What is peptide care?

A peptide describes a substance

Peptides are short strings of the small parts that form proteins; insulin is an example. A

American drug law has no distinct category called “peptide therapy” as of September 26, 2026. A

The useful question is what the product is and why it is being offered.

Some are medicines the FDA has reviewed

FDA is short for Food and Drug Administration, the agency that reviews medicines nationally.

As of September 26, 2026, FDA-approved products include Ozempic and Wegovy, which contain semaglutide, and Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain tirzepatide. B

Ozempic products and Mounjaro injections treat type 2 diabetes, an illness involving high blood sugar. Wegovy products and Zepbound injections have uses for losing weight and maintaining that loss. B

Some products also have approved uses for other health problems. Ask the prescriber to show you the exact product’s approved use for your condition. B

Approval applies to a specific product for a specific use; sharing its ingredient name does not give another product that approval. C

Some are medicines made to order

With compounding, a pharmacy makes or mixes a patient’s medicine instead of supplying one already made. D

As of September 26, 2026, compounding can meet a medical need, but its products do not have FDA approval. E

Watch for “research use only” on an offer

Research labels may say “for research use only”; they may also say “not for human consumption,” which means not meant for people to take. F

The FDA warns against using products marketed to people with research labels as of September 26, 2026: their quality is not known, so they may harm people. G

Putting a research label on a chemical does not make it a treatment that has been reviewed. F