Gym junkies obsessed with body image are taking vast quantities of 'research peptides' in a bid to build muscle and lose fat - or 'get ripped' - quickly. Yet an undercover Mail reporter was able to buy scores of the drugs from dealers advertising on Facebook and Telegram. Promoting unregulated drugs for human consumption in this way is illegal, although buying or possessing the substances is not an offence. Dealers who sold peptides to our undercover reporter dismissed concerns over potential side effects by claiming the substances were 'natural'. Among the most popular research peptides are BPC-157 and TB500, nicknamed the 'Wolverine stack' after the Marvel superhero famous for his rapid healing.

Source: Daily Mail January 21, 2026 22:34 UTC