Remember the 90s cult classic Death Becomes Her where Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn take a magic potion that makes them look and feel younger?
Peptides seem to be today’s version of that magic potion — or at least that’s what a growing number of influencers online want you to think.
A quick scroll through social media shows people raving about “wellness” peptides with robot names like BPC-157 as the fountain of youth. The injectable concoctions, also known as synthetic peptides, are said to heal injuries, slow aging, boost lean muscle, clear brain fog and more.
Of course, you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. And hopefully the thought of injecting anything into your body gives you proper pause. But it’s not just social media buzz. Peptides have been in the spotlight recently after an FDA-advisory panel recommended loosening restrictions on six peptides to help treat different health conditions.
So what are peptides, anyway? And can they put more pep in your step? Here’s what you need to know.
What are peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids in the body that serve as building blocks for proteins. “The sequence of these amino acids — think like letters of an alphabet creating words — determines the peptide’s function in the body,” said Angela DeRosa, D.O., founder and CEO of the Hormonal Health Institute and member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council.
Your body makes peptides — there are more than 7,000 naturally occurring peptides in the human body — and peptides are also made using amino acids found in dietary proteins like eggs and legumes. Other peptides, like collagen peptides, can be taken orally as a dietary supplement.
Peptides can also be synthesized in labs to treat certain health conditions. Well-known commercial synthetic peptides like insulin, semaglutide and tirzepatide are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, most of the synthetic peptides you see on social media, are made in compounding pharmacies or other facilities and are not FDA approved, which means the product isn’t held to the same strict standards for quality, safety and efficacy as FDA-approved products.
What do peptides do?
Peptides essentially act as messengers in the body to support metabolism, immune health and muscle repair and regulate hormones, among other important body processes.
DeRosa said peptides act like a key fitting into a lock. “They bind to a specific receptor on the outside of a given cell in the body and that binding triggers a response inside the cell. The reaction depends on which peptide is used as each peptide has a different target.” For example, oxytocin, a peptide hormone, targets milk duct receptors to allow the breast ducts to let down milk for breastfeeding.
Why do people use synthetic peptides?
FDA-approved synthetic peptides are prescribed to help treat diseases such as diabetes or obesity.
Synthetic peptides can also be prescribed to complement traditional treatments for certain conditions such as insomnia, cognitive decline and hormone problems. “For example, if a patient has severe testosterone deficiency and is extremely fatigued and doesn’t sleep well or has sexual dysfunction, taking a growth hormone peptide or PTP-141 for libido will not work well until the testosterone deficiency has been fixed,” DeRosa said. “Then these peptides become nice layering treatments on top of testosterone.”
DeRosa also noted that taking peptides can help optimize cellular function, immunity and mitochondria health and help with physical disorders, such as healing after soft tissue injury, joint issues and musculoskeletal disorders.
Do the injectable “wellness” peptides work?
We know FDA-approved prescription peptides have the research to back up the benefits of the medications. However, most of the synthetic peptides sold online are not FDA-approved, and many don’t have the data to back up the claims.
If you’re curious about taking peptides, DeRosa said to find a clinician who has the proper training and education on peptides.
“Influencers are not reputable sources and don’t have the proper education to know who is an appropriate candidate for each peptide, what the medical considerations or interactions are, what labs or screening should be done before taking a peptide or how to properly monitor someone taking peptides,” DeRosa said. “Are they obtaining the products from legal and safe compounding pharmacies versus getting peptides from someone at their gym? A clinician can help guide people to appropriate sources.”
An FDA-advisory panel voted to loosen restrictions on six peptides. What does that mean?
“This vote is not a green light to prescribe peptides,” DeRosa said. “The pharmacy compounding advisory committee recommended to the FDA that these peptides be reclassified from category 2 — illegal to compound — to category 1, or legal to compound, while under active review by the FDA.”
This means that compounded pharmacies would be able create slightly altered versions of the six peptides to sell to consumers.
It’s important to note that the panel vote is a recommendation to the FDA — the FDA has the final legal say. And the FDA still has to go through a long public notice and comment process before any official changes can happen. “Until then, these compounds are still not approved to legally compound.”
Are peptides safe?
Peptides that are regulated by the FDA are considered safe and effective. But outside of commercial FDA-approved peptides like insulin, there hasn’t been a lot of research to say if injecting peptides can be beneficial.
“Most have favorable safety profiles. However, with that said, the research supporting most of the peptides are limited to pre-clinical laboratory and animal studies,” DeRosa said.
The lack of human studies and long-term data also means there could be dangerous side effects that haven’t been documented. And since the synthetic peptides bought online are not regulated by the FDA, you can’t know for sure the quality and effectiveness of what you’re taking.
Should you ride the peptide wave?
Bottom line: Always talk to your clinician before taking any “wellness” products. And be wary of products that seem too good to be true. See Death Becomes Her for details.
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