BPC-157: Science-Backed Healing Insights

Written by Johnathon Anderson, Ph.D., a research scientist specializing in regenerative medicine and serving as an Associate Professor at the University of California Davis School of Medicine 

What is BPC-157?

BPC-157 is a peptide with anti-inflammatory and tissue-healing properties. BPC-157, made up of 15 amino acids (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val), was discovered in human gastric juices in 1991 by Dr. Sikiric, MD, PhD. (1) BPC-157 research has been published in over 180 scientific, peer-reviewed papers demonstrating its therapeutic properties. BPC-157 has been shown to help heal various injuries, including ligaments, tendons, muscle, and gastrointestinal issues. (2) Think of this peptide as the body’s internal repairman, working to fix damaged tissues and reduce inflammation. (3)

Does BPC-157 help heal knee injuries?

BPC-157 helps heal knee injuries, as well as ligament, tendon and muscle injuries. BPC-157 was shown in a clinical trial to have outstanding efficacy in healing knee injuries, with 91% of patients experiencing significant improvement in their knee injuries, making BPC-157 a promising result for those suffering from joint damage and knee pain. (4)

This same Phase I clinical trial also tested thymosin beta 4 as a co-therapy with BPC-157, which worked extremely well for these patients. Thymosin beta 4 is the protein from which TB-500 is derived. TB-500 is also commonly researched as a co-therapy alongside BPC-157, as is often hailed as being the next breakthrough treatment for connective tissue and joint injuries. (4) BPC-157's and TB-500's therapeutic effects have been established in over 180 preclinical research studies. However, further testing in clinical trials is still needed.

Does BPC-157 help tendon injuries?

BPC-157 helps heal tendon injuries, as demonstrated in several published preclinical studies. These preclinical studies suggest that BPC-157 could potentially offer significant clinical benefits in tendon injuries. (5) BPC-157 has been shown to: biomechanically withstand an increased load prior to failure, a higher load before failure per area, and increased Young’s modulus of elasticity. (6)

In addition, BPC-157 was shown to induce more mononuclear cells and less granulocytes in tendon tissues, along with superior formation of fibroblasts, and connective structures containing reticulin and collagen. (7) BPC-157 treatment also resulted in tendon defects with a smaller size and the re-establishment of full tendon integrity. (8)

Does BPC-157 help ligament injuries?

BPC-157 helps ligament injuries by restoring ligament integrity and increasing its function and biomechanical parameters. (9) In addition, BPC-157 treatment demonstrated an improvement in macroscopic and histological assessments of treated ligaments. (9)

Does BPC-157 help muscle injuries?

BPC-157 helps heal muscle injuries by repairing the site of injury and improving functional outcomes. (10) In preclinical studies, BPC-157 has been shown to improve the biomechanical load of muscles prior to failure and improve walking recovery, with the motor function index returning to normal healthy values). Histological analysis determined that BPC-157 treatment of injured muscle resulted in significant desmin staining positivity, which is a sign of muscle regeneration, and myofibril with larger diameters similar to that of normal healthy values.

Does BPC-157 Help Gut Health?

BPC-157 helps gut health by facilitating the healing of inflammatory bowel disorders. In one preclinical study, BPC-157 improved epithelium loss and hemorrhagic gastritis lesions in a model of gastric lesions. (11) In addition, BPC-157 treatment is reported to have benefitted patients with inflammatory bowel disease in this study. In another preclinical study, BPC-157 improved outcomes in a model of colitis, and also improved outcomes in another study of colocutaneous fistulas.

Is BPC-157 Used for Doping By Enhanced Athletes?

BPC-157 is used for doping by enhanced athletes, particularly for its purported injury-healing properties and for its ability to allow athletes to recover very fast from hard training sessions. Quick and efficient recovery from hard training sessions is thought to be an unfair advantage because it would let enhanced athletes push their bodies to upper limits that aren't achievable by competitors who don't take BPC-157 or TB-500. This is why both WADA and USADA have banned this peptide due to its ability to convey an unfair advantage in competitive sports. Therefore, professional athletes are banned from using either of these peptides in or outside of competition.

What are the Potential Side Effects of BPC-157?

The potential side effects of BPC-157 are pain, redness, and itchiness at the of injection, in rare cases anxiety. In a clinical trial investigating BPC-157, no side effects were observed across patients. Medical supervision can help mitigate risks associated with BPC 157 use and ensure safe administration. There is a need for further research on the long-term effects of BPC 157, which will provide a more comprehensive understanding of its safety profile, which currently has some limitations. Consult with a healthcare professional and your medical provider to determine the proper dosing regimen, and applications that may be useful for your medical situation. There needs to be an understanding standing of the proper dosing, in addition to considerations for oral dosage side effects and the importance of medical supervision. There is insufficient evidence of long-term safety which is a critical issue that needs to be considered.

Mechanisms of Action of BPC-157

BPC-157, also known as Body Protection Compound 157, is a synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a natural and stable gastric peptide in the body, making it a highly biocompatible therapy. BPC-157 promotes nitric oxide synthesis, activates tissue repair cells, and inhibits inflammation. BPC-157 is known from animal studies to promote fibroblast motility and proliferation at the site of injury.

Fibroblasts are a key cell type within an injury. Fibroblasts provide some of the firm, strong substrate for bridging injuries. They then allow things like tendons and ligaments to restore themselves from torn or partially torn, to complete tendons or ligaments.

What are Potential Additional Benefits of BPC-157?

The potential additional benefits of BPC-157 include, muscle strength enhancement, increases in cognitive performance, and better joint health have been reported by some. BPC 157 is also reported by some to be helpful in reducing injury risks, reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system, which have the potential to be used as a preventative health measure. BPC-157 may also help with tissue regeneration, and blood flow issues.

Is BPC-157 an Injectable or Taken Orally?

BPC 157 is available in both as an injectable and in an oral pill form. Most research and anecdotal evidence suggests that injectable forms of BPC-157 are more potent than oral forms.

Future Benefits of BPC-157 and Ongoing Studies

Numerous ongoing studies continue to investigate the benefits and risks of BPC-157 therapies for various indications, injuries, and disorders. Many experts in the field anticipate that researchers will publish future results on the application of BPC-157 on diseases associated with chronic inflammation, such as arthritis.

BPC-157 in the Media

Both Dr. Andrew Huberman, PhD and Joe Rogan have spoken extensively about the positive effects that many athletes have experienced with BPC-157. Dr. Huberman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University and educator, is intrigued by the potential of BPC 157. Dr. Huberman is quoted as saying, "I had an L5 compression and I was always in pain... two injections of BPC-157... gone." Joe Rogan, a famous podcaster who perpetually extols the benefits of BPC-157 has been quoted as saying, “I had tendonitis in my elbow that I could not fix, I started using BPC 157 and it was gone in two weeks.”

Consulting a Healthcare Provider

Consulting healthcare professionals before starting BPC-157 is essential to ensure safety and professional guidance.

Conclusion

BPC-157 has tissue healing effects related to connective tissue injuries, as well as potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, further research is still needed to better understand the benefits and risks with BPC-157 usage.

References

1] P Sikiri et al, “Antiulcerogenic and anti-inflammatory effect of a new gastric juice peptide - Body Protection Compound” (1991) Exp Clin Gastroenterol 1, 17-20 https://www.academia.edu/16245074/A_new_gastric_juice_peptide_BPC_An_overview_of_the_stomach_stress_organoprotection_hypothesis_and_beneficial_effects_of_BPC

2] P Sikiri et al, “A new gastric juice peptide, BPC. An overview of the stomach-stress-organoprotection hypothesis and beneficial effects of BPC” J Physiology (1993) 87, 313-327 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/092842579390038U?via%3Dihub

3] S Seiwerth et al, “Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound Healing” Front Pharmacol (2021) Jun 29:12:627533 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.627533/full

4] Lee et al, “Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain” Altern Ther Health Med (2021) Jul;27(4):8-13 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34324435/

5] M Japjec et al, “Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as a Therapy for the Disable Myotendinous Junctions in Rats” Biomedicines (2021) Oct 27;9(11):1547 https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/11/1547

6] Chung-Hsun Chang, Wen-Chung Tsai, Miao-Sui Lin, Ya-Hui Hsu, Jong-Hwei Su Pang "The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration" J Appl Physiol (1985) 2011 Mar;110(3):774-80 https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00945.2010?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org

7] M Staresinic, B Sebecic, L Patrlj, S Jadrijevic, S Suknaic, D Perovic, G Aralica, N Zarkovic, S Borovic, M Srdjak, K Hajdarevic, M Kopljar, L Batelja, A Boban-Blagaic, I Turcic, T Anic, S Seiwerth, P Sikiric "Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth" J Orthop Res 2003 Nov;21(6):976-83 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0736026603001104

8] Sven Seiwerth, Marija Milavic, Jaksa Vukojevic, Slaven Gojkovic, Ivan Krezic, Lovorka Batelja Vuletic, Predrag Sikiric "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound Healing" Front Pharmacol 2021 Jun 29;12:627533 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8275860/

9] T Cerovecki et al, “Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the rat” J Orthop Res (2010) Sep;28(9):1155-61 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20225319/

10] T Novinscak et al, “Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as an effective therapy for muscle crush injury in the rat” Surg Today (2008) 38(8):716-25 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00595-007-3706-2

11] S Gojkovic et al, “Robert's Intragastric Alcohol-Induced Gastric Lesion Model as an Escalated General Peripheral and Central Syndrome, Counteracted by the Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157” Biomedicines (2021) Sep 23;9(10):1300 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34680419/