Peptides are all over social media and the news. Here’s what to know about them.
On social media, in gossip columns, and in news headlines, synthetic peptides are being touted for their ability to do things like boost athletic performance and muscle growth, increase fat loss, and enhance sexual function. But are these claims true? And are peptides safe? S. Bryn Austin, professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an expert on supplements and health, weighs in.
Q: We’ve been hearing a lot about peptides these days. What exactly are they?
A: Peptides are short chains of amino acids that can act like tiny biological messengers in the body. Often they act by binding to the surface of cells, providing a signal to the cell to perform vital functions such as repairing damaged skin or releasing growth hormones.
Peptides can be naturally produced by the body or they can be synthetic—made in a lab or factory. Insulin, which controls blood sugar, is a naturally occurring peptide, although there is also a lab-made version that was first created in the late 1970s to help treat diabetes.
A synthetic peptide most in the headlines these days is semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, used mainly for weight loss and diabetes management. Semaglutide closely resembles the naturally occurring peptide GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide), so it is referred to as a GLP-1 drug. GLP-1 peptides help govern satiety, among other things.
Q: What are some of the peptides being promoted by social media influencers and others?
A: Influencers are pushing out all sorts of dubious and often dangerous synthetic peptides, including BPC-157 and TB-500 (the so-called Wolverine Stack), MOTS-c, CJC-1295, ipamorelin, and others. They are marketed to speed recovery after a workout, heal sports injuries and wounds, and boost sports performance among other hyped-up claims.
Q: What are your biggest concerns about these synthetic peptides?
A: Many have undergone little to no rigorous clinical testing and haven’t been approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so they are being sold to consumers with no evidence that they actually work or are even safe to consume or inject. In addition, because many of the synthetic peptides promoted on social media are sold on the gray market and by the misleadingly termed “research chemical” suppliers, there is no guarantee that anyone is checking on the conditions in the labs and factories where these products are being produced. Let’s say someone buys BPC-157 from a seller online. The label on the vial might say it’s BPC-157, but is it? And what else is in that vial? Bacteria, heavy metals, solvents, or other toxins? The answer is literally, “Who knows?” because there is virtually no government oversight of this fast-growing industry.
The health issues caused to consumers by unapproved peptides are myriad. They include everything from injection-site and systemic infection, gastrointestinal disturbance, cardiac abnormalities, liver injury, and even death.
By contrast, semaglutide is synthetic but it is very widely tested in clinical trials, approved for human use, available only by prescription, and is also the focus of a lot of ongoing peer-reviewed research. From a public health perspective, while we may still have some concerns about GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide, it’s an entirely different situation than what’s going on with unregulated synthetic peptides.
Q: Has the federal government been taking a closer look at the marketing of these products?
A: Powerful business interests stand to profit from deceptive and reckless promotion of these untested and unapproved substances.
To make matters worse, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a leading proponent of making untested synthetic peptides that are not even approved for human use available to consumers to purchase directly from sellers. He convened a Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee dominated by manufacturers of these products, which then—not surprisingly—voted in July of this year to recommend to the FDA that compounders be allowed to manufacture and sell several of the most hyped but also most concerning types of synthetic peptides being pushed on social media. If there was ever an instance of the fox guarding the henhouse, this would be it. The FDA has not yet announced if it will accept or reject the committee’s recommendation, so it remains to be seen whether it will act to guard the safety of American consumers from these largely untested products.
On the positive side, at the state level, California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill blocking the sale of over-the-counter supplements for weight loss or muscle building to children and teens under age 18. This is a massive victory. New York state enacted a similar ban two years ago. Now, with these two state bans, nearly 20% of U.S. children have a first line of defense against predatory companies selling potentially harmful supplements, which are often promoted alongside peptides by the same bad actors on social media.
My research and training program STRIPED (Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders) has been working with lawmakers in California and other states to share our research and elevate the voices of teen advocates who are very passionate about this issue. Many young people are sick and tired of being targeted on social media with these predatory products, and we are helping make sure lawmakers hear directly from teens on the harm these companies are doing. We are now active in nearly 20 U.S. states and are hopeful that more states will follow the lead of California and New York.
Q: What should consumers be mindful of when their feeds are inundated with misleading peptides advertising?
A: All consumers, including parents and teens, should keep in mind that any peptide they see touted on social media is being promoted by somebody trying to make a buck. Also, just because someone says they are a physician or a dietitian on social media doesn’t mean that they actually are. In fact, these days AI-fabricated videos are so common and so realistic looking that that “person” doing a hard sell to get you to buy their synthetic peptide not only may not be who they say they are, but they might not even be a real human being! So how do you avoid getting duped? Always check first with your own doctor or nurse, someone who knows you or your child’s medical history.
For parents, ask your kids about what they are seeing about peptides on social media and what their peers are saying. Help them hone their skills in savvy media use so they ask questions when the hype about peptides shows up in their feed. Kids of all genders—including boys and young men increasingly—are targeted with persistent appearance-focused content online. The latest snake-oil influencers are trying to sell them supplements, peptides, and other questionable products to get the “perfect” body or be a star athlete. Keep communication open so you can help them sift through the hype and deception in their feeds.
Competitive athletes, service members, and others who are required to undergo drug testing for their jobs need to be on high alert about synthetic peptides sold online or by “wellness” retailers and medical spas. These products can cause a failed drug test, which can mean getting barred from competition, fired from a job, or other negative consequences.
