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If I had a dollar for every time TikTok told me how great peptides are, I’d be rolling in cash. My feed makes it look like a shortcut to being leaner, younger, prettier and more tanned.
As someone who can be pretty impulsive, I do understand the appeal. That’s exactly why this trend is worth questioning: What are peptides, why are so many people using them, and are they as safe as TikTok makes them seem? Let’s unpack this biohacking trend.
At the most basic level, peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. The body produces some naturally, using them as messengers to send instructions like "feel full" or "release a hormone." The peptide injections being promoted on TikTok are lab-made versions designed to mimic or influence these signals.
There are also U.S. FDA-approved peptides used to treat conditions, such as diabetes, cancer and obesity. Ozempic is one example. However, let's focus on the common, often unapproved peptide injections people are taking and promoting as shortcuts to look better.
After scrolling through TikTok, these are some of the frequently promoted peptides, and their supposed functions:
GHK-Cu: Often called the “beauty peptide,” it is said to support collagen production and improve the look of skin, hair, and nails.
Epitalon: Often described as the “fountain of youth,” it is promoted for anti-aging, sleep, and longevity.
MOTS-c: Said to help the body use energy and support metabolism.
Sermorelin: Stimulates the body to release growth hormone, which is why it’s often linked to sleep, recovery, lean muscle support, and body composition.
Melanotan II: Promoted for tanning, with users saying it can darken skin with limited UV exposure.
BPC-157: Marketed for tissue repair and gut health.
Retatrutide: Commonly known as “Reta,” it is promoted for weight loss and metabolism, with some users describing dramatic body-shaping effects.
NAD+: Often promoted for energy, focus and anti-aging.
Methylene blue: Marketed as making you “live forever”, claims to improve energy and brain longevity.
This sounds too good to be true, and a lot of it is.
Many of the injectables being marketed as peptides on TikTok are not peptides at all, including NAD+ and methylene blue. Tirzepatide was also often presented to me as an anti-inflammatory, even though it is actually used for weight loss.
I also kept seeing peptide names misspelt, which is an obvious red flag. If creators can’t accurately identify, let alone spell, what they’re injecting and selling, why should we trust them?
People are getting medical advice from influencers, not doctors, and many creators are encouraging viewers to copy them without understanding their own bodies or health risks.
A 2022 Charity RX survey reported by Forbes found that one in five Americans trusts health influencers on social media more than medical professionals, and 33 per cent of Gen Z say they trust TikTok over doctors for health information.
Many influencers pushing these products also have “discount in bio” links attached to their accounts, making it clear they’re not just sharing advice, they are selling a product and likely profiting.
There is also limited strong human evidence behind many grey-market peptides sold online.
Health Canada says unauthorized injectable peptide drugs have not been assessed for safety, efficacy, or quality, and have not been shown in scientific trials to deliver the benefits they claim.
That gap in evidence hasn’t stopped the market from growing.
Part of the danger is that people may not see immediate side effects, which can make these products seem harmless and keep people using them without knowing if they work.
Even in controlled research settings, effects can take weeks to appear. A 2024 pilot study on BPC-157 only observed results after six weeks of treatment. Someone self-injecting at home without medical oversight has no way of knowing whether nothing is happening or whether something is quietly going wrong.
In some cases, the product may not even be what it claims to be.
Sport Integrity Australia says that in a survey of more than 200 products suspected of containing peptide hormones, only 25 per cent contained the peptide on the label.
Health Canada warns that peptides labelled “For Research Use Only” or “Not for Human Consumption” are also being sold to consumers.
A 2024 study found that two out of three sellers of semaglutide vials through illegal online pharmacies did not explain how to mix or use the product, and the tested vials contained 28.56 per cent to 38.69 per cent more semaglutide than the label claimed. That creates serious dosing risks when people use these products without medical direction.
The FDA said most dosing-error reports for compounded semaglutide involved patients accidentally taking five to 20 times the intended dose, with some requiring hospitalization, with effects including fainting, dehydration, acute pancreatitis, and gallstones.
Finally, because these products are unauthorized and not reviewed, buyers cannot be sure what is actually in them.
Health Canada warns unauthorized injectable peptide products could contain too much, too little, or none of the active ingredient, and could include contaminants such as heavy metals, bacteria, fungi, glass, or plastic. The consequences can be severe: hormone problems, mood swings, blood sugar problems, liver or kidney damage, blood clots, infections, allergic reactions, and tumour growth.
Canadian authorities seized peptides from a distributor last year because Health Canada does not authorize the substances, and they may pose serious health effects.
Peptides are probably here to stay. As long as TikTok keeps pushing before-and-after transformations and influencers keep offering discount codes, people will keep buying.
Some of these products may prove useful in the future, since science is always evolving. For now, the evidence has not caught up to the trend, the products cannot yet be trusted, and the people promoting them are not doctors.
If you are curious about peptides, take that question to a physician, not a comment section.
Your health is worth more than someone else’s commission.
