Across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, a familiar scene is playing out: a fit, healthy-looking influencer holds up a small vial and credits it with healing an injury, reshaping their body, their year-round tan or slowing the effects of ageing. There is often a discount code in the bio, and almost always a personal story designed to feel persuasive.
This is the peptide boom, one of the fastest-growing wellness trends, and one that regulators are working hard to keep pace with.[1]
We believe it is worth knowing all the facts behind this trend. Many of the peptides being promoted by influencers today are unapproved, unregulated and, in many cases, genuinely risky. The encouraging news is that there are safer, evidence-based ways to pursue your health goals. What follows is a clear, factual look at what these products are, why they have become so popular, what the evidence tells us, and where to turn for trustworthy support.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks that occur naturally in the body and support a range of processes, including growth, metabolism and tissue repair. That foundation in real biology is part of what makes the marketing so persuasive; the reassurance that a substance is “naturally occuring in your body” carries genuine appeal.
There is, however, a meaningful difference between a peptide the body produces, a peptide that has undergone years of clinical testing and been approved as a medicine, and an unverified vial shipped from an overseas laboratory labelled for research use only.[2] Influencer content tends to blur these distinctions. Drawing them clearly is the purpose of this article.
The Rise of the Peptide Influencer
This is no longer a niche corner of the internet. The trend has grown rapidly, and the figures are striking.
Online peptide advertising rose by a remarkable 678% between 2022 and 2025.[3] Over the same period, peptide imports from China to the United States nearly doubled — from $164 million in early 2024 to $328 million in early 2025.[4] On TikTok, tens of thousands of videos circulate under the #peptides hashtag, many featuring everyday users measuring doses and sharing positive testimonials.[5]
Why are so many people promoting these products? In many cases, the answer is commercial. A good deal of this content, presented as personal experience, is supported by a sophisticated affiliate-marketing system. Influencers share personalised discount codes — typically offering 5% to 30% off, and earn a commission each time a follower makes a purchase.[6] In effect, a follower’s trust is converted into revenue.
This is particularly relevant for Australian audiences. The consumer regulator, the ACCC, has found that up to four in five Australian influencers promote products without clearly disclosing that they are being paid.[7] When an influencer describes a peptide as life-changing, there is a strong likelihood that the recommendation is, in fact, a paid advertisement.
This does not necessarily make individual influencers bad actors. It does, however, mean their content should not be mistaken for health advice — and that decisions about your wellbeing deserve a more reliable foundation than a sponsored post.
A Coordinated Regulatory Response
Australian authorities are treating this trend with growing seriousness. In June 2026, the TGA formally designated unapproved peptides a compliance priority — a deliberate escalation of regulatory attention in response to rising importation, expanding online advertising and supply, and emerging safety concerns.[8] As reported by the ABC and confirmed in the regulator’s own announcement, a recent joint operation involving the TGA, the Australian Border Force and Victoria Police led to the seizure of peptides, performance- and image-enhancing drugs and illicit steroids with an estimated street value of more than $2 million.[9]
The TGA has indicated that its response may include infringement notices, product seizures, interventions at the border and, where appropriate, civil or criminal penalties.[10] For consumers, the regulator’s message is consistent and clear: purchasing and using unapproved peptide products, particularly from online, social media or overseas sources, can pose significant risks to health.
What Is Approved in Australia, and What Is Not
This distinction is an important one, and it is worth setting out plainly.
Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has approved a number of peptide-based medicines, but only after assessing each one individually for quality, safety and effectiveness, and only for specific, evidence-supported uses.[11] Approved examples include insulin and insulin analogues, the GLP-1 medicines now widely discussed (such as semaglutide, liraglutide and dulaglutide), tirzepatide, glucagon and oxytocin, among others. These are legitimate, well-tested medicines that provide real benefit to the people who need them, which is precisely why they require a prescription and appropriate medical supervision.[12]
The peptides circulating on social media are a different matter. Most are not included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), meaning they have never been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness.[13] They cannot be lawfully sold for human use, advertised to the public, or imported without TGA authorisation.
The “for research use only” label often applied to these products does not make them lawful. The TGA has been clear on this point: if a product is supplied or promoted for human use, it is being supplied unlawfully, and advertising unapproved peptides, particularly through social media or influencer channels, is likely to breach Australian therapeutic goods advertising laws.[14]
The Melanotan II Warning: A Cautionary Example
Some peptides warrant particular caution, and Melanotan II is a clear example. Widely promoted online as a tanning agent, it is not approved for sale or use for that purpose in Australia, and its use has been linked to serious skin cancers, including malignant melanoma.[15]
These are not abstract concerns. In June 2026, senior Australian skin specialists told the ABC they were seeing a growing number of patients, most often teenagers and people in their early twenties — develop multiple atypical moles, a recognised melanoma risk factor, after using the drug.[16] Dermatologist Dr Lisa Byrom described a teenage patient who developed close to 40 moles across his back within a short period of injecting Melanotan II, and found them sufficiently concerning to remove several immediately. As RACGP expert Dr Tim Jones has cautioned, for anyone with an undetected melanoma, a product of this kind risks accelerating its spread.[17]
It is a sobering reminder that popularity online is no measure of safety — and that the consequences can be both serious and lasting.
Quality and Safety: The Evidence
For those who choose to purchase peptides online despite these concerns, an important question remains: what is actually in the vial?
Frequently, this is unknown — including to the seller. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research tested scheduled therapeutic products purchased from unregulated online sellers. Every sample differed significantly from its labelled content, with purity falling as low as 7.7% despite packaging claims of 99%.[18] Such products may be contaminated, mislabelled, or contain something entirely different from what was ordered.
These concerns are not hypothetical. The TGA has issued a formal safety alert about the risks of importing and using unapproved peptides, noting that without knowing exactly what a vial contains, where it was made, or whether it is sterile, a person may be placing their health at serious risk.[19] The regulator has been alerted to severe reactions among Australians, including hospitalisations for allergic reactions, as well as intense itching, palpitations, blurred vision, insomnia and musculoskeletal injuries.[20] Clinicians across the country are also reporting a noticeable increase in patients, particularly those in their twenties and thirties, presenting with questions or complications related to these compounds.[21]
A Concern Rarely Mentioned Online: Tumour Growth
This is an aspect of the conversation that influencer content seldom addresses, and it merits careful, measured consideration.
Many popular peptides act by stimulating the body’s growth and repair mechanisms. In the context of healing an injury, this can be beneficial. The difficulty is that the same biological pathways may, in principle, also support the growth of something far less welcome: a tumour.
BPC-157, one of the most widely promoted “healing” peptides, is a potent driver of angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels.[22] While new blood vessels are essential for repairing damaged tissue, they are also what a tumour requires to grow beyond a small cluster of cells and to spread.[23] A 2024 pharmaceutical review highlighted the resulting concern: because VEGF/VEGFR2 pathways are active in roughly half of human cancers, BPC-157 could, in principle, support tumour growth and spread where cancer cells are already present.[24] In fairness, no study has demonstrated that BPC-157 causes cancer in humans; the concern remains theoretical. However, an absence of proof of harm is not the same as evidence of safety.
The evidence is more established for growth-hormone-stimulating peptides such as CJC-1295, ipamorelin and the GHRPs. These elevate levels of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), and here the picture extends beyond theory. Large studies have consistently associated higher IGF-1 levels with an increased risk of several cancers. A landmark meta-analysis in The Lancet linked elevated IGF-1 to a higher risk of prostate, breast and colorectal cancers,[25] and an Oxford study of nearly 400,000 people confirmed the association for breast, prostate and colorectal cancers.[26] In cancer biology, IGF-1 is recognised for stimulating cell proliferation and helping tumour cells evade their natural “self-destruct” signals.[27]
In summary, these peptides are not proven to cause cancer, but they influence the very biological systems that cancers exploit. Using an unregulated product of unknown purity, without medical screening to identify any undetected tumour, introduces a level of risk that warrants serious reflection.
What Australian Doctors Are Seeing
Clinicians are increasingly encountering the consequences of this trend at first hand. Dr Tim Jones, who chairs the RACGP’s Specific Interests group for Child and Young Person’s Health, has described the situation as one that is “emerging faster than we’re tracking it.”[28] He has reported seeing hormonal side effects among young users, including changes in libido, sexual function and body hair — and is aware of an 18-year-old who experienced a heart attack after using a product purchased online.
A central difficulty, Dr Jones notes, is uncertainty. Because these products are unregulated and often made in “backyard laboratories,” neither patients nor their doctors can be confident about what they actually contain.[29] Young people are considered especially vulnerable, given how readily and persuasively these products are marketed to them online. The clear message from the profession is that anyone considering, or already using, peptides is far better served by an open conversation with their GP than by guidance found on social media.
Understanding the Appeal
The motivation behind peptide use is entirely understandable. Wanting to recover more quickly, feel stronger, care for one’s body and maintain vitality with age are commonly shared goals.
The concern lies not with the goal, but with the method being marketed: an unregulated substance, from an anonymous supplier, promoted by someone earning a commission, with no one verifying whether it is safe for the individual using it. In that arrangement, the person bears all of the risk while others receive the reward.
There is a better and safer path forward.
The Best Place to Start Is With Your GP
If you have a health goal — whether weight management, muscle gain, recovery from an injury, improved energy, other aesthetic goals or ageing well — the most effective and safest place to begin is a conversation with your GP.
A GP is well placed to:
- Assess your individual health and identify what is genuinely occurring
- Arrange appropriate tests so that any plan is built on facts specific to your body
- Prescribe approved, evidence-based treatments where they are right for you
- Refer you to the appropriate experts — dietitians, sports physicians or endocrinologists
- Help you interpret information you have encountered online, supporting confident and informed choices
- Monitor your health over time, as part of an ongoing care relationship
That final point is perhaps the most important. A testimonial reflects one person’s experience; care from a qualified healthcare professional who understands your medical history, such as your GP, is clinically informed healthcare tailored to you.
If you have already used unapproved peptides and feel uncertain about it, please be reassured that there is no judgement in seeking help. We would encourage you to speak with your Qualitas Medical Practice GP and be candid about what you have taken; they are there to support you. Should you experience an adverse reaction to any product, you can also report it directly to the TGA which helps protect others.[30]
Your health is worth far more than a passing trend. With the right guidance, your goals can be achieved safely and with confidence.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. We recommend you always consult your GP before making decisions about your health.
[1]The Conversation, Influencers are promoting dangerous peptides on social media – and regulators are struggling to keep up (2026). https://theconversation.com/influencers-are-promoting-dangerous-peptides-on-social-media-and-regulators-are-struggling-to-keep-up-282905
[2]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Understanding your responsibilities when importing, compounding and supplying unapproved peptide products (Australian Government, 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/understanding-your-responsibilities-when-importing-compounding-and-supplying-unapproved-peptide-products
[3]Thrive Rx, What the FDA’s peptide reversal means for Australia (2026), citing a ProPublica investigation (April 2026). https://www.thriverx.com.au/blog/fda-peptide-reversal-australia
[4]Thrive Rx, What the FDA’s peptide reversal means for Australia (2026), citing a ProPublica investigation (April 2026). https://www.thriverx.com.au/blog/fda-peptide-reversal-australia
[5]YourLifeChoices, Australian authorities crack down on dangerous peptide scams targeting social media users (2026). https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/australian-authorities-crack-down-on-dangerous-peptide-scams-targeting-social-media-users/
[6]The Conversation, Influencers are promoting dangerous peptides on social media – and regulators are struggling to keep up (2026). https://theconversation.com/influencers-are-promoting-dangerous-peptides-on-social-media-and-regulators-are-struggling-to-keep-up-282905
[7]InSight+ (Medical Journal of Australia), Grey-market peptides: an emerging public health challenge (2026), citing the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2026/15/grey-market-peptides-an-emerging-public-health-challenge
[8]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), TGA strengthens compliance focus on unapproved peptide products as part of evolving risk response (Australian Government, media release, June 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/tga-strengthens-compliance-focus-unapproved-peptide-products-part-evolving-risk-response
[9]ABC News, The TGA is cracking down on peptides. Here’s why (10 June 2026). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-10/peptide-tga-regulation-crackdown/106781680
[10]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), TGA strengthens compliance focus on unapproved peptide products as part of evolving risk response (Australian Government, media release, June 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/tga-strengthens-compliance-focus-unapproved-peptide-products-part-evolving-risk-response
[11]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Peptides and social media (Australian Government, 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news-articles/peptides-and-social-media
[12]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Understanding your responsibilities when importing, compounding and supplying unapproved peptide products (Australian Government, 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/understanding-your-responsibilities-when-importing-compounding-and-supplying-unapproved-peptide-products
[13]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Peptides and social media (Australian Government, 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news-articles/peptides-and-social-media
[14]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Understanding your responsibilities when importing, compounding and supplying unapproved peptide products (Australian Government, 2026). https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/understanding-your-responsibilities-when-importing-compounding-and-supplying-unapproved-peptide-products
[15]YourLifeChoices, Australian authorities crack down on dangerous peptide scams targeting social media users (2026). https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/australian-authorities-crack-down-on-dangerous-peptide-scams-targeting-social-media-users/
[16]ABC News, Abnormal moles seen developing in patients chasing perfect suntan by using peptide melanotan-II (5 June 2026), reporting the clinical observations of dermatologist Dr Lisa Byrom. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-05/melanotan-ii-peptides-warning-by-specialists-abormal-moles/106749628
[17]RACGP newsGP (J. Roberts), Peptide use ‘emerging faster than we’re tracking it’ (17 March 2026), reporting comments by Dr Tim Jones, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Person’s Health group. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/peptide-use-emerging-faster-than-we-re-tracking-it
[18]Regeniq, Are Peptides Legal in Australia? The Science Explained (2026), reporting a 2024 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. https://www.regeniq.au/blog/are-peptides-legal-in-australia
[19]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), TGA warning on the risks of importing unapproved peptide products (Australian Government, 2026) — consumer safety alert. https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/tga-warning-risks-importing-unapproved-peptide-products
[20]YourLifeChoices, Therapeutic Goods Administration issues safety alert amid explosion of illegal peptide use (2026). https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/therapeutic-goods-administration-issues-safety-alert-amid-explosion-of-illegal-peptide-use/
[21]InSight+ (Medical Journal of Australia), Grey-market peptides: an emerging public health challenge (2026). https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2026/15/grey-market-peptides-an-emerging-public-health-challenge
[22]Hsieh M-J. et al., Therapeutic potential of pro-angiogenic BPC157 is associated with VEGFR2 activation and up-regulation, Journal of Molecular Medicine (2017). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00109-016-1488-y
[23]Columbia University Sciences Journal, BPC-157, The Rogue Plumber — on angiogenesis, growth-hormone receptors and tumour-growth risk. https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/cusj/blog/view/720
[24]Ortho & Wellness, BPC-157 Update and Deep Dive: Miracle Healing Peptide or Hidden Danger? (2025), summarising Jóźwiak M. et al., Pharmaceuticals (2024) on BPC-157, VEGFR2 and theoretical cancer concerns. https://www.orthoandwellness.com/blog/bpc-157-update-and-deep-dive-miracle-healing-peptide-or-hidden-danger
[25]Renehan A.G. et al., Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF binding protein-3, and cancer risk: systematic review and meta-regression analysis, The Lancet (2004). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673604160443
[26]Knuppel A. et al. / University of Oxford Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Study of almost 400,000 confirms that higher blood levels of IGF-1 are a risk factor for several types of cancer (2020). https://www.ceu.ox.ac.uk/news/study-of-almost-400-000-confirms-that-higher-blood-levels-of-igf-1-are-a-risk-factor-for-several-types-of-cancer
[27]Insulin-like growth factor in cancer: New perspectives (Review), Molecular Medicine Reports (2025). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12131214/
[28]RACGP newsGP (J. Roberts), Peptide use ‘emerging faster than we’re tracking it’ (17 March 2026), reporting comments by Dr Tim Jones, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Person’s Health group. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/peptide-use-emerging-faster-than-we-re-tracking-it
[29]RACGP newsGP (J. Roberts), Peptide use ‘emerging faster than we’re tracking it’ (17 March 2026), reporting comments by Dr Tim Jones, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Person’s Health group. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/peptide-use-emerging-faster-than-we-re-tracking-it
[30]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), TGA warning on the risks of importing unapproved peptide products (Australian Government, 2026) — consumer safety alert. https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/tga-warning-risks-importing-unapproved-peptide-products
