Peptide Show podcast

Phil Micans: What does Putin know about peptides?

10/20/2026
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What did the Soviets discover about peptides? 

Soviet researchers were studying peptide bioregulators decades before today’s longevity boom. Their work helped reshape Phil Micans’ thinking about food, gene activity and aging. 

A co-founder of International Antiaging Systems and editor of Aging Matters magazine, Phil was drawn into bioregulators by a 2010 lecture in Istanbul. The speaker was Professor Vladimir Khavinson, with whom he would later coauthor a book. 

He joins Richard Skaife to discuss what he observed in Russian clinics, the research involving gas workers in Siberia, and Khavinson’s hypothesis that these compounds could activate a “biological reserve.” 

He explains: 

■ How bioregulators differ from other peptides
■ Natural versus synthetic forms
■ The three bioregulators he prioritizes
■ The Gazprom studies and “biological reserve”
■ Conquering aging versus conquering death

Chapters 

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (02:17) - What are bioregulators?
  • (04:37) - Food, genes and Soviet science
  • (11:47) - Natural vs. synthetic
  • (13:35) - Sourcing and quality
  • (16:14) - What does Putin know?
  • (18:55) - Can peptides extend lifespan?
  • (23:31) - Conquering aging

Watch the full episode on YouTube

Further reading

PubMed: Review co-authored by Professor Vladimir Khavinson examining short peptides and gene regulation: Peptide Regulation of Gene Expression: A Systematic Review

PubMed: A 2003 study of thymus and pineal peptide preparations in 266 older adults followed for six to eight years, separate from the Gazprom research: Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life

Vrach: Related 2016 research on personalized prevention and peptide bioregulation among Gazprom workers. English abstract; full article in Russian: Personified Prevention of Diseases Under the Conditions of the Far North

PubMed: Phil Micans’ paper on aging populations, healthcare costs and preventive medicine: The Need for Anti-aging Medicine

Read the full transcript

Follow Phil Micans

Website: International Antiaging Systems
Publication: Aging Matters magazine
Book: Peptides in the Epigenetic Control of Ageing

Follow Richard Skaife

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richardskaife/

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Peptide Show explores the science, medicine, business, and people shaping the rapidly evolving world of peptides.

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Some compounds discussed in this episode are investigational, unapproved for the uses discussed, or subject to changing regulatory requirements.

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