Inside the growing market for peptides amid concerns over safety
An investigation into the unregulated market for injectable peptides reveals that many products sold online contain significant impurities and undisclosed substances. Health authorities warn that these products, marketed for fitness and beauty, pose serious safety risks to consumers.
Why it matters
The rise of unregulated 'wellness' products highlights the dangers of the grey market in health supplements and the lack of oversight in online sales.
Over the last two years in particular, injectable peptides have been heavily promoted and marketed online for their purported fitness, recovery or cosmetic benefits.
While some fitness professionals and influencers say the experience of many is injectable peptides are safe and beneficial, medical professionals question the associated claims, saying there is not yet scientific evidence to underpin them.
As Prime Time has been finding out, peptides advertised as 'not for human consumption' are being sold on a grey market in Ireland.
Of four peptide products purchased by Prime Time from suppliers operating in the Irish market three contained "significant impurities," according to independent laboratory testing.
The products were analysed by researchers at Maynooth University.
One sample of Melanotan, a substance marketed for tanning, contained just 40% of the advertised peptide, with researchers unable to identify several other components found in the mixture.
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