Gray market peptide products found to contain bacteria and chemical fillers

Investigations into the gray market peptide trade have revealed significant safety risks regarding products sold in convenience stores. An analysis of a vial labeled as the weight loss drug retatrutide, purchased from a Brooklyn bodega, found that the substance was not a peptide at all. Instead, researchers discovered the vial contained phenylacetic acid, a filler compound used in perfume and illicit amphetamine manufacturing.

Furthermore, laboratory testing identified at least 13 different bacterial colonies within the sample. Experts warned that injecting such contaminated substances poses a severe risk of dangerous infections. Similar investigations by other outlets found that products marketed as peptides often consist of unidentified chemical slurries rather than the intended amino acid chains.