Promises of weight loss, clearer skin, and a golden tan were hard for Samantha Lee to swipe past.

After discovering unapproved peptides on TikTok, the Sydney mother of four says she lost more than 10 kilograms and experienced improvements in her appearance.

“My hair grows faster, my nails are stronger, and my acne scars are starting to go away,” she says. 

But as more Australians turn to experimental peptides promoted online, health authorities are warning of serious risks.

A Victorian coroner has found unapproved peptide injections triggered the death of Australian actor and stuntman Richard Norton, 75, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in March 2025.

The findings, released last month, have renewed calls for tighter regulation of products increasingly promoted for weight loss, muscle growth, and anti-ageing.

For Samantha, discovering peptides was a game-changer. She says they have drastically transformed the way she looks and feels.

Previously, Sam used approved weight-loss medications called GLP-1 for years. The medication helped her lose 15 kilograms before her weight plateaued. Then she turned to Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro – all approved weight-loss medications.

She says the medications worked, but the side effects were debilitating. The mother of four was injecting Mounjaro weekly and experienced vomiting, migraines and acid reflux, sometimes leaving her bedridden for days.

“I didn’t really care. It was literally three days of hell, and I’d be fine after that. And then I’d be losing the weight,” Sam says.   

Eventually, the side effects became too much. She discovered unapproved peptide retatrutide on TikTok. 

She says she lost another 12 kilograms on it and hasn’t looked back. Sam now uses several unapproved peptides for her appearance and skin.  

Social media influences what Samantha chooses to put in her body.

The promise of a quick fix

Unapproved peptides are gaining attention in the online wellness space.  

Research shows around 500,000 Australians regularly use GLP-1 medicines, but it’s unclear how many people source unapproved peptides from unauthorised suppliers.

Synthetic peptides are being promoted for their weight loss, anti-ageing, muscle growth and tanning, in products that can be injected, sprayed or taken orally.

Curtin University Associate Professor Fei Sim from the School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences says there is a significant difference between approved peptides and unapproved products online.

“I wouldn’t even call them medicines. They may be peptides or it may not, because if it’s unapproved, how would a consumer know what’s actually in the container,” she says. 

“These peptides have not been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). However, they are still easily accessible online to purchase for research purposes only.”

What are peptides?  

Peptides occur naturally throughout the body and help regulate important bodily functions like metabolism, muscle growth, and tissue repair. Peptides are short chains of amino acids – the building blocks the body uses to make proteins.

Synthetic peptides can mimic or enhance these functions, and many are approved for medical use, including treatments for diabetes and obesity.

Retatrutide is one of the unapproved experimental drugs Sam says she takes for weight loss. It is currently being tested in clinical trials as a potential treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes. It has not been approved by the TGA and is not available for general medical use in Australia.

However, injectable products labelled as retatrutide continue to be sold online. Some vials carry warnings such as “For research purposes only. Not for human use.” But these warnings have not stopped people from purchasing and injecting the products.

Consumers are sourcing these products through online grey markets and social media platforms.

The social media effect

On social media, peptide content is difficult to avoid. Fitness influencers are sharing their experiences, transformations, and results online, influencing how young Australians feel about their body image.  Advertisements for peptides are easy to find on online marketplaces.

Edith Cowan University researcher Dr Catherine Archer, who specialises on social media, health and influencers, says social media plays on people’s insecurities.  

She says many young people are looking to influencers for health and fitness information online.  

“It’s become more and more common that influencers are who we turn to. They are there, and in the palm of your hand”, Dr Archer says.   

As more users interact with this content, they’re more likely to encounter similar videos.

“The algorithm is going to keep serving the stuff that we click on,” Dr Archer says.

“Popular influencers are pushing it, so it will keep going, and people will want to do it,” Dr Archer says.

Sam discovered retatrutide on her TikTok feed and was instantly drawn in.

“It’s everywhere on social media, especially TikTok. You scroll up and there’s another video, and then you’ve got one, two, and then you scroll up, and there’s another video,” she says.

Sam says she started following an online TikTok creator Bianca, who was sharing her experience with retatrutide, and promoted a supplier. Intrigued by Bianca’s results, Sam says she sourced the product from the same supplier.

This promotion of unapproved products on social media has raised concerns about how they are advertised and sold. The TGA says advertising unapproved therapeutic goods is generally unlawful, including promotion by social media influencers.

Despite these restrictions, peptide content continues to be discussed online with users making alternative names including R3ta, R3tatouille, peppers and pepz. Some videos also include discount codes and supplier referrals, directing viewers to purchase the product.

But the peptides in the spotlight aren’t just for weight loss. Sam says she’s also been influenced to try unapproved peptide GHK-Cu, for its anti-ageing and skin benefits, and Melanotan II, an unapproved peptide used for tanning. 

Online trends such as ‘looksmaxxing’ encourage people to maximise their physical appearance, contributing to online beauty standards and expectations about what is achievable.

“For men, it’s being fit, healthy and well-built. For women, thinness is seen as being optimal. [It’s] quite damaging,” Dr Archer says. 

But the health risks aren’t exactly hidden online either.  

In April 2026, “looksmaxxing” creator Clavicular, who has openly discussed using drugs to achieve his ideal face and body, was hospitalised after a suspected overdose during a livestream watched by thousands.

While the substance involved has not been confirmed, the incident highlights concerns about the extreme practices some online influencers promote and their impact on young audiences.

The unknown risks   

The risks are becoming increasingly apparent.

A Victorian coroner found that unapproved peptide injections were behind the death of Australian actor and stuntman Richard Norton, 75.

Norton died in March 2025 after suffering a cardiac arrest following injections of CJC-1295 and ipamorelin, which had been prescribed by a doctor.

In findings released last month, Coroner David Ryan recommended the TGA consider tighter restrictions on unapproved peptides.

The findings come amid growing concerns about peptide use across Australia.

In New South Wales, data from the state’s health department reveals 1,180 emergency department presentations associated with peptide use between July 2025 and September 2026. Monthly presentations rose from just five in July 2025 to more than 217 in September 2026.

In Victoria, health authorities have reported 13 cases of anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, associated with unapproved peptides since July 2025.

The Victorian Department of Health has also reported six cases of acute liver injury since January 2026 involving products labelled as retatrutide, some of which were purchased through social media and friends.

When Sam first started taking retatrutide, she was concerned about getting the dosage wrong. She decided to get a pre-filled pen instead of measuring the dose from a vial herself. 

“I was just scared that I would overdose or something,” Sam says. 

“What am I actually injecting into my body? Is there a risk of infection? Is it contaminated? Is there a risk that it’s going to harm my body?” Dr Fei Sim says.

Injecting these products also introduces risks of contamination and infection.  

Valentine Revichev, director of Perth Wellness Infusions shared his perspective on the growing demand for peptides and concerns surrounding unregulated sources.

“When individuals are buying through unauthorised websites, we don’t know how well regulated everything is, we don’t know how the compounds are actually made,” Revichev says.  

Dr Fei Sim also warns using unapproved peptides to manage health concerns may delay appropriate medical treatment.

However, Sam says her experience with retatrutide has been more positive than her time using approved weight loss medications. She believes retatrutide has helped maintain her muscle tone, which she felt she lost when taking other medications.

The road ahead 

As more people continue to turn to unapproved peptides, health professionals believe regulations need to keep up. 

“I do believe there’s a significant, manic increase in the demand for peptides, and the regulations do need to try stay on top of it,” Revichev says.

The TGA is now targeting unapproved peptides as more products are illegally imported, sold, and advertised in Australia. The TGA says it is working with other authorities to stop these sales, with a recent operation seizing more than $2 million worth of peptides and other performance-enhancing drugs.  

Sam says she has achieved the results she first saw online and hasn’t looked back. After discovering retatrutide on TikTok, she now shares videos about her peptide experience with more than 22,000 followers.

Sam says TikTok recently removed three of her high-engagement peptide videos from her profile.

She isn’t sure whether users reported her videos or TikTok is cracking down on this type of content.

While the safety and effectiveness of unapproved peptides remain uncertain, personal experiences shared on social media continue to influence people’s decisions about using them.

Sam’s own experience has now become part of that cycle – from discovering peptides through an influencer to sharing her results with thousands of followers online.