The following information is for educational and entertainment only, and does not constitute medical advice of any kind. This is my personal approach to learning about peptides, which have become very popular topics on social media accounts.
Although I had heard about the use of peptides in the past, my impression that is was more for aesthetics than health and longevity. Over the past decade, more studies and information have come out highlighting the potential health benefits. The best way to start learning about the topic is to follow a number of people on YouTube that post about their experiences and research into the individual peptides available for purchase from either pharmacies, compound pharmacies or research pharmacies online. There are many online communities that you can join to ask questions, and some physicians are knowledgeable and available for guidance.
Among the various peptide gurus online, some are better at explaining basic concepts, some at explaining complex concepts and protocols, and some are best at cutting edge science and research. I would suggest starting with some basic overviews about peptides from some researchers that explain the concepts such as: Nathalie Niddam, Josh Holyfield, Kristi Sawicki, Ashley Froese, Alex Tatum, Michael Mueller and Joy Kong. If you are ready to dive deeper, then look into Hunter Williams, Trevor Bachmeyer, Jay Campbell, and Alex Kikel. After researching and understanding peptides, you are ready to start one under the guidance of a trained practitioner. This is not for everyone, but once you learn the basics and notice significant improvements, you will want to continue to explore different options and dive deeper into the research. Using needles on yourself sound much scarier than it really is after you get through the first one.
My favorite peptide to start with would be retatrutide for weight loss and reducing inflammation. Alternatively, you could start with the KLOW blend if you had a physical injury or damaged GI system. After trying one I would usually add in the other one in a couple weeks. My next favorite peptide would be Epitalon, to improve sleep and circadian rhythm, in addition to lengthening telomeres for longevity. This is usually done only once every 6 months. Next I would consider adding in SS-31 for a round, followed by MOTS-C. These 2 peptides are great and repairing mitochondrial and improving energy.