Peptides are quickly becoming one of the most talked-about tools for injury, performance, health, and longevity. While some peptides are well-researched and FDA-approved, many are still emerging from the shadows of anecdotal evidence and animal studies, stirring curiosity and caution among health and medical professionals. This article dives deep into what peptides are, how peptide therapy works, and what you need to know about the risks, benefits, and current legal status of some of the most popular peptides being used today.
What are Peptides?
Peptides are small chains of amino acids that serve as the building blocks of proteins in the body. Examples of peptides include insulin, collagen, endorphins, enzymes, and signaling molecules. When peptides bind to specific receptors, they can activate multiple biological pathways, triggering a cascade of actions within the body. This means that when using peptide therapies, you may experience a variety of effects and potential side effects, even if you’re targeting a specific issue. Peptides are in their infancy due to mostly anecdotal evidence paired with only animal testing. Research and approval of many more peptides in the upcoming years is expected and will revolutionize medicine.
What is Peptide Therapy?
Peptide therapies often come in injectable form, and have been gaining attention for their potential therapeutic benefits. Injectable peptide drugs are already being used for various medical conditions, including diabetes, osteoporosis, weight loss, and growth hormone deficiencies.
Currently, there are just over 60 FDA-approved injectable peptide drugs. However, researchers are investigating many more peptides, and it’s expected that hundreds or even thousands of additional peptide drugs could be approved in the coming years as our understanding of their therapeutic potential continues to grow. The versatility and potential safety of peptides makes them a promising field for future drug development, especially for conditions that are difficult to treat with conventional medications.
Is Peptide Therapy Safe?
The short answer is that we need to know more about peptides in general. Some peptides like certain GLP-1 agonists have been thoroughly studied and are approved by regulatory agencies like the FDA. There could be side effects to taking GLP-1 agonists, but are overwhelmingly safe the majority of the time.
As for the current state of peptide research, most studies are still focused on animals, with only a few smaller human trials. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence from individuals using peptides, and animal studies provide substantial data, but clinical trials in humans are still lacking. This gap in the literature is one of the reasons the FDA continues to restrict access to some peptide therapies.
However, due to potential systemic changes and possible side effects, it’s important to work with a doctor to get the peptide that works for you and in the right dosage. It’s highly recommended that you do blood testing to understand what’s happening in your body before you start any peptide therapy.
Where to Get Peptides
Prescription
Quality and source matter. Getting a prescription is the best way to receive peptide treatments that are dosed to your specific needs, and most importantly, approved by your doctor. Right now, most prescriptions are for GLP-1s, which are peptides used for weight loss and diabetes treatment (e.g., Ozempic). If you have diabetes or have a significantly high BMI, you might be able to get insurance coverage for GLP-1s. However, in most cases, peptide therapies are paid for out-of-pocket through doctors at wellness clinics. This can get pricey fast, but depending on your condition and treatment needs, it could be worth the cost.
Gray Market
Because peptide research is still in its early stages, many peptides are available through gray market sources. These sources, in the form of websites, are technically legal because their products are marketed for off-label or “research-only” use. Sellers often require buyers to sign waivers stating the products will not be used for human consumption and are for “lab use only.” This legal gray area allows them to bypass standard regulatory oversight. The peptides typically sold in this setting lack robust long-term safety data and are usually supported only by animal studies or anecdotal evidence. without proper testing and quality control, the long-term safety and effectiveness of these peptides remain uncertain. The quality, purity, and dosage of peptides from these sources can vary significantly, posing potential health risks. They may also interact with other medications, so it’s crucial to exercise caution and consult with a healthcare professional before considering their use.
Black Market
Peptides obtained through the black market have been obtained through purely illicit means as either stolen, smuggled or synthesized without any oversight, and are usually tied to underground sources. There are no safety precautions used to create peptides under these circumstances with a high risk of contamination and counterfeit ingredients. Obtaining and using black market peptides is illegal and could potentially be very dangerous to you.
Peptide Therapies Used By Us & Our Clients
BPC 157
BPC 157 stands for Body Protective Compound, and it’s a synthetic peptide that mimics a protein naturally found in the gut that’s involved in injury recovery and tissue repair. Like most peptide therapies, BPC 157 mimics something our bodies already make—but we tend to produce less of it as we age. BPC 157 appears to help the body recognize injury and increase blood flow to damaged areas, which may speed up healing.
It’s been shown in animal studies to be especially helpful for ligament and tendon repair, and it’s often talked about in the context of soft tissue and joint recovery. That said, these benefits haven’t been fully confirmed in humans yet.
Right now, the FDA has revoked approval of BPC 157 for compounding due to concerns about its safety—mainly a lack of human clinical data and the potential for it to accelerate the growth of tumors or cancerous cells. So while it’s widely used and talked about in performance and recovery spaces, it’s not legally available as a prescribed therapy in the U.S. at this time.
TB-500
TB-500 is a synthetic peptide modeled after thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4), a naturally occurring protein found in various tissues, including the thymus, spleen, and peritoneal macrophages. Tβ4 plays a role in tissue repair and regeneration, and higher levels of Tβ4 in children are one of the many factors that contribute to their faster recovery from injuries compared to adults.TB-500 is often used alongside BPC 157 in regenerative therapies, such as ligament, tendon, and muscle repair.
Currently, TB-500 is not approved by the FDA for human use due to insufficient clinical research on its safety and efficacy. Animal studies have shown promising results in accelerating wound healing and tissue repair, however, there’s a lack of clinical data to support these findings. Potential risks of taking TB-500 include tumor growth, immune system suppression, interactions with other medications, and other unpredictable side effects. It’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional before considering TB-500 or similar peptide therapies.
My experience with these two peptides:
I originally sought out both peptide therapies as an alternative option to surgery for a torn SI joint. My experience with taking both was profound, and allowed me to recover from my injury without invasive surgery. I was treated by a medical doctor at a sports recovery clinic when both therapies were legal to prescribe. My regimen started with shockwave therapy then 8-10 weeks of 500mcg/day of BPC 157 and 5mg of TB 500 weekly in two doses (2.5mg each dose).
The success of my treatment stands as a testament to how potentially life changing peptide therapies can be. Due to the quickness and non-invasiveness of my recovery, peptide therapy was superb to any invasive treatments I could have received. Alternatively, peptide therapy is still in its infancy and needs to be tested more to understand its effects and efficacy.
Tirzepatide & Ozempic
Ozempic is a semaglutide, or GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics the GLP-1 hormone in the body, which increases insulin secretion, slows gastric emptying, and reduces appetite. GLP-1 agonists are prescribed for weight loss and diabetes management.
Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1 and GIP agonist. The dual action of this treatment results in greater blood sugar control, more significant weight loss, and less cases of gastric distress than Ozempic. However, both work well. In a 1.5 year span, Ozempic has a 15-16% weight reduction; and Tirzepatide shows a 16-20% weight reduction.
The truth about Ozempic and Tirzepatide is that strength training and eating enough protein is paramount while taking these peptide therapies so the body does not lose muscle mass.
Tesamorelin, Semorelin, Ipamorelin & CJC2195
These are all peptides that influence or impact Growth hormone. Tesamorelin, Semorelin, and CJC2195 mimic GHRH (Growth-hormone-releasing hormone peptide) and Ipamorelin mimics GHRP (Growth hormone-releasing peptides).
The hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland to release growth hormones. This typically happens when we sleep, so these peptides are typically taken before bed or when you wake up on an empty stomach, depending on the peptide. After age 30, growth hormone release starts to reduce each year.
IGF-1 stands for Insulin-like Growth Factor 1, and is a hormone similar in structure to insulin that plays a key role in cell growth, tissue repair, muscle development, and recovery.
These peptide therapies indirectly stimulate the release of IGF-1, which gives them the name secretagogues. Because of their indirect way of stimulating growth hormone, there’s no danger of your system shutting down your natural growth hormone production, which can happen when you take exogenous growth hormone directly. These secretagogues or peptides are another option that help influence growth hormone without the negative feedback loop.
Aside from the cognitive, sleep, and muscle gaining benefits of these peptide therapies, Sermorelin is FDA approved Sermorelin is FDA-approved for treating growth hormone deficiency in children. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved for reducing visceral fat in HIV-positive patients with lipodystrophy.
CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are banned by the FDA, and while a form of Tesamorelin is currently under review, these peptides come with concerns. They may promote tumor growth. Taking them should likely be avoided for anyone under 30 or those with already high growth hormone levels. Always get a blood test and work with a doctor before considering these as an option.
My experience taking Tesamorelin
Tesomorelin improved my IGF-1 numbers. However I discontinued using it because of skin rash issues as a side effect.
How Peptide Therapy is Shaping the Future of Health & Performance
Peptide therapies are going to be the next big thing in health and wellness, and will shape the modern medical world. Right now, peptides are being studied to treat cancer, metabolic disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, neurodegenerative diseases, as regenerative medicine treatments, and so much more.
Peptides offer a non-invasive treatment that works with the body by mimicking peptides that our bodies already have. This means that the potential for dangerous side effects is limited. Peptides will be studied in a more robust way over the upcoming years, which will allow more of these treatments to become FDA approved for prescribed use.
For peptide therapies related to sports and performance, wellness clinics run by medical professionals will increase in the coming years, which will give opportunities for individuals to receive these therapies for an out-of-pocket cost.
Do you want to learn more about peptide therapies? Listen to episode 227 of the Stronger Than Your Boyfriend Podcast: Peptide Therapy for Injury, Performance, Health, and Body Composition
