Concern 'Reta' weight-loss jab is becoming 'new steroids' as online sellers exploit legal loophole
Weight loss jabs have exploded in popularity over the past few years and it seems as if lots of people are desperate to get their hands on them.
Despite being initially designed as treatments for Type 2 diabetes, the likes of Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy have all become almost commonplace for anyone who wants to lose some weight.
The drugs work by suppressing our appetites and despite the many side effects involved, the sheer number of celebrities and influencers taking them has influenced many more members of the public to give them a go.
However, here in the UK, only Wegovy has been approved on the NHS and it's only those who meet strict guidelines who will be prescribed it, which has led many to search for their fix through far less legitimate means.
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Now, it seems as if folks are turning to dodgy websites online in order to get their hands on Retatrutide, which has been dubbed the 'Godzilla' of weight loss jabs after recording hugely impressive results in clinical trials.
Although it hasn't even been licensed in the UK yet, that hasn't stopped people from accessing them, which has sparked fears about their impact on our health due to the potential counterfeit or contaminated nature of the duplicates.
And now a doctor has warned that the popularity of the drug combined with the illegal and unlicensed nature of it could see it follow a similar path to that of steroids.
Speaking to The Sun, Dr Luke Turnock, a performance-enhancing drugs expert at the University of Lincoln, said: "In terms of distribution and prominence in gym culture, ‘reta’ is absolutely following the pattern of steroids.
“It may be one of the most prevalent enhancement drugs out there right now.
“Not only are gyms full of 'reta' users, but it is also being sold by various beauty clinics, beauty pages, and social media accounts.”
MedExpress’s Dr Sophie Dix added: “Retatrutide may be more effective at targeting fat stores while helping to preserve lean muscle mass — a major concern for athletes.”
However, the unregulated nature of the market means that no matter how effective the real Retatrutide might be, people are instead suffering the consequences of using illegitimate substitues.
Sellers are exploiting a legal loophole since it is not yet licensed, as they are marketing their products as for research purposes only, despite the law suggesting that marketing these for human consumption is also very much illegal.
One woman who bought the unregulated version told the Daily Mail: "The dose was too much for me. All the familiar Mounjaro side-effects kicked back in and I felt sick all day every day from the moment I woke up in the morning to the moment I went to sleep.
"I tried everything to get rid of the nausea but it was relentless. Some days I had to work from my bed because I felt so ill. I persevered for three more weeks but in the end I had to give up."
Dr Turnock added: “Retatrutide is still an experimental medicine so may have long-term risks that are not yet fully understood.
“Even if it does pass all clinical trials, the illicit market product will still have risks because purity is uncertain and doses recommended by sellers may be risky to use.”
When it comes to sourcing weight loss jabs, you should always speak to a doctor rather than finding them online, as there is no telling what effect it might have on your body.
Unfortunately, that hasn't stopped a huge number of influencers and content creators advertising these fake jabs online, often with a partnership promise of a certain amount of money off if you use their link, despite this against the law.
James Moorhouse