BPC-157
A 15-amino acid peptide derived from human gastric juice, extensively studied for tissue regeneration, gut healing, and injury recovery across multiple systems.
Also referenced as: Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736
Also appears in: Muscle Growth
This name primarily lives in the research market and should not be read like an approved pharmaceutical product.
Primary lane: Recovery. Also surfaces under Muscle Growth for browsing and discovery.
Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736
No FDA label signal · 2 trials · 214 PubMed results
BPC-157 has human trials registered, but none have reported controlled results yet. Most current claims about what it does in people rest on preclinical (lab or animal) work, not published human data.
BPC-157 has 1 name-matched clinical trial (highest phase: Phase 2) and 211 PubMed-indexed publications and is not FDA-approved. Human trials are registered but none have posted results yet. Note: 1 retracted publication in the literature.
Re-checked nightly against the registries — tracked since 2026-07-09. No band changes yet.
Grades evidence strength, not efficacy or safety. Research-use context; not medical advice. Graded 2026-07-13 from PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, openFDA, Health Canada, and OpenAlex — computed deterministically and refreshed nightly, with a retraction check. How we grade →
What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a synthetic pentadecapeptide — a chain of 15 amino acids — derived from a protective protein found in human gastric juice. It’s one of the most widely used peptides in the biohacking and recovery communities, primarily for its regenerative properties across tendons, ligaments, muscles, and the GI tract.
How It Works
BPC-157 operates through several mechanisms:
- Angiogenesis: Promotes formation of new blood vessels, improving blood supply to injured areas
- Growth factor modulation: Upregulates growth hormone receptors and interacts with the nitric oxide system
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Reduces inflammatory markers in damaged tissue
- Gut-brain axis: Interacts with the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems
Common Use Cases
- Tendon and ligament injuries — The most common application
- Muscle tears and strains
- Gut healing — IBS, leaky gut, NSAID-induced damage
- Post-surgical recovery
- Joint inflammation
Dosing
Typical dosing protocols range from 250-500mcg per day, administered subcutaneously near the injury site or in the abdominal fat. Most protocols run for 4-8 weeks.
Reconstitution: A standard 5mg vial reconstituted with 2ml of bacteriostatic water yields a concentration of 2.5mg/ml (2500mcg/ml). A 250mcg dose = 10 units on an insulin syringe.
Research Status
BPC-157 has extensive animal study data but limited human clinical trial data. Most evidence comes from rat and mouse models. A Phase 1 human trial for inflammatory bowel disease has been completed, but results are still being evaluated.
Side Effects
Generally well-tolerated. Reported side effects are mild and uncommon:
- Injection site redness or irritation
- Mild nausea (more common with oral administration)
- Headache (rare)
- Dizziness (rare)
The Bottom Line
BPC-157 is the workhorse healing peptide. If you have a tendon, ligament, or gut issue, this is typically the first compound to consider. The animal data is compelling, and the real-world anecdotal evidence from the community is extensive. The main limitation is the lack of large-scale human trials.