Examine Further

Peptides: Big Pharma's Influence | Nuance Matters: Glass Bottle Study | Pure Olive Oil Brands | Source for Incandescent Lightbulbs

Sep 21, 2025

PEPTIDES & BIG PHARMA’S INFLUENCE

There’s much discussion on peptides, often with calls for FDA oversight to ensure safety and quality. This podcast explores a less discussed topic: how pharmaceutical lobbying influences those regulations. Brigham Buhler, founder of the functional-medicine clinic Ways2Well, shares his experiences with the agency and argues that big pharma may undermine quality and innovation.

Buhler argues that Big Pharma—companies like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk—seeks to monopolize and patent peptides (keep in mind peptides are short chains of amino acids naturally produced by the body, but can be lab-synthesized).
Trying to patent over 150 peptides.
He explains how compounding pharmacies can offer safer, cheaper, and more individualized therapy (for example, blends or a “micro-dose” to suit individual patients and reduce side effects).
He argues that the commercial GLP-1 products are typically dispensed at higher doses—and therefore higher prices—due to insurance reimbursement incentives.
Listen for more details, as well as a discussion on the federal farm bill that would greatly limit or bar lawsuits over glyphosate (Roundup) and other pesticides.

EXAMINING THE GLASS STUDY FURTHER

A recent study published in The Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found that glass bottles contained significantly more microplastics—sometimes up to 50 times more—than plastic bottles or cans. That said, nuance is important.

The microplastics are likely from the polyester-based paint on the metal caps, which can flake off through microscopic scratches caused by friction during storage and transport.

It’s also important to consider the types of beverages primarily implicated: sodas, beers, and lemonades, in contrast to water and wine, which contained relatively low levels.

For example, Mountain Valley is a popular spring water option and their caps are not painted.