BPC-157

The letters BPC stand for Body Protection Compound: a peptide built from 15 amino acids whose template is a protective sequence found in human gastric juice. Its synthetic form has been examined in preclinical models for more than twenty years.

What the research describes so far:

• Tissues under investigation: tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, skin, the gastrointestinal tract, cornea and nerve tissue.
• Tendon model: after an experimentally induced Achilles injury, mechanics and function recovered faster than in the control group.
• Activity with both local and systemic administration in the experimental set-up.
• Compared with classic growth factors like TGF-β and EGF, the peptide needs no carrier system in these models and remains well available.

Three building blocks are discussed as the mechanism: tendon fibroblasts express more growth hormone receptors under BPC-157, migration of these cells is encouraged, and the signalling around nitric oxide is modulated. The molecule is also notable for its stability. It withstands enzymatic breakdown far better than most other peptides, which researchers regard as a distinguishing feature.

In regeneration studies BPC-157 frequently appears alongside TB-500, because the two molecules act at different points of tissue repair. Go through the literature and you will keep finding this pair side by side.

More than two decades of animal data show no signal of toxicity, even at high amounts. That should not be mistaken for proven safety in humans: long-term human studies do not exist, and the mild picture comes from animal work and brief periods of experience.

What is reported:

• At the injection site after subcutaneous administration: redness, a feeling of pressure or a brief irritation. This is by far the most frequent observation.
• Occasionally shortly after administration: a sensation of warmth, slight dizziness or tiredness.

This summary is no substitute for medical advice.

• Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 enhances the growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts - cell culture with rat tendon fibroblasts: more growth hormone receptors depending on amount and exposure time, followed by stronger cell division once growth hormone was added.
• BPC 157 Therapy After Surgical Quadriceps Muscle Detachment in Rats - rat model of reattaching a detached muscle to bone.
• Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing - critical review of tendon, ligament and muscle work: positive results that come almost entirely from rodent studies by a few groups, with human data still missing.
• BPC 157 and Striated, Smooth, and Heart Muscle - review of effects on skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle.