BPC-157
/B · P · C one-five-seven/aka Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736, Pentadecapeptide BPC 157
A 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric protein with a large rodent healing literature and almost no controlled human data.
BPC-157: educational research discussion. Not medical advice. Not a protocol for you.Details
- Reported range
- 250–500 mcg
- Frequency
- 1–2× daily
- Cycle length
- 4–8 weeks, then a break
- Half-life
- Short in animals; unknown in humans
- Route
- SC or oral
Reported figures describe what is published or discussed. None of them is a dose for you.
Mechanism
What it is proposed to do
Proposed mechanisms come almost entirely from animal and cell studies: pro-angiogenic signaling through VEGFR2, modulation of the nitric oxide system, and increased growth-hormone-receptor expression and FAK–paxillin signaling in tendon fibroblasts. None of these has been confirmed as the operative mechanism in people.
- 01
BPC-157
15-aa fragment; stable in gastric juice in lab tests
established - 02
VEGFR2 · NO system
Pro-angiogenic signaling in rodent and cell models
proposed - 03
Fibroblast migration
FAK–paxillin and GH-receptor changes in tendon cell cultures
proposed - 04
Faster healing in rodents
Tendon, ligament, muscle and GI lesion models
proposed
Half-life. Poorly characterized in humans. Animal pharmacokinetic work suggests fast clearance from plasma, well under an hour.
Dosing & cycles
What is reported, and where it comes from
Numbers below are labeled FDA label, clinical trial range or commonly reported range. They describe the published and discussed landscape. They are not instructions and not a protocol for you.
Dosing studio
Every figure is labeled by where it comes from.
Scale view: Commonly reported injectable range
Probe at 375 mcg: inside the reported band (250–500 mcg). Drag it to read the scale. It does not pick a number for you.
Typical cycle, as a calendar
Daily block
4–8 weeks, then a break
The most repeated community pattern: daily use for a defined block, then time off. The break length is convention, not data.
Cycle patterns
Daily block
The most repeated community pattern: daily use for a defined block, then time off. The break length is convention, not data.
Extended block
Some discussions run longer blocks for slow-healing tissue like tendon. No human data show that longer is better, or safe.
Stacks
What it gets combined with
Why people pair things, and what nobody has tested.
Wolverine stack
2 compounds- Why people combine these
- Pairs BPC-157's proposed angiogenic and fibroblast effects with TB-500's proposed cell-migration effects. Different mechanisms, same target tissue.
- Caution
- No human study has tested the pair. Two unverified compounds do not add up to one verified stack.
- What is unknown
- No published human data on this combination: dosing, interactions and long-term effects are all unstudied.
Repair + GH-axis
3 compounds- Why people combine these
- Some add a GH secretagogue for its proposed effect on collagen synthesis and recovery.
- Caution
- Layers growth signaling on top of a pro-angiogenic compound. With any cancer history, this belongs in a conversation with an oncologist, not a forum.
- What is unknown
- No published human data on this combination: dosing, interactions and long-term effects are all unstudied.
Also sold in pre-mixed blends
What a blend changesIn a blend, BPC-157 cannot be adjusted on its own, and the mixture has no human data of its own. Typical vial formats shown; labels vary.
Evidence
How much of this is known
Evidence grade
C
Thin human data
Human data thin (pilots, uncontrolled, or none completed). Strong animal data and a lot of anecdote.
How we gradeLarge rodent literature, much of it from one research group. Human data limited to tiny uncontrolled reports.
Human trial status
As of 2026 the published human record is three small uncontrolled reports: a 2021 retrospective review of 16 knee-pain patients given intra-articular injections, a 2024 pilot in 12 women with interstitial cystitis, and a 2025 two-person IV safety pilot. A Phase I trial registered in 2015 was cancelled without results. A randomized Phase II trial in hamstring strains was registered in 2026 and has not reported.
Limitations
- No placebo-controlled human efficacy data.
- Much of the animal literature comes from one research group, which limits independent replication.
- Doses discussed online are extrapolated from rodent studies.
- FDA staff told the 2026 advisory committee the substance is not well characterized, which makes quality standards hard to set.
Sources to read
- Sikiric P. et al. Rodent studies of BPC 157 in tendon, muscle and GI healing (1993–2025)
- Chang CH et al. BPC 157, tendon fibroblasts, FAK–paxillin and GH receptor (J Appl Physiol 2011; Molecules 2014)
- Hsieh MJ et al. BPC157 and VEGFR2 activation (J Mol Med 2017)
- Lee E, Padgett B. Intra-articular BPC 157 for knee pain, retrospective (Altern Ther Health Med 2021)
- Lee E, Walker C, Ayadi B. BPC-157 in interstitial cystitis, pilot (Altern Ther Health Med 2024)
- Lee E, Burgess K. Safety of intravenous BPC157 in humans, pilot (Altern Ther Health Med 2025)
- Regeneration or Risk? A narrative review of BPC-157 for musculoskeletal healing (Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2025)
- FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 23–24, 2026
Links open PubMed, DailyMed, FDA or trial-registry searches. We do not cite what we have not described accurately.
Safety
Side effects, cautions, status
Commonly reported effects
- Injection-site redness, itching or bruising.
- Anecdotal nausea, lightheadedness or headache.
- Product quality is the largest practical risk: gray-market vials vary in purity, content and endotoxin.
- Theoretical concern: pro-angiogenic signaling could support tumor blood supply. There is no human data either way.
Who should be extra cautious
- Active or past cancer. Pro-angiogenic mechanism is a theoretical concern with no human data to settle it.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. No data at all.
- Tested athletes. Prohibited at all times (WADA S0).
- Gray-market product. Purity, dose accuracy and endotoxin vary between vendors and batches.
Legal & regulatory status
Not approved as a drug anywhere. In April 2026 FDA removed it from its Category 2 compounding-risk list. In July 2026 an FDA advisory committee voted 8–6 (1 abstention) to recommend it for the 503A bulks list. Until FDA finishes rulemaking, that is a recommendation, not permission to compound.
2026 compounding context. July 23–24, 2026: FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee recommended BPC-157 for the 503A bulks list 8–6, against the advice of FDA staff, who called the substance poorly characterized. Legal compounding requires a final FDA rule.
WADA. Prohibited at all times under S0 (non-approved substances) and named explicitly on the list.
Storage & handling, high level
Sold as lyophilized powder. Reconstituted peptides are generally kept refrigerated, away from light, and degrade over weeks. Sterile technique and product quality matter more than any number on this page.
Reconstitution and injection technique are clinical skills. The reconstitution calculator does arithmetic only.
FAQ
Questions people ask about BPC-157
Why do people call it Wolverine?
Is BPC-157 legal to compound now?
Does oral BPC-157 work?
Is injecting near the injury better?
Is it safe?
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