173. Peptides for Women Over 40: What You Need to Know Before You Try Them

Welcome to the Emotional Eats Podcast!

Peptides are everywhere right now. GLP-1s, BPC-157, growth hormone-releasing peptides, copper peptides. But what exactly are they, and where do they fit into your health as a woman in midlife?

Is it real or a new trend?

In this episode, I sit down with Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and peptide-trained practitioner Bria Gadd for a conversation that helped me understand this rapidly growing area of women's health in a completely different way.

Bria breaks down what peptides actually are, why women over 40 are becoming so interested in them, and the potential roles they may play in metabolic health, recovery, muscle, gut health, skin, hair, weight loss, and healthy aging.

But this conversation isn't about chasing the newest quick fix.

Bria explains why nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, metabolic health, and hormone optimization need to come first. We also talk about GLP-1s and food noise, testing before using peptides, cycling, potential risks, sourcing, and why buying peptides from questionable sources can be a very different thing from working with a qualified practitioner and compounding pharmacy.

This is one of my favorite points from Bria. Think of your health like a cake. Your foundations are the cake. Hormone optimization is the icing. Peptides and other biohacking tools are the sprinkles.

You have to bake the cake first.

In this episode, we talk about:

What peptides are and how they work in the body Why peptides are getting so much attention from midlife women The health foundations Bria wants in place before considering peptides GLP-1s, metabolic health, insulin resistance, food noise, and weight loss BPC-157, growth hormone-releasing peptides, and GHK-Cu copper peptides Why testing and hormone optimization can matter before starting peptide therapy Safety, cycling, sourcing, compounding pharmacies, and the peptide gray market Why peptides may be a powerful tool for some women, but aren't meant to replace the work you're already doing for your health If you've been hearing about peptides and wondering whether they're something you should explore, this episode will help you understand the conversation, know what questions to ask, and make a more informed decision about what may be right for you.

About Bria Gadd