Peptides take off as a DIY treatment but is that a good idea? : NPR
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Search for “peptides” and a long list of online sales options will appear. You will be offered vials of molecules with funky names that resemble exoplanets: GHK-CU, CJC12-95, Thymosin Beta-4.
These synthetic peptides are gaining popularity among biohackers and wellness influencers. They take them, often by injection, in hopes of improving athletic performance and optimizing health.
Among many online enthusiasts, fitness TikToker Noah Jay claimed in a recent video that the BPC-157 peptide healed his shoulder injury: “I love this stuff!” Like many influencers talking about peptides, her profile links to a discount code for an online retailer.
(NPR reached out to Noah Jay through his TikTok and Instagram accounts for comment and asked if he receives revenue from peptide sales, but did not receive a response.)
But there are risks when using substances that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human use. Here’s what doctors and scientists say about this trend.
The complaint
Various synthetic peptides stimulate natural biological processes that can improve health and appearance. Different peptides have different claims, but some of the most popular include muscle growth, better immune function, and slower aging.
The proof
Peptides are chains of amino acids. There are millions of them in the human body. Some signal your body to do important things like regulate immune function, make certain cells grow, and control hormones.
There are well-known synthetic peptides that are effective drugs approved by the FDA. Insulin is one, as is the active ingredient in obesity drugs GLP-1.
But most other peptides you can buy are experimental at best, and their purported benefits are unproven.
Most research has been done in animals or labs, not humans, says Paul Knoepfler, a cellular and molecular biologist at the University of California, Davis. Depending on the peptide and its application, the science can make theoretical sense, he said, but Knoepfler warned that using an untested peptide could cause serious harm.
For example, some animal studies suggest that BPC-157 helps with tissue repair because it accelerates the growth of new blood vessels. Knoepfler cautioned that this peptide could theoretically also promote the growth of precancerous cells.
“You have to test them in clinical trials to be sure of anything positive or negative,” he says.
Knoepfler also notes that the same substance useful in one dose may be ineffective, or even harmful, in another dose.
“You can’t just figure out what dose to take,” he says. But without further research, the therapeutic dose is unknown. “There is often no apparent rhyme or reason to the doses of feel-good peptides people take,” he adds.
Anyone determined to try them should consult a doctor, Knoepfler says.
Some are open to alternative approaches. And it’s better to talk to a doctor than pretend to be one, agrees Howard Sklamberg, former deputy commissioner of the FDA. “At least if you’re talking to your doctor, you’re talking to someone who can, in theory, be held accountable.”
Dr. Amanda Kahn runs a concierge medical practice in Midtown Manhattan and says many of her patients come to her to get second or third opinions for issues like inflammation or chronic pain. Kahn says that in some cases the popularity of peptides has outpaced the science, but she will prescribe them as an “adjunctive” therapy if she deems it appropriate.
She told NPR that she makes sure patients understand that these drugs are experimental. “I don’t promise too much that it’s a panacea,” she says.
The market
Some people purchase and inject peptides without a doctor’s intervention, purchasing them from online sellers. This includes research-grade peptides, which indicate on the label that they are not intended for pharmaceutical use.
But Kahn and Knoepfler caution that these products could contain toxic solutions or contaminants, and say people should not buy peptides without consulting a doctor.
Doctors who prescribe them typically send their patients to compounding pharmacies. These are specialized pharmacies that can prepare versions of medications tailored to each patient.
Peptides that are not approved by the FDA – including many of the popular ones touted by influencers – cannot be obtained at a normal pharmacy.
Part of the problem is that, with a few exceptions, these pharmacies are not regulated in the same way as drug manufacturers, which can make compounded products riskier, Sklamberg says.
“This has been a long-standing challenge for the FDA for many years,” says Sklamberg, who added that when compounding pharmacies produce large quantities of a drug, quality control is more of a concern.
Scott Brunner, executive director of Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, says compounding pharmacies are licensed and inspected by state boards of pharmacy. This regulatory framework is not weaker, it is simply different, he says.
“The monitoring is rigorous and appropriate for a pharmacy that manufactures a medication for a patient” prescribed by a doctor, he said.
In an emailed statement, the FDA told NPR that it is working to develop lists of bulk drug substances that can be used in compounding. Currently, some peptides are on an FDA list of substances with “significant safety concerns.”
And it’s risky to buy peptides marketed as supplements. Sklamberg says these products could be considered unregulated drugs, even though the volume of online retail makes it difficult for the FDA to go after all the bad actors.
When it comes to peptides, “it’s really kind of the Wild West,” he says.
Conclusion
Some of the popular peptides marketed online may have potential health and wellness benefits. But most haven’t been well studied for their effectiveness and safety in humans, so taking them is a gamble.
Consulting a doctor and purchasing peptides from a compounding pharmacy can mitigate some risks. However, these drugs are experimental and their long-term health consequences are unknown.
