BPC-157: Complete Guide

BPC-157 is a partial sequence of a larger protein called Body Protection Compound (BPC) that is naturally present in human gastric juice. The full BPC protein plays a protective role in the gastrointestinal tract, and researchers identified that the 15-amino-acid fragment (BPC-157) retains potent biological activity related to tissue protection and regeneration.

The peptide's sequence (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val) is stable in human gastric juice — unusual for a peptide, as most are rapidly degraded in the acidic GI environment. This stability is one reason it has attracted interest for oral as well as injectable research applications.

BPC-157 has been studied in over 100 peer-reviewed papers, primarily from the laboratory of Professor Predrag Sikiric at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The breadth of documented effects — spanning tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, gut, brain, and vascular healing — has led to its description as a "stable gastric pentadecapeptide" with systemic cytoprotective properties.

Despite this extensive preclinical literature, BPC-157 has not completed human clinical trials and is not approved for medical use in any country. It remains a research compound.

BPC-157's regenerative effects involve several interconnected biological mechanisms:

• Angiogenesis promotion: BPC-157 stimulates the formation of new blood vessels at injury sites by upregulating VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and activating the VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signaling pathway. Improved blood supply to damaged tissue is fundamental to healing.
• Nitric oxide (NO) system modulation: BPC-157 has a complex interaction with the NO system, which regulates blood flow, inflammation, and cellular signaling. It appears to normalize NO production — increasing it when deficient and reducing it when excessive — which protects tissues from both ischemic damage and inflammatory damage.
• Growth factor upregulation: In addition to VEGF, BPC-157 increases the expression of EGF (epidermal growth factor), HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), and various growth factor receptors, creating a pro-regenerative environment.
• Tendon and ligament repair: BPC-157 promotes tendon fibroblast proliferation and migration, increases collagen organization at repair sites, and upregulates growth hormone receptor expression in tendon tissue. This has made it particularly studied for musculoskeletal injuries.
• Gut-brain axis interaction: BPC-157 interacts with the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, and research has demonstrated effects on brain function through gut-brain signaling pathways. This includes counteracting the effects of dopaminergic toxins and modulating behavior in animal models.

Musculoskeletal Healing

The largest body of BPC-157 research involves musculoskeletal tissue repair:

• Tendon healing: Studies in rats showed BPC-157 accelerated Achilles tendon healing by 2-3× compared to controls, with better collagen fiber organization and higher tensile strength at the repair site
• Ligament repair: Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries healed faster with BPC-157 treatment, showing improved biomechanical properties
• Muscle injury: BPC-157 promoted faster recovery from crush injuries, lacerations, and muscle transection in animal models, with reduced fibrosis (scar tissue) at the repair site
• Bone healing: Studies in fracture models showed accelerated bone callus formation and improved fracture healing outcomes

Gastrointestinal Protection

As a gastric juice-derived peptide, BPC-157 has been extensively studied for GI applications:

• Protection against NSAID-induced gastric damage (ulcers, lesions)
• Healing of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) lesions in colitis models
• Protection against alcohol-induced gastric damage
• Healing of esophageal, gastric, and intestinal fistulas

The combination of gut healing and anti-inflammatory effects makes BPC-157 frequently discussed alongside KPV in gut health research.

Neuroprotection

BPC-157 has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in models of traumatic brain injury, peripheral nerve transection, and neurotoxin exposure. It counteracted the effects of dopaminergic toxins (relevant to Parkinson's disease models) and promoted peripheral nerve regeneration after transection.

BPC-157 dosing in research settings:

Route	Typical Research Dose	Frequency	Notes
Subcutaneous (systemic)	250–500 mcg	Once or twice daily	General healing protocol
Subcutaneous (local)	250–500 mcg	Once or twice daily	Injected near injury site
Oral	250–500 mcg	Once or twice daily	GI-targeted applications
Intramuscular	250–500 mcg	Once daily	Muscle-specific injuries

Research protocols typically run 4-6 weeks. For localized injuries, injecting as close to the injury site as possible is standard in animal research, as this maximizes local concentration while still providing systemic effects through absorption.

Use the peptide calculator for reconstitution volumes and the reconstitution guide for preparation. For detailed protocols, visit the BPC-157 dosage guide.

BPC-157 has demonstrated a favorable safety profile across the extensive preclinical literature:

• No reported LD50: Toxicology studies failed to establish a lethal dose even at very high concentrations — researchers were unable to determine an LD50, which is uncommon and suggests very low acute toxicity
• No organ toxicity: Repeated dosing studies showed no evidence of liver, kidney, or cardiac toxicity
• Injection site reactions: Mild, transient redness at the injection site is the most commonly reported effect
• GI tolerance: Oral BPC-157 is well-tolerated, consistent with its origin as a gastric juice component

Important limitations:

• The vast majority of data comes from animal studies (primarily rats) from a single research group
• No completed human clinical trials means human safety data is extremely limited
• Long-term effects of exogenous BPC-157 supplementation are unknown
• As a promoter of angiogenesis, theoretical concerns exist regarding its use in the presence of active tumors, though no direct evidence of tumor promotion has been reported

Read more in the BPC-157 side effects guide.

BPC-157 is somewhat unique in being studied via both oral and injectable routes:

Factor	Oral	Injectable (SC/IM)
Best for	GI issues, systemic effects	Localized injuries, musculoskeletal
Stability	Stable in gastric acid	Standard peptide stability
Onset	Slower systemic distribution	Faster local and systemic effects
Convenience	No injection needed	Requires reconstitution and injection
Evidence base	Strong for GI applications	Strong for musculoskeletal applications

Many research protocols use both routes simultaneously — oral for GI benefits and subcutaneous near the injury site for localized healing. The choice depends on the target tissue and the research question being addressed.