Peptides bought online are only 10% pure, investigation finds
Sky News investigation finds unregulated peptides sold online are only 10% pure, with 90% impurities, raising safety concerns.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
An undercover investigation has found that unregulated peptides bought online and promoted by social media influencers are only 10% pure, meaning 90% of the product is not the advertised drug. The findings raise serious safety questions about the booming grey market for these substances, which are often injected despite not being approved for human consumption.
Sky News tested products it purchased from online sellers after seeing huge demand on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag "peptide" has almost half a million posts. The products, commonly called "peppers" by some users, cost around £30 per bottle and are marketed with promises of improving skin, hair, muscle repair and even ageing.
In the UK, these peptides sit in a regulatory grey area. They are not illegal to buy or own, but selling them as medicines for human use is against the law. Some sellers claim the products are for "research purposes" and "not for human consumption", but when questioned about how to use them, the same sellers instruct buyers to inject the substance.
The investigation found that payment options include cryptocurrency and even gift cards. Within an hour, reporters had ordered vials of GHK-CU, a chemical claimed to help with skin and hair, and BPC-157, touted by sellers for injury and muscle recovery. The packages arrived the next day, but one product did not arrive chilled, despite expert advice that these products should be kept cold.
Samples were sent to the University of Manchester for laboratory analysis. The results showed that the "research grade" peptide purchased by the reporter contained significant impurities. A researcher said: "I would say it's only 10% pure. So 90% of what is in it is not the drug at all."
The investigation highlights the ease with which potentially dangerous unregulated products can be bought online, and the gap between marketing claims and the reality of what is being sold.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| Buying and owning peptides is legal in the UK, but selling them as medicines for human use is not. | |
| Peptides purchased from online sellers were found to be only 10% pure. | |
| Sellers advertise peptides for research purposes but advise injection when asked. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News conducted the investigative report, focusing on the unregulated nature of the online peptide market, the discrepancy between 'research purposes' labelling and actual injection instructions, and the purity test results from a university lab. The editorial tone is cautious and concerned, stressing the safety risks and the 'wild west' nature of the trade.
- “I have to say it's a bit of a wild west.”
- “I would say it's only 10% pure. So 90% of what is in it is not the drug at all.”
- “some sellers are advertising their products as being for research purposes, not for human consumption. But when I ask those same sellers how to use the product, they tell me it should be injected.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.