What is the BPC-157 peptide, and what does the research show?

Peptides discussed here are not FDA-approved for these uses. We do not sell or prescribe them. Providers listed on this site decide what they offer, and a licensed clinician decides whether any treatment is appropriate.

What BPC-157 is

BPC-157, also called body protection compound 157, is a laboratory-made peptide that is reported to be a chain of 15 amino acids.[1] In a 1993 paper, researchers reported that BPC-157 is a fragment of a peptide they described as recently isolated from gastric juice.[5]

What human research there is

FDA's 2026 evaluation of BPC-157 describes an enema study in healthy men and an enema trial in people with ulcerative colitis, both from the early 2000s and both reported as conference abstracts.[1] We did not read the conference abstracts of the two enema studies that FDA's 2026 evaluation describes.[1]

In searches of PubMed and Europe PMC on October 8, 2026, the journal articles we found in which BPC-157 was the treatment studied in people were a chart review of knee injections in 16 patients, a pilot study of bladder injections in 12 women and a study of intravenous infusions in 2 adults.[2][3][4] The knee, bladder and intravenous journal articles that we found in PubMed and Europe PMC on October 8, 2026 had the same lead author, and none had a comparison group.[2][3][4] Preprints are not counted in the numbers of people given for these journal articles.

Ulcerative colitis

FDA's 2026 evaluation describes a randomized trial in which 53 people with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis were assigned to a BPC-157 enema or a placebo enema once daily for two weeks.[1] The ulcerative colitis enema trial was reported in 2005 as a conference abstract, which we did not read.[1] FDA wrote that several details of the ulcerative colitis enema trial were lacking because the study was presented as a meeting abstract.[1]

In its evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026), FDA found 'a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of BPC-157 (free base) and BPC-157 acetate' as a treatment for ulcerative colitis, the use it evaluated, and 'insufficient clinical safety information to characterize the safety profile.'

FDA evaluation

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Other gut conditions and studies by mouth

In searches of PubMed, Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov on October 8, 2026, we found no human study published in a journal that tested BPC-157 taken by mouth and none published in a journal for a gut condition. We know of the ulcerative colitis enema trial from FDA's 2026 evaluation; the PubMed, Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov searches of October 8, 2026 did not return it.[1]

A study of BPC-157 oral tablets in healthy volunteers was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov in 2015 and had posted no results when we checked on October 8, 2026.[6]

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Tendon and ligament injury

In searches of PubMed, Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov on October 8, 2026, we found no human study of BPC-157 published in a journal that reports results for a tendon or ligament injury. FDA's 2026 evaluation says studies in rodents have suggested that BPC-157 promotes healing of cut tendons.[1]

A trial of BPC-157 in people having rotator cuff surgery was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and had not started recruiting when we checked on October 8, 2026.[7] Results in animals do not show what happens in people.

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, including healing, injury recovery, anti-aging or longevity, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Muscle injury and recovery from exercise

In searches of PubMed, Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov on October 8, 2026, we found no human study of BPC-157 for muscle injury or recovery from exercise published in a journal. On October 8, 2026, ClinicalTrials.gov listed a placebo-controlled trial of BPC-157 in people with hamstring strains as recruiting.[8]

On October 8, 2026, ClinicalTrials.gov listed an 8-week study of BPC-157 gummies that enrolled 40 active adults, sponsored by the company named on the product and with no comparison group, as completed with no results posted.[9]

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, including healing, injury recovery, anti-aging or longevity, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Knee pain

In a 2021 review of patient charts at one Florida clinic (Lee and Padgett 2021), 14 of 16 people with knee pain who were reached by phone said an injection of BPC-157 into the knee, given alone or with a second peptide, had relieved their pain.[2] The 2021 knee chart review (Lee and Padgett 2021) had no comparison group, and its abstract says no specific tools were used to measure function or quality of life.[2]

A 2025 systematic review (Vasireddi 2025) reads the 2021 knee chart review as showing subjective improvement in symptoms for more than 6 months in 7 of 12 patients.[10]

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Interstitial cystitis

In a 2024 pilot study (Lee 2024), 12 women with moderate to severe interstitial cystitis, none of whom had responded to pentosan polysulfate, received injections of BPC-157 into the bladder during one cystoscopy procedure.[3] Ten of the 12 women in the 2024 bladder pilot study (Lee 2024) reported complete resolution of symptoms, and two rated their success at 80%.[3]

The abstract of the 2024 bladder pilot study (Lee 2024) separately says all 12 women scored 5 out of 5 on the Global Response Assessment questionnaire, and it does not explain how that fits with two women rating their success at 80%.[3] The abstract of the 2024 bladder pilot study (Lee 2024) says no adverse events were reported.[3]

A 2025 review (McGuire 2025) gives the follow-up of the 2024 bladder pilot study as 6 weeks.[11] The 2024 bladder pilot study (Lee 2024) had no comparison group.[3]

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Evidence table

Evidence levels in this table follow our grading key. Experimental means we have read no controlled human comparison for the claim, only sources such as reports with no comparison group or studies in animals. Not graded means we give no level because we did not read the main report of the result. No support found means the searches named in that row found no study that supports the claim.

Animal research

FDA's 2026 evaluation says studies in rodents have suggested that BPC-157 prevents some gut lesions and promotes healing of cut tendons.[1] FDA's 2026 evaluation also notes that the molecular targets of BPC-157 have not been identified and that the relationship between dose and effect on gut and liver injuries has not been established.[1]

Results in animals do not show what happens in people.

BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any use, including healing, injury recovery, anti-aging or longevity, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026; checked October 14, 2026).

Two author names that recur in the PubMed records

In a PubMed search on October 8, 2026, 176 of the 235 records we found for BPC-157 listed at least one of two author names that recur across those records. The count of 176 of 235 PubMed records matches those two author names as PubMed lists them and includes review articles.

Is BPC-157 FDA-approved?

There is no FDA-approved BPC-157 drug product for any use, according to FDA's evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026). FDA states neither BPC-157 (free base) nor BPC-157 acetate 'is a component of an FDA-approved drug.'

Compounded BPC-157 is not FDA-approved. FDA states: 'Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed.' As of FDA's list updated May 14, 2026, BPC-157 is not among the substances FDA lists as under evaluation for use in pharmacy compounding (503A Category 1).

FDA's page 'Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks' (FDA page content current as of April 22, 2026) lists BPC-157 under the heading 'Bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn'. FDA introduces that list as bulk drug substances 'previously in category 2 of the interim policies' that 'were withdrawn by the nominators.'

In its entry for BPC-157 on the page 'Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks' (FDA page content current as of April 22, 2026), FDA says that compounded drugs containing BPC-157 'may pose risk for immunogenicity for certain routes of administration and may have complexities with regard to peptide-related impurities and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) characterization.'

In its entry for BPC-157 on the page 'Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks' (FDA page content current as of April 22, 2026), FDA says it 'has identified no, or only limited, safety-related information for the proposed routes of administration' and that 'the agency lacks sufficient information to know whether the drug would cause harm when administered to humans.'

FDA page

Regulatory status checked October 14, 2026. Sources: www.fda.gov/…/download; www.fda.gov/…/download; www.fda.gov/…/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks; public-inspection.federalregister.gov/…/2026-07361.pdf; www.fda.gov/…/compounding-and-fda-questions-and-answers

Risks and side effects

FDA's 2026 evaluation says that no serious adverse events appear to have been reported in the clinical studies it found.[1] In its account of a meeting abstract that we did not read, FDA's 2026 evaluation says that 3 people in the BPC-157 group and 2 in the placebo group of the ulcerative colitis enema trial were withdrawn because of an adverse event.[1] FDA adds that, according to the authors, the withdrawals were mainly progression of ulcerative colitis.[1] FDA's 2026 evaluation adds that the clinical studies it found were short and small, that their authors gave limited information on safety, and that safety monitoring for most of those studies is unclear.[1] In the ulcerative colitis trial that FDA's 2026 evaluation describes, the enema was given for two weeks.[1] In its account of two meeting abstracts that we did not read, FDA's 2026 evaluation says that the most frequently reported adverse events after a BPC-157 enema in healthy subjects were headache and flatulence, and that a statement quoted in its appendix says they occurred with no obvious difference in frequency or severity after BPC-157 and after placebo.[1]

FDA's 2026 evaluation describes three reports to its adverse event database, found in a search through December 4, 2025, involving injected BPC-157 products: a reaction at the injection site, shortness of breath, and darkening of the skin and gums that returned when the product was used again.[1] FDA's 2026 evaluation says that in one of the three reports, a 28-year-old man who reported using injected BPC-157 developed shortness of breath that resulted in an emergency room visit.[1] FDA adds that this report gave no information on how long he used the product, what other medications he took or how the reaction related in time to use, which limits interpretation of the report.[1] FDA wrote that it is unclear whether the three reported events were attributable to BPC-157.[1] Two of the three people in the reports FDA describes were also using a second peptide.[1] For the person who reported darkening that returned when the product was used again, FDA's 2026 evaluation says the events were likely due to the drug product but that, because the product contained two peptides, it is not possible to assess a potential relationship between BPC-157 and the events.[1]

In its evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (memo dated May 11, 2026), FDA says that data from its adverse event reporting system (FAERS) 'have limitations.' FDA states that it 'does not receive all adverse event reports that may potentially occur with a product, especially for compounded products.' Given these limits, FDA says it 'cannot make definitive conclusions regarding the safety of BPC-157 based on FAERS data alone.'

In searches of PubMed, Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov on October 8, 2026, we found no human study published in a journal that tested BPC-157 given by mouth or by injection under the skin. The journal articles and conference abstracts described on this page in which people were given BPC-157 describe it as given by enema, into the knee joint, into the bladder or into a vein.[1][2][3][4]

If you are thinking about using BPC-157, talk to a licensed clinician first.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care. Report side effects to FDA MedWatch.

Related pages

• What Does FDA-Approved Mean?
• Compounded Medications Explained