A 10x better annual physical.
Peptides are disrupting wellness.
Pepped Up
Naturally occurring in the body, peptides are amino acid chains that support overall vitality, from metabolic function to MSK and sexual health.
But as production declines with age, demand for exogenous sources like DTC supps and therapeutic injections is gaining, with searches up 550% this year.
Still, the category remains understudied, loosely regulated, and poorly understood, making it fertile ground for hype and misinformation.
Gray Area
Approved in 1922, insulin was the first therapeutic peptide. Now, over 100 peptide drugs have regulatory approval, with 170+ in clinical development.
GLP-1s are just one example, and their success has sparked interest in similar biohacks, with consumers turning to telehealth providers, longevity clinics, and online retailers for access.
All-purpose. Positioned as natural enhancers, peptides promise faster recovery, muscle gain, fat loss, libido boosts, and more. But without clear guidance or quality control, results depend heavily on delivery and oversight.
Stepping in, >80% of longevity clinics are MD-supervised, offering biomarker-based dosing, stacking protocols, and patient education. Scaling in-person centers, Biograph is plotting six more locations, Humanaut landed in TX and FL, and Life Time entered the game with MIORA.
Hone Health, Noom, Lifeforce, and Joi + Blokes utilize DTC diagnostics to prescribe injectables, while Hims acquired a drug compounding facility.
Bundling regenerative therapies, Next Health, Eden, and Celia Health’s personalized programs span peptides, coenzymes (i.e., NAD+), exosomes, and longevity drugs like rapamycin.
Fringe Benefits
Cashing in, CPG brands are adding less potent doses of peptides to everyday products.
Some experts argue the concentrations are too small to be effective, but many consumers will pay for even minor potential benefits.
Topical. Shifting “clean” personal care from crunchy to clinical, The Ordinary reminds consumers everything is chemicals, strategically including peptides in skin and hair products.
On the same page, Typology uses a digital diagnostic quiz to recommend peptide-based serums as needed, Act + Acre combines cold-processed oils with peptides for scalp health, and Nécessaire uses them to enhance body care.
Edible. Simplifying daily doses, brands like Vital Proteins and Primal Kitchen normalized adding collagen peptides to coffee for skin, hair, nail, and joint maintenance.
Tackling R&D, food tech company Nuritas secured $42M for ingredient innovation last year, partnering with CPG brands to put novel peptides in supplements, skincare, and snacks.
Punchline: Peptides are complex, with countless variations and form factors. While clinically validated, their gradual effect makes them more lifestyle supplement than magic bullet. But the buzz proves wellness consumers are open to “unnatural” products when the science adds up — especially if there’s aesthetic gain.
🎙 On the Podcast
Throne co-founder and CEO Scott Hickle discusses turning toilets into diagnostic tools.
Leveraging AI and computer vision, Throne’s clip-on toilet device analyzes waste to provide real-time insights into gut health, hydration, and urinary function.
We also cover: Advancing gut-focused healthtech, pursuing cancer detection, and normalizing health tracking through smart hardware.
Listen to today’s episode here
🧬 The fine line between wellness and diagnostics
The FDA warned WHOOP that its Blood Pressure Insights feature qualifies as a medical device, requiring formal review. The company has 15 days to respond or risk fines or product seizure.
Pushback. WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed called it “regulatory overreach,” saying the feature is wellness-focused, requires calibration, and doesn’t diagnose conditions. He noted similar applications have avoided classification.
Crackdown. The move signals new scrutiny as wearables edge into medical territory. With nearly half of US adults facing hypertension, demand for noninvasive BP tools is rising. Samsung offers one abroad, Apple is rumored to follow, and FDA-cleared startup Aktiia is eyeing a US debut.
Great debate. Ahmed argues consumers deserve access to their health data. But the FDA wants to avoid wellness tech overstepping into diagnostics without oversight.
Looking ahead: WHOOP’s standoff could spark a broader crackdown, raising the stakes for wearables positioning themselves as the Personal Health OS.
⚡ A New Era of Personal Health
Health shouldn’t be gatekept, and quality care shouldn’t cost a fortune.
Democratizing concierge medicine, Superpower is on a mission to restore health agency for all.
By the experts. Superpower is backed by top longevity docs and leading investors, with a staff of clinical experts who translate your biometrics into custom medical and lifestyle plans.
For the people. Concierge clinics and elite doctors typically charge $15K–$100k, but Superpower leverages tech to make preventative services accessible to all.
10x better than an average physical, Superpower looks at the whole you, combining 100+ lab tests, biological age tracking, and a personalized health management dashboard.
A new era of personal health is here: Personalized. Preventative. Performance enhancing.
Get $50 off your membership using code FITT50 (first 50 sales only).
📈 Obesity, prediabetes surge among US youth
Pediatric obesity in the US hit 23% in 2023, with severe cases up 253% since 2008. Meanwhile, new CDC data shows one in three adolescents has prediabetes.
Mixed messages. Experts flagged inconsistencies in the CDC’s prediabetes methodology between studies, but rising cardiometabolic risk among the nation’s youth is undeniable.
At odds, the weight study’s author called for GLP-1 use in children, while the American Diabetes Association points to lifestyle change as the first line of defense.
Call to arms. Poor diets top the list of controllable factors, emphasizing the need for prevention. But with 160M+ kids worldwide living with obesity, many already face type 2 diabetes or hypertension, making the case for reactive solutions.
Takeaway: With the food supply in focus, better eating could become ingrained for future generations. But, immediate, multifaceted solutions are needed for high-risk youth.
📰 News & Notes
- 12 trends shaping the future of fitness.
- LOVB signs SKIMS to league partnership.
- EGYM BioAge brings clarity to fitness data.
- Flo adds personalized perimenopausal care.
- Everlast Gyms plans 60 HYROX training centers.
- ARMRA, Ritual stock supplements at Ulta Beauty.
- PepsiCo launches prebiotic soda in gut health push.
- USA Rugby, Momentous partner on athlete performance.
- Ladder brings strength workouts to Diplo’s Run Club tour.
- Tia, Talkspace partner for women’s mental health support.
- OhmBody debuts neurostimulation device for holistic period care.
- Jack Taylor PR signs Aera, Athletic Nicotine, Black Rifle Coffee, and Equip Foods.
- Save the Date: Join us in West Palm Beach, FL November 13–16 for the Fitt Insider x Eudēmonia Health Innovation Lab.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Boulevard, a booking platform for self-care, raised $80M in a Series D led by JMI Equity.
HVLP gym operator EōS Fitness secured an equity investment from Performance Equity Management.
Butterfly-owned Generous Brands will acquire functional beverage maker Health-Ade Kombucha.
Connected fitness company Echelon Fitness acquired B2B fitness streaming platform FORTË.
Slingshot AI, an AI-enabled mental health platform, announced a Series A extension, bringing total funding to $93M.
Organic hummus maker Little Sesame closed an $8.5M Series A round.
Chillybox, creator of at-home cryotherapy chambers, landed an equity investment from cryotherapy system developer CryoBuilt.
Lyra Health, provider of mental health benefits, acquired Bend Health, a pediatric mental health platform.
Fitness equipment manufacturer Core Health & Fitness acquired assets of functional fitness outfitter Aktiv Solutions out of bankruptcy.
Europe 🇪🇺
UK-based running apparel maker Acid Running landed a £1.07M ($1.4M) investment.
London’s Fertifa, a reproductive health benefit provider, acquired fertility insurance provider Juniper.
Bulgaria’s Blue Longevity Clinic secured €2M ($2.3M) to scale clinics across Southeast Europe.
Italy’s Weebora, a sports tourism platform for padel, closed a €1.3M ($1.5M) pre-seed round.
Asia 🌏
India’s Lo! Foods, maker of high-protein and keto products, raised $3.5M in a Series B round led by Rainmatter.
Indian fitness operator Cult.fit (fka Cure.fit) raised $2M from First Luxembourg SCA at a valuation of $1.6B.
Saudi Arabian fitness operator Sports Clubs Company IPO’d on the Saudi Exchange at a market value of 1B riyals ($266M).
Ovasave, a UAE-based reproductive and hormonal health testing platform, raised $1.2M.
Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Digital health data integration platform Sahha.ai closed a A$1.2M ($784K) funding round.
Aussie diagnostics-led preventative health clinic Everlab raised A$15M ($10M) in a seed round led by Left Lane Capital.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
