Commonly Used Peptides and Their Benefits
Below is a more evidence-based breakdown of peptide drugs and other peptides that are frequently mentioned online.
Disclaimer: There are many different types of peptides. “Peptide” is not a designation of evidence or efficacy. Some are approved drugs that we know work for certain things. Others are being studied or talked about online and may or may not work in humans. We will try to specify where possible what each one may help with.
Metabolic / Weight Loss Peptide Drugs
Semaglutide
How it works: GLP-1 agonist
Approved For: Various forms of semaglutide are FDA approved for use in type 2 diabetes. It can also be used for weight loss as well as to lower cardiovascular risk in those who qualify. It also has other indications that are not relevant here. (Lincoff et al., 2023; Wilding et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: Glucose control. It can cause significant weight loss in patients using approved forms for weight loss. It can also lower cardiovascular events and provide other benefits based on the indication. (Lincoff et al., 2023; Wilding et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: These medications have been studied in depth. They can cause GI upset, will not work for everyone, and there are reasons why someone may not want to take them. (Lincoff et al., 2023; Wilding et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Tirzepatide
How it works: GIP + GLP-1 agonist
Approved For: Tirzepatide has been approved in certain forms for use in type 2 diabetes and for weight loss. It may have other indications as well. (Jastreboff et al., 2022; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: It can greatly improve glucose control and allow for significant weight loss. Other benefits will depend on the indication. (Jastreboff et al., 2022; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: It has been studied in depth and has GI and other warnings that should be noted. It will not be right for everyone. (Jastreboff et al., 2022; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Retatrutide
How it works: Agonist for GIP + GLP-1 + glucagon receptors. (Jastreboff et al., 2023)
Approved For: Not FDA approved as of this writing. (Jastreboff et al., 2023)
May Help With: Studies have shown it can lead to large amounts of weight loss and other benefits that could make it useful for treating obesity. (Jastreboff et al., 2023)
What To Know: It's been looking good in people thus far, but it is still an investigational drug. (Jastreboff et al., 2023)
Growth Hormone Related Peptides
Tesamorelin
How it works: Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog
Approved For: Used to decrease abdominal fat in patients with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: Can decrease excess abdominal fat in the approved patient population. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: It is only approved for the specific indication above. It is not approved as a general weight loss or bodybuilding drug. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Sermorelin
How it works: Causes the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.
Approved For: Sermorelin was previously FDA approved as a drug but is no longer sold as an FDA-approved commercial product in the United States. Many compounding pharmacies offer it. Being compounded is not the same thing as being FDA approved. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: It can cause the body to make more growth hormone. It is used for various indications that may or may not be related to its effect on GH. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: Just because it can cause the body to produce more GH does not mean it has been proven to help with anti-aging, muscle gain, fat loss, recovery, or similar claims. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
CJC-1295
How it works: Acts on growth hormone-secreting pathways. (Teichman et al., 2006)
Approved For: Not FDA approved. (Teichman et al., 2006)
May Help With: It has been shown in humans to increase GH and IGF-1 levels. (Teichman et al., 2006)
What To Know: We do not have good data showing that it provides many of the benefits commonly claimed for it. We primarily know that it affects GH and IGF-1 levels. (Teichman et al., 2006)
Ipamorelin
How it works: Acts on ghrelin receptors and causes the body to release growth hormone. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
Approved For: Not FDA approved. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
May Help With: It can increase GH levels and may have various benefits that are still being studied. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
What To Know: Many claims seen online are not backed by strong human data, including claims about muscle gain, fat loss, sleep, healing, and anti-aging. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
Healing / Recovery Peptides
BPC-157
How it works: BPC-157 is a synthetic peptide derived from a protein sequence found in the stomach. (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
Approved For: Not FDA approved for human therapeutic use. (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
May Help With: Many studies have looked at BPC-157, and many have shown potential benefits involving tissue healing, gut protection, and other areas. (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
What To Know: Most of the claims we see about BPC-157 have only been demonstrated in animals or laboratory research. We need more human data before we can say these benefits will translate to people. (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
GHK-Cu
How it works: A copper-binding peptide that can be found in the body. (Pickart & Margolina, 2018; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Approved For: Used in some cosmetics. There are claims that it can be used to help regenerate tissue, but injectable regenerative uses have not been FDA approved. (Pickart & Margolina, 2018; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: It has shown potential benefits in laboratory and cosmetic research. (Pickart & Margolina, 2018; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: Do not assume that because it may work topically, it will work the same way when injected. (Pickart & Margolina, 2018; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Sexual Health Peptides
PT-141 / Bremelanotide
How it works: Stimulates melanocortin receptors. (Kingsberg et al., 2019; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Approved For: FDA approved for use in certain premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder. (Kingsberg et al., 2019; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
May Help With: Can improve sexual desire and help reduce distress related to low sexual desire in women who fit the approved criteria. (Kingsberg et al., 2019; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
What To Know: Its approved use is specific. It can cause side effects such as nausea and increases in blood pressure, and it should not be treated as a universal sexual-performance drug. (Kingsberg et al., 2019; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Drugs We All Should Know About
Insulin
A peptide drug that allows the body to regulate glucose. Insulin is lifesaving for people with type 1 diabetes. It can also be used in people with type 2 diabetes and those who may need insulin for other reasons. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Glucagon
A peptide drug that can raise blood sugar. There are various uses for pharmaceutical glucagon, but it is commonly used to treat severe hypoglycemia. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Oxytocin
A peptide drug that is used medically, particularly in obstetric care to induce labor and to help the uterus contract after delivery. (Muttenthaler et al., 2021; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d.)
Recovery: Targeted for rapid tissue and cellular repair.
Quick Guide To Each Peptide
Understanding “Benefits”
It can have an established benefit if there is enough evidence to support its use for a certain indication. (Fosgerau & Hoffmann, 2015; Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
It can have a potential benefit if it has been studied in humans, but we are not yet sure how consistently it works or whether the evidence is sufficient for routine clinical use. (Fosgerau & Hoffmann, 2015; Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
A preclinical benefit means it was shown to have an effect in animals or cells. This does not always translate to humans. (Fosgerau & Hoffmann, 2015; Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
An anecdotal benefit means that someone reports that it helped them. This is not the same as clinical evidence that it will help someone else. (Fosgerau & Hoffmann, 2015; Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
A peptide can also simply affect a pathway in the body that we think may be beneficial, but that does not mean we know it will actually improve health outcomes. (Fosgerau & Hoffmann, 2015; Muttenthaler et al., 2021)
References
Fosgerau, K., & Hoffmann, T. (2015). Peptide therapeutics: Current status and future directions. Drug Discovery Today, 20(1), 122–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2014.10.003
Jastreboff, A. M., Aronne, L. J., Ahmad, N. N., Wharton, S., Connery, L., Alves, B., Kiyosue, A., Zhang, S., Liu, B., Bunck, M. C., & Stefanski, A. (2022). Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 387(3), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
Jastreboff, A. M., Kaplan, L. M., Frías, J. P., Wu, Q., Du, Y., Gurbuz, S., Coskun, T., Haupt, A., Milicevic, Z., & Hartman, M. L. (2023). Triple–hormone-receptor agonist retatrutide for obesity—A phase 2 trial. The New England Journal of Medicine, 389(6), 514–526. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2301972
Kingsberg, S. A., Clayton, A. H., Portman, D., Williams, L. A., Krop, J., Jordan, R., Lucas, J., & Simon, J. A. (2019). Bremelanotide for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder: Two randomized phase 3 trials. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 134(5), 899–908. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003500
Lincoff, A. M., Brown-Frandsen, K., Colhoun, H. M., Deanfield, J., Emerson, S. S., Esbjerg, S., Hardt-Lindberg, S., Hovingh, G. K., Kahn, S. E., Kushner, R. F., Lingvay, I., Oral, T. K., Michelsen, M. M., Plutzky, J., Tornøe, C. W., Ryan, D. H., & SELECT Trial Investigators. (2023). Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in obesity without diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine, 389(24), 2221–2232. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
Muttenthaler, M., King, G. F., Adams, D. J., & Alewood, P. F. (2021). Trends in peptide drug discovery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 20, 309–325. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41573-020-00135-8
Pickart, L., & Margolina, A. (2018). Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(7), 1987. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19071987
Teichman, S. L., Neale, A., Lawrence, B., Gagnon, C., Castaigne, J.-P., & Frohman, L. A. (2006). Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 91(3), 799–805. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2005-1536
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Drugs@FDA: FDA-approved drugs. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/
Vasireddi, N., Vanaparthy, R., Mohan, G., Malayala, S. V., & Atluri, P. (2025). Regeneration or risk? A narrative review of BPC-157 for musculoskeletal healing. Cureus, 17(8). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12446177/
Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Lingvay, I., McGowan, B. M., Rosenstock, J., Tran, M. T. D., Wadden, T. A., Wharton, S., Yokote, K., Zeuthen, N., Kushner, R. F., & STEP 1 Study Group. (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989–1002. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
This article is meant to educate people about peptides and what we know about them. It is not recommending that anyone buy, stack, or use these drugs in any particular way. Please speak with your doctor about what may be best for you.
Peptide
Used For
Evidence Level
Benefits
Semaglutide
Metabolic
FDA Approved Drug(s)
Yes for indicated uses (Wilding et al., 2021)
Tirzepatide
Metabolic
FDA Approved Drug(s)
Yes for indicated uses (Jastreboff et al., 2022)
Retatrutide
Metabolic
Investigational
May work (Jastreboff et al., 2023)
Tesamorelin
Decrease Abdominal Fat in HIV Patients
FDA Approved Drug
Yes for indicated use
Sermorelin
Growth Hormone Axis
Used in compounded form
Unknown
CJC-1295
Growth Hormone Axis
Investigational
Unknown (Teichman et al., 2006)
Ipamorelin
Growth Hormone Axis
Investigational
Unknown
BPC-157
Healing / Recovery
Investigational
Unknown (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
GHK-Cu
Various Uses
Investigational
Unknown (Pickart & Margolina, 2018)
Bremelanotide
Libido
FDA Approved Drug
Yes for indicated use (Kingsberg et al., 2019)