Peptide Therapy in Integrative Medicine

By Suzanne Fenske, MD, FACOG, ABOIM, MSCP

Peptide Therapy in Integrative Medicine

Peptide therapy is a quickly evolving modality within integrative and functional medicine circles. It’s an exciting area of research with potential applications for women’s health, longevity, and regenerative medicine.

Peptides aren’t new; clinicians have been using them in practice for decades, and today, they represent a $50 billion global industry. At a time when we have so many barriers to healthcare, people want strategies that help them optimize their health.

At the same time, peptide therapy is at the center of much skepticism and safety concerns. In 2023, the FDA reversed its approval of 19 peptides, and 14 of those are poised to be re-approved at the direction of the current FDA and HHS leadership.

Today’s article will discuss peptide basics, current issues, potential benefits, and limitations. Our goal is to give you an honest account and understanding of peptide therapy. Continue reading as we discuss:

• What Are Peptides?
• Recent Peptide News & Debates
• Peptide Examples
• Peptide Research
• An Integrative Perspective

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are small chains of amino acids (small proteins) that act as signaling molecules in the body. The peptide binds to a cell’s surface and elicits a response inside the cell. It can act as a hormone, growth factor, or other signal to the cell.

The body naturally produces over 7000 natural peptides, so it’s really a huge category of molecules with many different pathways and functions to explore. Individual peptides support:

• Skin
• Hair
• Performance
• Injury repair
• Muscles and bone
• Metabolism
• Immunity
• Gut health
• Mental health

As medicine, peptide therapy can be bioidentical to the peptide your body makes, or similar enough to promote the same cellular action. There are currently over 60 peptides that are FDA-approved medications, and you are likely familiar with several:

• Insulin (Iletin)
• Oxytocin (Syntocinon)
• GLP-1s (semaglutide, tirzepatide)
• Glucagon (Baqsimi)
• Calcitonin (Miacalcin)
• Parathyroid hormone (Natpara)
• Angiotensin II (Giapreza)

Peptide therapy is typically delivered as an injection to bypass the digestive system, which breaks down peptides into individual amino acids. If you see an oral peptide, it might specifically target the gut or be formulated to stay intact through the GI tract. There are also topical peptides used in skincare and dermatology.

The News & Controversy

In 2023, the FDA backtracked on its approval of 19 peptides due to safety concerns. The FDA’s job is to assess the safety and effectiveness of medication, and approval is required before going to market.

Regulated compounding pharmacies use ingredients from FDA-approved medications, including peptides, to fill personalized prescriptions from providers. If you have an HRT prescription from a compounding pharmacy, it’s the same thing.

When these peptides were blocked a few years ago, demand didn’t decrease. In fact, demand increased, at least in part due to peptide influencers on social media. Consumers were forced away from regulated compounding pharmacies and into a “grey market” where they could get peptides from supplement companies, online retailers, and overseas.

There are many more concerns about safety and quality in an unregulated marketplace. We must not only ask about the safety of the peptide itself, but also about its source, manufacturing, and storage in terms of poor quality, imposter products, and contamination with toxins.

Recently, the current FDA, under direction from HHS Secretary RFK Jr., is considering reversing the 2023 decision and possibly allowing 14 peptides back into the market. As of the writing of this article, this reversal hasn’t happened yet, and the peptides remain in limbo.

Peptide Examples

While peptides like insulin and GLP-1s have robust research and are readily available, the peptides at the center of the FDA regulation debate often raise more questions than answers.

Here are some of the specific peptides that the FDA could re-approve:

• AOD-9604
• BPC-157
• CJC-1295
• GHK-Cu
• Epitalon
• GJRP-2
• Ipamorelin
• Kisspeptin-10
• KPV
• MOTS-c
• Seromorelin
• Selank
• Semax
• TB-500 or Thymosin Beta-4
• Thymosin alpha-1

These peptides have diverse actions in the body, and we can’t lump them all together. Each one requires its own scientific evaluation.

Possible Benefits for Women’s Health

We know that peptide signaling declines with age and accelerates with midlife hormonal changes. We see this with insulin resistance affecting body composition, anabolic resistance making it hard to build muscle, slower healing and skin repair, increased hunger signaling, and more.

Let’s look at some possible benefits of the peptides in question:

• BPC-157 and TB-500 peptides target the gut and healing processes. They may support gut health, tissue healing, and tendons.

• CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin peptides influence growth hormone. They may support increases in growth hormone and muscle synthesis.

• MOTS-c and Humanin peptides affect mitochondria. They may support metabolic health, energy production, and exercise performance.

• Semax and Selank peptides target brain health. They may support cognition, focus, and mood.

• Thymosin Alpha-1 and LL-37 peptides are in the immune category. They may support immune function and have anti-inflammatory effects.

• CHK-Cu peptide supports collagen production. It may support skin repair and hair growth.

Peptide Research

While influencers and proponents of peptides often cite scientific research, most of the research on these controversial peptides is preclinical. Preclinical research includes test tube and animal studies. There are virtually no randomized controlled trials in humans.

Since each peptide works differently in the body, we can’t lump them all together. Let’s walk through an example with BPC-157, which you may have heard of or even tried before.

Preclinical studies of BPC-157 demonstrate tissue regenerative effects and suggest it could be a potential tool for bone, muscle, and joint health. However, there is currently minimal human data and only three pilot studies.

Pilot studies look at specific questions in a small sample of subjects. The BPC-157 pilot studies examined knee pain, interstitial cystitis (an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of the bladder), and the safety when administered intravenously. The studies reported no adverse effects, but we need larger clinical trials to learn more.

At the same time, practitioners who use BPC-157 and other peptides in practice report gut health and tissue repair benefits in their patients. We can’t overlook the clinical experience of practitioners who specialize in peptide therapy. Additionally, many of these peptides are used more liberally in other parts of the world, and we can learn from our international colleagues.

Final Thoughts

As an integrative medicine practice, we want to have as many tools in our toolkit as possible to draw from with our patients. We always start with the foundations of nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and hormone support. But when we need more, peptides are one category to consider. And when we consider peptides, we want to think about the source, safety, dose, and risk-benefit analysis for each individual.

We still have many questions about peptides. A new peptide may prove as beneficial as insulin or GLP-1s, and, likely, some won’t show much promise. We do need more science, and more science that specifically answers questions about women’s health. We aren’t there yet, but we are waiting with open minds.

If you have questions about peptides, TārāMD is ready to start the conversation with you as part of your personalized, integrative care.

References

1. International Peptide Society. What Are Peptide Therapeutics? Accessed 5/5/2026.
2. Al Musaimi O. (2024). Exploring FDA-Approved Frontiers: Insights into Natural and Engineered Peptide Analogues in the GLP-1, GIP, GHRH, CCK, ACTH, and α-MSH Realms.Biomolecules, 14(3), 264.
3. RFK Jr. May Reverse a Peptide Ban He Calls “Illegal.” Former FDA Officials Say He Mischaracterized Their Work. Accessed 5/5/2026.
4. Szal, S. Peptides Are Having a Comeback. Accessed 5/5/2026.
5. McGuire, F. P., Martinez, R., Lenz, A., Skinner, L., & Cushman, D. M. (2025). Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 18(12), 611–619.