Recently gaining popularity in the wellness and fitness online culture, influencers have been talking a lot about peptides.
defines influencer as “a person active on social media who is able to influence people’s opinions or to persuade them to follow a particular lifestyle or buy a particular product.”
These health and wellness influencers are promoting peptides by claiming they can help build muscle, look younger, and even lose weight. But how safe and effective is it really to be taking or injecting peptides?
According to
, “peptides are the building blocks of proteins made up of short strings of amino acids. The body naturally makes peptides that serve important functions in many of the body’s key processes.”
Researchers have been studying peptides and working to develop them as treatments for medical conditions since 1921. Insulin was the first peptide ever created in a laboratory by scientists, and it has been used to treat individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes since 1923.
Peptides offer a wide range of benefits, playing a crucial role in immune system defense, promoting recovery in muscles, joints, and tissues, and enhancing cognitive function and brain communication. Additionally, they are important for decreasing inflammation, aiding digestion, balancing hormones, improving skin health, and even boosting libido and sexual function. A key advantage of peptides is their safety profile; they typically have fewer side effects than other drugs and are safer because the body is naturally equipped to recycle and break down amino acids. They can be more effective as they allow for easier targeting of specific areas within the body.
Peptides are being heavily promoted on social media as the trendy “it” supplement, often pitched as an effortless and easy “quick fix” for a range of goals, including boosting weight loss, reversing aging, building muscle, and improving skin. While influencers promote peptides as the “secret” to seemingly everything, these compounds are already common in various forms. They are popular in skin care items such as moisturizers, serums, and creams. Peptides are also found in dietary supplements, like protein powders that contain collagen and creatine peptides, and are used in therapeutic injections aimed at recovery, healing, weight loss, and sexual function.
While certain peptides are utilized in medicine, these are prescription medications administered by a physician for specific, clinically proven conditions. They are distinct from the general “anti-aging peptide” products frequently advertised on social media.
says to think of peptides like power tools—they are incredibly useful when handled the right way, but risky if you just pick one up because someone on TikTok said it changed their life.
Keep in mind that when you order peptides, there’s no guarantee of what you’re actually receiving. Many peptides sold online or through med spas lack regulation, meaning their purity, dosage, and overall safety can’t be verified. Some may contain contaminants or may not even be the peptide they claim to be.
Injections carry risks; poor technique during an injection can result in infections, abscess formation, or scarring.
Peptides can cause very real side effects. Depending on the specific peptide, these may include:
Joint painIncreased blood pressureHeadachesWater retentionMood changesAbnormal changes in blood sugarOrgan stress
Peptides that disrupt hormones can destabilize your system. Some of these peptides cause the body to increase its own production, which in turn throws hormonal levels out of balance. This imbalance can impact numerous bodily functions, ranging from sleep and metabolism to menstrual cycles.
Because many of these “trendy” peptides lack FDA approval, clear data regarding their long-term effects is unavailable. The consequences of months or years of use of these substances then remains unknown, which can be a scary thing to think about.
Your body is likely already producing the necessary peptides. However, if you are experiencing concerning symptoms like fatigue, weight fluctuations, sleep difficulties, or issues related to aging, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional for a full evaluation rather than immediately resorting to the latest wellness “miracle.” Your doctor will always know better than a stranger you scrolled past online.
Lastly, just remember that most of these influencers are getting paid to give glowing reviews of peptide supplements. It’s highly unlikely that a supplement actually changed their life that much.
Have you ever tried taking peptide supplements, or do you currently take them? What do you think of them? Leave a comment!
Adria Peters began her position with Forum Communications Company as Audience Engagement Specialist in June 2024. Readers can reach Adria by email at adria.peters@forumcomm.com.