Healing & recovery

BPC-157: published research

Also known as Body Protection Compound-157 (pentadecapeptide)

GEPPPGKPADDAGLV

A 15-amino-acid peptide taken from a protein in human gastric juice. It is one of the most studied repair peptides in animal research. Studies look at new blood-vessel growth, how repair cells reach damaged tissue, and models of tendon, muscle and gut injury.

Evidence at a glance

3 studies 2003–2025

1 Human trial
1 Human study
1 Animal study

What researchers look at

Blood-vessel growth
Tendon healing
Gut protection
Muscle injury

What is still unknown

Most published research on it is in animals; the human data so far are one small pilot study and one look-back review, with no controlled trials.

Studies in people

Human trial
In an uncontrolled pilot study of two healthy adults, intravenous BPC-157 infusions on two consecutive days were tolerated with no reported side effects and no measurable changes in tested heart, liver, kidney, thyroid or blood-glucose markers.
Lee E, et al. Safety of Intravenous Infusion of BPC157 in Humans: A Pilot Study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2025. PMID 40131143
Human study
In a look-back review of 16 people with knee pain given knee injections of BPC-157, alone or with thymosin beta-4, most reported relief; there was no control group.
Lee E, Padgett B. Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2021. PMID 34324435

Animal studies

Animal study
In rats with cut Achilles tendons, BPC-157 improved mechanical, functional and microscopic healing measures compared with saline.
Staresinic M, et al. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2003. PMID 14554208

Studied together

BPC-157 + TB-500
In rats with repaired Achilles tendons, BPC-157, TB-500 and the two combined all improved tendon healing; the combination showed no added benefit over either peptide alone.
Biçer O, et al. Effects of BPC-157 and TB-500 on Achilles tendon healing in rats: A histopathological and biomechanical study. Joint Diseases and Related Surgery. 2026. PMID 42542926
BPC-157 + Thymosin β4 (TB-500)
In a look-back review, 4 of 16 people with knee pain received knee injections of BPC-157 plus thymosin beta-4; 3 of those 4 reported relief. There was no control group.
Lee E, Padgett B. Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2021. PMID 34324435

Short summaries of published studies, with links to the original papers. Results in animals or cells may not apply to people. This is not medical advice and not a guide to use.