A University of Wollongong fitness program has sparked questions about whether participants are being screened for performance-enhancing substances, as global debate around peptides intensifies.
UniActive’s six-week challenge, aimed at improving strength and performance, does not require participants to disclose the use of substances such as peptides.
Personal trainer at UniActive, Kyle Booth, said there is a lot of uncertainty around usage, and it is difficult to find balanced information online.
“Everywhere you look, there is hype around it,” Mr Booth said.
“It is worrying, anything that is going to speed up growth hormones can be very high risk.”
UOW PhD student Isabel Louise Jackson Bradley said peptides can differ from traditional drugs because they are often broken down naturally in the body. However, their growing popularity extends beyond clinical use.
“Peptides have long been used in topical products, but attention is now shifting toward injectable forms,” Ms Bradley said.
“Outside a clinical setting, you are injecting an unknown substance into yourself, and that in itself should be a red flag.”
The peptides include drugs such as Ozempic and other GLP-1 derivatives, which have been associated with weight loss, muscle growth, and increased energy, fuelling demand in the fitness and wellness industries.
Peptides which are short chains of amino acids that act as signalling molecules in the body, are increasingly being explored in medicine, including for potential cancer treatments.
@princesssliah 3 months in and I looked back at my first tik toks when I started and I don’t even look like the same person 🤯🤯 #ghkcu #peppers
Human growth hormone, a peptide banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, has long been studied for its safety and performance effects. Newer peptides are designed to influence similar biological pathways, though researchers caution they are unlikely to produce sustained long-term results.
