BPC-157: Dosage & Administration

BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a 15-amino-acid peptide fragment derived from human gastric juice. Its dosing is relatively straightforward compared to many research peptides — the same dose range applies across most applications, with the route of administration being the primary variable.

Route	Dose	Frequency	Best For	Notes
Subcutaneous (systemic)	250–500 mcg	1–2x daily	General healing, systemic effects	Inject into abdominal fat pad
Subcutaneous (local)	250–500 mcg	1–2x daily	Specific injury site	Inject as close to injury as possible
Oral (capsule)	250–500 mcg	1–2x daily	GI healing, gut applications	Empty stomach preferred
Intramuscular	250–500 mcg	Once daily	Deep muscle injuries	Inject into affected muscle

Key dosing principle: For localized injuries (tendons, joints, muscle tears), injecting as close to the injury site as possible maximizes local tissue concentration while still providing systemic healing effects through absorption. For systemic applications or gut-related issues, injection location is less critical.

Body Weight Considerations

Animal studies used doses of approximately 10 mcg/kg body weight. Human-equivalent extrapolation and anecdotal experience suggest:

• Under 70 kg (155 lbs): 250 mcg per dose is typically sufficient
• 70–100 kg (155–220 lbs): 250–500 mcg per dose
• Over 100 kg (220 lbs): 500 mcg per dose, or consider twice-daily 250 mcg

Use the dosage calculator for precise weight-based calculations. For a comprehensive overview, visit the peptide dosage guide.

BPC-157 is one of the few peptides with meaningful oral bioavailability — it is stable in gastric acid, which is unsurprising given its origin as a gastric juice fragment. This makes it unique among research peptides and gives users a genuine choice between routes.

Factor	Oral	Subcutaneous Injection
Best application	GI healing (ulcers, IBD, leaky gut)	Musculoskeletal injuries, systemic healing
Bioavailability	Moderate (gastric acid-stable)	High (~90%+)
Onset of action	Local GI effects within hours; systemic slower	Rapid systemic distribution
Convenience	High — capsule, no preparation	Requires reconstitution, sterile technique
Dose range	250–500 mcg daily	250–500 mcg daily
Cost	Usually more expensive per dose	Usually more cost-effective

Practical recommendation: Use oral BPC-157 when targeting gastrointestinal conditions (it makes direct mucosal contact). Use injectable when targeting musculoskeletal injuries, where higher systemic bioavailability delivers more peptide to the injury site. Some protocols use both routes simultaneously for whole-body healing.

BPC-157 is supplied as lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, typically in 2 mg or 5 mg vials:

Vial Size	BAC Water	Concentration	Volume for 250 mcg	Volume for 500 mcg
5 mg	2 mL	2.5 mg/mL	0.10 mL (10 units)	0.20 mL (20 units)
5 mg	1 mL	5.0 mg/mL	0.05 mL (5 units)	0.10 mL (10 units)
2 mg	1 mL	2.0 mg/mL	0.125 mL (12.5 units)	0.25 mL (25 units)

Steps:

1. Wipe vial top with alcohol swab
2. Draw bacteriostatic water into syringe
3. Inject slowly down the inside wall — do not stream directly onto the powder
4. Gently swirl until dissolved (1–2 minutes). Do not shake
5. Label vial with date, compound, and concentration

Use the peptide calculator for exact volumes. See the reconstitution guide for step-by-step instructions with images.

Cycle Length

BPC-157 research protocols typically run 4–6 weeks:

• Acute injury: 4 weeks is often sufficient for soft tissue injuries (strains, minor tears)
• Chronic conditions: 6–8 weeks for longstanding tendinopathy, chronic GI issues, or post-surgical recovery
• GI applications: 4–8 weeks for gut healing, followed by reassessment
• Off period: 2–4 weeks between cycles is commonly used, though BPC-157 does not appear to cause tolerance or require cycling for safety reasons based on available data

Timing

• No strict meal timing for injectable BPC-157 — it bypasses the GI tract
• Oral BPC-157: Empty stomach preferred (30 minutes before food) for maximum mucosal contact
• Split dosing: Twice-daily administration (morning and evening) maintains more consistent tissue levels than a single daily dose
• No loading dose or taper is needed

The BPC-157 and TB-500 combination is the most widely used healing peptide stack in research. The two compounds use complementary mechanisms:

Factor	BPC-157	TB-500
Primary mechanism	VEGF-driven angiogenesis, growth factor upregulation	Actin upregulation, cell migration
Action type	Localized + systemic	Primarily systemic
Best for	Tendons, gut, localized injuries	Systemic tissue repair, inflammation
Dose	250–500 mcg daily	2–2.5 mg 2x/week (loading)
Frequency	Daily	2x/week loading, 1x/week maintenance

Pre-mixed BPC-157/TB-500 blends are available from some suppliers. These simplify the protocol but remove the ability to dose each compound independently. See the healing stack guide for the complete protocol.

For other healing compounds, see GHK-Cu (tissue remodeling) and KPV (anti-inflammatory). Visit the peptides for healing guide for a comprehensive comparison.

Form	Storage	Shelf Life
Lyophilized (sealed)	Freezer (-20°C) or refrigerator (2–8°C)	2+ years frozen; 12 months refrigerated
Reconstituted	Refrigerate (2–8°C)	28 days
Oral capsules	Room temperature, cool and dry	Per manufacturer label

• Never freeze reconstituted solution
• Protect from light and heat
• Discard if solution becomes cloudy or discolored

See the peptide storage guide for complete guidelines.