Key Summary
- There is a rise in the use of unregulated, experimental peptides and anabolic steroids.
- These are being sold through gyms and online platforms.
- Many of these substances are manufactured abroad (predominantly in China) without quality control.
Health experts are warning that the UK has become a “wild west” for unregulated, experimental peptides and anabolic steroids, as enforcement falls through the cracks of competing regulatory bodies.
Many of these substances are manufactured abroad, predominantly in China, without quality control, exposing users to high risks of contamination and chemical solvents.
An investigation by the Guardian revealed that influencers are heavily utilising the social media platform Telegram to market prescription-only and experimental substances directly to consumers.
Driven by body dissatisfaction and social media algorithms, the target market has expanded from traditional gym-goers to a much broader demographic engaging in risky “self-experimentation”.
Professor Channa Jayasena of Imperial College London, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology and andrology at Hammersmith and St Mary’s hospitals, said he is now encountering patients “day in, day out” who are taking experimental peptides.
He warned there are serious risks to their use, with the issue “falling between the stools” of regulatory bodies. While anabolic steroids are pushed for their alleged impact on image and performance, many online sellers tout experimental peptides as part of a routine wellness programme.
However, Jayasena warned of catastrophic consequences, noting that steroids are known to increase the risk of death three-fold, while unregulated peptides carry severe risks of contamination.
The publication’s investigation revealed how fitness influencers are using the social media platform Telegram to sell anabolic steroids, prescription-only medicines, and unregulated experimental peptides.
Urgent intervention required
Jayasena called for urgent political intervention to address the regulatory void. He noted that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) only tackles specific product regulations, while the Advertising Standards Authority is too narrow in scope to police non-professional online claims.
Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat MP and chair of the health select committee, echoed these concerns in the Guardian: “We are deeply concerned that certain tech firms are uninterested in protecting people on their platforms, and that the MHRA and other agencies lack the resources to keep up in an ever-expanding game of whack-a-mole.”
Conservative MP Luke Evans, a former GP, emphasised that the online sphere is making the issue “10 times worse”, adding that a three-step approach is needed: open discussion, comprehensive data gathering, and establishing clear accountability.
A government spokesperson responded to the concerns, stating: “The UK takes the illegal sale and supply of medicines and potentially harmful substances seriously. The MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit investigates suspected offences, disrupts illegal supply chains, removes unsafe or unauthorised products and brings prosecutions where appropriate. Under the Online Safety Act, the illegal sale of drugs is treated as a priority given the serious harm it can cause.”
