Peptide therapy growing in popularity, raising questions for doctors and patients - WBAY

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Newer, non-FDA-approved peptides gaining attention online for muscle recovery and anti-aging

Peptide therapy is growing in popularity in northeast Wisconsin, and not just for weight loss. People are turning to peptides for injury and workout recovery, muscle growth and anti-aging, according to local providers.

What are peptides?

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.

Dr. Daniel Brannen with Emplify Health said he is getting a lot of questions about these 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 has ‘snowballed’

Dr. Lynn Wagner from Wagner Integrative Health in De Pere said she was hesitant when a patient first asked her about peptides a few years ago. She researched the treatments and decided she felt safe offering the medication. Wagner said peptide therapy at her clinic has since snowballed.

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

Some peptide medications are FDA-approved, but some of the newer ones getting attention are not, Wagner said.

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.

Questions remain about effectiveness and safety

Online claims about peptides include faster recovery, muscle building and slowing aging. As interest in those potential benefits grows, so does the list of peptides people are asking about, including newer ones connected to injury and muscle recovery and anti-aging.

Brannen said much of the research so far has been in animals, including rats, where some studies have shown promising results. He said the problem is there is not a lot of good human data yet to know whether those results translate to people, which also raises questions about side effects, especially long-term.

“So typically for my patients, I’m not recommending these, at least not now, until we have more research. You know, I try to do no harm to my patients. So usually, I want them to make sure they know kind of everything that’s going on before they start getting into that. And these haven’t been FDA approved yet. There’s nobody monitoring them. There’s no way to know that that’s actually what you’re getting into your body,” Brannen said.

Local doctors said it is important to talk with a medical provider before using these peptides.

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