For decades, the American wellness routine was very basic—take a multivitamin, go for a walk, and purchase an exercise machine that would spend years holding laundry. But in 2026, the wellness world has discovered a breakthrough: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s Health and Human Services Secretary, has described himself as a big fan of peptides.

Peptides are the building blocks of more complex proteins, which trigger hormones needed for growth and healing. According to the Broad Institute’s research, GHK-cu (a copper peptide) emerged as the top compound out of 1,309 tested.

Kennedy has discussed using peptides for his own injuries. In an interview with Joe Rogan, he stated: “I’ve used them myself and with really good effect on a couple of injuries.”

The Make America Healthy Again movement, which Kennedy supports, has attracted advocates such as Gary Brecka, a self-described “longevity expert” who markets peptide-based products.

Under President Joe Biden, the FDA added nearly 20 peptides to a federal list prohibiting compounding pharmacies from producing them. This action has drawn criticism from mainstream medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies.

Additional claims about copper peptides include their potential to increase collagen by 51% in three months, outperform vitamin C and retinoic acid for collagen production, and reduce wrinkles more effectively than Matrixyl 3000. The peptides are also said to reset 31% of the human genome and trigger cancer cells’ natural self-destruct mechanisms.