Peptide therapy

What peptides are

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. The body makes many of its own, and some established medicines are peptides. Interest in peptide therapy has grown quickly, and so has the amount of unreliable information and unregulated product available online.

How we approach it

• Physician-supervised. A peptide is considered only after an evaluation by Dr. Siddiqui, and any treatment is monitored.
• Individualized. Whether a peptide is appropriate depends on your history, medications, goals and test results. For many people the answer is no, or not yet.
• Only where clinically appropriate and permitted. Peptides are prescribed only where there is a sound clinical reason and where federal and state rules allow.
• Licensed US pharmacies. Prescriptions are filled only by licensed pharmacies in the United States. Products sold online “for research use only” are not used.

What to know first

Some peptides are approved by the FDA for specific conditions. Others are not FDA-approved, or are not approved for every use for which they are discussed, and compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Not every peptide is suitable or available, and the rules change. Evidence for many uses is limited, and peptides are not a substitute for the foundations of prevention: sleep, activity, nutrition and treatment of conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

What to expect

The first step is a conversation and a review of your health. If a peptide may be appropriate, Dr. Siddiqui will discuss its potential benefits, its risks and side effects, the alternatives (including no treatment) and how it would be monitored, so that any decision is an informed one. Responses vary from person to person, and no outcome is promised.

About Dr. Siddiqui. Dr. Irfan Siddiqui provides concierge care through Regenerative Health & Wellness. More about Dr. Siddiqui · Explore membership.