minimize muscle loss and preserve physical function.

0:08:47Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Muscle mass protects bones from osteoporosis and reduces fracture risk.

"Well, you do need muscle to protect your bones from osteoporosis, as well as protect when estrogen protects you, because muscle feeds the bones. If there's no muscle, your bones are not being fed, and so you're going to break them." (said at 0:08:47)

Prospective cohort studies and systematic reviews demonstrate a robust, positive association between skeletal muscle mass/function and bone health. Sarcopenia (the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function) and osteosarcopenia are significantly associated with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and an elevated risk of osteoporotic fractures. Meta-analyses show that sarcopenia increases the relative risk of incident fractures (pooled RR ~1.37 to HR ~2.13 in osteosarcopenia), while preserved muscle mass and physical loading stimulate bone remodeling through mechanical tension and endocrine/paracrine signaling (bone-muscle crosstalk).

0:12:18Tyna Moore (host)supportedmoderate

Data shows that carrying a small amount of extra body fat into older age is associated with improved longevity.

"And there's even some data showing that going into older age with with a little bit of fat on you is good for—longevity, you know." (said at 0:12:18)

Epidemiological studies and meta-analyses consistently show that in adults aged 65 and older, carrying extra weight (within the overweight BMI range of roughly 25 to 29.9 kg/m²) is associated with lower all-cause mortality compared to being in the lower-normal BMI range (<23 kg/m²), with mortality risk not significantly increasing until BMI reaches class 2 obesity (above 33–35 kg/m²). This observational phenomenon is widely documented in the literature, although researchers note that part of the association may be driven by confounding factors such as reverse causation from pre-existing illness or unintentional weight loss in older age.

0:13:44Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Adipose tissue becomes pro-inflammatory when it exceeds a certain threshold.

"Anything above the certain limit becomes an inflammation." (said at 0:13:44)

The speaker's statement accurately reflects the well-established "adipose tissue expandability hypothesis" in metabolic physiology. Adipose tissue depots have an individual capacity limit for healthy expansion. When excess caloric intake exceeds this expansion threshold, adipocyte hypertrophy causes cellular hypoxia, adipocyte death, and immune cell infiltration, triggering chronic low-grade inflammation and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

0:15:15Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

There is no safe dose or level of alcohol consumption.

"I'm big proponent of no alcohol at all because there's no safe dosage of alcohol." (said at 0:15:15)

The statement that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption is supported by large-scale global epidemiological analyses. The Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2016 study, analyzing data from 195 countries across 23 health outcomes, concluded that the level of alcohol consumption that minimises total health loss is zero standard drinks per week, with cancer risk and all-cause mortality rising monotonically with intake. While subsequent modeling (GBD 2020) highlighted that theoretical minimum risk levels may vary slightly by age and regional baseline disease rates (due to modest reductions in ischemic heart disease risk among older adults), public health authorities and global analyses continue to emphasize that for overall health and cancer risk, no completely safe threshold exists.

0:21:49Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

PT-141 (Vyleesi / bremelanotide) is approved for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women.

"tried Vyleesi, it is approved for um women hyposexual." (said at 0:21:49)

Bremelanotide (brand name Vyleesi, also known as PT-141) is an FDA-approved subcutaneous melanocortin receptor agonist indicated for the treatment of acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women.

0:22:49Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedvery low

MOTS-c peptide activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to regulate energy metabolism.

"That's that's explainable because MOTS-c, it activates AMPK. It reroutes the energy." (said at 0:22:49)

Preclinical studies demonstrate that the mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c acts on cellular energy metabolism by inhibiting de novo purine synthesis and activating 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle and other metabolic tissues. Because this mechanistic pathway has been characterized primarily in cell culture and animal models, the certainty of evidence for clinical translation in humans remains very low.

0:25:48Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Thymosin beta-4 is a 43-amino-acid peptide being researched in oncology due to its implication in glioblastoma.

"TB4 is what, 43-amino-acid-long peptide, very long peptide that is being researched in oncology because it implicates in glioblastoma." (said at 0:25:48)

Thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) is an actin-sequestering peptide consisting of 43 amino acids. In oncology research, it has been studied across several cancers, including glioblastoma, where its expression correlates with tumor grade and malignancy. Preclinical research demonstrates that silencing the thymosin beta-4 gene reduces stemness, clonogenicity, invasion, and tumorigenicity in glioblastoma models, leading researchers to explore it as a potential therapeutic target.

0:26:20Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

BPC-157 is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.

"And it's on the WADA list. BPC-157 is on the WADA list." (said at 0:26:20)

BPC-157 is recognized in the doping control and sports regulatory literature as a prohibited substance under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations (specifically added under category S0: Non-Approved Substances / peptide categories), and anti-doping analytical workflows routinely screen for it among prohibited doping agents.

0:29:40Tyna Moore (host)supportedmoderate

Spaying female puppies puts them into surgical menopause and removes their estrogen, contributing to increased incidence of ACL tears and ligament injuries.

"when you spay your female puppies, you are putting them into surgical menopause. And so there's just been this huge uptick in ACL tears and ligamentous issues in female dogs, and everyone's like, "Gee, I wonder why. Why is this epidemic happening?" It's because we are ripping their estrogen out of them when they're 6 months old." (said at 0:29:40)

Surgical spaying (ovariectomy or ovariohysterectomy) removes the primary source of circulating estrogen and progesterone. Multiple large retrospective cohort and observational studies demonstrate that early gonadectomy (spaying/neutering before 6 to 12 months of age) is significantly associated with an increased risk of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears—the canine equivalent of ACL tears—particularly in medium, large, and giant dog breeds.

0:23:03Tyna Moore (host)supportedmoderate

Exercise stimulates the endogenous production of the mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c.

"HOST: When you can make it with exercise. GUEST1: Yes. And 25-year-olds have all the peptides available inside their bodies." (said at 0:23:03)

Published literature confirms that physical exercise stimulates the endogenous production and secretion of the mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of 12S rRNA-c). In human studies, acute and chronic exercise have been shown to elevate MOTS-c levels both within skeletal muscle tissue and in systemic circulation, where it functions as an exercise-induced mitokine involved in metabolic regulation and mitochondrial adaptations.

0:26:40Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

TB-500 is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.

"And it's on the WADA list. BPC-157 is on the WADA list." (said at 0:26:40)

TB-500 (a synthetic peptide representing an active region/form of Thymosin beta-4) and Thymosin beta-4 are prohibited substances under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List (under peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics, or non-approved substances). Published anti-doping literature confirms that TB-500 is classified as a banned doping agent under WADA regulations and subject to doping control detection strategies.

0:32:09Tyna Moore (host)supportedhigh

Dr. Pierre Kory published papers on using intravenous thiamine along with corticosteroids in ICU patients for COVID-19.

"And I pulled up some papers from Dr. Pierre Kory, who was using it along with, I believe, prednisone intravenously in ICU patients for COVID." (said at 0:32:09)

Dr. Pierre Kory and colleagues from the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance published papers detailing the "MATH+" hospital protocol for COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure. The protocol combined corticosteroids (methylprednisolone) with intravenous thiamine, ascorbic acid, and heparin.

0:33:45Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Compounded hormone pellets can raise female testosterone levels to male ranges around 500 ng/dL, leading to aromatization and high estrogen levels.

"Yes, I have many, actually, women who came to me from other practitioners who would put them on pellets and then their testosterone would be in 500. I mean, it's not a female range. It's a male-range testosterone of 500s. And then it aromatizes, and then your estrogen goes into 500 and you create that inflammation because you flood it with supraphysiological doses of hormones that your body is not used to." (said at 0:33:45)

The speaker's claim that compounded hormone pellets can result in supraphysiological, male-range testosterone levels in women (around 500 ng/dL) and high serum estradiol (estrogen) levels due to aromatization is supported by clinical evidence. A cohort study comparing postmenopausal women using compounded pellet hormone therapy (PHT) to FDA-approved hormone therapy found that women receiving pellets experienced significantly higher mean peak serum testosterone and estradiol levels compared to standard therapies. In the PHT group, peak testosterone reached up to 599 ng/dL (with multiple patients exceeding 400 ng/dL) and peak estradiol reached up to 1,111 pg/mL, demonstrating that compounded pellets frequently produce supraphysiological male-range testosterone concentrations and marked elevations in estrogen in postmenopausal females.

0:42:50Tyna Moore (host)supportedmoderate

Repetitive head injuries in athletes cause brain-induced endocrine dysfunction and low testosterone.

"And even young men, I've had several young men in practice who were hockey players or ex-hockey or football players with just absolutely no testosterone because too many head injuries in their youth. And like, we had to supplement. GUEST1: Brain. Yes, brain induces endocrine dysfunction, absolutely." (said at 0:42:50)

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions sustained in contact sports are well-documented causes of post-traumatic hypopituitarism and neuroendocrine dysfunction. Damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis from head trauma can impair the release of gonadotropins, leading to secondary hypogonadism and low testosterone levels. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 studies found that approximately 32% to 34% of TBI patients experience chronic anterior pituitary dysfunction 12 months or more post-injury. Furthermore, a large cohort study of 3,409 former professional football players demonstrated a significant, dose-dependent association between concussion symptom severity and indicators of low testosterone (adjusted OR 2.39 for the highest vs. lowest concussion symptom quartile).

0:49:40Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

The liver produces approximately 80% of circulating cholesterol in the human body.

"your liver makes 80% of your cholesterol, and cholesterol is made to synthesize hormones." (said at 0:49:40)

The speaker's statement aligns with human physiological principles. Endogenous cholesterol synthesis accounts for approximately 75% to 80% of circulating and total body cholesterol (with the remaining fraction derived from dietary absorption), and the liver serves as the primary site of de novo cholesterol biosynthesis and circulating lipoprotein regulation. Furthermore, cholesterol is the essential biochemical precursor for the biosynthesis of all steroid hormones (including corticosteroids, androgens, and estrogens), as well as bile acids and cell membrane structures.

0:51:09Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

Tesamorelin is a growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue that stimulates the pituitary to secrete growth hormone, which causes the liver to release IGF-1.

"Yes, so tesamorelin is GHRH, it's a growth hormone um it's a peptide that stimulate pituitary inside your brain to produce growth hormone. It travels to your liver. Your liver says, 'Oh, I just got GH. I'm going to release IGF-1.'" (said at 0:51:09)

The speaker accurately describes the mechanism of action of tesamorelin and the physiology of the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) axis. Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide analogue of GHRH that binds to receptors in the anterior pituitary gland to stimulate the synthesis and pulsatile release of endogenous growth hormone (GH). Growth hormone subsequently acts on target tissues, primarily the liver, stimulating the production and systemic release of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

0:53:44Tyna Moore (host)supportedlow

BPC-157 induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stimulates angiogenesis.

"whether it's BPC-157 inducing VEGF and angiogenesis, whether it's using tesamorelin to get growth hormone going and IGF-1 going" (said at 0:53:44)

Preclinical animal and cell culture studies show that stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC-157 stimulates angiogenesis and increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression as well as VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression during tissue repair and wound healing models. However, evidence supporting this effect is limited entirely to preclinical rodent, chick embryo, and in vitro models, as high-quality clinical trial data in humans are lacking.

0:50:44Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

Therapies that elevate or mimic growth hormone, such as growth hormone-releasing hormone analogues, cause fluid retention and water weight gain.

"when you inject anything that have to do with the growth hormone because the medication in itself will you will gain the water weight." (said at 0:50:44)

Administration of growth hormone (GH), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogues, and GH secretagogues is well-established to induce sodium and fluid retention, leading to extracellular water accumulation and transient water weight gain or peripheral edema. Clinical trials and reviews evaluating GH-axis modulators (including GHRH analogues like tesamorelin and sermorelin) consistently document fluid retention syndromes, peripheral edema, and increases in lean/extracellular body water as classic, dose-dependent pharmacological effects of elevating GH and IGF-1 levels.

1:01:17Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedhigh

Plasmapheresis removes coagulation factors and immunoglobulins from the blood.

"Well, all your coagulation factors are removed with plas— plasmapheresis... Immunoglobulins are removed. Clotting factors are removed. Every— you just removed everything." (said at 1:01:17)

Plasmapheresis (therapeutic plasma exchange) separates and removes the liquid portion of whole blood (plasma), which contains circulating plasma proteins including immunoglobulins, immune complexes, complement proteins, and coagulation factors (e.g., fibrinogen, factor V, factor XI, factor XIII). When albumin or saline is used as the replacement fluid instead of fresh frozen plasma, significant temporary depletion of both immunoglobulins and clotting factors occurs, which is well-documented in clinical apheresis literature.

1:03:04Ksenia Petrushkinasupportedmoderate

Plasmapheresis can be beneficial in ICU patients with severe diseases, such as severe COVID-19 characterized by cytokine flooding.

"plasmapheresis can be very beneficial in ICU patients with severe diseases, with severe COVID, for example, where you flooded with cytokines. I mean, there's there are settings where that procedure can be beneficial" (said at 1:03:04)

Published systematic reviews and meta-analyses support the claim that therapeutic plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) can provide clinical benefit in severe critical illnesses such as severe COVID-19 characterized by hyperinflammation and cytokine release. Meta-analytic evidence indicates that plasma exchange in severe COVID-19 significantly reduces inflammatory markers (such as IL-6, ferritin, and LDH) and is associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to standard care.

Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.