Recovery
Body Protection Compound-157
A synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a gastric juice protein and studied for tissue repair and gut barrier integrity.
BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid synthetic peptide whose sequence is derived from a protective protein found in human gastric juice. Across preclinical models it shows broad effects on tendon and ligament healing, gut barrier integrity, and modulation of inflammatory pathways. Human data is limited; most claims rest on animal studies. Researchers use it most often for tissue repair protocols.
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Best $/mg
Solution PeptidesTestedCAPSULES – BPC-157 1mg x 60 Capsules (Salt Arginate)
$99.00
$99.00/mg · 1mg
Atomik LabzTestedCAPSULES – BPC-157 500mcg x 90 Capsules (Salt Arginate)
$99.00
$198.00/mg · 500mcg
Solution PeptidesTestedCAPSULES – BPC-157 500mcg x 90 Capsules (Salt Arginate)
$99.00
$198.00/mg · 500mcg
Evidence level
Preclinical only
A 15-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from a protective protein in human gastric juice. Studied for tendon, ligament, and gut healing; evidence is heavily preclinical with very limited human trials.
Mechanism
Promotes angiogenesis and modulates growth factor expression and nitric oxide pathways.
Researched benefits
Tendon and ligament repair
Rodent models of Achilles transection and medial collateral ligament injury show accelerated collagen organization and tensile strength recovery. Effects are reproducible across multiple labs and are the most-cited mechanism.
Gut barrier integrity
In rat models of inflammatory bowel disease, NSAID-induced gastric lesions, and esophagitis, BPC-157 reduces mucosal damage and restores tight junction proteins. This is the original use case — the parent protein was isolated from gastric juice.
Angiogenesis and microvascular repair
Upregulates VEGFR2 expression and promotes formation of new capillaries in injured tissue, which is the leading mechanistic hypothesis for its broad pro-healing profile.
Modulation of the nitric oxide system
Counteracts both excessive and deficient NO signaling in rat models, which may explain effects on vascular tone and gastric mucosa.
Risks & cautions
No completed human safety trials
Despite three decades of preclinical work, no published phase II or III human trials exist. All safety claims extrapolate from rodent studies and clinical anecdote. The compound is not approved and was withdrawn from the regulatory bulk compounding list in 2023.
Unclear effect on tumor angiogenesis
Because it promotes angiogenesis, theoretical concern exists for occult or active malignancy. No tumor-promoting effect has been demonstrated in animal models, but the question is unresolved.
Injection-site reactions
Mild erythema and transient soreness are the most commonly reported acute effects. Lipohypertrophy with repeated dosing at the same site is possible.
Oral bioavailability uncertainty
Oral BPC-157 shows efficacy in rodents at gut-localized targets, but systemic absorption is not well characterized in humans. Subcutaneous delivery is the most-studied route.
Dosing
250–500 mcg subcutaneously once daily, near the injury site when possible, in 4–8 week cycles.
Vial sizes
5mg / 10mg
Half-life
Short (under 30 minutes plasma)
Route
subcutaneous, oral
Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water. Plasma half-life is short (~30 minutes) which is why daily or twice-daily dosing is common. Local subcutaneous injection near the injury is anecdotal practice — no head-to-head trial against distant injection exists.
Contraindications
In depth
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a 15-amino-acid synthetic peptide. Its sequence was derived from a larger protein, BPC, isolated from human gastric juice in the early 1990s by Predrag Sikirić's group in Zagreb. Sikirić's lab has produced the majority of published BPC-157 research over the last three decades.
The parent protein appears to serve a protective role in the gastric environment — an organ that survives constant acid and enzymatic insult. The therapeutic hypothesis was that a stable fragment retaining the bioactive core could be deployed exogenously for tissue repair beyond the gut.
BPC-157 does not have a well-defined single receptor. Its activity appears to be pleiotropic, working through several converging pathways:
The lack of a single canonical receptor is one reason mainstream pharmacology has been slow to engage with the compound — it doesn't fit the standard target-validation framework.
Human data is very limited:
Extensive. Rat and mouse models consistently show:
The breadth of effects across organ systems is unusual and is part of why some skeptics view the literature with caution — the signal looks "too good." That said, the work is reproducible within the Zagreb group and replicated in several Asian labs.
Frequently paired with:
No pharmacological conflicts are well documented. Caution is reasonable when combining with anticoagulants given the angiogenic effects on microvasculature.
References
