Alex Boutin began going to the gym as a teenager, where people introduced him to PEDs, including peptides and now his sister is warning others about the unregulated substances

NEED TO KNOW

A woman has spoken out about the dangers of using unregulated peptides nearly two years after the death of her brother.

Alex Boutin, from Sydney, died from a heart attack in October 2024 at age 33 after years of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), including peptides.

His sister, Isabella Boutin, told ABC Australia that a loved one found him collapsed at home after he went out to dinner with friends.

She explained that doctors told the family his substance use “would have had that impact on his heart.”

Isabella told 7News that she only found out about his peptide use a few years before he died, and that her brother assured her they were safe.

“I had no idea that they were going to be dangerous at all,” she said.

Per ABC Australia, Alex became addicted to steroids and unregulated injectable peptides after people at his gym told him about them.

Police found a number of PEDs at his home after his death, the outlet reported.

Peptides, short chains of amino acids, are sometimes used for their muscle-building, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, Medical News Today explains. However, more research is needed to understand their safety and effectiveness.

“There are no real words to describe the loss that we’ve had in our family,” Isabella told 7News.

“I’ve seen my parents absolutely devastated by losing their son and me as a sibling; it’s almost like you’ve been amputated.”

She explained to ABC Australia that her brother struggled with aggression, anxiety and depression after being introduced to PEDs as a teenager.

“Alex was, essentially, a really sweet boy. Very vulnerable. Didn’t have much self-confidence. When he was about 17, he started going to the gym. He wanted to bulk up, as a lot of guys want to at that age,” she explained.

“He had been dumped by a girlfriend at the time. Apparently, the girl had told him he was small and a bit skinny.”

Alex’s experience highlights concerns over the safety and reliability of unregulated products, according to Dr. Timothy Piatkowski, a researcher at the University of Queensland.

“The testing that we’ve done via my research program… showed that not only were the products underdosed but they were also overdosed,” he told 7News.

“Some of them had nothing in them. Some of them had 190% of the actual dose.”

He added, “We need to ensure that people who are using these products… have safer injecting guidance.”

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Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has launched a crackdown on unregulated peptides, targeting those who illegally advertise, import and supply the products, per 7News.

Across the ocean, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also taken action against unregulated peptide sellers, warning that unapproved injectable products can pose serious and potentially life-threatening risks.

Isabella, who is currently working on a foundation to support research into performance-enhancing drugs, tells PEOPLE that she is hoping to raise awareness of the potential risks of taking peptides in schools and medical centers.

“Sharing my brother’s story is the most painful, yet important, thing I will do,” she explained. “Out of deep love for him, I want to shine a light on the quiet crisis of body enhancement drug use. My hope is that by being honest about the darkness that took him from us, his memory can serve as a life – saving shield for someone else.

“These drugs kill, and saving even one life is the ultimate tribute to the brother I miss every day and wished I could have saved.”