Six Australians have developed acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit weight loss peptides online. The TGA and the Victorian Department of Health have both issued urgent warnings this week. And yet these products are still a Google search away from anyone who wants them.

If you have seen retatrutide or any weight loss peptide being promoted on TikTok or Instagram, or you know someone who has bought one through a gym contact, a beauty clinic, or an online supplier, this episode is essential listening.

Leanne and Susie cover the full picture this week: what these peptides actually are, why buying them outside of a prescription is genuinely life-threatening, and what you should do instead if weight loss medication is something you are considering.

In this episode:
The breaking Australian story: six people in acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit retatrutide, what happened, how they obtained it, and the urgent warning now issued by the TGA and the Victorian Department of Health
What retatrutide actually is, where it is in the clinical trial process, and why it is not approved in Australia regardless of what you have seen promoted online
Why buying weight loss peptides outside of a prescription is not a grey area: the comparison to buying illicit drugs off the street, what contaminants and counterfeit ingredients can do, and why there is no coming back from liver failure
The right way to access weight loss medication in Australia if it is appropriate for you, what a proper prescription process looks like, and why doing it correctly is not as difficult or expensive as people assume
New research from over 83,000 people published in the Journal of Nutrition: which of the five most well-regarded healthy eating patterns performs best for people with high blood pressure, and why the result confirms what dietitians have been saying for decades
What the DASH diet actually requires in terms of fruit and vegetable intake, why most people who think they are following it are not eating anywhere near enough plant food, and the sodium-to-potassium ratio that makes the biggest difference to blood pressure
The Campbell's Gut Goodness Bone Broth reviewed: 20 grams of protein per pack, Monash low FODMAP certified, acacia prebiotic fibre, less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serve, and a clean ingredient list that genuinely impressed both Leanne and Susie
Thaumatin: what it is, where it comes from, why it sounds more alarming than it is, how it compares to stevia and monk fruit, and whether it is safe to consume

Six Australians have developed acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit weight loss peptides online. The TGA and the Victorian Department of Health have both issued urgent warnings this week. And yet these products are still a Google search away from anyone who wants them.
If you have seen retatrutide or any weight loss peptide being promoted on TikTok or Instagram, or you know someone who has bought one through a gym contact, a beauty clinic, or an online supplier, this episode is essential listening.
Leanne and Susie cover the full picture this week: what these peptides actually are, why buying them outside of a prescription is genuinely life-threatening, and what you should do instead if weight loss medication is something you are considering.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li>The breaking Australian story: six people in acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit retatrutide, what happened, how they obtained it, and the urgent warning now issued by the TGA and the Victorian Department of Health</li>
<li>What retatrutide actually is, where it is in the clinical trial process, and why it is not approved in Australia regardless of what you have seen promoted online</li>
<li>Why buying weight loss peptides outside of a prescription is not a grey area: the comparison to buying illicit drugs off the street, what contaminants and counterfeit ingredients can do, and why there is no coming back from liver failure</li>
<li>The right way to access weight loss medication in Australia if it is appropriate for you, what a proper prescription process looks like, and why doing it correctly is not as difficult or expensive as people assume</li>
<li>New research from over 83,000 people published in the Journal of Nutrition: which of the five most well-regarded healthy eating patterns performs best for people with high blood pressure, and why the result confirms what dietitians have been saying for decades</li>
<li>What the DASH diet actually requires in terms of fruit and vegetable intake, why most people who think they are following it are not eating anywhere near enough plant food, and the sodium-to-potassium ratio that makes the biggest difference to blood pressure</li>
<li>The Campbell's Gut Goodness Bone Broth reviewed: 20 grams of protein per pack, Monash low FODMAP certified, acacia prebiotic fibre, less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serve, and a clean ingredient list that genuinely impressed both Leanne and Susie</li>
<li>Thaumatin: what it is, where it comes from, why it sounds more alarming than it is, how it compares to stevia and monk fruit, and whether it is safe to consume</li>
</ul>

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.

Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.
Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

The Nutrition Couch

Welcome to The Nutrition Couch, a weekly podcast from two of Australia’s leading dietitians & nutritionists, Susie Burrell & Leanne Ward. This is the first nutrition podcast that looks at weekly food & health trends. Every Sunday at 7am AEST, we will be uploading an episode that covers nutrition news, trending food products, case studies and we will also be answering our listener questions. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and follow us on social media @the_nutrition_couch_podcast to ask us questions & see our food product reviews.

Six Australians have developed acute liver failure from counterfeit weight loss peptides bought online, and the TGA has issued an urgent warning this week. Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell break down exactly what happened, why buying peptides outside of a prescription is genuinely life-threatening, and how to access weight loss medication safely in Australia. Plus: an 83,000-person study on the best diet for high blood pressure, the Campbell's Gut Goodness Bone Broth reviewed, and the new sweetener thaumatin explained.

The Weight Loss Peptide Warning Every Australian Needs to Hear Right Now, Plus the Best Diet for High Blood Pressure

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