What's the deal with peptides? The hyped market under U.S. review
The U.S. FDA is reviewing whether certain peptides, popular among wellness enthusiasts for anti-aging and performance, should be approved for compounding. Medical experts warn of a lack of clinical data, while proponents argue that current restrictions have created an unsafe gray market.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between consumer demand for 'optimized' health products and the regulatory oversight required to ensure medical safety.
Glowing skin, deeper sleep, stronger muscles, an alert mind?
Such are the enticing promises of peptides, an increasingly buzzy class of substances touted by influencers and celebrities as the key to an optimized life.
Starting Thursday, a US review panel convened by the Food and Drug Administration is to consider whether seven of these peptides should be recommended for compounding -- when pharmacists or outsourcing facilities create custom drugs -- as interest in them surges.
Many medical experts have warned against that recommendation, citing a lack of evidence.
"There's just not enough clinical data to say whether these peptides are safe and effective," said Alexander Weber, an orthopedic surgeon and chief of sports medicine at the University of Southern California.
And yet, "peptides come up with my conversations with patients every single day," he told AFP.
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