MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) \u2014 Med-spas, weight loss clinics and wellness centers around Charleston are advertising peptides, compounds marketed for muscle growth, skin health, sleep and energy.<\/p>\n
Medical experts say the public excitement surrounding them is outpacing the actual science, and some people are putting their health at risk to obtain them. <\/p>\n
Peptides are marketed as a quick fix, but medically, they are simple compounds, according to Lauren Parkman, a board-certified nurse practitioner with a specialty certification in obesity medicine. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeptides are essentially short-chain amino acids,\u201d Parkman said. \u201cCommon peptides that we use in our practice are things like Wegovy and Zepbound. And they are actually drugs that mimic GLP, which is a hormone and a peptide that our bodies naturally produce.\u201d <\/p>\n
The human body naturally contains thousands of peptides that signal cells to heal and repair, and peptides have been used for decades in treatments such as insulin. <\/p>\n
Today, FDA-approved GLP-1 weight loss drugs dominate the market. <\/p>\n
Outside of tightly regulated pharmacies, providers say a largely unregulated market of online compounds exists. <\/p>\n
Providers warn against unsupervised use <\/p>\n
Dr. Todd Joye, founder and owner of InterveneMD, said peptides are not a cure-all and are increasingly being used without medical oversight. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think that, you know, it\u2019s important for people to know that peptides are not the silver bullet,\u201d Joye said. \u201cAnd they are being used indiscriminately. They are being used without proper supervision. I just had a patient today come in and tell me that they were basically handing peptides out at his gym. And they were telling me he should take this peptide or this one.\u201d <\/p>\n
Joye said peptides are natural substances found throughout the body. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re actually amino acids. So for anybody who paid attention during high school science, we learned that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. And that\u2019s all peptides are. They\u2019re just a bunch of amino acids bound together,\u201d Joye said. \u201cMore than 50 amino acids put together is called a protein. And less than 50 amino acids bound together is a peptide.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said there are more than 7,000 peptides in the body, but only a little more than 100 are currently known, and some, but not all, are FDA-approved. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe most common peptide historically is insulin for diabetes. The most common peptides used these days are these weight loss drugs, the GLP-1s. Those are peptides,\u201d Joye said. \u201cThey\u2019re not new. They\u2019ve been around for at least 20 years or so.\u201d <\/p>\n
Joye said GLP-1 medications such as Semaglutide and tirzepatide are being studied for brain health and Alzheimer\u2019s prevention, heart disease, cancer and arthritis, in addition to weight loss and diabetes management. <\/p>\n
Lack of clinical research on unapproved peptides <\/p>\n
Parkman said peptides purchased outside of FDA-approved channels lack sufficient research. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, as far as I\u2019m aware, we don\u2019t really have a lot of great clinical research that studies these peptides that you can purchase offline from different companies,\u201d Parkman said. \u201cThe peptides, again, that we\u2019re most familiar with are the ones that are FDA-approved.\u201d <\/p>\n
Parkman said FDA-approved peptides like Wegovy and Zepbound, along with their precursors such as Liletta and Saxenda, which have been available for nearly 20 years, are considered safe long-term. <\/p>\n
She said GLP-1 medications can cause side effects including nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, but those risks can typically be minimized when the medications are prescribed by a health care provider. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere are certainly side effects from GLP medications,\u201d Parkman said. \u201cWe can typically mitigate these side effects. And again, when you have them prescribed from healthcare providers, it helps you minimize those risks.\u201d <\/p>\n
Joye said peptides purchased online carry additional risks. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard cases where patients have been using them online and having reactions or having the products not contain the material that they should have in them,\u201d Joye said. \u201cI\u2019ve had patients who have told me they\u2019ve been on them for a long time and never come off of them.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said long-term safety data is limited for many peptides outside the GLP-1 category. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is some long-term safety, obviously with these weight loss drugs, the GLP-1s, that have been through that rigorous trial where we do have a lot of safety data on that. And some peptides don\u2019t,\u201d Joye said. \u201cThat\u2019s why you have to be cautious with these.\u201d <\/p>\n
Addressing root causes before turning to peptides <\/p>\n
Joye said patients often ask him for a specific peptide to treat symptoms such as brain fog, but he said that approach overlooks underlying health issues. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I look at peptides as being the icing on the cake,\u201d Joye said. \u201cThat the best icing in the world is not going to make a bad cake taste amazing. And the cake is the foundational stuff. It\u2019s looking at hormones. It\u2019s looking at mitochondrial health. It\u2019s looking at the immune system and inflammation. It\u2019s looking at diet. It\u2019s looking at stress. It\u2019s looking at nutrition.\u201d <\/p>\n
Joye said his practice focuses on diagnostic testing, including blood and gut testing, to identify root causes before considering peptide use. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to fix the foundational issues first for people,\u201d Joye said. \u201cIt\u2019s that the body is very smart. And if we don\u2019t correct things and look at things in the proper order, it\u2019s like building a house on sand.\u201d <\/p>\n
Joye said peptides have short half-lives, meaning the body eliminates them quickly, which he said reduces some long-term concerns when they are used properly. Still, he said more research is needed. \u201cWe need patients to understand that they need to do it the correct way,\u201d Joye said. \u201cThey should not do this by themselves.\u201d <\/p>\n
Both providers recommend consulting a primary care physician before pursuing peptide treatment. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I would always recommend consulting your primary care physician rather than searching online for ways to procure these medications,\u201d Parkman said. \u201cSo, your primary care doctor would be a great place to have that conversation about what you\u2019re looking for in a peptide. What benefit you\u2019re hoping to gain from it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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