Peptide therapy trend raises questions for doctors - WBAY

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Peptide therapy is growing in popularity in Northeast Wisconsin, and not just for weight loss, as people turn to peptides for injury and workout recovery, muscle growth and anti-aging.

What peptides are

Ozempic and Wegovy are FDA-approved peptide-based weight loss drugs. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that work like messengers, telling different cells and systems in the body what to do.

Some newer peptides are being promoted to help the body repair tissue after an injury, stimulate the body’s own release of growth hormone, or help with inflammation. Some peptide medications are FDA-approved, but some of the newer ones gaining attention are not.

Doctors raise concerns

Dr. Daniel Brannen, a sports medicine physician with Emplify Health, said he is getting a lot of questions about newer, non-FDA-approved peptides, and that their popularity is outpacing what is known about them.

“We don’t know what’s getting injected into the body. We don’t know what those effects will be, what those side effects are. They could range anywhere from minor stuff like some GI upset all the way up until like long-term effects that can really affect you. You know, we don’t know about causes for dementia or heart disease or any other factors that could play into that,” Brannen said.

Brannen said that uncertainty is keeping him from recommending some of these newer peptides to his patients right now.

Demand growing at local practice

Dr. Lynn Wagner, with Wagner Integrative Health, said she was hesitant when a patient first started asking her about peptides. She researched the treatments and decided she felt safe offering the medication. From there, Wagner said, demand “snowballed.”

Wagner estimates roughly 80% of patients in her practice ask about peptides. Weight loss medications are the most common request, she said, but more patients are now asking about other peptides, including ones connected to growth hormone production and injury repair.

Before a patient receives peptide therapy, Wagner said she looks at their medical history and body composition before deciding what she is willing to prescribe. Her concern is that when people cannot get the peptide they want through a medical provider, some turn to the internet, which comes with increased risks.

“You want to make sure you’re not buying a vial that says for research purposes only, because that vial has not been checked for contamination. You have no idea if what’s in the vial is actually what’s printed on the label. So you’re injecting yourself with something that could be made in a dirty sink,” Wagner said.

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