Peptides and Young Lifters: The Hidden Risks
You may go on social media one night before you go to sleep as a 14-year-old kid who recently got into the gym, and you see another 14-year-old benching 405 pounds like it’s air. You try to remember what you were benching earlier today. “Dang, 135. I am so behind.” This exact thought is present in so many young lifters today who are among the fitness community, and there is a large issue that has developed as a consequence, which is performance-enhancing drugs, unapproved peptides, and research chemicals. I have heard so many say, “One pin won’t hurt, right?” But one pin can hold risks that many don't stop to think about.. In this article, however, I will mainly be focusing on peptides rather than steroids, as this seemingly “harmless” substance also has profound effects on the developing body.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that have many different benefits throughout the human body. Most peptides are actually important in the body for vital processes such as recovery, immune function, and overall health (1). Some peptides are even regarded as forms of medicine. Peptides can be found everywhere, and there
are distinct types that serve different purposes. A form called bioactive peptides, for example, are known to aid in recovery, connective tissue, inflammation, and body composition, and come from proteins such as collagen, whey, soy, or casein (1). Peptide hormones and growth factors, however, are concerning for individuals who use it outside the medical field. These include growth hormones, IGF-1-related compounds, and gonadotropin-related substances. They are strictly regulated in medicine and often banned in sports due to their performance-enhancing capabilities (4). Metabolic peptides and drugs include GLP-1-related drugs and affect appetite, blood sugar, and metabolism. Some of these are approved, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, but one that is experiencing a staggering increase is retatrutide, commonly known as reta (3). Reta is gaining popularity among teenagers for it’s effectiveness, but it is not FDA approved and has not been found safe for any condition.
The Hidden Risks Behind Unapproved Peptides
While peptides are indeed proven to have real medical and nutritional benefits, the main issue for young lifters is the spread of unapproved and poorly regulated peptides. You may see some peptides sold online that suggest benefits for muscle growth or fat loss but are labeled “research chemicals,” with parts about “not for human consumption” often left out (2). This can make people view the product as safer than it actually is and hides the fact that the product may not have been properly reviewed for human use.
Most unapproved peptide products do not go through the same safety and quality review as approved medications, and this means that users may not truly know what they are putting into their bodies (3). Errors can happen when the peptide is in production, and there is usually no proper regulation in place to fix it. For example, a product could have the wrong ingredient, too much or too little of the active ingredient, or harmful contaminants (3). This is much more concerning for injectable products because poor storage and contamination can increase the risk of unwanted side effects or harm to the body.
Peptides can affect the body in many different ways, and it depends heavily on which type is being used. Hormones that play a massive role in muscle growth, recovery, appetite, or metabolism can be affected, which is why they are sometimes marketed to lifters for building muscle or losing weight (1, 4). These are the effects that people like to see, and are what makes them appealing, but most are too blinded by their progress to even consider the side effects that peptides bring along. Peptides can be risky, especially for teenagers or early adults because their bodies are still developing, and that includes their hormone systems, metabolism, and growth processes. Unapproved muscle-building or weight-loss peptides can interfere with these, and as stated before, many products sold online have not been properly reviewed before shipping out (2, 3). This means that young lifters are not exposed to just short-term side effects, but also damaging long-term effects as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, most peptides are not harmful, and some have truly helpful medical uses. The biggest danger comes in when young lifters use unapproved peptides or research chemicals because these products have a risk of being poorly regulated, mislabeled, or incorrectly dosed (2, 3). For teenagers exposed to social media and gym culture who are likely to use these substances, peptide use turns into a massive issue because their bodies are still developing, and that means substances that can change hormones, appetite, metabolism, or recovery can have detrimental effects.
Young teenagers need to remember that progress is not always linear and that social media often does not tell the true story. Lighting, genetics, steroid use, or editing can make physiques appear more muscular or stronger online, and that may lead some to try these performance-enhancing substances. Being a teenager myself, I too have thought about using these substances to get ahead. However, comparing yourself in that context is not right, and I hope this spreads more awareness of this danger that teenagers are subject to. No lift or physique is worth risking long-term health for an unknown substance.
References
1. König D, Kohl J, Jerger S, Centner C. Potential relevance of bioactive peptides in sports nutrition. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3997. Available from:
2. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Research chemicals: A worrying trend putting athletes at risk. USADA. Available from:
https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/research-chemicals-athletes-risk/ 3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA’s concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. FDA. Available from:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fdas-concerns-unapproved -glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss
4. Gómez-Guerrero NA, González-López NM, Zapata-Velásquez JD, Martínez-Ramírez JA, Rivera-Monroy ZJ, García-Castañeda JE. Synthetic peptides in doping control: A powerful tool for an analytical challenge. ACS Omega. 2022;7(43):38193-38206. Available from:
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