- Explainer
- Lifestyle
- Health & Wellness
- Health
The dangerous craze sweeping Australia that has the experts worried
Look up ‘peptides’ on social media and you’ll be flooded with looksmaxxers, gym junkies and influencers falsely claiming they’re “wonder drugs” that will help you build muscle, lose weight or develop a tan quickly with a few at-home injections.
The truth is that these unregulated medications are more dangerous than many of their biggest proponents let on.
Social media has made it easier than ever for companies and individuals to market peptide products directly to consumers, even if they’re not safe or approved for use in Australia.
As a result, the internet is overflowing with misinformation about peptides – and it’s putting Aussies at a huge risk.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) chair of child and young person’s health Dr Tim Jones has been monitoring the peptide trend for years, tracking the rise of experimental drugs like melanotan, retatrutide and more.
Now the unregulated industry is booming, and he’s seriously concerned.
“Visual social media platforms – and media – reward bold claims, and controversy, not careful discussions of the rigorous standards of evidence that are required for medicines,” Jones told nine.com.au.
“It’s worrying patients may be taking on health risks and spending a lot of money because the online incentives are for profit and attention, and not safe and high-quality healthcare.”
Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Skipper at mleach@nine.com.au
What are peptides, and why do Aussies want them?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are organic compounds found in proteins, that can mimic or stimulate natural biological processes.
Some peptides occur naturally in our bodies, like insulin, or occur when our bodies break down proteins, like when we’re digesting food.
Synthetic peptides can also be used for therapeutic purposes, such as weight loss, but they’re not always safe or TGA-approved.
Peptide-based medicines are regulated as therapeutic goods in Australia and must be assessed by the TGA for safety, quality and effectiveness before being approved for inclusion on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
Some peptide-based medicines, such as insulin, have been on the ARTG for years.
Others are more recent additions, like glucagon-Like Peptide-1 medications, better known as GLP-1s, which contain synthetic peptides like semaglutide (found in Ozempic) that mimic natural hormones.
Ozempic is one of several peptide-based medications that has been approved by the TGA. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
But most peptide products gaining traction online are not TGA-approved.
Many are experimental powder or injectable peptides that claim to help users build muscle, lose weight, build a tan, or reverse the signs of ageing.
They’re pushed online by everyone from wellness influencers and manosphere personalities, to actress Gwyneth Paltrow and podcaster Joe Rogan, who has repeatedly pushed his ‘Wolverine’ peptide stack to his millions of followers.
But while the peptides some celebrities back may have been approved, what many of them fail to mention is that other peptide products sold online often have little or no scientific backing, and come with significant risks.
Are peptides dangerous?
Unregulated peptide products purchased online can be dangerous.
Peptide-based medicines like insulin and semaglutide must go through rigorous clinical development and be supported by strong scientific evidence before the TGA will approve them and include them on the ARTG.
They also have to be prescribed by a medical professional, who will consider potential risks and side effects.
The same can’t be said for peptide products sold online.
“Products sold online might be presented and marketed as scientific and credible, but they haven’t been assessed for safety, quality, or efficacy,” Jones said.
“Often, what evidence there is for their effects is well below the standards for medicines, and as non-approved products, there’s no reliable assurance about whether the label accurately reflects the contents, the dosage, or the safety and sterility of the product.”
Risks associated with specific peptide products vary, but may include severe allergic reactions, itching, musculoskeletal injuries, insomnia, blurred vision, extreme tiredness, flu‑like illness, joint pain and skin sensitivity, to name a few.
Even if the product itself doesn’t cause adverse affects, injecting it could still lead to dosing errors, drug interactions, infections, abscesses, and other side effects.
People who experience adverse reactions may also delay seeking medical care, which can lead to worse outcomes.
Jones urges any Aussies to speak to a trusted GP first.
“You need a medical professional who knows you well, won’t judge you, and has your best interests at heart,” he said.
“But that’s why doctors prescribe TGA-approved medications – they have been assessed to be safe and effective.”
And if you’re wondering whom to trust when it comes to information about peptide products, go to your doctors’ office – not TikTok.
“If your GP or another specialist doctor can’t tell you a medicine is safe and likely to work, who can?” Jones said.
Is it legal to buy peptides in Australia?
No, peptide products are regulated as therapeutic goods in Australia and require a prescription.
In April, three Victorians were arrested following seizure of more than $2 million worth of steroids and peptides by the Australian Border Force (ABF).
One month later, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued 27 infringement notices, totalling more than $100,000, to an individual in NSW for allegedly selling an illegal tanning peptide to Aussies.
Some suppliers get around regulatory obligations by selling peptide products marked as being “for research purposes only”, but don’t let that fool you into thinking they’re safe or legitimate.
It just means the supplier is trying to skirt TGA rules, which doesn’t inspire confidence in whatever they’re selling.
“A patient using non-approved peptides purchased as ‘for research only’ from overseas bear all the risks themselves,” Jones said.
“That is a key thing to be aware of. If you use non-approved peptides ordered online, you’re likely the person bearing all the risks, not the seller.”
