People are Turning to Unregulated Weight Loss Peptide After Struggling With Diet and Medication Side Effects

More people looking to lose weight are turning to peptides, drugs that aren't regulated by the FDA, and doctors say that trend is worth a second look before anyone tries them.

Gavin Crawford, who lives in the Coachella Valley, said diet and lifestyle changes weren't working for him. "I like who I am, but I didn't like what I saw in the mirror," Crawford said. He first tried an FDA-approved weight loss drug but had unpleasant side effects, so he switched to retatrutide, a peptide still being evaluated by the FDA.

Crawford used to work at a rehab center, where he saw a medical professional on staff using retatrutide themselves. Seeing that made him feel comfortable enough to try it.

However, medical experts caution that peptides like retatrutide come with real risks. Dr. Michael Omidi, a double board-certified facial and body plastic surgeon based in Beverly Hills, said the biggest concern is how the drug is administered. "I think the biggest problem is you're getting a syringe with a needle. You're injecting yourself with a product that might not be sterile," Omidi said. That raises the risk of contamination or infection, which Omidi said could become deadly if it reaches the bloodstream. He added that because peptides vary so widely, the long-term side effects depend heavily on what someone is using, how much, and how often.

Crawford said anyone considering this route should do their research first, and lean on people who understand nutrition and fitness rather than going it alone. "Talk to a fitness coach or some expert that has understanding of the amount of protein and how often you're supposed to be eating protein, as well as strength conditioning," he said. He stressed that strength training and eating the right amount and type of protein matter, since losing muscle mass is one of the side effects that can come with peptide use.