Health
Thinking about peptides? Doctors reveal key dos and don’ts as ‘Wild West’ market grows
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The peptide boom is under scrutiny as the FDA weighs easing restrictions on several drugs in the category.
Peptides, which are short chains of amino acids that serve as the building blocks of proteins, have gained popularity among wellness influencers and fitness gurus as a means of building muscle, healing injuries or appearing younger.
Similar to how GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists) suppress appetite and trigger weight loss, peptides can signal other functions, like the release of growth hormones.
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But unlike GLP-1 drugs — which were extensively studied and regulated — many peptides lack comparable evidence and oversight, said New York endocrinologist Dr. Philip Rabito, adding that some are “not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing.”
Peptides under FDA review, including BPC-157, are often marketed for tendon and gut healing, injury recovery and inflammation reduction, despite warnings about the risks of unapproved treatments.
Similar to how GLP-1s, such as Ozempic, suppress appetite and trigger weight loss, peptides can signal other functions, like the release of growth hormones. (iStock)
Even as regulators consider loosening restrictions, the market has been widely described as a “Wild West,” with various versions sold online without a prescription.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, board-certified internist and longevity expert Dr. Amanda Kahn, who prescribes peptides in her own New York practice, confirmed that interest has grown “significantly” across the U.S.
Peptides are popular because they “sit at the intersection of wellness optimization and medicine,” according to the doctor.
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“As a class, they are targeted biosimilar molecules that can influence specific pathways like inflammation, recovery and metabolism in a way that feels more biologically synergistic than traditional pharmaceuticals,” she said.
Most patients spend a few hundred to thousands of dollars on these drugs per month, according to Kahn. Costs can be high because peptides are often custom-made and must meet strict quality and sterility standards.
Peptides are popular because they “sit at the intersection of wellness optimization and medicine,” according to one doctor. (iStock)
“At the same time, patients today are far more proactive and invested in their health,” Kahn added. “They’re not waiting to get sick; they want to feel better, recover faster and age more intentionally.”
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Peptides have evolved rapidly from just a few years ago, when they were largely focused on weight loss, the expert said, with growing interest in energy, post-illness or injury recovery, muscle preservation and sleep quality.
But these drugs are not one-size-fits-all, experts warn, especially when not prescribed by a professional or cleared by a reputable pharmacy.
There is growing interest in peptides for more muscle preservation and sleep quality, an expert said. (iStock)
Peptides dos and don’ts
Experts shared the following guidance on using peptides.
Do use peptides within reason
Kahn recommends using peptides with “a clear, clinical rationale, not just because they’re trending.”
“Think of peptides as part of a broader health plan, not a standalone solution,” she advised.
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Kahn said patients often come into her practice focused on weight or appearance, but in-depth testing may uncover underlying issues such as inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, hormonal imbalance or recovery deficits.
“It’s both aesthetic and medical, but the trend in my internal medicine practice has always been toward specific health concerns,” she added.
Do work with a clinician
Dr. Kent Bradley, chief medical officer at 10X Health in California, recommends approaching peptides with “curiosity and rigor” and discussing the science with a physician.
“Work with a clinician who provides a baseline of biomarkers before you introduce peptides,” he recommended during an interview with Fox News Digital. “You will need to know where you’re starting in order to measure the impact.”
Experts recommend working with a physician to determine which peptides are right for you. (Getty Images)
Do find a credible source
Peptides should always be purchased from “reputable compounding pharmacies by prescription,” Kahn emphasized.
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“While they are powerful signaling molecules, when used appropriately, they can be very safe and effective,” she said. “When used incorrectly, [with] the wrong dose, wrong indication or poor sourcing, they can be dangerous or ineffective.”
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She added, “The key is clinical oversight, proper selection and individualized use.”
The current peptide ecosystem — including unlicensed providers and “gray market” access — is “more dangerous than the molecules themselves,” Kahn warned.
It’s important to use pharmacies that meet FDA 503A or 503B regulations to ensure consumer safety, the expert added.
Don’t stack peptides without a purpose
Multiple peptides should not be combined without understanding how they interact with each other, nor should they be injected as mixtures, Kahn warned.
Some products marketed as “natural” online may still have the capacity to cause complications, an expert warned. (iStock)
“Don’t treat them as risk-free supplements,” she said. “They are biologically active and should be used thoughtfully.”
“Peptides should be cycled, paused and re-assessed — don’t ‘set it and let it go.’”
Don’t self-prescribe
Dose-response and drug interactions require medical oversight, and peptides should be prescribed by a doctor, according to Bradley. Some products that are marketed as “natural” may still have the capacity to do harm to the body, he warned.
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Don’t use them as a shortcut or substitute
Fundamental pillars of health, like sleep, nutrition and exercise, should be addressed before using a peptide as a “shortcut” to fix health complications, Kahn said.
Bradley agreed, adding that “the same instinct that drives patients toward unnecessary surgery drives them toward complex peptide stacks when the real leverage is upstream and boring.”
Younger individuals most likely don’t need to take peptides for muscle building, according to a fitness expert. (iStock)
Kenny Santucci, a fitness expert and founder of Strong New York, shared with Fox News Digital that he takes peptides for muscle building himself – but noted that it’s not right for everyone.
Especially for younger individuals, whose bodies are “already working at optimal levels,” peptides may be unnecessary, he said.
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“If you take care of yourself — if you’re eating right, sleeping right, working out — you probably don’t need much,” he said.
“I think as you get older, these things start to help out a little bit, or if you suffer from an injury and you want to take something that will help repair the tissue quicker, that’s great.”
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Tick bite-related ER visits are at their highest seasonal levels since 2017 across most U.S. regions, raising concerns about increased Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
That’s according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tick Bite Tracker, which monitors weekly emergency department visits associated with tick bites across the country.
For every 100,000 ER visits, approximately 71 were related to tick bites in April 2026, compared to a historical seasonal average of roughly 30 per 100,000.
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Some of the highest rates of tick-based ER visits were among children younger than 10 years and adults between 70 and 79 years.
A close-up shows a parasitic mite in motion on a human fingertip, highlighting the potential for disease transmission such as encephalitis. (iStock)
“Over the past three decades, the geographic range of the blacklegged tick has expanded significantly, and with it, the risk of Lyme disease and other Ixodes-transmitted infections,” Dr. Steven Goldberg, a family medicine physician who practices urgent care and family medicine at UofLHealth in Louisville, Kentucky, told Fox News Digital.
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“The Ohio River Valley region is one of the most striking examples — Lyme disease cases in Ohio have increased roughly 10-fold over the past decade, likely driven by the convergence of Northeastern and Upper Midwestern tick populations meeting in that corridor.”
States like Virginia and West Virginia, as well as areas south of the traditional endemic zone, are reporting increasing tick abundance and disease cases, the doctor noted.
“Over the past three decades, the geographic range of the blacklegged tick has expanded significantly.”
“The lone star tick is also expanding its range northward beyond its traditional stronghold in the Southeast, which means diseases like ehrlichiosis and alpha-gal syndrome are appearing in regions where clinicians may not yet be thinking about them,” he warned.
Some climate studies predict that the blacklegged tick’s suitable habitat could expand by over 200% by the end of the century, Goldberg noted, including into Canada and across the central and southern U.S.
What’s driving the spike?
“Warmer, wetter conditions allow ticks to survive in habitats that previously would have been too cold,” said Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey. “Milder winters also extend the lifespan of both ticks and the animals they feed on, accelerating tick reproduction and shortening their life cycles.”
Areas that historically experienced longer, colder winters or significant snow cover are now more hospitable to ticks, the doctor noted.
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“As temperatures rise and precipitation patterns change, ticks are able to spread northward and thrive in new ecosystems,” he said.
Another contributing factor is increased land development and human expansion into wooded and grassy areas, as well as reforestation of formerly agricultural land.
“As temperatures rise and precipitation patterns change, ticks are able to spread northward and thrive in new ecosystems,” an expert said. (iStock)
“The recovery and expansion of white-tailed deer populations — critical hosts for adult blacklegged ticks — has been a major driver,” Goldberg added. “Deer density is positively associated with Lyme disease incidence. Small mammal communities, particularly white-footed mice that serve as key reservoir hosts for Borrelia burgdorferi, also play a central role.”
Tick-borne diseases
Tick bites are known to transmit numerous illnesses, the most widespread of which is Lyme disease, a bacterial infection.
“Lyme disease cases alone have increased roughly two- to threefold over the past 20 years,” Saggar said. Approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, per CDC surveillance data.
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Also common are anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, two different types of bacterial infections, according to the doctor. Tick bites can also cause babesiosis, a malaria-like parasitic disease that infects and destroys red blood cells.
“Another growing concern is alpha-gal syndrome, a condition in which a (lone star) tick bite triggers a serious allergic reaction to red meat,” Saggar said. “In rare cases, people have died from anaphylactic reactions linked to alpha-gal syndrome following a tick bite.”
Some common symptoms of tick-borne illness include fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and joint pain. (iStock)
Ticks can also transmit viruses, including the Powassan virus, which can cause severe neurologic injury.
“Powassan virus disease is arguably the most concerning emerging tick-borne infection,” said Goldberg, who is also chief medical officer at HealthTrack. “It’s transmitted by the same blacklegged tick that carries Lyme disease, but unlike Lyme, it can be transmitted within minutes of tick attachment.”
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Powassan can cause severe encephalitis with a roughly 10% to 15% fatality rate, and more than half of survivors have lasting neurological deficits, Goldberg noted.
In the Rocky Mountain states, the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever.
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“In the Southeast and South-Central U.S., the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) drives a different set of concerns: ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and two emerging viral threats — Heartland virus and Bourbon virus,” said Goldberg.
Symptoms to watch for
Some common symptoms of tick-borne illness include fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and joint pain, according to Saggar.
Another sign is the classic “bull’s-eye” rash associated with Lyme disease, known medically as “erythema migrans.”
“If you think you have been bitten by a tick, you should seek medical attention if you develop symptoms after a known tick bite or after spending time in tick-prone areas, especially during the spring, summer and fall.” (iStock)
“Because testing can sometimes be falsely negative early in the disease process, doctors may treat patients based on symptoms and exposure history rather than waiting for laboratory confirmation,” Saggar noted.
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“If you think you have been bitten by a tick, you should seek medical attention if you develop symptoms after a known tick bite or after spending time in tick-prone areas, especially during the spring, summer and fall.”
Preventing tick bites
As there are no vaccines currently available for any tick-borne disease in the U.S., prevention is the most effective strategy.
Goldberg shared the following recommended prevention strategies.
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- Use EPA-approved repellents, including DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin. Treat clothing and gear with permethrin (a synthetic insecticide and repellent) or purchase pre-treated clothing.
- Wear light-colored clothing (to spot ticks more easily), long sleeves and long pants tucked into socks when in wooded or grassy areas.
- After spending time outdoors, check your entire body, paying special attention to the scalp, behind the ears, armpits, groin and behind the knees, the doctor advised. It’s also recommended to shower within two hours of coming indoors.
- Tumble-dry clothing on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any ticks on clothing.
- Remove ticks promptly and properly. Using fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Clean the bite area afterward.
Approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, per CDC data.
“The longer a tick is attached, the higher the risk of disease transmission — for Lyme disease, transmission generally requires at least 36 hours of attachment,” Goldberg said. “The Powassan virus can be transmitted much more quickly.”
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Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after leaving the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, a source stated.
The thyroid is a gland located in the neck. It makes hormones that are then secreted into the blood, which help the body “use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles and other organs working as they should,” according to the American Thyroid Association.
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Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon compared to other cancers. Even so, as of 2023, more than one million people in the U.S. are living with the disease.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) predicts that there will be an estimated 45,260 new cases in 2026.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after leaving the Department of Justice last month. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Risk factors and symptoms
While more common in women, thyroid cancer can affect both sexes. Those with a family history may be more likely to develop it, as well as those between the ages of 25 and 65. Exposure to radiation is also a risk factor, according to the National Cancer Institute.
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Signs of thyroid cancer may include lumps or swelling in the neck, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, hoarseness and pain when swallowing, per the above source. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.
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If thyroid cancer is suspected, a doctor can diagnose it in several ways. A laryngoscopy is a procedure where the doctor checks the voice box with a mirror or laryngoscope — a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and lens, per NCI.
Signs of thyroid cancer may include lumps or swelling in the neck and trouble breathing. (iStock)
Blood hormone studies – where a blood sample is checked to measure hormone levels – can also reveal indicators of thyroid cancer. Ultrasounds and CAT scans are then used to check for tumors in the body.
Treatment options
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy are the main ways doctors treat thyroid cancer. A new type of therapy, immunotherapy, is being tested in clinical trials.
“Surgery is the primary therapy, followed by regular surveillance and thyroid hormone replacement,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, according to a source. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
If the thyroid must be completely removed, patients will take hormones to replace the gland’s natural function.
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“Radioactive iodine is added in extensive or more aggressive cases,” Siegel said, but noted that it is “usually not needed.”
The thyroid gland is located in the neck. It makes hormones that are then secreted into the blood, which help the body use energy. (iStock)
Survival rates
The prognosis for thyroid cancer is generally positive and depends heavily on how the cancer responds to treatment, according to NCI.
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Some types are much milder and slower-growing than others. Doctors will also consider the stage of the cancer’s progression.
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The best-case scenario is when a surgeon can completely remove the tumor during surgery. Doctors will also factor in whether this is a brand-new diagnosis or if the cancer has returned after previous treatment.
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