Standard
Community- Dose
- 250 mcg
- How often
- Twice daily
- How long
- 4–8 weeks
The most cited protocol for tendon, ligament and muscle injuries. Injected under the skin, often near the injury.
Draw 10 units5 mg + 2 mL
PreclinicalTissue-repair peptide
BPC-157
Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736
- Common dose
- 250–500 mcg, 1–2× daily
- Cycle
- 6 weeks on, 3 off
- Vial sizes
- 5, 10 mg
- Typical draw
- 10 units5 mg with 2 mL, 250 mcg
A synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide based on a fragment of a protein found in gastric juice. It has been studied mainly in animals for tendon, gut and wound healing.
Evidence. Mostly animal data. Human data are limited to a 2-person IV safety pilot and small uncontrolled case series.
Status
- Approval
- Not approved as a drug in the US or EU.
- US compounding
- Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). On July 23, 2026 FDA’s advisory committee voted 8 to 6, 1 abstaining, to recommend adding it to the 503A bulks list; FDA staff had advised against.
- Sport (WADA 2026)
- Banned in sportNamed under S0 non-approved substances, banned at all times (in and out of competition).
Category 2 is FDA’s list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding. The 503A bulks list adds substances that pharmacies may compound with. Advisory committee votes are advice; FDA makes the final decision. Sport status follows the WADA Prohibited List in force since January 1, 2026; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization. Checked October 5, 2026.
Protocol
Community
250–500 mcg per injection, 1–2× daily. 250 mcg twice daily is the most cited.
Community
Oral (gut-focused): 250–500 mcg 1–2× daily.
- Frequency
- 1–2× daily
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection (community); oral for gut-focused use
- Cycle
- 4–8 weeks on, 2–4 weeks off.
6 weeks on, 3 off, shown over 26 weeks
Common protocols
The ways BPC-157 is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.
Once daily
Community- Dose
- 250–500 mcg
- How often
- Once daily
- How long
- 4–6 weeks
Simpler schedule used in many clinic guides. 500 mcg is the top of the usual range.
Draw 10–20 units5 mg + 2 mL
Oral (gut)
Community- Dose
- 250–500 mcg
- How often
- 1–2 times daily
- How long
- 6–8 weeks
Used for gut complaints rather than injuries. Swallowed or held under the tongue.
Taking it
Where it goes
Under the skin, as close to the injured tendon, muscle or joint as practical; guides say its effect is strongest near the site. Otherwise rotate spots on the belly around the navel.
If you miss a dose
No published guidance, and the guides checked don’t address it. Skip it and take the next dose on schedule; don’t double up.
What to expect
- Weeks 1–2
Guides report pain and swelling starting to ease in some users. Anecdotal only.
Community - Weeks 4–8+
Guides say tendon or ligament repair, if it happens, takes 4–8 weeks or longer.
Community - 6–12 months after one shot
11 of 12 knee-pain patients reported relief after a doctor’s injection into the knee joint. Uncontrolled clinic series (Lee 2021).
Trial - After one treatment
10 of 12 women with bladder pain (interstitial cystitis) reported full relief after one 10 mg injection into the bladder. No placebo group (Lee 2024).
Trial
Side effects and what to do
Injection-site redness, itch or swelling (community)
Usually clears within about 30 minutes. Rotate sites. Spreading redness, heat or pus points to infection.
Lightheadedness or dizziness right after injecting (community)
Passes in minutes. Inject sitting down if it happens.
Nausea, headache or tiredness (community)
Uncommon and mild in guides. Lower the dose or stop if it persists.
Serious effects: none reported in the small human studies
The IV pilot (2 people, up to 20 mg) and bladder pilot (12 women) reported none, but groups this small can’t rule out rare harms.
Stop and get medical help
Hives, face or throat swelling, trouble breathing, chest pain or fainting; spreading redness, heat, pus or fever at a site; or any new lump, given the theoretical cancer concern.
Tracking and pairing
Worth tracking
- Pain and function at the injured area, to judge whether it’s helping
- Injection-site reactions
Often paired with
Human studies
3 key published human studies, with how many people took part. Animal studies aren’t listed here.
-
14 of 16 patients (87.5%) reported knee pain relief; 11 of the 12 given BPC-157 alone improved.
- Design
- Retrospective chart review with phone follow-up
- Dose
- Knee injection; amount not given in abstract
- Length
- Follow-up 6–12 months after injection
Lee & Padgett, Altern Ther Health Med 2021, PMID 34324435
-
10 of 12 women reported complete symptom resolution and 2 reported 80% improvement; no adverse events.
- Design
- Uncontrolled pilot study, interstitial cystitis
- Dose
- 10 mg total, injected around inflamed bladder areas during cystoscopy
- Length
- Single treatment
Lee, Walker & Ayadi, Altern Ther Health Med 2024, PMID 39325560
-
No changes in heart, liver, kidney, thyroid or glucose markers, and no side effects reported.
- Design
- IV safety pilot
- Dose
- 10 mg IV on day 1, then 20 mg IV on day 2
- Length
- 2 days
Lee & Burgess, Altern Ther Health Med 2025, PMID 40131143
Mixing your vial
| Vial | Water | Common dose | Draw | Strength | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 250 mcg | 10 units (0.10 mL) | 2.5 mg/mL | |
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 250 mcg | 5 units (0.05 mL) | 5 mg/mL |
Dose chart
Syringe units for common doses at different water volumes. Select a cell to open it in the calculator.
| Dose | Water added | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 2 mL | 3 mL | |
| 250 mcg | |||
| 300 mcg | |||
| 400 mcg | |||
| 500 mcg | |||
U-100 insulin syringe: 100 units is 1 mL. Draws over 100 units show in mL. Faded values are under 2 units, which is hard to measure. Check that your vial holds the larger volumes.
Datasheet
- Half-life
- under 30 minutes AnimalElimination half-life after IV or IM dosing in rats and beagle dogs.
- Type
- Peptide, 15 amino acids
- Molecular weight
- 1,419.5 g/mol
- Formula
- C62H98N16O22
- Sequence
- GEPPPGKPADDAGLV
- Storage before use
- Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage.
- After mixing or opening
- Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks.
- Half-life: He et al., Front Pharmacol 2022, PMID 36588717
- Molecule: PubChem CID 9941957
- Storage: Community Common practice for research peptides; no approved label exists.
Cautions
- Not FDA-approved; doses are community convention.
- Theoretical cancer concern because it promotes new blood vessel growth. Avoid with active or past cancer.
- Prohibited in sport (WADA).
Questions
What is BPC-157?
A synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide based on a fragment of a protein found in gastric juice. It has been studied mainly in animals for tendon, gut and wound healing.
Is BPC-157 FDA-approved?
Not approved as a drug in the US or EU. Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). On July 23, 2026 FDA’s advisory committee voted 8 to 6, 1 abstaining, to recommend adding it to the 503A bulks list; FDA staff had advised against.
What is the usual BPC-157 dose?
From community reports, not established: 250–500 mcg per injection, 1–2× daily. 250 mcg twice daily is the most cited. Oral (gut-focused): 250–500 mcg 1–2× daily. These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.
How much water do I mix BPC-157 with?
There’s no single right amount, because the water only sets the strength. With 2 mL of bacteriostatic water in a 5 mg vial, the strength is 2.5 mg/mL, so 250 mcg is 10 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. More water makes small doses easier to measure. The dose chart above shows other volumes.
What is the half-life of BPC-157?
Under 30 minutes, measured in animals, not people. Elimination half-life after IV or IM dosing in rats and beagle dogs.
How should BPC-157 be stored?
Before mixing: Freezer (about −20 °C) for long-term storage. After mixing: Fridge (2–8 °C); use within about 4 weeks. This is common practice; no product label covers it.
Is BPC-157 banned in sport?
Yes. Named under S0 non-approved substances, banned at all times (in and out of competition).
Has BPC-157 been studied in people?
Yes. The human studies section lists 3 published studies. The largest, from 2021, included 16 people. 14 of 16 patients (87.5%) reported knee pain relief; 11 of the 12 given BPC-157 alone improved.
Sources
- Safety of intravenous BPC-157 in humans: a pilot study (PubMed) PMID 40131143
- FDA: bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks
- FDA advisory committee backs 6 peptides for compounding (AJMC, July 2026)
For the protocol details
- Lee and Padgett, intra-articular BPC-157 for knee pain (Altern Ther Health Med 2021) PMID 34324435
- Lee, Walker and Ayadi, BPC-157 in interstitial cystitis (Altern Ther Health Med 2024) PMID 39325560
Doses tagged Community come from public dosing guides and user reports, checked against at least two of them. Those sites aren’t named here because many of them sell peptides or earn commissions on them.