What is peptide therapy in functional medicine?

Peptide therapy in functional medicine uses targeted amino‑acid chains to signal specific pathways—such as growth hormone release, inflammation modulation, or tissue repair—to support the body’s own healing mechanisms.

How do Sermorelin, Tesamorelin, Ipamorelin, and CJC‑1295 differ?

Sermorelin and Tesamorelin are GHRH analogs that stimulate the pituitary, whereas Ipamorelin and CJC‑1295 act through ghrelin receptors and extended GHRH signaling to alter the timing and magnitude of growth hormone pulses.

Are peptides FDA-approved for anti-aging?

Many peptides promoted for “anti-aging” are not FDA-approved for that use. Some peptides (like tesamorelin) are FDA-approved for specific medical indications, not general wellness or weight loss.

What is the Wolverine Blend?

Wolverine‑style blends typically combine BPC‑157 and TB‑500 to promote faster recovery, reduce inflammation, and support repair of tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues.

What are the potential benefits of growth hormone–support peptides?

Patients often pursue GH‑supporting peptides for improved body composition, recovery, sleep, skin health, and overall vitality, especially in midlife and beyond.

Are these peptides safe?

When prescribed and monitored by qualified clinicians using high‑purity products, many peptides have a safety profile that is considered acceptable for selected patients, although any bioactive compound carries potential risks and side effects.

How quickly do peptide therapies work?

Some patients notice changes in sleep and recovery within weeks, while body‑composition and tissue‑repair outcomes typically develop gradually over several months of consistent, monitored use.

Can peptides replace healthy lifestyle changes?

Peptides do not replace nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management; they are adjunct tools that tend to work best when the foundations of health are already in place.

Who should avoid peptide therapy?

Individuals with active malignancy, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or uncontrolled serious medical conditions are commonly excluded from peptide protocols and should work closely with their healthcare provider on appropriate alternatives.

Do patients need lab testing before starting peptides?

Most functional medicine practices recommend baseline and follow‑up labs—such as metabolic markers, hormone panels, and inflammatory markers—to tailor peptide selection and dosing and to track both efficacy and safety.

Are peptides FDA‑approved?

Some peptides have specific FDA‑approved indications, but many used in anti‑aging, performance, or body‑composition protocols are compounded or used off‑label and are not FDA‑approved for those particular purposes.

Why is FDA compounding status important?

Changes in FDA compounding lists—such as peptides being removed from certain categories—affect how pharmacies and clinicians can legally provide these substances, which is why up‑to‑date regulatory knowledge is essential.

Functional Medicine Peptide Therapy

Functional medicine peptide therapy uses targeted peptides as part of a bigger plan: labs, lifestyle, nutrition, and medical oversight. Popular options include Sermorelin, Tesamorelin, Ipamorelin, CJC, MGF, and blends like Wolverine Blend.

What Is Functional Medicine Peptide Therapy?

Functional medicine peptide therapy is a personalized approach that may support how your body regulates things like metabolism, recovery, sleep, and body composition. In functional medicine, peptides aren’t treated like a “magic shot.” They’re used alongside:

Comprehensive lab testing
Nutrition + strength training strategy
Sleep + stress optimization
Ongoing check-ins and outcome tracking

If you’ve been stuck with low energy, poor recovery, stubborn midsection fat, or sleep issues, functional medicine peptide therapy can be one part of a bigger root-cause plan.

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as messengers in the body, helping regulate processes like growth hormone release, inflammation, tissue repair, metabolism, and immune balance. In a clinical or research setting, specific peptides are selected to target defined outcomes such as fat loss, improved sleep, faster recovery, or joint support.

Functional medicine uses peptides alongside nutrition, lifestyle, and hormone optimization to address the underlying drivers of fatigue, weight gain, pain, and aging rather than only suppressing symptoms. This integrative model allows protocols to be personalized based on lab data, medical history, and individual goals.

How Functional Medicine Peptide Therapy Works

Most peptide programs follow a simple, safety-first flow:

Intake + goal setting: energy, sleep, body composition, performance, recovery
Baseline labs (typical examples): metabolic markers, inflammation, thyroid, hormones, A1C/insulin, body composition metrics
Plan design: lifestyle foundations first, then targeted options
Peptide selection: matched to goals, medical history, and risk profile
Monitoring: symptom tracking + periodic labs and adjustments

Who Might Be a Good Candidate?

You may be a fit for functional medicine peptide therapy if you:

Want a medically guided plan for sleep, recovery, body composition, or performance
Prefer a personalized approach with labs + lifestyle + targeted therapies
Are willing to do the basics (training, nutrition, stress, sleep) consistently

You may not be a fit if you:

Want quick results without lifestyle change
Are pregnant/breastfeeding (often a no-go)
Have certain uncontrolled medical conditions (must be reviewed case-by-case)

Key Peptide Therapies

Sermorelin

Sermorelin is a growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) analog that stimulates the pituitary to produce more of the body’s own growth hormone rather than providing growth hormone directly. It is frequently used for adults with age‑related growth hormone decline who want a gentler, physiologic option to support energy, body composition, and sleep quality.

Tesamorelin
Tesamorelin is another GHRH analog originally developed for excess visceral (deep abdominal) fat, and it has been shown to influence central fat stores and metabolic markers. In practice, it is often chosen for patients focused on reducing stubborn abdominal fat while maintaining or improving lean muscle mass.

Ipamorelin
Ipamorelin is a growth hormone–releasing peptide (GHRP) that acts on ghrelin receptors to trigger pulses of growth hormone with a reputation for having a favorable side‑effect profile compared with some earlier GHRPs. It is commonly combined with GHRH analogs like CJC‑1295 or Tesamorelin to amplify growth hormone release for body composition, recovery, and healthy aging.

CJC‑1295
CJC‑1295 is a long‑acting GHRH analog that extends the duration of growth hormone release, especially when paired with a GHRP such as Ipamorelin. Clinics that use CJC‑1295 typically do so in combination formulas to create both quick pulses and sustained release, targeting improved sleep, recovery, and changes in body composition.

MGF (IGF‑1Ec)
Mechano Growth Factor (MGF), a splice variant of IGF‑1, is associated with muscle repair and tissue remodeling after mechanical stress or injury. In blend formulations with Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin, MGF is positioned for athletes or active patients seeking support for muscle recovery and performance.

Wolverine Blend (BPC‑157 + TB‑500)
“Wolverine”‑style blends pair BPC‑157 and TB‑500 to support accelerated healing, reduced inflammation, and connective‑tissue repair. These systemic blends are often described as repair‑focused, making them attractive to patients with chronic overuse injuries, post‑surgical recovery needs, or recurrent soft‑tissue pain.

Peptide / Blend	Primary Focus	Typical Use-Cases
Sermorelin	Physiologic GH support	Age‑related GH decline, gentle body‑composition and energy support
Tesamorelin	Visceral fat and metabolism	Central fat reduction and metabolic health focus
Ipamorelin	GH pulses via ghrelin receptor	Recovery, body composition, and combination GH support stacks
CJC	Sustained GH release	Anti‑aging, sleep, and long‑term body‑composition goals
MGF	Muscle and tissue repair	Performance, post‑training recovery, and structural support
Wolverine Blend	Systemic repair and inflammation support	Tendon/ligament recovery, chronic injuries, and post‑surgical healing

Safety, Legality, and FDA Status

Peptide therapy must always be supervised by a licensed healthcare professional familiar with current regulations, risks, and quality standards. Products should be sourced from reputable laboratories that provide third‑party testing, purity data, and transparent manufacturing practices.

Regulatory status is evolving: for example, certain peptides like CJC‑1295 and Ipamorelin have been removed from specific FDA compounding categories, which affects how pharmacies and clinics can legally provide them. Patients should understand that many peptides are not FDA‑approved for specific anti‑aging or performance indications, even if they are used off‑label in some practices.

FAQ: About Functional Medicine Peptide Therapy

What is peptide therapy in functional medicine?
Peptide therapy in functional medicine uses targeted amino‑acid chains to signal specific pathways—such as growth hormone release, inflammation modulation, or tissue repair—to support the body’s own healing mechanisms.
How do Sermorelin, Tesamorelin, Ipamorelin, and CJC‑1295 differ?
Sermorelin and Tesamorelin are GHRH analogs that stimulate the pituitary, whereas Ipamorelin and CJC‑1295 act through ghrelin receptors and extended GHRH signaling to alter the timing and magnitude of growth hormone pulses.
Are peptides FDA-approved for anti-aging?
Many peptides promoted for “anti-aging” are not FDA-approved for that use. Some peptides (like tesamorelin) are FDA-approved for specific medical indications, not general wellness or weight loss.
What is the Wolverine Blend?
Wolverine‑style blends typically combine BPC‑157 and TB‑500 to promote faster recovery, reduce inflammation, and support repair of tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues.
What are the potential benefits of growth hormone–support peptides?
Patients often pursue GH‑supporting peptides for improved body composition, recovery, sleep, skin health, and overall vitality, especially in midlife and beyond.
Are these peptides safe?
When prescribed and monitored by qualified clinicians using high‑purity products, many peptides have a safety profile that is considered acceptable for selected patients, although any bioactive compound carries potential risks and side effects.
How quickly do peptide therapies work?
Some patients notice changes in sleep and recovery within weeks, while body‑composition and tissue‑repair outcomes typically develop gradually over several months of consistent, monitored use.
Can peptides replace healthy lifestyle changes?
Peptides do not replace nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management; they are adjunct tools that tend to work best when the foundations of health are already in place.
Who should avoid peptide therapy?
Individuals with active malignancy, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or uncontrolled serious medical conditions are commonly excluded from peptide protocols and should work closely with their healthcare provider on appropriate alternatives.
Do patients need lab testing before starting peptides?
Most functional medicine practices recommend baseline and follow‑up labs—such as metabolic markers, hormone panels, and inflammatory markers—to tailor peptide selection and dosing and to track both efficacy and safety.
Are peptides FDA‑approved?
Some peptides have specific FDA‑approved indications, but many used in anti‑aging, performance, or body‑composition protocols are compounded or used off‑label and are not FDA‑approved for those particular purposes.
Why is FDA compounding status important?
Changes in FDA compounding lists—such as peptides being removed from certain categories—affect how pharmacies and clinicians can legally provide these substances, which is why up‑to‑date regulatory knowledge is essential.

Why Choose Peptide Therapy?

Common reasons adults explore peptide protocols include stubborn central fat, declining energy, slowed recovery, poor sleep, and chronic joint or soft‑tissue discomfort. Athletes and highly active individuals may also consider peptides to support performance and resilience, always under medical guidance. Candidates typically undergo evaluation for cardiovascular risk, metabolic markers, hormone status, and overall inflammatory burden before starting treatment. Those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have active cancer, or significant uncontrolled medical conditions often are not considered candidates for many peptide therapies

If you would like to learn more about our services we offer at Women’s Health and Cosmetic Services of Maryland, contact our specialists to schedule a consultation. We welcome women from all over Maryland including Baltimore, Annapolis and the Washington, DC, area.