WADA’s 2027 Prohibited List takes effect on January 1, 2027 (WADA, 2026). Peptides are banned mainly under three classes, all prohibited at all times: S0 (non-approved substances, e.g. BPC-157), S2 (peptide hormones and growth factors, e.g. TB-500, CJC-1295, ipamorelin) and S4 (metabolic modulators, e.g. MOTS-c). For 2027, S0 names “peptides” in general (USADA), WADA’s announcement lists no change to S2, and GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide stay permitted.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| List in force now | 2026 Prohibited List (WADA) |
| 2027 List | Approved September 10, 2026; in force January 1, 2027 (WADA) |
| Peptide classes | S0, S2, S4 — prohibited in and out of competition |
| 2027 changes | S0, S4, S5, S8, S9, P1 clarified; no S2 change announced |
| GLP-1 agonists | Not prohibited in 2027; still under WADA study |
| US FDA | WADA status is separate: most listed peptides are unapproved drugs; tesamorelin (Egrifta) is approved yet still banned in sport |
| Strongest evidence | Regulatory text (WADA List, USADA advisories) |
| Last checked | 2026-09-30 |
Key points:
- BPC-157 has been a named S0 example since the 2022 List (USADA, 2021).
- WADA status does not depend on route: USADA says peptides and growth factors carry no route-dependent status, so topical products count too (USADA).
- A peptide missing from the list of examples is not automatically permitted: S2 also covers substances with “a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s)” (USADA).
- In a 2025 US case, a triathlete received a four-year sanction for BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, ipamorelin and tesamorelin (USADA, 2025).
- Semaglutide has been in WADA’s Monitoring Program, which records use without sanctions, since 2024 (USADA, 2023).
What changed (October 2026): this guide now gives the detail of USADA’s 2026-10-06 advisory on the 2027 List: S0 names peptides in general, the new S4 examples, a table of how USADA classes common peptides for 2027, and the 2027 Monitoring Program.
What is the WADA Prohibited List?
The Prohibited List is the World Anti-Doping Agency’s annual international standard naming the substances and methods banned in sport under the World Anti-Doping Code. WADA updates it once a year after stakeholder consultation; the new edition is published in the autumn and applies from January 1 (WADA, 2026). A substance can be added when it meets at least two of three criteria: potential to enhance performance, a health risk to the athlete, and violation of the spirit of sport (WADA, 2026).
The List is organized by class. Each class gives examples, but the examples are not exhaustive. For peptides, three classes matter, and all three are “prohibited at all times”, meaning in and out of competition (WADA 2026 List). A peptide is a short chain of amino acids; many hormones and experimental drugs are peptides, which is why they are spread over several classes rather than grouped in one.
Which peptides are banned by WADA in 2027?
The table lists the peptides most often asked about, with the class that names them in the 2026 List text (WADA 2026 List). WADA’s summary of 2027 modifications names changes to S0, S4, S5, S8, S9 and P1 and none to S2 (WADA, 2026). The full 2027 text is published on WADA’s site (WADA 2027 List).
| Peptide | WADA class | Named as |
|---|---|---|
| BPC-157 | S0 | Non-approved substance |
| TB-500 / thymosin-β4 | S2.3 | Growth factor modulator |
| IGF-1, LR3-IGF-1, mecasermin | S2.3 | Growth factor |
| MGF (mechano growth factors) | S2.3 | Growth factor |
| CJC-1295, CJC-1293 | S2.2.4 | GHRH analogue |
| Sermorelin, tesamorelin | S2.2.4 | GHRH analogue |
| Ipamorelin, ibutamoren (MK-677) | S2.2.4 | GH secretagogue |
| Anamorelin, macimorelin, ghrelin | S2.2.4 | GH secretagogue |
| GHRP-1 to -6, hexarelin | S2.2.4 | GH-releasing peptide |
| AOD-9604, hGH 176-191 | S2.2.3 | GH fragment |
| Kisspeptin, gonadorelin, hCG | S2.2.1 | Testosterone-stimulating (males) |
| ACTH, tetracosactide | S2.2.2 | Corticotrophin |
| EPO, peginesatide, pegmolesatide | S2.1.1 | EPO-receptor agonist |
| MOTS-c | S4.4.1 | AMPK activator |
| Insulins | S4.4.2 | Insulin / mimetic |
| Semaglutide, tirzepatide | Not prohibited | Under WADA study |
Source for every row except the last: the S0, S2 and S4 sections of the WADA 2026 List (WADA). Some examples date back years: thymosin-β4 and TB-500 were added under S2.3 in the 2018 List, while CJC-1293 and GHRP-1, -3, -4 and -5 were added under S2.2.3 in the same list (USADA, 2017). Kisspeptin was added as an example in the 2024 List (USADA, 2023), and MOTS-c was named as an AMPK activator in the 2025 List (USADA, 2024).
What changed for peptides on the 2027 List?
For the peptide classes, WADA’s 2027 announcement describes clarifications rather than new bans. It lists these modifications (WADA, 2026):
- S0 Non-approved substances: further examples and clarifications added.
- S4 Hormone and metabolic modulators: terminology in the section title updated, with added clarification and examples.
- S2 Peptide hormones and growth factors: no modification listed.
- Outside the peptide classes: S5 diuretics and masking agents (examples), S8 cannabinoids (Δ9-THC-like compounds), S9 glucocorticoids (vaginal route added as permitted), P1 beta-blockers (sport details harmonized), and wording on metabolites of substances of abuse.
The announcement does not itemize the new S0 and S4 examples; the 2027 List document and its redline version show them in full (WADA 2027 List). USADA’s athlete advisory of 2026-10-06 summarizes the main ones (USADA):
- S0: “peptides” in general are now named as prohibited substances, alongside drugs in development, designer drugs and veterinary-only substances. USADA adds that a peptide not named on the List “may still be prohibited”.
- S4: new examples imlunestrant, seladelpar, and SLU-PP-332 and SLU-PP-915, which USADA describes as metabolic modulators acting on oxidative metabolism.
- Monitoring Program: semaglutide and tirzepatide, ecdysterone, Hypoxen and, in females under 18 only, GnRH analogues are monitored in and out of competition. Monitored substances are not prohibited.
USADA’s examples for 2027, with the class it gives each (USADA, 2026-10-06):
| Substance | 2027 class (USADA) | Compared with 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Peptides in general | S0 | Newly named in S0 |
| BPC-157 | S0 | Same class |
| TB-500, thymosin-beta 4 | S2 | Same class |
| AOD-9604, hGH 176-191 | S2 | Same class |
| GHRPs, CJC-1293, ipamorelin | S2 | Same class |
| IGF-1, mecasermin and analogues | S2 | Same class |
| Insulin | S4 | Same class |
| SLU-PP-332, SLU-PP-915 | S4 | New named examples |
| Semaglutide, tirzepatide | Monitoring Program | Still not prohibited |
How does S0 cover peptides that are not named?
S0 is the catch-all class. The 2026 wording prohibits “any pharmacological substance which is not addressed by any of the subsequent sections of the List and with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use”, naming drugs under pre-clinical or clinical development, discontinued drugs, designer drugs and veterinary-only drugs (WADA 2026 List). USADA summarizes the test: a substance not approved for clinical use by any governmental regulatory authority that has performance-enhancing potential “may be prohibited under the S0 category” (USADA, 2024).
BPC-157 is the only peptide named among the S0 examples in the 2026 List; the others are non-peptide compounds such as 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and the troponin activators reldesemtiv and tirasemtiv (WADA 2026 List). USADA notes that BPC-157 “has not been extensively studied in humans” and that “it is unknown if there is a safe dose” (USADA). The site’s BPC-157 entry covers its research record and FDA status.
By the same wording, a drug still in clinical development meets the S0 definition unless another class already covers it. Investigational incretin drugs such as retatrutide fit that description, although WADA does not name retatrutide as an example. If retatrutide is approved, its status would need to be checked again; athletes should check Global DRO.
Many other peptides sold online, such as Semax, Selank, epitalon, DSIP, KPV, LL-37 and GHK-Cu, are not named in the S0, S2 or S4 examples of the 2026 List. That does not make them permitted, and from 2027 S0 names “peptides” in general (USADA). Whether S0 applies depends on whether any national health authority has approved the substance, and S2 reaches substances with “a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s)” to those named (USADA). USADA directs athletes to Global DRO and its Drug Reference Line for substance-specific answers (USADA).
Is an FDA-approved peptide allowed in sport?
Not necessarily. Approval by a regulator only takes a substance out of S0; it does not remove it from S2 or S4. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved as Egrifta for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy (FDA label), yet it is named as a GHRH analogue under S2.2.4 (WADA 2026 List). Insulins, also approved drugs, sit under S4.4.2.
An athlete with a medical need for a prohibited approved drug can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). USADA advises checking a prescribed hormone first and, if it is prohibited, applying for a TUE (USADA). For BPC-157, USADA says a TUE would be “unlikely” because permitted alternatives exist (USADA).
Are GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide banned by WADA in 2027?
No. The status of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, remains unchanged for 2027 (WADA, 2026). Semaglutide was added to the Monitoring Program for 2024 “to examine prevalence of use in sport”; monitored substances do not lead to violations (USADA, 2023). The 2027 Monitoring Program lists semaglutide and tirzepatide, in and out of competition (USADA). This applies to the approved GLP-1 drugs. It does not cover unapproved incretin drugs, which fall under the S0 definition discussed above.
What are the sanctions for peptide violations?
Most S2 peptides are “non-Specified” substances. In September 2025 USADA announced a four-year sanction for a 46-year-old triathlete for BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, ipamorelin and tesamorelin, with results disqualified from June 1, 2024 (USADA, 2025). In that decision USADA classed BPC-157 as a “Specified Substance in the class of Non-Approved Substances” and the other four as “non-Specified Substances in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics” (USADA, 2025).
How does WADA status compare with US FDA status?
The two systems answer different questions. WADA decides what athletes may use; the FDA decides what may be marketed or compounded as a drug in the US. Several peptides on the WADA list also appear on the FDA’s list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding (Category 2), page updated April 22, 2026 (FDA).
| Peptide | WADA | FDA compounding |
|---|---|---|
| BPC-157 | S0 | Withdrawn from Category 2 |
| TB-500 | S2.3 | Withdrawn from Category 2 |
| CJC-1295 | S2.2.4 | Withdrawn from Category 2 |
| Ipamorelin | S2.2.4 | Category 2 (503B) |
| GHRP-2, GHRP-6 | S2.2.4 | Category 2 (503B) |
| Ibutamoren (MK-677) | S2.2.4 | Category 2 (503A, 503B) |
| Kisspeptin-10 | S2.2.1 | Category 2 (503A) |
| MOTS-c | S4.4.1 | Withdrawn from Category 2 |
| AOD-9604 | S2.2.3 | Withdrawn from Category 2 |
“Withdrawn from Category 2” means the nominators withdrew the substance; the FDA page lists them as “previously in Category 2” and does not place them in Category 1 (FDA). None of these compounding changes alters their WADA status.
What are the health and contamination risks?
USADA states that the FDA has reported “multiple safety risks” with injectable peptides such as those in the 2025 case, “including the potential for immune reactions, cardiac events, and even death” (USADA, 2025). It also warns that peptide hormones may not legally be sold in dietary supplements, and that experimental peptides sold online as “research chemicals” remain risky and prohibited (USADA). Unregulated products may contain a different substance or dose than the label states, which adds an anti-doping risk on top of the health risk. USADA’s MOTS-c guidance describes it as “an experimental peptide not approved for human therapeutic use” despite being marketed for weight loss (USADA, 2024).
What users report
The accounts below are unverified, informal self-reports from people posting on forums and social media, most of whom say they bought unregulated research-grade products rather than anything prescribed or tested — these posts are not clinical evidence of safety or effectiveness. People who post about banned peptides like BPC-157, TB-500, MK-677, and various growth-hormone secretagogues commonly report faster recovery from soft-tissue injuries, reduced joint pain, better sleep, or increased appetite, with some saying they noticed changes within a couple of weeks and others saying it took over a month before they felt anything different.
A recurring complaint on these boards is inconsistent or absent effects, with many posters saying a product “did nothing” despite others swearing by it. Injection-site redness, swelling, or soreness comes up often, along with grumbling about the cost of maintaining regular use over time. Product quality is a constant flashpoint — threads are full of people questioning whether a vial is underdosed, contaminated, or an outright fake, and arguing about which sellers are trustworthy, since none of these products are regulated or verified for purity.
Much of the debate centers on doping risk rather than the peptides themselves: users argue over how strict liability under WADA rules works, whether trace amounts could trigger a positive test, and whether it’s worth the career risk for competitive athletes. Others push back, pointing to suspensions and bans reported in the news as proof the risk is real regardless of intent or how the substance was obtained.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2027 WADA Prohibited List take effect?
The 2027 List takes effect on January 1, 2027. The WADA Executive Committee approved it on September 10, 2026, and WADA published it with a summary of modifications, a redline version and the 2027 Monitoring Program (WADA, 2026). Until then, the 2026 List applies to all testing.
Is BPC-157 banned by WADA?
Yes. BPC-157 is prohibited at all times under S0, non-approved substances. It was added as a named example to the 2022 List and was not prohibited by name before then (USADA, 2021). USADA states that a Therapeutic Use Exemption for it would be unlikely because permitted alternatives exist.
Is TB-500 banned in sport?
Yes. Thymosin-β4 and its derivatives, including TB-500, are prohibited at all times under S2.3, growth factors and growth factor modulators. WADA added them as named examples in the 2018 List (USADA, 2017). USADA classes TB-500 as a non-Specified substance, and a 2025 case involving it ended in a four-year sanction.
Are topical or cosmetic peptides banned by WADA?
Some can be. USADA states that the List “does not currently have route-dependent anti-doping statuses attached to peptides and growth factors”, so a prohibited growth factor in a skin product is treated like an injected one (USADA). USADA also lists common cosmetic peptides, such as palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, that are not prohibited.
Is semaglutide banned by WADA in 2027?
No. WADA kept the status of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, unchanged for 2027 and said more data on their effects in athletes are needed (WADA, 2026). Semaglutide has been in WADA’s Monitoring Program since 2024, which tracks use without sanctioning athletes.
Is pinealon banned by WADA?
Not by name, but that does not make it permitted. Pinealon, the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg, is not among the S0, S2 or S4 examples in the 2026 List, and S0 covers any substance with no current government approval for human therapeutic use. Its research record is thin: in one study of aged rats under hypoxia, it changed brain neurotransmitter levels (Mendzheritsky 2015) [Animal]. Athletes should check Global DRO.
References
- World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026. WADA publishes 2027 Prohibited List. wada-ama.org
- World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026. International Standard: Prohibited List 2027. wada-ama.org (PDF)
- World Anti-Doping Agency. 2025. International Standard: Prohibited List 2026. wada-ama.org (PDF)
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2017. 2018 Prohibited List: Summary of Major Changes. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2021. Explanation of Key Changes on 2022 WADA Prohibited List. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2023. Explanation of Key Changes on the 2024 WADA Prohibited List. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2024. What’s New on the 2025 WADA Prohibited List? usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. BPC-157: Experimental Peptide Creates Risk for Athletes. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 6 Things to Know About Peptide Hormones and Releasing Factors. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Peptides and Growth Factors in Cosmetics. usada.org
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2025. Anthony McCauley Accepts Doping Sanction. usada.org
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2026. Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks (updated April 22, 2026). fda.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Egrifta (tesamorelin) prescribing information, NDA 022505. accessdata.fda.gov
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 2026. Athlete Advisory: 2027 Prohibited List (published 2026-10-06, updated 2026-10-15). usada.org
Change log
2026-10-26: 2027 List detail from USADA’s 2026-10-06 advisory added (S0 names peptides in general, new S4 examples, USADA’s 2027 classes table, 2027 Monitoring Program); a repeated FAQ folded into the S0 section; FAQ moved out of the user-reports box; reviewed by the editorial team.
2026-10-26: links to related entries added; no change to the facts.
2026-10-23: links to glossary definitions added; no change to the facts.
2026-10-19: links to related entries added; no change to the facts.
2026-10-14: links to related entries added; no change to the facts.
2026-10-12: FAQ: added “Is retatrutide banned by WADA?”; reviewed by the editorial team.
2026-10-12: links to related entries added; no change to the facts.
2026-10-06: links to related entries were added on 2026-10-05; no change to the facts.
2026-10-04: FAQ expanded with one question readers search for (pinealon); reviewed by the editorial team.
2026-09-30: added “What users report” (summarised public anecdote, labelled as such).
2026-09-30: first published after review by the editorial team.