What Canadians Are Demanding in Wellness: And Why Peptides & Unregulated Therapies Spark Controversy

The Shift in What Canadians Want from Wellness

Over the past few years, what people look for in wellness has changed dramatically. It’s no longer just about cosmetic fixes or gym routines. The wellness consumer today wants:

• Transparency: Clean ingredients, honest labeling, verification. If something claims to help you sleep better, balance hormones, or build muscle, people want clear evidence.
• Prevention, not just correction: More Canadians are investing in lifestyle, nutrition, gut health & immune resilience; things that help you avoid disease, not just treat symptoms.
• Personalization: From genetic testing, biomarker tracking, home health devices to therapies tailored to one’s biology. Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all anymore.
• Value + results: With cost of living rising, people want to see ROI, both in health outcomes and dollars spent.
• Regulatory safety / legitimacy: More consumers now ask: Is this product legal? Is it safe? Who made it? Is there a prescription required? What about long-term impact?

All of these set the stage for interest in advanced therapies, like peptides, hormone optimization, etc., but also set the conditions for serious concern when something is not clearly regulated or tested.

What Are Peptides & Unregulated Therapies: And Why Are They Compelling?

Let’s define “peptides” in this context. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body. In medical settings, certain peptides are used via prescription for specific conditions, for example, growth hormone deficiencies, sometimes for metabolic or skin health, etc.

People are exploring peptides for:

• Anti-aging
• Wellness, recovery, muscle growth
• Fat metabolism
• Healing, joint repair
• Hormone / libido / sexual health

Because the promises are high, many are especially drawn to them. Add to that: hype via social media, anecdotal stories, clinics offering “bio-hacks” or “wellness boosters,” and it becomes a tempting route for those suffering wellness gaps.

But here’s the crux: many of the peptide products being marketed or sold to consumers, especially in injectable form, are unauthorized by Health Canada, not evaluated for safety, efficacy, purity, or proper dosing.

Recent Health Canada Actions: Warnings, Seizures, Risks

To be clear: Health Canada doesn’t allow unauthorized injectable peptide drugs to be sold OTC or online if they have not gone through its prescription drug review process. Some key public safety advisories in 2024–2025 show how seriously they’re acting.

• In April 2025, Health Canada issued an advisory that Prime Research (Sherbrooke, QC) had been selling unauthorized injectable peptides (like BPC-157, TB-500, PT-141) online, products unapproved by Health Canada. These may cause infection, allergy, or other risks. (Newswire)
• On August 1, 2025, Health Canada warned about Canada Peptide selling multiple unauthorized injectable peptides (AOD9604, BPC-157, GHRP-2, GLP-1 (7-37), etc.). (Recalls and Alerts Canada)
• In Calgary, at the Optimum Wellness Centre, unauthorized injectable peptide drugs were seized. (Newswire)
• There have been recurring issues with websites such as Canlab Research promoting injectable peptides like oxytocin and triptorelin, without proper authorization. (CTV News)

These actions show Health Canada is aware, is doing enforcement, and is warning the public. But even with enforcement, there are gaps in consumer knowledge, and the “underground” or gray market is still active.

What Health Canada Approves vs What It Does Not

Here’s a breakdown to help you understand what falls under Health Canada’s acceptable frameworks, and what does not:

What Health Canada Approves vs What It Does Not

Here’s a breakdown to help you understand what falls under Health Canada’s acceptable frameworks, and what does not:

Approved / Regulated

Natural Health Products (NHPs): Vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, non-prescription supplements with Natural Product Numbers (NPNs) that have safety / efficacy claims appropriate to that class.

NOTE: Health Canada allows many supplements under NHP rules, with oversight of labeling, claims, adverse event reporting.

Cosmetics & Topicals: Skin creams, non-injectable skincare, lasers, etc., generally regulated under cosmetic or medical device frameworks.

NOTE: Minor but legitimate risk when people use “DIY” injectables.

Unauthorized / Not Approved

Prescription Drugs / Injectable Peptides / Biologics— these are tightly regulated. Injectable peptides fall here; only certain peptides under prescription, with full clinical trials, safety assessments.

NOTE: Injectable peptides marketed without a drug’s DIN (Drug Identification Number), or sold online without oversight, are illegal. Claims are often unverified.

Wellness / Biohacking Therapies (e.g. hormone boosters, peptides, off-label usage) If marketed as “just wellness,” sold OTC online, or bypassing medical oversight.

NOTE: Allowed IF sourced legally.

Controversies, Risks, and Why It’s Not Just “Harmless Wellness”

• Quality & Purity: Many unauthorized products are not tested, or numerically mislabeled, contaminated, or shipped under poor conditions.
• Unknown Long-term Effects: Without rigorous human clinical trials, we lack data on safety, side effects, interactions.
• Drug Interactions: People might be on other meds or have health conditions unknown to them. Using peptide or hormone treatments unsupervised can be dangerous.
• Legal / Ethical Issues: Importing, selling, or using unauthorized substances can violate regulations, plus put clinics or users at legal risk.
• Misinformation / Hype: Social media amplifies anecdotal success; but lacks scientific rigor. Many claims are based on small animal studies, or even lab-based work, not human trials.

Trends That Align with Regulation & Safer Innovation

Despite the controversy, there are wellness trends emerging that align with what Health Canada supports, that satisfy what consumers want, and that minimize risk. These are good paths for both consumers and wellness brands:

1. Natural Health Products (NHPs) with strong labeling, third-party testing, clean ingredients, plant compounds, amino acids, etc.
2. Supplements for preventive health & everyday wellness: Muscle protein synthesis, immune support, joint health, skin health, gut health.
3. Wellness technologies & non-invasive therapies: aesthetic devices, laser treatments (clinics operating with regulated devices), wellness tracking, digital health, biomarker & at-home testing.
4. Lifestyle interventions: diet, sleep, stress management, exercise. These remain foundational and heavily in demand.
5. Regulatory transparency: customers want brands that show certificates, lab reports, regulatory approvals. Brands that avoid shady marketing and emphasize health professional partnerships.

These align with behaviors we’ve already seen in major parts of the Canadian market.

Expert Opinion from Samantha Almas

As someone deeply invested in building wellness brands with integrity, here’s how I see things, and what I recommend:

• Always prioritize safety and transparency over trends. As much as peptides are “in,” there’s danger in being first without ensuring full compliance. Not only can your reputation suffer, but so can your customers’ health.
• Be clear about what is legal, what is prescribed, and what is experimental. Educate your audience. If something is not Health Canada approved, be honest about it.
• When exploring peptides, go medical route: If a clinic offers a peptide therapy, make sure it is prescribed, with oversight, quality source, full disclosure, and patient monitoring. Many of these are prepared behind closed doors and clients are only “told” what they are getting, but they are not shown!
• Avoid unverified online sources. Many products sold online, or via small wellness clinics, are not traceable. If someone is considering these, insist on third-party lab results (COAs), clear DIN/NPN or drug number, and oversight.
• Focus on “what you can control.” Clean supplements, ethical sourcing, strong branding, real clinical or anecdotal evidence, education content. These build trust.

What This Means for Consumers & Brands

For consumers:

• Do your homework. If you see peptides for sale, check Health Canada’s website for recalls or advisories. Be skeptical of marketing claims with big promises and limited data.
• Ask questions: Where was the peptide manufactured? Does it have a drug number? Is it prescribed? What are side effects?
• Partner with medical professionals. If you want aesthetic/hormonal/peptide work, find a clinic with licensed physicians and medical oversight. But don’t stop there, ask even these licensed doctors, some practice unethically and these are the ones you would least expect!

For wellness brands:

• Stay ahead of regulation. If you're considering offering anything near the peptide / advanced therapy space, talk to legal / regulatory experts.
• Build trust via transparency: lab reports, certifications, disclaimers, evidence.
• Don’t rely purely on hype. Educate customers. Use content marketing to show the science, what's known, what's not.
• Explore telehealth, integrative wellness, and partnerships with regulated medical professionals for offerings that might include injections or peptide use.

Looking Forward: Where the Market is Headed

• We are likely to see tighter Health Canada regulation and more public advisories. The seizure actions (Prime Research, Canada Peptide, etc.) are warning signs.
• Demand for safer alternatives will push more innovation in non-injectable peptides, peptide “analogs,” topical or oral forms (if they can get approval).
• Brands who position themselves as health-first, science-driven, and transparent will win consumer trust.
• Educative content will become central: people want not just a product, but the story behind it.

Conclusion

Wellness isn’t just a trend, it’s a movement toward health, empowerment, and longevity. But with powerful tools like peptides come powerful responsibilities. As Canadians become more educated, more demanding, and more concerned about safety, wellness must evolve in tandem, not ahead of the rules, but within them.

If we want wellness to truly be for everyone, for long term, for real healing, every brand, clinic, and consumer must lean into integrity, wisdom, and regulation, not just innovation for innovation’s sake.

By Samantha Almas – Canadian Entrepreneur | Founder & CEO, IGNITE FUEL SUPPLEMENTS