BPC-157 Peptide

Over the past few years, the popularity of peptide therapy has skyrocketed. The global peptide therapeutics market was valued at nearly $50 billion in 2024, and it’s projected to reach up to around $84 billion by 2034.1

One of the most well-known peptides in recent years is semaglutide (Ozempic), a GLP-1 or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.2 However, semaglutide is just one of many different peptides that could potentially lead to health benefits. Some other options that are growing in popularity include tesamorelin, thymosin beta-4, and — the focus of this guide — BPC-157.

From improved recovery and nerve regeneration to wound healing, better gut health, organ protection, and more, there are a lot of potential benefits people attribute to the use of BPC-157. But are they legitimate? In this guide, we’ll go over all you need to know about this peptide, including safety data, who peptide therapy might be for, and details on the patient experience.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

Our team has dedicated years to investigating a collection of promising peptides, one of which is BPC-157. We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching their safety, efficacy, bioavailability, potential applications, best modes of delivery, and much more. We also learned about common patient experiences during peptide therapy from medical professionals who are well-versed in the subject. On top of that, one of our team members has personally undergone peptide therapy, allowing us to offer you first-hand details. This resulting guide to BPC-157 combines a thorough exploration of scientific literature and insights from real-world application.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide (a peptide made up of 15 amino acids) based on a segment from a natural peptide (BPC) derived from human gastric juice.3 4

The authors of an older 1993 overview published in the Journal of Physiology-Paris explain that after the gastric juice peptide BPC was isolated, a 15-amino-acid fragment believed to be essential for its functioning was identified — this was BPC-157. “BPC” stands for “Body Protection Compound,” a name chosen due to, as researchers note, “its huge range of organoprotective effects.”4

Now, it’s important to note that your brain and your gut share a closer relationship than you might think. This relationship is often called “the gut-brain connection” or “gut-brain axis.” As the Cleveland Clinic explains, “More information passes between your brain and your gut than any other body system.”5 But what does this have to do with BPC-157?

In the aforementioned 1993 overview, the authors suggest that BPC-157 is an important factor in the “full stress response” launched by the gastrointestinal system when the body is exposed to “noxious stress” that can damage organs and bodily tissues (e.g., injuries, toxins, infections, inflammation, emotional distress, extreme temperatures).4 Your gastrointestinal tract is home to millions of nerve cells, including neurons, and even chemical messengers like neurotransmitters.6

This all boils down to the possibility that BPC-157 may be able to influence a wide range of bodily processes. For example, researchers from a more recent 2016 review of data on the gut-brain axis and BPC-157 explain that the peptide could maintain gastrointestinal mucosa, modulate serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, regenerate peripheral nerves, protect certain neurons, counteract various types of lesions, promote wound healing, and more.7 Some of these possible benefits are due to BPC-157’s promotion of “the cell migration of vascular endothelial cells.”24 This means that the peptide can encourage the formation of new blood vessels (also known as angiogenesis).

However, it’s crucial to clarify that the research on BPC-157 for use in humans is still in its infancy, with most of the peptide's potential benefits based on the results of animal or cell studies. But, despite the lack of large-scale human research, many people still opt to try BPC-157 peptide therapy for a multitude of reasons, and many of those people are convinced enough of the benefits that they want to continue with peptide therapy.

If you type “BPC-157” into a search engine, you may be recommended related search queries like “BPC-157 bodybuilding” or “BPC-157 injection near injury.” This indicates that a decent number of people are interested in using the peptide to improve musculoskeletal healing,8 soft tissue repair,9 and growth hormone receptor (GHR) expression while reducing inflammation and feelings of pain.3 10 11

In fact, even the information we received from medical professionals indicates that BPC-157 peptide therapy is often used to support healing, primarily through the substance’s potential to promote angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) and reticulin and collagen production.12 13

Meanwhile, some of the potential benefits of BPC-157 with the most positive scientific data behind them are actually digestive support and gut health — perhaps unsurprisingly, given its source. For example, a 2011 study in rats found that the peptide successfully healed various lesions and promoted healthy weight gain in models of short-bowel syndrome.14

Additionally, as researchers note in the 2016 review on BPC-157 and the gut-brain axis we mentioned earlier, “BPC 157 was successful in the therapy of GI tract, periodontitis, liver and pancreas lesions, and in the healing of various tissues and wounds.” It’s also written in the review that the peptide acts as a mediator of Robert’s cytoprotection, defined as “the counteraction of the lesions arising from direct detrimental contact with a noxious agent.”7 15

In terms of human research, one small 2024 study gave BPC-157 injections (10mg total) to 12 women with interstitial cystitis. Ten of those subjects reported “complete resolution of symptoms after one treatment,” and the remaining two patients still reported an 80% success rate.18

The most common side effects of BPC-157 among real-world patients seem to include headaches, nausea, dizziness, or injection site redness or irritation that should subside with use. If you were to experience serious side effects — fevers, rash, vomiting, hives, blistering, muscle pain, or signs of an allergic reaction — it would be best to stop using the peptide and contact your doctor immediately.

Due to the lack of large-scale clinical (human) research on BPC-157, we can’t fully assess the safety of BPC-157 peptide therapy for people. Many of the animal studies (on mice, rats, rabbits, and dogs), however, note that it appears to be generally safe.

A 2020 review on the safety of BPC-157 in preclinical (animal) studies states that the peptide “did not show any test-related effects in the single-dose toxicity study” and that it was “well tolerated” in repeat-dose evaluations.16

Other animal studies and reviews mention that BPC-157 “has no reported toxicity” or that it was “without a lethal dose” in toxicology studies.14 17 Even the authors of a small human study on BPC-157 for interstitial cystitis note that “no one dropped out of the study, and no adverse events were reported.”18

But, again, the overwhelming majority of the safety data for BPC-157 comes from animal studies. And, though there are some similarities that make animal research useful, human physiology is not the same as animal physiology. As stated by the authors of a 2019 review on BPC-157 and soft tissue healing, “...future studies should focus on elucidating as to whether the reported benefits of BPC-157 extend beyond research animals.”9

BPC-157 peptide therapy may be suitable for adults seeking relief from musculoskeletal pain or injuries, joint concerns, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, or central nervous system (CNS) disorders.8 11 It could also potentially be used for neuroprotection, nerve regeneration, repairing organ damage from substance overdoses, healing lesions, and more.7

However, it’s again important to reiterate that nearly all of the above potential benefits of BPC-157 have not been demonstrated in human studies or trials.

One of the few small human studies is a 2024 investigation into the effect of BPC-157 on women with interstitial cystitis. There were only 12 subjects, but 83% of them reported a “complete resolution of symptoms” after a single round of treatment (injections of compounded BPC-157 totaling 10mg around the areas of bladder inflammation).18

Who should avoid BPC-157?

Since the science on BPC-157 is still fairly young, we don’t yet know all of the populations that should avoid using the peptide. But, based on what we do know so far, people who it may not be suitable for include:

• Pregnant or nursing individuals: The safety of BPC-157 in pregnant or nursing people hasn’t been established or investigated in research.
• People with cancer: BPC-157 should be avoided by those with active or suspected cancer due to its potential to promote angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels).12 The formation of new blood vessels can support the growth or spread of cancer.19 Regular testing and/or scans (even if you aren’t at risk of cancer) may be beneficial to your long-term health and safety when using BPC-157.
• Professional athletes: BPC-157 has been banned by The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2022.20

Though a member of our team was prescribed BPC-157 peptide therapy and has first-hand experience, we also gathered valuable information about the process from knowledgeable medical professionals whose practice includes peptide therapies.

Typically, patients will take five BPC-157 injections per week, administered into subcutaneous fat (e.g., upper arms, thighs, stomach) or near an injury. This can be done at any time of day, depending on what works best for the patient. It’s also normal to cycle BPC-157 peptide therapy by taking one month off for every three months of use.

Short-term benefits (1-6 weeks of use) may include reduced inflammation and pain, better mobility, and faster recovery time. Long-term benefits (8-12 weeks and beyond) could include cardiovascular improvements, reduced scarring after injuries, and better gastrointestinal health, among other things.

Common side effects of BPC-157 aren’t usually serious and may include:

• Mild injection site reactions (itching, redness, swelling, pain, etc.)
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea

In rare cases, patients may experience fevers, blistering at the injection site, muscle aches, rashes, vomiting, hives, or other signs of an allergic reaction. If any of those occur, it’s important to cease treatment and call your doctor as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, with the growing popularity of BPC-157 comes a growing market of not-so-trustworthy sellers looking to cash in on the craze. It’s important to only get BPC-157 from a qualified medical provider, either in person or via a reputable telehealth service.

When searching for peptides online, you’re likely to come across a few different “grades” that indicate a peptide’s purity. The only grade that’s acceptable — and safe — for use in humans is pharmaceutical-grade (sometimes called “medical-grade”).26 A reputable provider will give you a pharmaceutical-grade peptide.

Research-grade peptides, on the other hand, are not intended for use in humans, and their safety can’t be guaranteed. They aren’t held to the same high purity standards that govern pharmaceutical-grade products. The purity assessment criteria for research-grade materials “are generally much less rigorous, partially incomplete, and/or poorly followed.”21

Additionally, while some studies state that BPC-157 has “good oral bioavailability” based on its stability in human gastric juice, little — if any — research investigates the differences in bioavailability depending on the peptide’s delivery method.22 We could only find a single rat study that used oral BPC-157. So, with that in mind, we can’t give a verdict on the potential usability of BPC-157 capsules at this time.23 If you aim to try BPC-157, we’d suggest opting for the traditional injections until more scientific research confirms the effectiveness of oral delivery.