New trend of injecting banned peptides to 'optimise' body

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that assemble to form proteins, which are the body's building blocks. They occur naturally in the body, helping dictate processes such as repairing tissue.

Peptides reproduced in a lab are the active ingredients in many common medications including insulin and GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. However unauthorised forms of synthetic peptides sold online have increasingly been promoted by influencers and gyms promising a more effective…