A growing number of teenagers and young men are resorting to potent, unapproved weight-loss drugs, primarily sourced from China, in pursuit of extreme physiques driven by the online "looksmaxxing" trend. These drugs, some from the same family as Ozempic and Mounjaro but significantly stronger, target hunger hormones to rapidly shed fat, often with little regard for potential health risks.
Retatrutide, colloquially known as 'Reta' or the 'Godzilla' of skinny jabs, is one such drug. It targets three hunger hormones—GLP, GIP, and glucagon—making it more potent than existing weight-loss medications. Despite not being approved by regulatory bodies like the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), it is readily available on the grey market. Users, often guided by online advice, purchase it as a powder from suppliers in China or through platforms like Telegram, mixing it with water and injecting it themselves.
Young men like "James," who began using retatrutide at 17, report dramatic weight loss. James lost a stone in two months, achieving a lean, muscular physique. He later combined retatrutide with human growth hormone (HGH), another unapproved substance for his purposes, to aid muscle recovery and growth. While HGH can help the body convert food to energy, it can also dangerously elevate blood pressure and blood sugar when used for muscle enhancement in otherwise healthy adolescents.
The Rise of 'Looksmaxxing' and Peptides
The "looksmaxxing" trend, prevalent on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, encourages boys and young men to enhance their physical attractiveness, often through a hyper-masculine aesthetic. This environment, coupled with elements of the "manosphere," fosters intense competition to achieve lean, muscular bodies. "Everyone wants to have a body that's shredded and lean," noted one online personal trainer. Visible abs and extremely low body fat, once requiring intense effort, are now attainable through these drugs, according to users.
Beyond retatrutide, the trend encompasses a broader category of substances termed 'peptides.' These are short chains of amino acids with various claimed functions, ranging from anti-aging and tissue repair (like GHK-CU) to tanning (melanotan II, or MT-2) and enhanced stamina (MOTS-c). Personal trainer Tom Holbrook reportedly uses a monthly 'stack' including GHK-CU, HGH, MT-2, and retatrutide, spending around £123.
Holbrook also experimented with MOTS-c, or 'cardio in a bottle,' for increased stamina, though the US Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings against its human use due to unknown safety profiles. He has since stopped, citing the inconvenience of frequent injections, but continues to use other peptides and steroids. The practice has extended to young women, with some using MT-2 and GHK-CU to achieve toned, skinny physiques.
Risks and Unregulated Markets
The market for these drugs is largely unregulated and poses significant risks. Most peptides are manufactured in China and distributed through intermediaries. While not technically illegal when sold as 'not for human use,' this loophole facilitates their acquisition for self-administration. Peter Magic, founder of Janoshik Analytical, a lab that tests unregulated substances, highlights the dangers: "About 5 percent of samples are not as advertised, and 'contain the wrong drug at the very, very wrong dose.' He has also found vials with no active ingredient and, alarmingly, insulin pens being sold as Ozempic.
Side effects reported by users are varied and concerning. MT-2 can cause nausea and facial flushing, and may alter mole appearance and theoretically increase skin cancer risk. Retatrutide has been linked to severe constipation and stomach cramps, as experienced by Richard Gabriel, 37. Giles Yeo, an obesity expert at Cambridge University, expresses concern not just about specific side effects, but about the drugs' effectiveness in individuals who do not require significant weight loss. "They will work for a 16-year-old boy who is only 100lb and is trying to look ripped," Yeo stated, warning of potential nutrient deficiency, malnutrition, and even death.
Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of retatrutide, emphasizes that it is an investigational medicine, not approved for human use anywhere in the world, and that counterfeit or black-market versions are untested and potentially deadly. Despite these warnings, the allure of rapid physical transformation continues to drive young men to these dangerous, unproven treatments.