Your metabolism depends on two key hormones working in close partnership: insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1. These two hormones are structurally related and functionally intertwined, helping your body regulate blood sugar, manage fat storage, and maintain overall metabolic balance. When this IGF-1 and insulin axis becomes disrupted something that often happens with age, chronic stress,or conditions like obesity and diabetes, the effects can ripple through your entire system.
Scientists have long known that IGF-1 plays a vital role in enhancing how your body responds to insulin. It does this by helping glucose move more efficiently into your cells and by reducing how much glucose the liver releases into the bloodstream. When IGF-1 activity is low, this balance is lost. That’s when problems start to appear. Research shows that people with low IGF-1 levels often have poor insulin sensitivity, higher blood sugar levels, and a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome. There’s also a connection between low IGF-1 and issues like abnormal cholesterol, abdominal fat accumulation, and increased cardiovascular risk.1,2,3
What’s particularly interesting is how IGF-1 helps calm inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a key driver of obesity-related metabolic disorders, and IGF-1 appears to act as a natural anti-inflammatory agent, helping to restore a healthier metabolic environment.3
This is where cGP-PRo® enters the picture. cGP-PRo® is a natural, standardised source of cyclic glycine-proline, or cGP, an endogenous metabolite of IGF-1 that helps regulate how much IGF-1 is actually available for your body to use. Think of it as a balancing molecule that fine-tunes IGF-1’s function so it can do its job properly. Dr. Jian Guan and colleagues have been leading research into how cGP works, and what they’ve found is incredibly exciting.
In a very recent study, Dr Guan and colleagues showed that plasma cGP levels are linked to disrupted energy metabolism in type 2 diabetes, highlighting its potential as both a biomarker and therapeutic target.4
In studies involving animal models of metabolic syndrome and obesity, supplementing with cGP has been shown to help bring down high blood pressure and reduce the fat that collects around the abdomen and organs, and is closely linked with metabolic risk, while supporting IGF-1 activity during metabolic stress. 1,5
It’s becoming increasingly clear that cGP-PRo® offers a unique opportunity to support metabolic health at its foundation by restoring balance to the IGF-1 system and improving the way our bodies use energy. With its effects on glucose metabolism, blood pressure, inflammation, and fat distribution, cGP is emerging as a promising natural molecule in the fight against metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and the complications that come with them.
Much of this research is being led by Dr. Jian Guan and her team, who continue to explore cGP’s clinical potential across a range of age-related and metabolic conditions. As the science develops, so too does our understanding of how a powerful peptide molecule like cGP can play a big role in helping people reach their endless potential.
1. Guan, J. et al. Cyclic Glycine-Proline (cGP) Normalises Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) Function: Clinical Significance in the Ageing Brain and in Age-Related Neurological Conditions. Molecules vol. 28 Preprint at https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031021 (2023).
2.Aguirre, G. A., De Ita, J. R., de la Garza, R. G. & Castilla-Cortazar, I. Insulin-like growth factor-1 deficiency and metabolic syndrome. J Transl Med 14, 3 (2016).
3.Kubo, H. et al. Insulin-like growth factor-1 levels are associated with high comorbidity of metabolic disorders in obese subjects; a Japanese single-center, retrospective-study. Sci Rep 12, 20130 (2022).
4. Zhu, M. et al. Plasma concentration of cyclic glycine proline is associated with impaired energy metabolism in a Chinese population of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocrine and Metabolic Science 17, (2025).
5. Li, F. et al. Cyclic glycine-proline normalizes systolic blood pressure in high-fat diet-induced obese male rats. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 30, 339–346 (2020).