Good Guys Podcast: "Peptides, Bald Panic & Ketamine Confessions"

Hosts: Josh Peck & Ben Soffer
Guest: Dr. Craig Conover (family and wellness medicine specialist)
Release Date: March 2, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode blends the personal banter of friends with a deep dive into modern wellness trends, especially the promise and pitfalls of peptides, new weight-loss drugs, cognitive enhancement tools, personal baldness scares, and one accidental ketamine trip. The bulk of the conversation features Dr. Conover, Josh's long-time wellness doctor, who unpacks the science and real-life application of everything from GLP-1 drugs to brain supplements.

Episode Structure

1. Chit-chat & Warm-Up
2. Expert Interview: Dr. Conover on Peptides, Weight-Loss Drugs, and More
3. Listener Questions & Personal Stories
4. "What Are You Nuts?" (Pet Peeve Segment)
5. Five-Star Review Read

1. Opening Banter & Everyday Observations

• Weather & Attire

  • Josh describes arriving in wet clothes ("I'm in my little socky cutie socks." – 00:41), pokes fun at his university merch collection, and questions why fleece is considered eco-friendly ("A lot of fleece is made from recycled plastic bottles..." – Josh, 02:08).
  • Josh and Ben riff on the idea of being sponsored by life influences, imagining themselves as 'NASCARs' decked in patches — Barney Greengrass, Zyrtec, Second Avenue Deli (04:05–04:25).

• Alcohol & Jewish Traditions

  • They reminisce about first sips of Manischewitz wine at Shabbat dinners and the tradition of overflowing the Kiddush cup ("Did they use wine or grape juice at your house? So were the kids getting a little sip of the vine?" – Josh, 06:46).
  • Josh describes his method of "microdosing Judaism" for his kids with DIY mocktails (08:05).

• Drinks Disagreement

  • Ben is "big time blue" Powerade; Josh is Team Gatorade (09:14).
  • "Do you think if you mix Powerade and Gatorade, you'd come?" (Josh, 08:52)

2. Dr. Craig Conover: Deep Dive on Wellness (16:03–46:17)

a) Dr. Conover’s Background

• Family doctor, longtime leader in wellness therapy techniques—peptides, NAD, bioidentical hormones, stem cells—and a trainer for physicians worldwide (16:12).

b) Peptides 101 & GLP-1s

• What are they? "Chains of amino acids...like signaling molecules...help with sleep, recovery, cognitive function, body composition..." (Dr. Conover, 17:44)
• GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound): Now the "number one selling drug in the United States, maybe the world..." (18:50)
• Ben shares his own success: "If we met three years ago, you'd be like, Who is this ballooned whale? Okay? And that's all because these are miracle drugs." (Ben, 19:00)

c) Social & Medical Perception of Weight-Loss Drugs

• Dr. Conover pushes back on stigma: "If it was so easy to lose weight, why are there 16 new diets every year?...It's because it's hard." (19:35)

• Importance of safe, conservative dosing to avoid "Ozempic face" and muscle loss (21:12).

  "Our goal is not to be thin. Our goal is to be healthy." – Dr. Conover, 21:24

• Long-term reality: Users may need to remain on GLP-1s (23:07); strategies include reducing frequency after goal weight.

d) Coming Innovations & Bioavailability

• GLP-1 Pills (Wegovy): Skeptical about pill form due to lower absorption. Dr. Conover notes, "We're going to be moving from once a week shots to potentially once a month, once a quarter shots..." (25:15)
• GLP-3s: Still "research grade," possibly riskier, may not be a "game changer" as rumored, but possibly better for muscle preservation (26:31).

e) Peptides for Skin & Hair Loss

• Copper Peptides (GHK): Effective for skin tone/texture and hair, but FDA has restricted injections—creams still allowed, but not as potent (29:18).

f) Cognitive Enhancement & Brain Health

• Top Picks: Methylene Blue for cognitive boost: "Great for pre workout, before a podcast, for studying...very safe as well." (Dr. Conover, 31:57)
• NAD: Delivers "unbelievable" mental clarity, but causes transient stomach discomfort (33:04–33:35).
• Creatine: Minor effect on cognition; best dissolved in hot liquids (34:04).

g) Exercise Motivation & Testosterone

• No direct peptide for exercise enthusiasm, but testosterone therapy can restore "motivation to want to be fit or want to move" in men with deficiency (37:48).
• Ben: "Can you get in the gym and can you find something...for me, it was always just like, can you fit into the clothes?" (38:13)

h) Personal Health Experiments & Urban Legends

• Ben’s “Bald Panic”: Used Head & Shoulders shampoo excessively—asks if it causes baldness. Dr. Conover diplomatically chalks it up as possible (30:56).
• Josh’s question about microdosing Viagra/Cialis for heart health: Dr. Conover agrees it’s reasonable for some men, esp. Cialis, for multiple benefits (39:51).
• Ben shares a wild Mucinex-D story resulting in a 3-hour erection (41:01).

i) Peptide Market Safety

• Dr. Conover insists: Only work with certified providers and compounding pharmacies—Internet "research peptides" are unregulated, potentially unsafe (44:17).
• "It's kind of the wild, wild west where, you know, people are selling things they don't know what's in it." (Dr. Conover, 44:37)

j) Looking Forward

• Excited about exosomes—"like advanced peptides"—for the next leap in wellness therapy, especially non-cellular options for rejuvenation (41:56).
• Reiterates: No single answer; therapy must be tailored—sometimes just "eat better and move more." (41:56)

3. Notable Quotes & Moments

• Weight-Loss Drug Hype
  • "They really are [miracle drugs]...I'd love to hear your POV because they do get a bad rep often." – Ben (19:00)
• Cognitive Enhancement
  • "The best compound, I think, is methylene blue...great for pre workout, before a podcast..." – Dr. Conover (31:57)
• On DIY Supplements
  • "What am I nuts? It's too much, Josh. It's just too much. I'm going to talk to Dr. Conover. I'm going to get right." – Ben (51:49)

4. Personal & Unfiltered: Ketamine Confessions

• Ben’s Accidental Trip (48:05–49:55)
  • Ben recounts how, thinking he was being offered safe, prescription ketamine by an acquaintance for his back, he took it, passed out in the bathroom, and woke up to an empty restaurant. "Let me tell you folks from experience, big deal." (49:55)

5. Lighthearted Closers

• Bald Panic De-Brief

  • Ben humorously claims victory that his overuse of dandruff shampoo "causes baldness"—with Dr. Conover's halfhearted confirmation (46:17).

• Cereal Reminiscence

  • Ben: "I would fill [a mixing bowl] with Reese's puffs...watching Hannah Montana. Oh my God, the dream." (50:31)
  • Josh: "You won't find me being anti cereal." (50:35)

• “What Are You Nuts?” Pet Peeves

  • Ben: Falling for every supplement fad on TikTok ("I bought saffron from some guru. I never even took it. What am I nuts?" – 51:49).
  • Josh: Parents who gripe about kids’ school bungalows—air-conditioned and underrated (52:39–53:20).

6. Memorable/Noteworthy Timestamps

• Opening Banter & Jewish Merch: 00:24–04:05
• Alcohol and Jewish Ritual Mocktails: 05:01–08:27
• Gatorade/Powerade Showdown: 08:52–09:55
• Dr. Conover Introduction: 16:03
• Peptides & GLP-1 Deep Dive: 17:44–25:40
• Pill-based GLP-1 Skepticism: 24:16–25:40
• GLP-3 & Muscle Preservation: 25:59–27:16
• Copper Peptides for Skin/Hair: 29:01–30:19
• Methlyene Blue for Cognition: 31:57–32:40
• Risks of Internet Peptides: 44:17–46:06
• The Ketamine Story: 48:05–49:55

7. Final Takeaways & Resources

• Dr. Craig Conover Contact: koniverwellness.com / @koniverwellness
• Josh’s Endorsement: Dr. Conover credited with Josh’s impressive transformation.
• Podcast’s Health Philosophy: Diet and exercise remain foundational ("That's 95%...you don't have to spend the hundred grand on the red light bed." – Josh, 35:53).

8. Podcast Tone & Style

• Irreverent and fast-paced with a blend of genuine wellness curiosity, Jewish cultural callbacks, and classic "dude humor."
• Josh and Ben keep it light even when discussing experimental drugs, health anxieties, or their most embarrassing moments.

9. For Listeners Who Missed It:

You’ll Learn:

• How peptides and GLP-1s work (and what the next trends may be)
• GLP-1s are not “cheating”—weight management is tough and everyone could use help
• Peptide safety: Use with medical supervision only
• Shortcuts aside, diet & exercise still matter most
• You are not alone if you’ve fallen for TikTok wellness fads or had a supplement disaster
• Josh and Ben are sincerely, if humorously, trying to optimize their health (sometimes just to fit into nice pants)
• Never accept "prescription gum" from a stranger at dinner

Top Tip:
If you're considering peptides or weight-loss meds: find a reputable, experienced provider—not a random internet supplier.

Memorable Sign-Off:
"Five stars, or what are you nuts?"