WTF are peptides? The lowdown on TikTok’s black market injectables

TLDR, don’t do it.

When I first heard about the injectable peptide craze breaking out on TikTok, I immediately thought of The Substance. The satirical, body-horror film quite literally follows an ageing woman (Demi Moore) as she injects herself with a mysterious potion that promises a younger, more youthful version of herself.

I’m afraid it’s no longer a movie. We’ve officially reached the point where people are ordering unregulated substances online and filming themselves shooting them up, while touting the ‘benefits’ on social media. We’re living in scary times.

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Globally, The Times has reported that the peptide-therapeutics market is projected to grow to £51 billion (approx $96 billion AUD) by 2028. Part of this craze is coming from the top. Famously controversial when it comes to health fads, Gwyneth Paltrow told Elle earlier this year that she’s a proponent of IV drips and injectables like NAD+, “a peptide known for its potential benefits for energy levels, memory, muscle building, and overall vitality”.

Key word being potential.

However, it’s also coming from social media – namely, TikTok. Search ‘peptides’ once and watch your feed become a rabbit hole of people practically giving step-by-step instructions on what to get, how to get it, how to find free needles and how to reconstitute it properly. Concerningly, the more you see it, the more it feels almost normal. Just another wellness and beauty trend.

Firstly, peptides have a vast range of uses, from topical versions used in skincare to injectables that promise an instant tan, better sleep, or rapid weight loss – yes, Ozempic is a type of peptide. While it might sound like magic shortcut, it’s never that easy.

“The risks begin before the needle even enters the skin,” warns Dr James Kelly, the New South Wales Deputy Chair of the The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

“I’m hearing about [peptides] more and more from patients, people who’ve seen something on TikTok or been offered a product through their gym or a fitness group,” Dr Kelly says. “And what concerns me most is that a lot of these are not approved medicines.” Below, we break down WTAF peptides are, the issue with sourcing them online and what it says about our approach to self-optimisation.

What are peptides?

Peptides are naturally occurring short chains of amino acids. They’re like smaller versions of proteins, acting as messengers, telling your cells what to do. They play a key role in regulating hormones, influencing your metabolism and affecting your skin health.

Some peptides, mainly found in supplements, can come from plant and animals sources, including meat, eggs, fish, milk, beans and soy. There are also bioactive peptides, which can be used to treat blood pressure, reduce inflammation and improve immunity.

While some peptides are approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), many of the ones appearing social media haven’t.

“If something hasn’t gone through the TGA’s assessment process, nobody, not the person selling it, not the person buying it, can reliably tell you what’s in it, whether it works, or whether it’s safe,” Dr Kelly says.

Why are people taking peptides?

From gym bros looking to gain muscle mass, to women (many under 30) wanting to look younger and lose weight, many of these injectable peptides are taking existing insecurities and offering a seemingly easy solution.

What makes it harder to detect is the way it’s being marketed as something health-related. It’s about feeling better, having more energy, optimising health and boosting performance.

When online fads are spoken of through the lens of wellness or biohacking, they feel more palatable. It becomes less about looking good, something we’re quicker to dismiss as superficial, and more about prioritising our health.

The difference between regulated and unregulated peptide medicines

Ultimately, it comes down to regulation and evidence. As explained by Dr Kelly, there are many peptide-based medicines that have gone through rigorous clinical development and have evidence backing them. One common example is insulin, used to help people with diabetes manage blood sugar levels.

Other examples include Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor used in Wegovy and Ozempic, and tirzepatide, a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor used in Mounjaro. “[These are] both peptides, they’re both well-studied, both approved through proper regulatory pathways,” he says.

And both only meant to be used and administered with professional oversight.

The products being sold on social media and through other informal channels are a different story. Some are still undergoing clinical trials and are yet to be tested on humans, while others are sold undetected online.

“Retatrutide is a useful example,” explains Dr Kelly. “It’s a drug that’s still working through trials, and yet versions of it are already circulating through online sellers, social media and gym networks.”

One issue is the way these peptides are being advertised on social media as a cutting-edge, next-gen medicine. But more often than not, you run the risk of injecting a black-market product, made and sold with no reliable quality control.

Given the unregulated nature, it’s almost impossible to guarantee that what you’re buying is what you’ll get. “[These drugs] may look scientific, the packaging often sounds very credible, but they haven’t been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or efficacy,” Dr Kelly adds.

Effectively, there’s no way of knowing for sure what’s in the vial, whether the dose is accurate or whether it’s even sterile. Even if, by chance, the drug you’re taking has performed well in trials, what you’re buying could be contaminated or poorly made and simply not work.

“For research purposes only”

Most of these unregulated peptides popping up on social media come with a caveat, noting that they’re to be used “for research purposes only”.

“[This is] essentially a legal disclaimer designed to sidestep regulatory obligations,” explains Dr Kelly. “It doesn’t mean the product has been independently tested or verified. It means the seller is trying to avoid being classified as supplying a therapeutic good.”

According to Dr Kelly, when you see a product marketed and sold for human injection with that label, it’s a surefire way of knowing that it’s not coming through a legitimate pharmaceutical pathway. “And that raises real questions about legality, sterility, accurate dosing and what’s actually in the product.”

The risks of self-administering peptides

On top of the risks in sourcing injectable peptides, there’s also a real danger of bacterial contamination, including haemolytic Bacillus cereus. “That’s worth taking seriously because Bacillus cereus can cause severe and rapidly progressive necrotising soft tissue infections, septicaemia and many strains can be life-threatening,” Dr Kelly warns.

This is even further compounded by the risks of self-injection itself, like infection, abscess, dosing errors, adverse effects, drug interactions and people delaying proper medical care because they’ve not gone through their GP or a healthcare professional.

The state of ‘looksmaxxing’ culture

Perhaps one of the most interesting (and worrying) things to come out of the sudden surge in social media-fuelled peptides is what it says about our approach to beauty and health. Self-optimisation (aka looksmaxxing) is so highly valued that we’re willing to run the risk, ordering and injecting serums we know almost nothing about.

It leaves me questioning the outrage over the promotion of peptides online. Will we all be lining up if it becomes widely regulated and accessible as other widely used injectables, like Botox and fillers? And if everyone else starts taking it, will those who don’t be left looking old and haggard in comparison?

While essential to read up on the dangers of buying injectable peptides online, it also feels like an opportunity to take stock of the value we place on appearance and youth.

For more on the rise of injectable peptides, try this.