From 'Wolverine' healing claims to health warnings: The unregulated rise of peptides

Wellness coach Samantha Lander is part of a growing chorus of voices extolling the virtues of peptides.

After extensive oral surgery, Lander wasn't healing so she tried BPC-157

"I started injecting it right into the gum where I had the surgery. And within, I kid you not, it was probably about 2 minutes, the inflammation went down," she said.

The formula is nicknamed "Wolverine" after a Marvel character with super healing powers.

Testimonials claim the various combinations of amino acids promote healing, weight loss, mood boosting, muscle strength and focus. But doctors point out these experimental compounds are highly unregulated and not ready for prime time.

"All of them are untested in human beings. All of them are not sold by prescription. All of them contain significant risks," said gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr. Terry Simpson, with Dignity Health St. John's.

Simpson says peptides come in pills, injectables and now nasal sprays.

"The difficulty with snorting is that you're a little bit closer to the brain, so if you are snorting something that is contaminated with a bacteria or a virus, it's not probably the best place to be doing that," he said.

Peptide therapy can range in price from $100 to $2,000 dollars a month. They're sold at wellness spas and directly online.

"They're not manufactured in a facility that has no FDA standards. They're labeled for research purposes only, which means they shouldn't be given to human beings," Simpson said.

Besides contamination concerns, potential side effects include: injection site reactions, nausea, diarrhea, headache and fatigue. Simpson said people with active cancer or a history of tumors are especially at risk.

"We may actually be harming your natural hormonal cycle. And if they affect your hormones, they can also do some promotion of tumors," he said.

Lander had a negative side effect herself.

"A large histamine reaction where my body just got really, really itchy, and I had a big kind of red spot," she said.

Lander, who is a health coach, said don't try it on your own. Work with someone you trust. But Simpson said even if you're seeing a board certified physician, peptide use is like the Wild West.

"I think that peptides should be avoided until we understand the safety of what we're injecting, and we understand the long-term outcomes of what we're getting. Otherwise, you're gambling," he said.