Introduction
Peptides have become a big business. In another article, I'll describe the economic boom that some pharmaceutical companies have had from manufacturing and selling peptides.
But first, let me share how I got here.
My early interest in peptides
My early interest in peptides began 25 years ago. At that time I was reading and listening to other physicians and scientists describe what the Russians had been doing for more than a decade. Some Russian scientists had discovered benefits from these small peptide molecules.
Even though the Cold War had ended, Russia was still very much a closed society. The government knew the benefit that was being portrayed in this scientific research. They decided to keep it under wraps. Russia saw the advantage not only in the preparation of their military but also in what it might give their Olympic athletes.
In my research, I found a Russian company that was selling what we have later identified as bioregulators.
Bioregulators vs. peptides
Bioregulators differ from what have become known as peptides in general. Both are strings of amino acids. Bioregulators are conventionally thought to be less than four or five amino acids in length. Peptides are generally longer, up to maybe 40 to 50 amino acids. You can also have very long strings of amino acids, and those are often categorized as polypeptides, hormones, or given other distinctions.
One difference is that bioregulators, being very small molecules, can often be given orally. They tend to have a more general effect than a specific one. For example, there are bioregulators identified primarily by the body system they impact, such as lung bioregulator and heart bioregulator. The effect is to stabilize and tone up the function of that organ system. A bioregulator would be expected to have many different effects on that specific tissue or system. It would tend to bring the system into balance.
Most peptides, on the other hand, are given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin) or an intramuscular injection, because they are degraded by stomach acid when taken orally. Some peptides are effective orally, but that is the exception.
How peptides came to the U.S.
The early adoption of many of these peptides occurred in the U.S., first among the gym brothers and bodybuilders who were always looking for an advantage in their competition.
You might ask, "Where do they obtain the peptides that they use?" I would respond that they always find a way.
I will post an article on growth hormone later. Bodybuilders knew the great benefit of growth hormone. It increased muscle production with weight training as well as eliminated body fat. The science of the benefits is voluminous. Those guys study the science. Even though it became illegal to purchase growth hormone and it was very expensive, they always find a way. There is a black market. Not all countries are as prohibitive as the U.S., and some found ways to purchase growth hormone overseas.
Understanding this dynamic, it is no surprise that bodybuilders discovered peptides and wanted to incorporate them into their regimens. These are naturally occurring molecules found in the human body. That is how most were discovered and then studied after scientists learned how to recreate or manufacture the strings of amino acids.
The legal gray area
There is a bit of a loophole in the legality and manufacture of peptides. Because they are naturally occurring molecules, technically you cannot patent a molecule that is found naturally. They were not initially classified as drugs either, and did not fall under the governance of the FDA. At least that was true in the beginning.
You will read about the new weight loss class of drugs, which are peptides, being classified as drugs and under the control of the FDA. The FDA has always had the ability to limit claims about the effectiveness of supplements and other compounds, and limits what can be marketed about those substances.
Where people buy peptides and why quality matters
Compounding pharmacists in the United States discovered that they could obtain the raw source peptides, check and certify the purity, then package and sell those products. That business model greatly accelerated during the time of the weight loss peptide (GLP-1s) boom.
If you search online, you will find many manufacturers and sellers of peptide products. Some have paid much less attention to quality and purity than others. Often that is reflected in the price of the product.
There are many drug manufacturing plants in China, and as you might expect, there are opportunities to purchase products directly from the manufacturer. This often comes with the price of uncertain quality standards.
Most sources in the United States that sell peptides have a disclaimer: "for research purposes only." I presume the manufacturers believe this will keep them from the scrutiny of the FDA. Time will tell how important it is to the FDA to shut those companies down.
In the middle of 2025, they put out statements that the companies manufacturing the weight loss peptides will no longer be accepted and allowed by the FDA. I have seen a couple of those companies try to escape that scrutiny by renaming peptides, such as Tirzepatide, with a new branded name.
Remember that old adage: "You always get what you pay for." You can save money, but often you are taking some level of risk in assuming purity that may not be present.
Where is this headed?
Peptides have great utility. They have an excellent safety record, and they offer benefit. They are not going away.
As I like to say, "I am seventy-five years old, training for ninety." I believe they offer usefulness to someone that is doing all of the basics (good nutrition, sleep, exercise, judicious supplementation of micronutrients, etc.). The benefits are myriad and specific. Some boost the immune system. Some trigger the body to naturally produce more growth hormone and the many benefits of that hormone. Some tell the skin to be more youthful.
The future: peptides made for you
I will get into this topic in more depth at a later date, but an exciting technology that I am beginning to adopt involves the manufacturing of specific peptide-like compounds that are created for you individually.
After extensive evaluation of blood, urine, and genetic data, peptide molecules are created and formulated for you specifically. This is a very detailed and laborious process. It is time-consuming and beyond the means of many people to purchase. Each patient is studied individually, and the product manufactured for them is individual and specific.
Most scientific studies are based on populations which require many patients receiving the drug and or a placebo or a control arm with another modality. This is what is regarded as the gold standard in medical testing, the randomized controlled trial (RCT). This individually produced for you peptide approach would not be suitable for an RCT. As such, the legal basis for the use of these manufactured-for-you specific peptide-like synthetic treatments is an IRB (Institutional Review Board) approach to treatment. Each patient receiving this specific approach would, in effect, be what is called in science an "N of 1." As such, it is licensed as "investigational."
I believe this form of peptide administration is state of the art and represents the future. It is available now, but as I mentioned, the expense makes it a serious discussion for you to have with your health care provider. The name of the company is Neo7 and most of their process is protected by patents. I will get into more of a deep dive into what this is about later.