Puzzled About Peptides?

Remember the 90s cult classic Death Becomes Her where Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn take a magic potion that makes them look and feel younger?Peptides seem to be today’s version of that magic potion — or at least that’s what a growing number of influencers online want you to think. A quick scroll through social media shows people raving about “wellness” peptides with robot names like BPC-157 as the fountain of youth. The injectable concoctions, also known as synthetic peptides, are said to heal injuries, slow aging, boost lean muscle, clear brain fog and more. Of course, you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. And hopefully the thought of injecting anything into your body gives you proper pause. But it’s not just social media buzz. Peptides have been in the spotlight recently after an FDA-advisory panel recommended loosening restrictions on six peptides to help treat different health conditions. So what are peptides, anyway? And can they put more pep in your step? Here’s what you need to know.What are peptides? Peptides are short chains of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids in the body that serve as building blocks for proteins. “The sequence of these amino acids —...