Tiny peptides, big promises

Putting the anti-aging craze under the microscope

- SKINVESTING DR. KAYCEE REYES

Every few years, something new promises to turn back the clock.

Right now, that something comes in small vials with big price tags. At dinner parties, people talk in hushed tones about “Wolverine shots” for faster healing, and social media is full of people injecting themselves with substances that supposedly slow down aging. Names like BPC-157, Epitalon, and CJC-1295 used to be known only to researchers, but now they’re trending topics.

As a physician who’s spent years studying preventive medicine and how our bodies age, I’ve been watching this peptide trend with growing concern. Are these really breakthrough treatments, or just expensive placebos with fancy names?

What are these peptides, anyway?

Peptides are basically short strings of amino acids—think of them as tiny proteins that send messages around your body. Some peptides are legitimate, well-studied medicines. Insulin is a peptide. So is semaglutide, the diabetes drug that’s also used for weight loss.

But most of the peptides people are injecting for anti-aging? They’re experimental at best. There’s supposedly a peptide for everything: BPC-157 gets called the “Wolverine shot” because some small studies suggest it might help tissues heal faster. Epitalon is marketed as a way to keep your cells young by protecting telomeres. GHK-Cu promises to fix your skin and joints. CJC-1295 and tesamorelin are supposed to boost growth hormone levels, basically trying to trick your body into thinking it’s young again.

Some people are even taking diabetes medications in tiny doses, hoping they’ll live longer. Others inject oxytocin (the so-called “love hormone”) or PT-141 (originally developed for sexual dysfunction), thinking they’ll feel more energetic. Add daily NAD+ supplements to “recharge” your cells, and you’ve got the full modern anti-aging toolkit.

The problem with evidence