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Peptides are everywhere: in your favorite serum, on your TikTok FYP, and for many people, injected as part of a \u201cstack\u201d meant to help reduce appetite, stimulate muscle growth, or (purportedly) support longevity, often with code-like names of capital letters and numbers trailing behind. While GLP-1 is definitely the most famous peptide in the game\u2014either you\u2019re on one or know someone who is\u2014a new group of peptides may be making their way into our collective consciousness, if current Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has his way.<\/p>\n
As reported by the New York Times<\/em>, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is likely to lift prior restrictions on a handful of previously banned peptides, in part due to urging from Kennedy. (A meeting to evaluate seven of these peptides is set for July.) This, however, does not mean that the peptides would automatically receive FDA approval. In 2023, the 14 peptides in question were removed from production due to potential safety risks and include several with alleged beauty benefits. But as the NYT<\/em> notes, though the 14 peptides were technically<\/em> restricted by the government\u2014meaning compounding pharmacies were not allowed to produce them\u2014consumers could still purchase them via the online \u201cgray market\u201d and play doctor from the comfort of their kitchen.<\/p>\n What are Peptides, Anyway?<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s back up a bit. The word \u201cpeptide\u201d has become a mainstay of skin-care marketing lingo and collagen drink mixes, but what do peptides actually do?<\/em> \u201cPeptides are best understood as targeted signaling molecules. They tell the body to upregulate processes it already knows how to do, such as repair, regeneration, or metabolic regulation,\u201d explains Amanda Kahn, MD, a board-certified internist in New York City.<\/p>\n \u201cIn practice, they can support areas like body composition, recovery, skin quality, hair growth, and inflammation when used appropriately.\u201d (Peptides that you apply topically may have limited penetration into the skin, depending on formulation.)<\/p>\n But what peptides cannot<\/em> do, she adds, is \u201cact as a replacement for foundational health.\u201d Peptides are not a substitute for things like proper nutrition, sleep, and medical care, Dr. Kahn continues, adding that patients are drawn to the \u201cprecision and personalization\u201d of peptides, which allow for a more tailored approach to treatment.<\/p>\n GLP-1s have dominated the peptide game\u2014and the cultural conversation\u2014for the past few years, but Jeffrey Lee, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston, notes that there are many others emerging, and they may have a \u201cwide range\u201d of effects. Some of the restricted peptides may have potential benefits for immune function, healthy aging, healing, and metabolism, he says, and many others are \u201cbeing explored for similar benefits related to overall tissue health.\u201d<\/p>\n Which Peptides are on the Banned List?<\/strong><\/p>\n Included on the \u201cbanned\u201d list is epitalon, which claims to support hair and scalp health; GHK-Cu, which reportedly provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits; KPV, which may help reduce skin conditions like eczema; and Melanotan II, which has been used to increase tanning abilities. While these claims sound promising (except for the one that makes it easier<\/em> to tan), the 2023 FDA findings reveal that these peptides may come with significant safety risks; for example, Melanotan II can increase the risk of melanoma. Others, like KPV and GHK-Cu, don\u2019t have adequate safety data in humans.<\/p>\n When we say peptides are everywhere, we mean it. \u201cEvery pharmacy here in Los Angeles\u2026 is formulating them and distributing them,\u201d says Ava Shamban, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in California. \u201cAnd all over the country, for sure, even though they’re not approved by the FDA.\u201d Dr. Shamban, who has served as a clinical investigator on many FDA trials, notes that when a product is approved by the FDA, it first requires a \u201cfairly expensive\u201d trial process. \u201cThe fact that these [peptides] are widely available means there’s no one company that started taking the reins and saying, \u2018We’re going to take this combination and then we’re going to study XYZ,\u2019\u201d she explains. The other issue would be limiting variables like exercise level, nutrition, and sleep, which can also impact improvement, she notes. \u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s really going to prevent them from ever getting the FDA-approved form.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Peptides are everywhere: in your favorite serum, on your TikTok FYP, and for many people, injected as part of a \u201cstack\u201d meant to help reduce appetite, stimulate muscle growth, or (purportedly) support longevity, often with code-like names of capital letters and numbers trailing behind. While GLP-1 is definitely the most famous peptide in the game\u2014either […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1648\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}