Online wellness experts, influencers and retailers are increasingly promoting peptides as the next big thing for everything from muscle growth and anti-aging to injury recovery. Some even suggest peptides can improve lung health or repair lung damage. But what does the science really say?
While peptides have a long history in medicine, experts caution that many of the peptide products being marketed online today have not gone through the rigorous testing required for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Mouhib Naddour, MD, is a pulmonologist and critical care specialist with Sharp Healthcare. He believes it’s important to separate promising research from proven treatments.
He answered some of our most pressing questions about peptides and lung health.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. The body naturally produces many different peptides, as they help regulate important biological functions. “Peptides are naturally occurring substances in the body,” Dr. Naddour explains. “They have multiple important roles including hormone signaling, regulation of inflammation, immune responses and tissue repair.”
Despite the recent buzz, peptides are not new. Some peptide-based medications have been used safely for decades. Insulin, which is used to treat diabetes, is a peptide hormone. Medications containing semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, are also peptide-based drugs. “These medications have shown significant benefits in treating diabetes and obesity. So, we know that peptides themselves can have medical benefits to them,” he continued.
The important distinction is that approved peptide medications have undergone years of laboratory research, clinical trials and FDA review to establish that they are safe and effective for specific medical conditions. However, even these approved medications can have side effects.
Can Peptides Repair Lung Damage or Help with Chronic Lung Disease?
Researchers are actively studying certain peptides to better understand whether they can reduce inflammation, promote healing and help repair lung tissue after injury. Some cell research and animal studies have shown promising results, particularly for peptides that may influence inflammation and tissue regeneration.
Thymosin Beta-4 is one peptide that is getting a lot of attention online. This naturally occurring peptide is involved in the tissue repair process. Scientists are investigating whether it can help reduce lung injury and encourage tissue repair. “Researchers have been investigating if thymosin can help reduce inflammation and promote healing. Early studies show promising results, especially for limiting tissue damage and treating acute lung injury,” Dr. Naddour said.
“However, at this point, promising findings come primarily from laboratory and animal studies, without established clinical benefits in humans. This is true for other peptides as well, we just don’t have sufficient evidence from human clinical trials demonstrating that they can repair damaged lung tissues, reverse pulmonary fibrosis, or improve outcomes in patients with COPD.” He stressed that thymosin beta 4 or other social media famous peptides are not FDA approved for treating lung diseases, which is why people with chronic lung disease should depend on well-established treatments.
What Peptides Are Being Promoted on Social Media?
The peptides making headlines on social media are often marketed for longevity, muscle growth, athletic performance, recovery or overall wellness. Unlike FDA-approved peptides whose safety and efficacy are approved for specific instances, these viral products have not undergone extensive human testing and are not subject to the same manufacturing standards required for approved medications. So, experts are concerned about product purity, contamination, dosing accuracy and whether ingredients listed on labels are actually present.
Dr. Naddour agrees that one of the biggest concerns for consumers is not knowing exactly what they are buying. “These peptide products are not FDA approved, so there is a lot of uncertainty about the potential benefits and subsequently the potential risks of these products,” he explained.
“And just because a peptide occurs naturally in the human body doesn’t necessarily mean that taking supplemental peptide or additional amounts of it is safe or effective.”
Is There Research Supporting Health Claims?
At the moment, there is limited evidence supporting the many health and fitness claims seen online. Reviews of commonly promoted peptides, like BPC-157, TB-500 and others, lack high-quality clinical evidence to support their use in humans. Instead, current research comes from lab experiments and animal studies.
Unfortunately, the results of these studies do not always translate to people. Dr. Naddour warns, “having these substances showing effect in animal studies or lab studies does not reflect its benefit in human studies yet and that’s why we don’t recommend them for patients yet.”
Are Peptides Safe and Are There Side-Effects?
Some approved peptide medications are safe because they have been thoroughly studied. But the risks associated with the many unapproved supplements and other unregulated products are less clear. Reported side effects of peptide use may include:
- Injection-site irritation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches
- Allergic reactions
- Inflammation or immune system reactions
- Potential infections or contamination-related complications
Because of the lack of research, experts are also concerned about unknown long-term effects. Dr. Naddour reiterates that, “since we’re not 100% sure what’s inside the products, it’s very hard to predict the potential side effects.”
Talk To Your Doctor About Peptides
“I would tell anyone thinking about peptide therapy to talk to their provider beforehand,” Dr. Naddour insists. “Peptides and other over-the-counter medications and supplements can be linked to worsening health problems, so your doctor needs to know what you are taking.” Most importantly, people should not stop taking prescribed lung medications in favor of experimental peptide products.
Until more evidence is available, Dr. Naddour recommends approaching these products with caution. “I am personally cautiously optimistic because we do need new treatments and new solutions for our patients with chronic and acute lung disease,” he said. “However, at this time, there is just not sufficient evidence to support the use of peptides to improve lung function.”
Source: www.lung.org
