PeptideJournal
Regulatory & Legal12 min read

Peptides & WADA: Anti-Doping Rules for Athletes

**If you compete in any sport governed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the rules around peptides are strict, specific, and unforgiving.** A single vial of BPC-157 or a cycle of ipamorelin can end a career.

If you compete in any sport governed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the rules around peptides are strict, specific, and unforgiving. A single vial of BPC-157 or a cycle of ipamorelin can end a career. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List bans dozens of peptides by name — and then bans every related compound through catch-all language that covers substances not yet invented.

This guide breaks down exactly which peptides are prohibited, how they're categorized, how athletes get caught, what happens when they do, and the narrow pathway for legitimate medical use through the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) process.

Table of Contents

How WADA Classifies Prohibited Peptides

WADA organizes its Prohibited List into categories labeled S0 through S9 for substances, plus M1 through M3 for prohibited methods. Peptides appear primarily in two places: S0 (Non-Approved Substances) and S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics). Some peptide-adjacent compounds also appear in S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators).

The 2026 Prohibited List, approved by WADA's Executive Committee on September 11, 2025, took effect on January 1, 2026. It includes further clarifications and new examples under the S2 category to help athletes and their support personnel identify prohibited substances.

A detail that many athletes miss: the S2 category is prohibited at all times — both in-competition and out-of-competition. There is no off-season loophole. Using a banned peptide in December for injury recovery will trigger the same consequences as using it the day before a race.

The S0 Category: Non-Approved Substances

Category S0 acts as a sweeping net. It covers any pharmacological substance with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use. This matters for peptides because many popular research peptides — BPC-157, TB-500, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and dozens more — have never received FDA or equivalent approval anywhere in the world.

Even if a peptide isn't listed by name elsewhere on the Prohibited List, S0 catches it. WADA added BPC-157 explicitly to the Prohibited List in 2022, but before that, it was already prohibited under S0. The lesson: any experimental peptide you find on a "research chemical" website is almost certainly banned under S0, even if you can't find its name in the S2 list.

The S2 Category: Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, and Mimetics

This is where WADA gets specific. The S2 category breaks into several subcategories, each banning peptides that athletes commonly encounter.

S2.2.1 — Testosterone-Stimulating Peptides (in Males)

This subcategory prohibits gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH/gonadorelin) and its agonist analogs. Named examples include buserelin, deslorelin, goserelin, histrelin, leuprorelin, nafarelin, and triptorelin. These peptides stimulate testosterone production — which is exactly why they're banned.

S2.2.3 — Growth Hormone, Its Analogs, and Fragments

All forms of human growth hormone are prohibited, along with newer analogs like lonapegsomatropin, somapacitan, and somatrogon. This subcategory also bans growth hormone fragments, including AOD-9604 and hGH 176-191 — two peptides commonly marketed for fat loss in the wellness space.

S2.2.4 — Growth Hormone Releasing Factors

This is where most peptides popular in fitness and biohacking communities fall. The subcategory covers three groups:

GHRH and its analogs: Growth hormone-releasing hormone and compounds like CJC-1295, CJC-1293, sermorelin, and tesamorelin.

Growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) and their mimetics: This includes anamorelin, capromorelin, ipamorelin, ibutamoren (MK-677), lenomorelin (ghrelin), macimorelin, and tabimorelin.

GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs): Alexamorelin, examorelin (hexarelin), GHRP-1, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), GHRP-3, GHRP-4, GHRP-5, and GHRP-6.

Other Prohibited Growth Factors

The S2 category also bans growth factors and growth factor modulators that affect muscle, tendon, or ligament protein synthesis, vascularization, energy utilization, regenerative capacity, or fiber type switching. Thymosin-beta-4 and its derivatives, including TB-500, are explicitly prohibited.

The catch-all language here is broad by design. If a peptide promotes tissue repair, muscle growth, or recovery through growth factor pathways, it's almost certainly covered — even if WADA hasn't named it yet.

Other Relevant Categories

S4 — Hormone and Metabolic Modulators: This category captures some peptide-adjacent compounds, including GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide when used outside of legitimate medical treatment. Metabolic modulators that could affect body composition or energy metabolism may also fall here.

S2.2.2 — Corticotrophins and Their Releasing Factors: Corticorelin and tetracosactide are prohibited peptides in this sub-group, relevant to athletes who might use ACTH-related peptides for anti-inflammatory or adrenal effects.

How Athletes Get Caught: Testing Methods

Anti-doping labs have gotten significantly better at detecting peptides. The testing technology has evolved well beyond simple urine screens.

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

This is the workhorse of modern peptide detection. LC-MS/MS can identify synthetic peptides and their metabolites at extremely low concentrations — parts per billion. The technique separates peptides by molecular weight and charge, then fragments them to create a unique "fingerprint" that confirms identity.

For athletes, this means even small doses of peptides like ipamorelin, GHRP-2, or BPC-157 can be detected in urine or blood samples.

Immunoassay Screening

Initial screening often uses immunoassay techniques that flag suspicious samples for further analysis. Any positive hit from the initial screen is then confirmed through LC-MS/MS. This two-step approach reduces false positives while catching a wide range of prohibited substances.

The Athlete Biological Passport (ABP)

The ABP doesn't test for specific substances. Instead, it tracks biological markers over time — hematological variables, steroidal variables, and endocrine markers. If an athlete's growth hormone levels suddenly spike or their IGF-1 profile shifts in ways that can't be explained by training alone, the ABP flags it for investigation.

This means athletes who think they can beat the test by timing their doses may still get caught when their long-term biological data doesn't add up.

Dried Urine Microsampling

WADA-funded research is investigating Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling (VAMS) and Dried Urine Spot (DUS) technologies. These methods extend the detection window for peptide hormones and growth factors by improving sample stability. As these techniques reach accredited labs, the window during which athletes can be caught will widen.

Detection Windows

Detection windows vary by peptide. Short-acting peptides like GHRP-6 may clear urine in 24 to 48 hours, while longer-acting compounds like CJC-1295 with DAC can be detected for a week or more. MK-677 (ibutamoren), an oral growth hormone secretagogue, has a relatively long detection window because of its extended half-life and metabolite persistence.

However, athletes should not gamble on detection windows. Labs continue to develop more sensitive methods, and stored samples can be retested for up to 10 years using newer technology.

Sample Retesting and the 10-Year Rule

WADA allows anti-doping organizations to store collected samples for up to 10 years and retest them as analytical capabilities improve. This isn't theoretical — it happens regularly. Athletes from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games had medals stripped years later when stored samples were retested with newer LC-MS/MS methods. For peptides, this is particularly relevant because detection technology has advanced dramatically since 2015. A growth hormone secretagogue that was undetectable in a 2018 sample might be identifiable with today's methods.

The practical implication: there is no statute of limitations on doping. An athlete who retires "clean" can still face sanctions years later if retesting reveals a prohibited substance.

How Often Are Athletes Tested?

Testing frequency depends on the sport, the athlete's competition level, and whether they're in a registered testing pool. International-level athletes may be subject to out-of-competition testing at any time, including at home, at training facilities, and while traveling. The International Testing Agency (ITA), which oversees anti-doping for the Olympic Games, conducts thousands of tests annually at major competitions. At the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the ITA will oversee the entire anti-doping operation in collaboration with WADA.

National-level athletes are tested through their country's NADO. In the United States, USADA collects approximately 8,000-10,000 samples per year across all sports under its jurisdiction.

Consequences of a Positive Test

WADA classifies most peptide hormones as non-specified substances, which means they carry the most severe penalties.

First Offense

A first anti-doping rule violation involving a non-specified substance like a growth hormone secretagogue or GHRP carries a standard four-year ban from all competition. For context, that's an entire Olympic cycle — enough to end most professional careers.

If the athlete can prove the violation was not intentional, the ban may be reduced to two years. If they can demonstrate no fault or negligence at all (extremely rare), the ban could theoretically be eliminated. But "I didn't know" is not enough. The athlete must prove they could not have reasonably known the substance was prohibited, a burden that's nearly impossible to meet for well-known peptides.

Second Offense

A second violation can result in a ban of up to eight years, depending on the circumstances of both violations.

Third Offense

Under the WADA Code, a third anti-doping rule violation results in a lifetime ban.

Additional Consequences

  • Disqualification of results from the competition where the violation occurred
  • Forfeiture of medals, points, prizes, and appearance money
  • Potential disqualification of all results between the sample collection date and the start of any provisional suspension
  • Loss of sponsorship contracts (most sponsor agreements include anti-doping clauses)
  • Reputational damage that follows athletes long after any ban expires

Provisional Suspensions

Once a positive test is confirmed, WADA Code allows for mandatory provisional suspensions. The athlete is barred from competition immediately — often before they've had a hearing. For non-specified substances, the provisional suspension is mandatory. Appeals take time, and athletes miss competitions while their case is resolved.

The Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Process

What if an athlete genuinely needs a prohibited peptide for medical treatment? WADA provides a formal pathway: the Therapeutic Use Exemption.

The Four Criteria

All four must be satisfied:

  1. The athlete would experience a significant health impairment without the substance
  2. The therapeutic use would produce no additional performance enhancement beyond restoring normal health
  3. There is no reasonable permitted alternative treatment
  4. The substance is not needed because of prior use of a prohibited substance (without a valid TUE)

How to Apply

Athletes do not apply directly to WADA. The process works through their sport's governance structure:

  • National-level athletes apply through their National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) — for U.S. athletes, that's USADA
  • International-level athletes apply through their International Federation (IF)

The application requires detailed medical documentation, and the athlete's physician must complete the TUE form with supporting clinical evidence. Applications are reviewed by a TUE Committee (TUEC) within 21 days of receiving a complete application.

Reality Check for Common Peptides

For most research peptides, a TUE is effectively impossible. BPC-157 has no approved medical use anywhere — so criterion 1 and criterion 3 both fail. The same applies to TB-500, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and most growth hormone secretagogues.

FDA-approved peptides like tesamorelin (approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy) or semaglutide (approved for type 2 diabetes and obesity) have a theoretical path to a TUE, but the bar remains high. The athlete must demonstrate that no permitted alternative exists and that the substance won't provide a competitive edge — a tough argument for any compound that affects growth hormone or metabolism.

In 2025, WADA tightened TUE guidelines specifically around growth hormone use, including new physician guidelines for athletes with short stature who do not have growth hormone deficiency.

Real Cases That Illustrate the Stakes

Tristan Thompson (NBA): Suspended for testing positive for ibutamoren (MK-677) and LGD-4033. Ibutamoren, classified as a growth hormone secretagogue, is banned under S2.2.4 of the WADA Prohibited List.

David Branch (UFC): Suspended for two years after testing positive for ipamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing peptide, in an out-of-competition sample.

C.B. Dollaway (UFC): Suspended for two years for testing positive for GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, among other substances. He claimed the substances entered his system during stem cell treatments in Mexico.

Cortney Casey (UFC): Received a four-month suspension after self-reporting use of BPC-157. She did not test positive in any samples — the suspension came from the self-report alone, demonstrating that even voluntary disclosure triggers consequences.

These cases share a pattern: athletes used peptides for recovery from legitimate injuries, often on the advice of wellness providers or clinics outside of sport medicine. That context didn't matter. The result was still a ban.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all peptides banned by WADA?

Not all peptides are banned. Peptides used in FDA-approved medicines are not inherently prohibited — the prohibition depends on the specific substance and its pharmacological effect. Collagen peptides in food supplements, for example, are not banned. But any peptide that functions as a growth hormone secretagogue, GHRP, growth factor modulator, or tissue repair enhancer through banned pathways is prohibited. When in doubt, check WADA's Prohibited List or use the Global DRO database.

Is BPC-157 banned in sports?

Yes. WADA explicitly added BPC-157 to the Prohibited List in 2022. Before that, it was already banned under the S0 category as a non-approved substance. There is no TUE pathway for BPC-157 because it has no approved medical use.

Can I use MK-677 (ibutamoren) as an athlete?

No. MK-677 is specifically named under S2.2.4 as a growth hormone secretagogue. It's prohibited at all times — in-competition and out-of-competition. It has a relatively long detection window compared to injectable peptides.

What about peptide skincare products?

Topical peptide products used for skincare (like copper peptides or matrixyl) are generally not a concern for anti-doping. The peptides in these products don't reach systemic circulation at meaningful levels and don't affect the biological markers that testing targets. However, athletes should verify any product through their NADO or sport governing body.

How long can WADA retest stored samples?

Stored samples can be retested for up to 10 years using improved testing methods. Athletes who "passed" a test in 2020 can still face sanctions in 2030 if new detection technology reveals prohibited substances in their stored samples.

Does the "research chemical" label protect athletes?

Absolutely not. A peptide labeled "for research use only — not for human consumption" is still a prohibited substance under WADA rules. The marketing label is irrelevant. What matters is whether the substance is on the Prohibited List and whether it's found in the athlete's body.

The Bottom Line

WADA's peptide rules leave almost no room for ambiguity. Growth hormone secretagogues, GHRPs, tissue-repair peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500, and their analogs are all prohibited at all times. Testing technology continues to improve, detection windows are expanding, and stored samples can be retested for a decade. The consequences start at a four-year ban and escalate to lifetime exclusion.

For competitive athletes, the practical takeaway is straightforward: avoid all research peptides, verify every supplement through Global DRO or your NADO, and if you have a legitimate medical need that requires a prohibited substance, pursue a TUE well before you need it. The safest peptide for an athlete's career is the one they never take without explicit clearance from their anti-doping authority.

For more on how these rules interact with domestic and international peptide regulations, or for an overview of peptides used in athletic performance, see our related guides.

References

  1. World Anti-Doping Agency. "2026 Prohibited List." WADA, 2025. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list
  2. World Anti-Doping Agency. "2026 Prohibited List (Full PDF)." WADA, September 2025. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
  3. World Anti-Doping Agency. "Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)." WADA. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/athletes-support-personnel/therapeutic-use-exemptions-tues
  4. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. "BPC-157: Experimental Peptide Creates Risk for Athletes." USADA. https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/bpc-157-peptide-prohibited/
  5. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. "World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List." USADA. https://www.usada.org/substances/prohibited-list/
  6. World Anti-Doping Agency. "Enhanced Urinary Stability and Detection Window of Peptide Hormones and Growth Factors by Dried Urine Microsampling." WADA. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/scientific-research/enhanced-urinary-stability-and-detection-window-peptide-hormones-and
  7. Gago Ferrero P, et al. "Synthetic Peptides in Doping Control: A Powerful Tool for an Analytical Challenge." Molecules, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9631397/
  8. World Anti-Doping Agency. "World Anti-Doping Code 2021." WADA. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/2021_wada_code.pdf
  9. Sport Resolutions. "WADA Publishes Tighter Policy on Therapeutic Use Exemptions." 2025. https://www.sportresolutions.com/news/wada-publishes-tighter-policy-on-therapeutic-use-exemptions
  10. Global Sports Advocates. "World Anti-Doping Code Sanctions for Anti-Doping Rule Violations." https://www.globalsportsadvocates.com/library/world-anti-doping-code-sanctions-rule-violations.cfm