These days, many internet influencers are promoting a wellness trend that sounds like something you might remember from high school bio: peptides.

They’re being sold as ways to improve skin, reverse aging – basically, peptides have become THE  answer to your choice of wellness issues. 

But most of what’s hawked on Instagram or TikTok is not approved by the FDA. . 

That could change: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently said on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he wants to relax restrictions on many peptides. 

In the meantime, people are accessing them through methods that some experts say are…. dangerous.  

Guests:
Alex Hogan, a senior multimedia producer at STAT News and the host of STATus Report


Related links:
Inside the world of internet peptides | STAT News
Peptides Are the New Wellness Cure-All | Intelligencer
 Why 'Anti-Aging' Peptide Shots Are Trending on Social Media | TIME
Peptides take off as a DIY treatment but is that a good idea? : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

These days, many internet influencers are promoting a wellness trend that sounds like something you might remember from high school bio: peptides.
They&rsquo;re being sold as ways to improve skin, reverse aging &ndash; basically, peptides have become THE&nbsp; answer to your choice of wellness issues.&nbsp;
But most of what&rsquo;s hawked on Instagram or TikTok is not approved by the FDA. .&nbsp;
That could change: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/peptides-fda-unbanned">recently said</a> on Joe Rogan&rsquo;s podcast that he wants to relax restrictions on many peptides.&nbsp;
In the meantime, people are accessing them through methods that some experts say are&hellip;. dangerous.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Alex Hogan, a senior multimedia producer at STAT News and the host of STATus Report </li>
</ul>
Related links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX7rWXK5ME0&amp;t=49s">Inside the world of internet peptides | STAT News</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/peptides-from-instagram-china-wellness-cure.html">Peptides Are the New Wellness Cure-All | Intelligencer</a></li>
<li>&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/7380810/anti-aging-peptide-shots-social-media/">Why 'Anti-Aging' Peptide Shots Are Trending on Social Media | TIME</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/23/nx-s1-5716162/peptides-science-muscle-growth-longevity-wellness">Peptides take off as a DIY treatment but is that a good idea? : NPR</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Wellness influencers and celebrities are touting the wonders of peptides. But there's still a lot we don't know about them.

Peptides are everywhere. What are they?

According to reporting in the New York Times Magazine, young female athletes are 3 to 6 times more likely than boys to tear their ACLs. 

And the recovery period can be grueling. Surgery is usually involved, rehab can take a year or longer. Which is a lot of time, at that age, for players to remain on the sideline. But there are effective ways to prevent so many ACL tears. For example, FIFA, soccer’s governing body, has signed off on a series of exercises and warmups that have proven to reduce injury risk.

Yet that injury prevention protocol hasn’t taken off in girls sports. Even though women’s sports are exploding in popularity, and more girls are playing sports, plenty of coaches and players don’t even know it’s possible to prevent these injuries. 

Why do so many teenage girl athletes tear their ACLs? And why do coaches, parents and players often fail to do the prevention work, strength exercises, etc. that might help protect vulnerable limbs?

Guest:
Seattle high schooler and soccer player Edie Welch
Reporter Craig Welch

Related stories:
Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? - The New York Times Magazine

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes-

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/magazine/acl-tear-women-girl-sports.html">reporting</a> in the New York Times Magazine, young female athletes are 3 to 6 times more likely than boys to tear their ACLs.&nbsp;
And the recovery period can be grueling. Surgery is usually involved, rehab can take a year or longer. Which is a lot of time, at that age, for players to remain on the sideline. But there are effective ways to prevent so many ACL tears. For example, FIFA, soccer&rsquo;s governing body, has signed off on a series of exercises and warmups that have proven to reduce injury risk.
Yet that injury prevention protocol hasn&rsquo;t taken off in girls sports. Even though women&rsquo;s sports are exploding in popularity, and more girls are playing sports, plenty of coaches and players don&rsquo;t even know it&rsquo;s possible to prevent these injuries.&nbsp;
Why do so many teenage girl athletes tear their ACLs? And why do coaches, parents and players often fail to do the prevention work, strength exercises, etc. that might help protect vulnerable limbs?
Guest:
<ul>
<li>Seattle high schooler and soccer player Edie Welch</li>
<li>Reporter Craig Welch</li>
</ul>
Related stories:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/magazine/acl-tear-women-girl-sports.html">Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? - The New York Times Magazine</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>-
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Why do so many teenage girl athletes tear their ACLs? And why do coaches, parents and players often fail to do the prevention work, strength exercises, etc. that might help protect vulnerable limbs?

Teenage girls keep tearing their ACLs. It doesn't have to be that way.

It's not a spoiler to say someone gets murdered in T Kira Madden's new book, "Whidbey." But what happens next? You'll have to read and find out.

Whidbey is expansive, detailed and visceral. It makes readers wonder about questions of justice, forgiveness, belief and unconditional love.

We talk with Madden about how the island inspired her new literary thriller. 

Guest

T Kira Madden, author of "Whidbey"

Related Links
Somebody Killed Her Assailant. Was Justice Served? - The New York Times

T Kira Madden Casts a Spell - Elle


Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes-

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

It's not a spoiler to say someone gets murdered in T Kira Madden's new book, "Whidbey." But what happens next? You'll have to read and find out.
Whidbey is expansive, detailed and visceral. It makes readers wonder about questions of justice, forgiveness, belief and unconditional love.
We talk with Madden about how the island inspired her new literary thriller.&nbsp; Guest
T Kira Madden, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/whidbey-a-novel-t-kira-madden/48258f7008b1c293">author of "Whidbey"</a> Related Links <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/books/review/whidbey-t-kira-madden.html">Somebody Killed Her Assailant. Was Justice Served?</a> -&nbsp;The New York Times
<a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a70679469/t-kira-madden-whidbey-interview-2026/">T Kira Madden Casts a Spell</a> - Elle
 Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>-
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

T. Kira Madden's new novel challenges the reader to ask: Who gets believed?

A ferry ride and an unsettling offer launches us into the new novel, "Whidbey"

Last month, Olympia became the first city in Washington, and one of just a handful in the country, to pass explicit protections for polyamorous families.

The city passed two ordinances in late February that establish protections for people in diverse family and relationship structures. 

Supporters say the changes are aimed at protecting these community members against discrimination and unfair housing practices. 

Similar efforts are underway in multiple cities across the west coast. 

More than 60% of people who responded to a 2025 survey on non-monogamy said they experienced discrimination or stigma in at least one domain, like healthcare or employment. 

We spoke to an advocate who backed these ordinances -- and who's hoping to bring similar change to Seattle. 

Guests:
Jessa Davis is the executive director for the Seattle Coalition for Family and Relationship Equity

Related links:
First WA city with protections for polyamorous families | The Olympian
In the Northwest, polyamory finds something new: legal protection | The Seattle Times
Polyamorous protections moving ahead in Portland as council reaffirms LGBTQ safe harbor status | oregonlive.com
2025 Community Survey Report | OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy)

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Last month, Olympia became the first city in Washington, and one of just a handful in the country, to pass explicit protections for polyamorous families.
The city passed two ordinances in late February that establish protections for people in diverse family and relationship structures.&nbsp;
Supporters say the changes are aimed at protecting these community members against discrimination and unfair housing practices.&nbsp;
Similar efforts are underway in multiple cities across the west coast.&nbsp;
More than 60% of people who responded to a 2025 survey on non-monogamy said they experienced discrimination or stigma in at least one domain, like healthcare or employment.&nbsp;
We spoke to an advocate who backed these ordinances -- and who's hoping to bring similar change to Seattle.&nbsp;
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Jessa Davis is the executive director for the Seattle Coalition for Family and Relationship Equity</li>
</ul>
Related links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article314855142.html">First WA city with protections for polyamorous families | The Olympian</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2026/02/portland-moves-to-extend-discrimination-protections-to-polyamorous-people.html"></a><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/in-the-northwest-polyamory-finds-something-new-legal-protection/?block=ebnightcap&amp;utm_source=marketingcloud&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Evening+Brief+03-02-26_3_2_2026&amp;utm_term=">In the Northwest, polyamory finds something new: legal protection | The Seattle Times</a><a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2026/02/portland-moves-to-extend-discrimination-protections-to-polyamorous-people.html"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2026/02/portland-moves-to-extend-discrimination-protections-to-polyamorous-people.html">Polyamorous protections moving ahead in Portland as council reaffirms LGBTQ safe harbor status | oregonlive.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.open-love.org/blog/2025-community-survey-report">2025 Community Survey Report | OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy)</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Olympia recently became the first city in Washington to pass explicit protections for polyamorous families. We sat down with someone who was involved in that effort.... and who hopes to bring a similar change to Seattle. 

Peptides are everywhere. What are they?

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