BPC-157 is a lab-made peptide of 15 amino acids (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val), first derived from a protein in human gastric juice; the name stands for “body protection compound”. It is popular for injuries because animal studies report faster healing of tendons, ligaments, muscle and the gut. The human evidence is very thin: the FDA counted five small reports in 2026, and a 2026 systematic review rated their certainty very low. It is not approved anywhere, and WADA bans it at all times.
This review brings together our older BPC-157 guides (including the “Wolverine peptide” articles) and checks every claim against the studies. For the injectable peptide most often paired with it, see BPC-157 vs TB-500.
What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids) based on part of a protein found in gastric juice. It is not a hormone, a steroid or a SARM, and the FDA notes that its molecular target is still unknown. It is sold as a powder in vials for injection and as capsules; SwissChems sells the vial as BPC-157 with arginine salt, and the FDA notes that published human reports rarely say which salt form they used. Other names: body protection compound 157, PL 14736, pentadecapeptide BPC 157.
What the human studies show
| Study | People | What was given | Result | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulcerative colitis trial | 53 adults with mild to moderate UC, vs placebo | 80 mg enema daily for 2 weeks | Disease score fell 3.2 vs 1.6 points; FDA called the data inadequate to show benefit | Randomized, but only a meeting abstract |
| Phase 1 enema study | 32 healthy volunteers | 0.25–2 mg/kg enema, single dose then 7 days | No significant drug-related adverse events; blood levels mostly undetectable | Meeting abstracts only |
| Knee pain chart review | 16 adults | 2–4 mg injected into the knee, 1–2 doses | 14 of 16 reported relief in a phone survey | No control group |
| Bladder pain pilot | 12 women with interstitial cystitis | 10 mg injected into the bladder wall once | 10 of 12 reported full symptom resolution | No control group |
| IV safety pilot | 2 adults | 10 mg then 20 mg IV | No side effects or lab changes | 2 people |
That is the entire human evidence base the FDA found in July 2026. None of these studies set a dose for any condition, none tested sports injuries, and the longest lasted two weeks. A Phase 2 trial in hamstring strains is now recruiting. All of these are in the fact sheet above and in the database.
What animal and lab studies show
Most of what is claimed for BPC-157 comes from animal and cell studies, largely from one research group in Zagreb:
- Tendons: in rats, it sped up healing of cut Achilles tendons and stimulated tendon cells in the lab.
- Blood vessels: in rats, chick embryos and human endothelial cells, it increased new vessel growth, with raised VEGFR2 signaling.
- Gut: it was first studied for stomach and bowel injury in rodents.
- Brain and mood: in rats under chronic stress, it performed similarly to two antidepressants in behavioral tests.
These results have not been confirmed in controlled human trials. The blood-vessel effect is also why reviews flag a theoretical risk for people with cancer: growing new vessels is useful for healing and unhelpful for tumors.
BPC-157 benefits: what is and isn’t established
| Claim | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Faster tendon and ligament healing | Animal studies; not tested in human trials |
| Joint pain relief | One uncontrolled chart review (16 people) |
| Gut healing (ulcerative colitis) | One small randomized trial, abstract only; benefit not shown |
| Bladder pain (interstitial cystitis) | One uncontrolled pilot (12 women) |
| Muscle growth | None in humans |
| Mood and brain protection | Rat studies only |
| Blood pressure “stabilizing” | Animal studies only |
Side effects
In the enema studies, headache and flatulence were the most common events, at similar rates to placebo. The FDA’s adverse event database holds three reports: injection-site redness and swelling (the person was also injecting thymosin), shortness of breath after a compounded injection, and skin and gum darkening with a “research use” product that contained BPC-157 and TB-500. The FDA also notes that injected peptides may trigger immune reactions, which has not been tested for BPC-157. Long-term safety is unknown: no human study lasted more than two weeks, and reviews flag unregulated manufacturing and contamination.
Not recommended with active cancer
Because BPC-157 promotes blood-vessel growth in animal studies, reviews flag a theoretical risk for anyone with a current or past cancer. This has not been studied.
Half-life, forms and how it is taken
Its half-life has not been measured in people. In rats and dogs given BPC-157 into a vein, the half-life was under 30 minutes (about 15 minutes in rats and 5 in dogs), and in the human enema studies blood levels were mostly below the detection limit. It is sold as injectable powder (vials, reconstituted before use) and as oral capsules; the human reports used enemas, injections into the knee or bladder, and IV infusion, not oral capsules. Oral bioavailability in people is unknown. Capsules are covered in BPC-157 capsules.
Dosing
We do not give personal doses. The human reports used 2–4 mg injected into the knee, 10 mg injected once into the bladder wall, 10 mg then 20 mg by IV drip, and 80 mg daily as an enema for two weeks. None of them established a dose for any condition. The microgram-per-kilogram “protocols” seen online come from animal studies and user forums, not human trials.
BPC-157 in sports
BPC-157 has long been popular in combat sports and bodybuilding for injury recovery, which is where the “Wolverine peptide” nickname comes from. WADA names it under S0 (non-approved substances), banned in and out of competition, and it stays on the 2027 List. Anti-doping labs have published validated urine tests that detect it and its breakdown products at very low levels. See SARMs and WADA and PEDs in combat sports.
Is BPC-157 legal?
It is not an approved drug anywhere we could find. In the US, it is not on the list of substances pharmacies may compound; the FDA lists it as “nominated but withdrawn” from its Category 2 safety-risk list. On 23 July 2026, the FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 8–6 (1 abstention) to recommend adding it to the compounding list for ulcerative colitis, after FDA staff advised against; the vote is non-binding and the FDA had not decided as of 30 October 2026. In Australia, it is a Schedule 4 prescription-only medicine, and possession without authority is illegal. More in our news post FDA panel votes on BPC-157, TB-500 and MOTS-c.
BPC-157 and TB-500
They are different peptides that are often sold together. BPC-157 has 15 amino acids and comes from a stomach protein; TB-500 is a 7-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4. Neither is approved, both are banned by WADA (in different sections), and TB-500 has no completed human study at all. The one FDA adverse event report of skin darkening involved a BPC-157 and TB-500 blend. See BPC-157 vs TB-500, the TB-500 review and peptides for healing and recovery.
Where to buy BPC-157
Quality is the main risk with any research peptide: the FDA and recent reviews flag unregulated manufacturing and contamination. Sarmguide’s pick is SwissChems, which publishes independent test results per batch and sells BPC-157 as vials (arginine salt), capsules and a BPC-157 + TB-500 blend. Always check the batch’s certificate of analysis; our lab tests guide explains how.
Conclusion
BPC-157 has an impressive animal literature and almost no human evidence: five small reports, none in sports injuries, rated very low certainty. Its half-life in people is unknown, its long-term safety is unknown, and it is not approved anywhere, though a July 2026 FDA panel narrowly backed compounding for ulcerative colitis. If you use the term “Wolverine peptide”, know that it describes rat studies. Related: BPC-157 capsules · peptides for bodybuilding · peptides for gut health
Charts
| Dose studied | Who took part | Duration | What the study found | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mg rectal enema once daily | 53 adults with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, randomized against placebo | 2 weeks | randomized controlled trial (meeting abstract only) Disease score fell 3.2 points with BPC-157 and 1.6 with placebo. The confidence interval for the difference crossed zero, and FDA called the data inadequate to show benefit. | fda.gov 2026 |
| 0.25 to 2 mg/kg rectal enema, single dose then daily for 7 days | 32 healthy volunteers (24 received BPC-157) | 1 dose, 1-week washout, then 7 days | placebo-controlled phase 1 (meeting abstracts only) No significant adverse events were attributed to the drug. Headache and flatulence were the most common events, at similar rates to placebo. Blood levels were mostly below the detection limit. | fda.gov 2026 |
| 2 to 4 mg injected into the knee joint, 1 or 2 doses | 16 adults with knee pain (12 got BPC-157 alone, 4 with thymosin beta-4) | most were injected 6 to 12 months before the survey | retrospective chart review 14 of 16 reported pain relief in a phone survey. There was no control group and no standard outcome measure. | PubMed 2021 |
| 10 mg total, injected into the bladder wall in one procedure | 12 women with interstitial cystitis who had not responded to pentosan polysulfate | single procedure | single-arm pilot 10 of 12 reported complete symptom resolution. No adverse events were reported. There was no control group. | PubMed 2024 |
| 10 mg IV on day 1, then 20 mg IV on day 2 | 2 adults (aged 58 and 68) | 2 days | single-arm safety pilot No side effects and no changes in tested heart, liver, kidney, thyroid or glucose markers. | PubMed 2025 |
Sources: the studies linked in the table.
Source: Sarmguide compound database; BPC-157 value: FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, 23-24 July 2026: BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (2026).
More on BPC-157
Frequently asked questions
What is BPC-157?
A synthetic 15-amino-acid peptideEvidence: Human data
A lab-made peptide based on a protein in human gastric juice, sold for injury recovery and gut health. Its molecular target is still unknown, and it is not approved anywhere.
Does BPC-157 work?
Unproven in peopleEvidence: Animal
In animal studies it sped up healing of tendons, gut and other tissues. In people there are only five small reports, mostly without a control group, rated very low certainty by a 2026 systematic review.
Is BPC-157 FDA approved?
NoEvidence: Law
In July 2026 an FDA advisory committee voted 8–6 to recommend allowing pharmacy compounding for ulcerative colitis, against FDA staff advice. The FDA had not made a final decision as of 30 October 2026.
What are the side effects of BPC-157?
Long-term safety unknownEvidence: Human data
In the enema studies, headache and flatulence were most common, at placebo-like rates. FDA reports include injection-site swelling, shortness of breath and skin darkening with a BPC-157/TB-500 blend.
What is the half-life of BPC-157?
Not measured in peopleEvidence: Animal
In rats and dogs given it into a vein, the half-life was under 30 minutes. It has never been measured in people.
Can BPC-157 be taken orally?
Oral absorption unknownEvidence: Limited
It is sold as capsules, but oral absorption in people has not been measured. None of the human reports used oral capsules: they used enemas, injections and IV infusion.
Is BPC-157 a steroid?
No, it is a peptideEvidence: Lab
It is a short chain of amino acids, not a hormone, a steroid or a SARM. It does not act like testosterone or other steroids.
What is the amino acid sequence of BPC-157?
GEPPPGKPADDAGLVEvidence: Lab
Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV), formula C62H98N16O22.
How long does BPC-157 take to work?
UnknownEvidence: Limited
No human trial has measured this; in the knee-pain chart review, patients were surveyed months after their injection. Online timelines come from user reports.
Is BPC-157 banned in sport?
Yes, banned by WADAEvidence: Law
WADA lists it under S0 (non-approved substances), banned in and out of competition, and it remains on the 2027 List. Validated urine tests exist.
Can you stack BPC-157 with TB-500?
Combination never studiedEvidence: Limited
They are often sold together, but no study has tested the combination. The one FDA report of skin and gum darkening involved a BPC-157 and TB-500 product.
Sources
- FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, 23-24 July 2026: BPC-157-related bulk drug substances
- Human evidence for BPC-157 in orthopaedic and regenerative medicine: a systematic review of efficacy and safety
- Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review
- Dangers of Injectable Peptides and Other Unregulated "Biohacking" Drugs
- Pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of body-protective compound 157, a potential drug for treating various wounds, in rats and dogs
- Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain
- Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study
- Safety of Intravenous Infusion of BPC157 in Humans: A Pilot Study
- Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth
- Therapeutic potential of pro-angiogenic BPC157 is associated with VEGFR2 activation and up-regulation
- The antidepressant effect of an antiulcer pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in Porsolt's test and chronic unpredictable stress in rats. A comparison with antidepressants
- Detection and in vitro metabolism of the confiscated peptides BPC 157 and MGF R23H
- Stable Isotope Labeling-Based Nontargeted Strategy for Characterization of the In Vitro Metabolic Profile of a Novel Doping BPC-157 in Doping Control by UHPLC-HRMS
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07437547: Phase 2 trial of BPC 157 for acute grade II hamstring strain (recruiting)
- AJMC: FDA Panel Backs 6 Peptides for Compounding (31 Jul 2026)
- World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026
- PubChem: BPC 157 (CID 9941957), sequence Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val, C62H98N16O22