Peptides, the newest sensation in the wellness industry, are rapidly gaining traction across social media, promoted by influencers touting benefits such as enhanced tanning and accelerated muscle recovery. However, this trend is largely fueled by hype and unverified promises, leading medical experts to express significant concerns regarding their safety and efficacy.

Dr. Kieran Dang, Mosh's chief medical officer, clarifies that peptides are short chains of amino acids that elicit various effects in the body. While natural peptides like insulin and properly studied synthetic peptides such as semaglutide (found in Ozempic/Wegovy) are medically approved, the peptides currently trending are experimental drugs not approved for human use. Dr. Dang highlights substantial health risks, especially with 'peptide stacking,' a practice where individuals inject multiple peptides simultaneously to supposedly speed up recovery, muscle gain, or fat loss.

Social media often misrepresents these experimental peptides as safe, natural supplements, a portrayal Dr. Dang asserts is fundamentally incorrect. He likens it to accepting an experimental drug injection from a stranger, emphasizing the inherent danger. One particularly alarming example is Melanotan II, widely known as the 'Barbie Drug,' an experimental peptide that stimulates melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) to darken the skin.

The short-term risks associated with Melanotan II include severe nausea, vomiting, headaches, blood pressure fluctuations, kidney failure, and even reports of brain swelling. More critically, Dr. Dang warns that by directly stimulating melanocytes, Melanotan II raises concerns about triggering these cells to become cancerous, potentially promoting melanoma. The fact that it also necessitates sun exposure to work creates a dangerous 'double hit' of UV damage combined with drug-driven pigment changes, a particular concern in places like Australia, prompting the TGA to issue specific warnings against its use.

Other popular peptides marketed for recovery, such as BPC-157 and TB-500, also draw Dr. Dang's concern. He points out the lack of proper human studies for these substances, noting that most claims originate from small experiments on rats, which influencers then use to extrapolate and vastly exaggerate benefits for humans. A major unknown risk for doctors is the potential for these unstudied compounds to stimulate cancer or abnormal cell growth.

Adding to the peril is the complete lack of quality control for peptides purchased online. Dr. Dang explains that there are no sterility guarantees or safety standards comparable to approved medicines or even regulated supplements. To circumvent strict laws governing online sales of prescription-only medicines, criminals are creating 'ghost stores'—fake or disposable online businesses that appear legitimate but sell often illegal, quick-fix health products. These stores disappear once they attract regulatory attention, leaving consumers unprotected and without recourse.

For those considering peptide therapy, health and longevity platforms like PHYX, which offer peptide therapy strictly in line with TGA guidelines, stress the importance of medical supervision. A PHYX team leader explains that many patients arrive having misused black market peptides, and their role is to correct, stabilize, and re-educate, not to enable risky behavior. Clinicians at PHYX regularly intervene when patients request unsafe, unnecessary, or medically unsupported combinations.

It is crucial to understand that peptides are not supplements or recreational performance enhancers; they are classified as Schedule 4 medicines. Anyone considering peptide therapy must insist on supervision by an AHPRA-registered doctor, as this is a legal requirement for prescribing such therapies. Imported or gym-sourced peptides are explicitly deemed illegal, unsafe, and unregulated. Furthermore, any legitimate peptide therapy must be a structured clinical program, not a one-off prescription, including mandatory follow-up appointments, monitoring of progress and side-effects, blood testing when clinically indicated, and appropriate dose adjustments or discontinuation.

Experts unequivocally warn against the unsupervised use of peptides, emphasizing that these are potentially dangerous drugs that demand strict medical oversight.