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Peptide Articles & News

Evidence-based articles on peptide science plus timely regulatory and industry coverage, cited, no hype. News items are tagged News so you can tell them apart.

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ArticleWeight Loss

Weight Regain After Stopping Semaglutide or Tirzepatide: What the Trials Show

Most of the weight lost on semaglutide or tirzepatide returns after the drug is stopped. Here is the STEP and SURMOUNT withdrawal data, why the biology predicts the rebound, and why that is an argument for treating obesity as a chronic condition — not a reason to dismiss the peptides.

#semaglutide#tirzepatide#GLP-1
ArticleClinician

Why Peptide Half-Lives Vary So Much: DAC, PEGylation, and Albumin Hitchhiking

Native peptides last minutes. Semaglutide lasts a week. The difference is not the receptor, it is the pharmacokinetic engineering bolted onto the molecule. Here is how lipidation, DAC albumin bioconjugation, PEGylation, and FcRn recycling turn a 2-minute peptide into a once-weekly drug, and why the same chemistry explains the dosing schedules clinicians see in the wild.

#pharmacokinetics#half-life#DAC
ArticleFitness

PEG-MGF: What Mechano Growth Factor Research Actually Shows

PEG-MGF is a PEGylated version of the IGF-1 Ec E-domain peptide that muscle researchers call mechano growth factor. Here is how MGF differs from mature IGF-1, what human exercise studies and cell work actually showed, and why the research peptide is not the same thing as the splice variant your muscle makes after a hard set.

#PEG-MGF#MGF#mechano growth factor
ArticleHealth

SS-31 (Elamipretide): The Cardiolipin Peptide That Became Forzinity

SS-31 is a mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide that binds cardiolipin on the inner mitochondrial membrane. In 2025 the FDA granted accelerated approval to elamipretide as Forzinity for Barth syndrome. Here is the mechanism, what TAZPOWER and MMPOWER-3 actually showed, and how the research peptide differs from the approved drug.

#SS-31#elamipretide#Forzinity
ArticleBeginner

What Is a Peptide? A Plain-Language Beginner's Guide

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as biological signals. Here is what they are, how they differ from proteins and small-molecule drugs, which ones are already FDA-approved medicines, and how research peptides fit into the picture.

#peptide basics#what is a peptide#amino acids
ArticleClinician

Bremelanotide (Vyleesi / PT-141): The FDA-Approved Melanocortin Peptide for HSDD

Bremelanotide is a cyclic melanocortin peptide agonist approved as Vyleesi for acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. Here is the mechanism, RECONNECT phase 3 data, safety framework, and how it differs from research PT-141.

#bremelanotide#Vyleesi#PT-141
ArticleWeight Loss

Cagrilintide: The Long-Acting Amylin Agonist Behind CagriSema

Cagrilintide is a once-weekly amylin analogue that slows gastric emptying and drives central satiety. Combined with semaglutide as CagriSema, phase 3 REDEFINE trials reported mean weight loss above 20% at 68 weeks. Here is the mechanism and what the data actually show.

#cagrilintide#CagriSema#amylin
ArticleFitness

Hexarelin: The Potent GHRP With a Cardiac Research Trail

Hexarelin is a synthetic hexapeptide GH secretagogue known for strong growth hormone pulses, faster receptor desensitization than later GHRPs, and a distinct body of cardiac research. Here is what human and animal studies actually show.

#hexarelin#GHRP#growth hormone
ArticleClinician

Tesamorelin: The FDA-Approved GHRH Analog for Visceral Fat Reduction

Tesamorelin is a synthetic GHRH analog with an FDA indication for excess visceral adipose tissue in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Here is the mechanism, pivotal trial data, safety monitoring framework, and how it differs from research GH secretagogues.

#tesamorelin#egrifta#GHRH
ArticleHealth

GHK-Cu: The Copper Peptide That Resets Gene Expression

GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring tripeptide that declines with age and modulates over 4,000 human genes involved in tissue repair, antioxidant defense, and regeneration. Here is what the peer-reviewed research actually shows.

#GHK-Cu#copper peptide#tissue repair
News • Industry

The Peptide Industry's Accreditation Illusion: We Checked the Labs Behind Your COAs

Vendors lean on 'ISO 17025' and 'accredited lab' to sell trust. We went to the accreditation registries, A2LA, ANAB, PJLA, IAS, and CMS, and checked. No lab issuing peptide COAs has a publicly verifiable ISO 17025 scope covering peptide purity or identity. Here is the lab-by-lab record, and what actually signals a trustworthy COA.

ArticleEnthusiast

Sermorelin: The GHRH Analog That Works With Your Pituitary

Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analog of endogenous GHRH that stimulates your own pituitary to release growth hormone rather than replacing it externally. Here's the mechanism, what the research actually shows, and how it compares to CJC-1295.

#sermorelin#GHRH#growth hormone
ArticleHealth

Selank: The Anxiolytic Peptide With a 40-Year Russian Research Trail

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide derived from tuftsin, approved in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder and studied for cognitive enhancement and immune modulation. Here's what the peer-reviewed evidence actually shows, and what its shifting regulatory status means in 2026.

#selank#anxiolytic#tuftsin
ArticleClinician

Thymosin Alpha-1: Mechanism, Clinical Evidence, and the 2023 Regulatory Shift

Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1) is an endogenous thymic peptide with a 40-year clinical evidence base spanning viral hepatitis, sepsis, cancer immunotherapy, and COVID-19. Here is a mechanistic and evidence-based overview for clinicians navigating its current regulatory landscape.

#thymosin alpha-1#thymalfasin#zadaxin
ArticleWeight Loss

GLP-1 Peptides and Muscle Loss: What the Research Actually Shows

Muscle loss on semaglutide or tirzepatide is a real concern, but the data is more nuanced than headlines suggest. Here's what major clinical trial DXA substudies actually found, and what the emerging evidence says about protecting lean mass.

#glp-1#semaglutide#tirzepatide
ArticleFitness

IGF-1 LR3: What the Research Shows About the Anabolic Growth Factor Analog

IGF-1 LR3 is a synthetic analog of insulin-like growth factor-1 engineered to evade binding proteins and extend its half-life. Here's an honest look at the preclinical mechanisms, what researchers have found, and why the fitness world is paying attention.

#igf-1#igf-1 lr3#long r3 igf-1
ArticleHealth

MOTS-c: The Mitochondrial Peptide and What the Research Shows

MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded inside mitochondrial DNA, not nuclear DNA. Discovered in 2015, it acts as an exercise-responsive metabolic regulator with compelling preclinical data for insulin sensitivity, muscle health, and longevity. Here's an honest look at where the science stands.

#mots-c#mitochondrial peptide#metabolism
ArticleHealth

Epitalon: The Longevity Peptide and What the Research Actually Shows

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide studied for telomere elongation, melatonin restoration, and geroprotective effects. Here's an honest breakdown of the science, what's compelling, what's still limited, and what makes this compound worth watching.

#epitalon#epithalon#longevity
ArticleFitness

AOD-9604: The HGH Fragment Designed for Fat Metabolism

AOD-9604 is a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone engineered to isolate its fat-burning properties without the side effects of full HGH. Here's what the research actually shows, and where the evidence runs thin.

#aod-9604#hgh fragment#lipolysis
ArticleWeight Loss

Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide: What the Clinical Trials Actually Show

The first head-to-head randomized trial comparing tirzepatide and semaglutide for weight loss is in. Here's what SURMOUNT-5 found, and what the full body of evidence tells us about how these two peptide therapies compare.

#tirzepatide#semaglutide#weight-loss
ArticleBeginner

Are Peptides Safe? What the Research Actually Shows

Safety is the first question anyone should ask about peptides. Here's an honest, evidence-based look at what we know, what we don't know, and how to think about risk when evaluating peptide use.

#safety#beginner#research
ArticleClinician

Compounded Peptides and the 503A/503B Landscape in 2026

The regulatory framework governing compounded peptides is undergoing its most significant changes in a decade. Here's the authoritative breakdown of 503A vs. 503B, the PCAC July 2026 review, and what it means for practitioners and patients.

#regulation#503a#503b
ArticleHealth

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Mechanisms Beyond Weight Loss

GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are famous for weight loss, but the science reveals a far richer picture, cardiovascular protection, neurological effects, and metabolic benefits that go well beyond the scale.

#glp-1#semaglutide#tirzepatide
ArticleEnthusiast

GH Secretagogues 101: Ipamorelin vs CJC-1295

Growth hormone secretagogues like Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 work by stimulating your body's own GH release rather than replacing it externally. Here's how they work, how they differ, and what the research shows.

#ipamorelin#cjc-1295#growth hormone
ArticleEnthusiast

Peptides for Recovery: BPC-157 and TB-500 Explained

BPC-157 and TB-500 are the two most-discussed recovery peptides in athletic and fitness circles. Here's what the research actually says about how they work, why they're often stacked, and what the evidence looks like.

#bpc-157#tb-500#recovery
ArticleBeginner

How to Read a Peptide COA: Spotting a Legit Vendor

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is your best tool for evaluating peptide vendor quality. Learn what a real COA contains, what red flags to look for, and how to verify a vendor isn't faking their testing.

#sourcing#coa#vendor quality
ArticleBeginner

What Is BPC-157? A Beginner's Guide

BPC-157 is one of the most-discussed research peptides in wellness communities, but what is it actually? This plain-language guide explains the science, what researchers have studied, and what you should know.

#bpc-157#healing#beginner

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