PeptIQ is for adults 18+ and never gives dosing advice. Talk with a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any peptide, hormone, or medication. This guide is educational, not medical advice.
I built PeptIQ to help people track peptides and other protocols safely. Lately I keep seeing 18-year-olds trying retatrutide and testosterone because a video made it look easy. That worries me, so here's where we stand.
If you're under 25, don't start a peptide or hormone without a licensed clinician, baseline labs and bloodwork.
Why:
- Retatrutide isn't approved. It's an investigational drug that's only been studied in adults under trial monitoring. Even there, up to 16% of people on it quit because of side effects (NEJM). The FDA says it can't legally be compounded, and it has warned sellers of "research use" versions (FDA).
- Testosterone isn't a supplement. Its FDA label lists infertility, testicular atrophy, cardiovascular and psychiatric reactions with abuse, and withdrawal that can last months as your own production stays shut down (label).
- The FDA has warned teens and young adults directly about SARMs (FDA).
- The marketing targets your age group. One analysis counted about 420 million US TikTok views of steroid, peptide and SARM content from 18–24-year-olds (CCDH).
I'm not anti-peptide. Insulin is a peptide. Semaglutide is approved for teens with obesity, under medical care (FDA review). The difference is an approved product, a diagnosis, a doctor and labs.
What PeptIQ will do:
- Show a caution to 18–24-year-olds during onboarding that recommends a clinician and baseline labs.
- Offer a free bloodwork checklist.
- Never give dosing advice, and never market to minors. You must be 18 or older to use PeptIQ.
If you're young and curious, good. Be curious with a doctor in the room.
— Kris