Why everyone is talking about peptides
From Reasonably Optimistic by The Washington Post
May 29, 2026 · 29 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the rise of peptides in wellness culture and the associated risks with self-experimentation.
Peptides are suddenly everywhere — touted by influencers, biohackers and longevity enthusiasts as the next breakthrough in wellness. But what exactly are they, and how much do we actually know about the risks? Host Megan McArdle talks with physician and Washington Post columnist Dr. Leana Wen about the booming peptide economy, the rise of gray-market injections and why so many people are turning to online health communities instead of doctors. As wellness culture pushes further into self-experimentation, how much risk are people willing to take in the pursuit of optimization? Subscribe to The Washington Post here .
People in this episode
Host: Megan McArdle
Guest: Dr. Leana Wen
Topics covered
- peptides
- wellness
- biohacking
- health risks
- self-experimentation
- online health communities
Keywords
- peptides
- wellness
- biohackers
- longevity
- gray-market injections
- health communities
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Washington Post
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