I-Team Investigation: Peptides – Health or Hype?

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) - They've been called the next big breakthrough in wellness. But are peptides a medical advance, or the latest health hype? From weight loss to anti-aging, they're promoted as a powerful tool for better health. But doctors say there are also risks you need to know. I-Team investigator Peter Daut spoke with Coachella Valley residents who said peptides have changed their lives.

Peptides are surging in popularity, with new clinics opening across the Valley. Supporters say they can transform your health, but experts warn the science is evolving, and not all peptides are well-studied.

Palm Springs icon Michael Childers has spent a lifetime photographing some of Hollywood's most famous, from Paul Newman to Natalie Wood. After decades behind the lens, Childers knows beauty isn't just captured, it's maintained. And now, he and many other people are turning to peptides in search of a way to look-- and feel-- better, longer.

"Peptides are called beauty from within," Childers said.

Childers first turned to a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, and now uses other peptides, including NAD+ for energy.

"It's amazing the clarity and energy levels that change. I'm 81, and I plan on looking and feeling as good as I can for a few more years," he said.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids naturally found in the body, which help to regulate metabolism, healing, and hormones. But there are thousands of different types, and many have not been well-studied in humans.

La Quinta resident Heather McLeod began using peptides after brain-tumor surgery left her struggling. "When I came out of surgery, I was in a really bad place. I was bad physically, mentally, exhausted, brain fog, inflammation, I couldn't get out of bed," she said.

Before taking peptides, she was 50 pounds heavier and suffering from inflammation and joint pain. Once she discovered them after months of research, she said the changes came quickly. "I had relief in my joints, I started noticing a difference in how I felt, and I was in complete shock because it had only been nine days," she said.

McLeod has now become an advocate for peptides, hoping to help others struggling with health issues. "I never thought I would feel better again. I wake up in the morning, and I can't believe how good I feel," she said.

Dr. Chanaka Wickramasinghe, a board-certified cardiologist at Eisenhower Health, just opened a wellness clinic in Rancho Mirage that offers peptide therapy, and said patient-demand is exploding. "Are peptides worth the hype?" Daut asked him. He answered: "The anecdotal evidence is a lot of people love them, a lot of people feel great on them. I have people walking through my clinic saying, 'Doctor, I feel amazing. Give me these peptides.' So that's why it's blown up significantly."

But he also has a clear warning: Many peptides sold online and even in some clinics are not FDA-approved, and have very limited human testing. "When you go to a provider or a clinic giving you peptides, you want to ask for what we call a Certificate of Authenticity.  That is basically a third-party lab report that shows the peptide bottle they're giving you is pure and has no contamination or impurities," Dr. Wickramasinghe said.

At his clinic, QR codes allow patients to verify purity and safety. He also urges anyone interested in taking peptides to first check with a qualified doctor. "They can assess your medical history, and then dictate and determine do you benefit from this? Or are there some things we have to watch out for?" he said.

At the federal level, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now pushing to rollback restrictions on peptides, a move that could expand access while raising new questions about safety. For now, peptide users like Michael Childers said the benefits are real.

"So you can feel good and look good until you pass on to higher pastures," Childers said.

Right now, most peptides are not covered by insurance, and can cost hundreds even thousands of dollars a month. Doctors say the bottom line: Some peptides may offer real benefits, but many are still experimental. So before you start, get medical guidance, and make sure you know exactly what you're putting into your body and why.