Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signalling molecules in the body. Since insulin was first purified in the 1920s, peptide medicines have expanded into immunology, oncology and metabolism.
The last decade belonged to GLP-1 receptor agonists. Originally approved for type 2 diabetes, semaglutide and related molecules now also have authorisation for weight management and, in some markets, cardiovascular risk reduction in obesity. Headline weight loss in trials is substantial but real-world benefits depend on adherence, dietary change and medical follow-up.
What is not evidence-based is the unsupervised use of ' wellness peptides' such as certain growth-hormone secretagogues and unlicensed tissue-repair peptides. Regulators including the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the US FDA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) restrict several. At BioBlend we compound peptides only against a prescriber's prescription and inside a clinical consultation.
References
- 1.Lau JL, Dunn MK. Therapeutic peptides: Historical perspectives, current development strategies and future directions. Bioorg Med Chem. 2018.
- 2.FDA. FDA Approves New Drug for Chronic Weight Management. FDA News Release.
- 3.Wilding JPH, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med. 2021.
- 4.World Anti-Doping Agency. Prohibited List (peptides and growth factors).