Peptide Therapy
Peptide Therapy in Columbia, MD: What a Medical Evaluation Includes
Peptide therapy uses short chains of amino acids under medical supervision for recovery, body composition, and wellness goals. Here is what an evaluation includes and what the regulations say.
Reviewed by the clinical team at Zest Regen Health · October 9, 2026 · 7 min read
Content managed by Phil Kim, Lucky Consulting Group
Peptide therapy refers to the use of short chains of amino acids, some of which act as signaling molecules in the body, offered under medical supervision for goals such as recovery, body composition, and healthy aging. At Zest Regen Health in Columbia, Maryland, peptide therapy is provided only after a medical evaluation, and the regulatory status of most wellness peptides means sourcing and oversight matter. Most peptides marketed for wellness are not FDA-approved as drugs, and compounding rules restrict how they can be prepared.
What peptides are
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Some peptides act as hormones or signaling molecules that influence processes such as growth hormone release, appetite, and tissue repair. A few peptides are FDA-approved as drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide for diabetes and weight management, while popular wellness peptides such as BPC-157, TB-500, sermorelin, ipamorelin, and CJC-1295 are not FDA-approved as drugs.
How medically supervised peptide therapy works
- A medical evaluation reviews your history, medications, and goals.
- Relevant labs and health markers are checked before any peptide is discussed.
- The specific peptide, dosing, and monitoring plan are reviewed with you, including what the evidence does and does not support.
- Follow-up includes symptom review and repeat testing at appropriate intervals.
What the evaluation includes at Zest
- Medical history, including current medications and supplements
- A review of your specific goals, such as recovery, body composition, or energy
- Appropriate laboratory testing to screen for factors that would affect candidacy
- An honest discussion of evidence, expected outcomes, limitations, and cost
Regulatory and safety notes
The FDA regulates compounded drugs under specific rules, and most wellness peptides are not on the list of substances that may be compounded. In 2023 the FDA placed 19 peptides, including BPC-157 and TB-500, on a restricted list barring compounding; in 2026 the agency moved some of them to an evaluation status, but they have not been added to the permitted compounding list, so large-scale compounding of these substances remains restricted. The FDA has also warned that research-use-only disclaimers do not legalize selling peptides for human use. This is why the source and preparation of any peptide product matter, and why a clinic should be able to explain both.
Questions to ask before starting peptide therapy
- Which peptide is being proposed, and why?
- What evidence supports it for my specific goal?
- Who prepares it, and from what source?
- What monitoring is planned during treatment?
- What are the costs, and what happens if I have side effects?
See how peptide therapy is offered at the Columbia clinic (/services/peptide-therapy/).
Read the basics: what is peptide therapy (/blog/what-is-peptide-therapy/).
Meet the physicians who evaluate patients at Zest (/dr-francisco-ward/).
Sources & further reading
Next step
If you are considering peptide therapy, start with an evaluation rather than a product. Book a free 15-minute consultation at the Columbia clinic to discuss your goals and whether a medically supervised peptide program may be appropriate for you.
Talk with our care team about this topic
A member of our clinical team can answer your questions at the Columbia, Maryland clinic. If Peptide Therapy may be appropriate for you, the first step is a consultation.
Care at Zest Regen Health is physician-guided. Meet our physicians, who evaluate patients at the Columbia, Maryland clinic.