Peptides

Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon’s “fountain of youth” is legendary. In St. Augustine, Florida, visitors still flock to a tourist attraction named for that mystical spring, hoping that a drink from the city’s natural waters might turn back their biological clocks.

At least the only consequence of indulging in the Ponce de Leon fantasy is a mouthful of sulfur‑smelling water. Today’s pursuit of the “fountain of youth” carries greater risk. Increasing numbers of consumers are injecting themselves with unapproved peptides based on unsubstantiated claims that these compounds bestow regenerative properties. Many of these products are purchased from online sellers operating outside traditional regulatory oversight, where they have not been tested for either efficacy or safety.