They’re all over your social media feed. They’re promoted by tanned and impossibly toned influencers. And according to some experts, they’re the silver bullet for health and longevity we’ve all been waiting for.
I’m talking about peptides.
Peptides are the newest kids on the block when it comes to the wellness industry. Their claimed benefits include helping you tan and aiding muscle recovery. But the trend is, in part, fuelled by hype and promises that aren’t backed up by research.
Understandably, some doctors are worried.
‘Peptides are short chains of amino acids that produce some effect on the body,’ says Mosh’s chief medical officer, Dr Kieran Dang.
‘Insulin is a natural peptide, and semaglutide (aka Ozempic/Wegovy) is a synthetic peptide that’s been properly studied and approved. What’s trending now are experimental peptide drugs that have not been approved for human use.’
Dr Dang says the health risks are significant, particularly when it comes to ‘peptide stacking’.
‘Peptide stacking is when people inject multiple peptides at the same time to try to speed up recovery, muscle gain or fat loss,’ he says.
‘Social media portrays these as safe natural supplements, but it’s basically the opposite,’ says Mosh’s chief medical officer Dr Kieran Dang
Some peptides are said to promote muscle growth and recovery, but doctors have concerns that some have only ever been tested on rats (stock image posed by models)
‘Social media portrays these as safe, natural supplements, but it’s basically the opposite. If a stranger on the street offered to inject you with an experimental drug and promised miracles, you’d run away, yet people are doing exactly that online.’
One such peptide, known as the ‘Barbie drug’, has gained significant attention due to its use in tanning.
‘The “Barbie Drug” is Melanotan II, an experimental peptide that stimulates melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) to darken the skin,’ Dr Dang explains.
‘Short-term risks include severe nausea, vomiting, headaches, blood pressure changes, kidney failure and even reports of brain swelling. Because it directly stimulates melanocytes, there’s a concern that it may trigger these cells to become cancerous. It may promote melanoma.
‘It also still requires sun exposure to work, so you’re combining UV damage with drug-driven pigment changes. That’s a dangerous double hit, especially in Australia. These short-term side effects and long-term risks are why the TGA has specifically warned against using it.’
Dr Dang is also concerned about other popular peptides – namely those spruiked for recovery such as BPC-157 and TB-500.
‘Peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500 have no proper human studies,’ says Dr Dang.
‘Most claims come from small experiments on rats, which influencers use to extrapolate benefits and vastly exaggerate claims.
The so-called ‘Barbie Drug’ Melanotan II is an experimental peptide that darkens the skin. Doctors say it may promote melanoma, especially because it requires sun exposure to work, making it a dangerous ‘double hit’. (Stock image posed by model)
‘There’s no way to know what’s actually in the vial being bought online,’ Dr Dang warns
‘More importantly, we don’t know if they’re safe, and there are real concerns they could stimulate cancer or abnormal cell growth.’
That unknown risk, Dang says, is what worries doctors most.
‘There’s also no way to know what’s actually in the vial being bought online,’ he adds. ‘There’s no quality control, no sterility guarantees, and nowhere near the safety standards of approved medicines or even proper supplements.’
And while there are strict laws around selling prescription-only medicines online, Dr Dang says criminals are creating impossible-to-track ‘ghost stores’ online in order to get around authorities.
‘A ghost store is a fake or disposable online business designed to look legitimate,’ he says.
‘They sell quick-fix health products that are often illegal. They lie and deceive to make a quick buck. And as soon as they catch the attention of authorities, they disappear, leaving consumers with no protection or accountability.’
How to find safe options
The team at health and longevity platform PHYX, which offers peptide therapy as part of a comprehensive medical offering in line with TGA guidelines, see firsthand the damage unregulated offerings can do.
‘Many patients arrive from the black market already misusing peptides, and PHYX’s role is to correct, stabilise and re-educate, not amplify risky behaviour,’ a PHYX team leader says.
‘Our clinicians regularly intervene when patients request combinations that are unsafe, unnecessary or unsupported by appropriate medical rationale.’
Peptides are not supplements. They are not recreational performance enhancers. They are Schedule 4 medicines
The PHYX spokesperson says anyone considering peptides should insist on supervision by an AHPRA-registered doctor.
‘This is not optional,’ the team leader explains.
‘Legally, only a doctor can prescribe these therapies. PHYX ensures every patient is managed by a qualified medical practitioner who documents clinical justification and provides ongoing care.
‘Imported or gym-sourced peptides are illegal, unsafe, and unregulated.
‘In addition, any therapy with peptides needs to be a structured clinical program, not a one-off prescription, and must include mandatory follow-up appointments, monitoring of progress and side-effects, blood testing when clinically indicated and dose adjustments, or discontinuation if necessary.’
Experts say: Don’t risk it – peptides are potentially dangerous drugs that should only ever be used under strict medical supervision.
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