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BPC-157 vs TB-500

Side-by-side comparison of BPC-157 and TB-500: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.

BPC-157 from $34.99

TB-500 from $29.00

Price snapshot

BPC-157

Current low

$34.99

current listings

7-day low

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30-day low

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TB-500

Current low

$29.00

current listings

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30-day low

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BPC-157

Featured

BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a synthetic pentadecapeptide consisting of 15 amino acids (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val) derived from a partial sequence of human gastric juice…

Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 15 listings

Full BPC-157 profile

TB-500

Featured

TB-500 is the name the market and the FDA use for a short synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4: the seven-amino-acid, N-acetylated actin-binding sequence Ac-LKKTETQ (residues 17 to 23). Thymosin beta-4 itself is a…

Lowest listed price: $29.00 across 8 listings

Full TB-500 profile

Side-by-side comparison

Attribute	BPC-157	TB-500
Category	Injury, Repair & Recovery	Injury, Repair & Recovery
Research Stage	Preclinical	Preclinical
Mechanism of Action	Nitric Oxide (NO) System Modulation BPC-157 exerts a central integrative effect through modulation of the nitric oxide system. Studies by Seiwerth et al. (2022) demonstrated that BPC-157 counteracts both NO-excess and NO-deficiency states, functioning as a…	Actin Sequestration and Cytoskeletal Dynamics The primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as TB-500) is binding to monomeric G-actin in a 1:1 complex, preventing its polymerization into F-actin filaments (PMID: 1627561).…
Half-Life	Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived.	Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.
Typical Dose Range	200-500 mcg subcutaneous 1-2x daily (community protocols); 1-10 mcg/kg in animal studies	2000-5000 mcg (2-5 mg) subcutaneous 2x weekly loading; 2000 mcg (2 mg) weekly maintenance
Dosing Frequency	Twice daily (AM and PM) for optimal serum levels; once daily acceptable	2x per week during loading; 1x per week maintenance
Administration	Subcutaneous, Oral, Intraperitoneal, Intravenous	Subcutaneous, Intramuscular
Side Effects	Generally well-tolerated. Mild nausea or GI discomfort during initial use. Temporary increase in pain/inflammation at injury site (healing response). Rare: drowsiness, dizziness, mild headache. Very rare: transient changes in blood pressure.	Generally well-tolerated. Occasional mild headache, nausea, or lethargy. Localized irritation at injection site. Rare: flu-like symptoms, temporary fatigue during initial use.
Molecular Weight	1419.5 g/mol (average); molecular formula C62H98N16O22	889 Da (Ac-LKKTETQ); full-length thymosin beta-4 4963 Da
Common Vial Sizes	5mg, 10mg	2mg, 5mg, 10mg

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BPC-157: potential benefits

Accelerated tendon and ligament healing with improved biomechanical strength in preclinical soft-tissue injury models (PMID: 30915550)
Gastric and GI mucosal cytoprotection against ethanol-induced lesions, mediated in part by the nitric oxide system (PMID: 30279308)
Healing of cysteamine-induced colitis and colon anastomosis in preclinical inflammatory bowel disease models (PMID: 24304574)
Neuroprotection with dopaminergic and nitric oxide-system modulation in central nervous system injury models such as stroke and dopamine-receptor blockade (PMID: 34380875)
Promotion of angiogenesis via VEGFR2 up-regulation, internalization, and VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signaling in rat hind-limb ischemia and endothelial assays (PMID: 27847966)
Tendon fibroblast outgrowth, cell survival, and migration through FAK-paxillin pathway activation (PMID: 21030672)
Growth hormone receptor up-regulation in tendon fibroblasts, potentiating growth hormone's proliferative effect (PMID: 25415472)
Nitric oxide-system interaction with endothelium protection, angiogenesis, and EGR-1-mediated growth-factor and collagen expression (PMID: 22300085)

TB-500: potential benefits

Accelerated dermal wound healing through enhanced keratinocyte and fibroblast migration, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis, including in diabetic and aged models (PMID: 12581423)
Cardioprotection and tissue repair after myocardial infarction via ILK/Akt survival signaling in preclinical models (PMID: 17600280)
Anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB suppression and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (preclinical)
Corneal wound healing and dry eye symptom improvement in topical ophthalmic (RGN-259) Phase 2 trials (PMID: 25826322)
Enhanced hair follicle stem cell migration associated with hair growth (preclinical)
Musculoskeletal recovery through collagen deposition and matrix remodeling (preclinical and equine data)
Endothelial cell migration and vascular regeneration in ischemic tissues (preclinical)

In-depth comparison

BPC-157 vs TB-500: the long answer

BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid pentadecapeptide derived from gastric protective protein. It works fastest on GI mucosa, tendon, and ligament repair. TB-500 (synthetic thymosin beta-4 fragment) is broader: vascular regeneration, muscle repair, anti-inflammatory across more tissue types but slower onset. The classic stack uses both: BPC-157 for fast tendon/joint, TB-500 for muscle + circulation. Solo use depends on injury type.

Last reviewed: May 17, 2026

Mechanism: site-specific vs systemic

BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound) accelerates angiogenesis through VEGF upregulation and FAK-paxillin signaling, with strongest documented effects on GI tract, tendon, and ligament cells in animal models. TB-500 is the synthetic 17-AA active fragment of thymosin beta-4; it promotes actin sequestration, cell migration, and angiogenesis broadly across vascular endothelium, muscle, and skin. Practical translation: BPC-157 hits the injury site fast and local; TB-500 builds systemic regenerative tone over weeks.

BPC-157: 15-AA pentadecapeptide. Strong on GI, tendon, ligament. VEGF + FAK-paxillin pathways.
TB-500: 17-AA thymosin beta-4 fragment. Broad: vascular, muscle, skin. Actin sequestration + migration.
Why the stack works: BPC-157 acts locally and fast (days); TB-500 builds systemic regeneration over 2-4 weeks. Different mechanisms, additive effects.

What each is best for

BPC-157 dominates for: acute tendon strains, ligament sprains, post-surgical recovery on connective tissue, GI inflammation (Crohn's adjunct in animal models), oral mucositis. TB-500 dominates for: muscle tears, post-workout systemic recovery, cardiovascular protection in animal cardiac injury models, hair/skin regeneration, and chronic widespread inflammation. For sports injuries where you don't know if it's tendon or muscle, the stack is standard practice in the research-use community.

BPC-157 wins on: Tendon, ligament, GI mucosa, post-surgical connective tissue, oral mucositis
TB-500 wins on: Muscle tears, systemic recovery, cardiovascular protection, skin/hair, chronic inflammation
Stack indications: Wolverine stack: BPC-157 250-500 mcg/day + TB-500 2-2.5 mg 2x/week for 4-6 week injury cycles

Dosing: frequency matters more than total dose

BPC-157 has a short half-life and is typically dosed daily (250-500 mcg subQ or oral); frequency drives effect, not size of dose. TB-500 has a much longer half-life and is dosed 2-2.5 mg twice weekly during a loading phase (4-6 weeks), then 2 mg once weekly maintenance. Both work subQ injected near the injury site for acute, or any site for systemic. BPC-157 also has documented oral bioavailability for GI indications, the only injectable peptide where oral works.

BPC-157 dose: 250-500 mcg/day subQ (or 500-1000 mcg/day oral for GI). Inject near injury for local, abdomen for systemic.
TB-500 dose: Loading: 2-2.5 mg 2x/week × 4-6 weeks. Maintenance: 2 mg 1x/week.
Oral BPC-157: Unique among peptides. Survives gastric environment because it's derived from gastric protective protein. Effective at 500-1000 mcg/day.

Safety: strong tolerability profile both

Neither has published human Phase trials. Animal model data spanning 20+ years shows clean toxicology profiles at multiples of typical research-use doses. Anecdotal community side effects: BPC-157 occasionally causes transient injection-site irritation and mild GI changes (especially oral); TB-500 sometimes causes dose-dependent lethargy in week 1-2 of the loading phase. No reported chronic toxicity in animal studies. Both are research-use only: not FDA-approved for any indication.

BPC-157 known side effects: Transient injection site irritation, mild GI changes on oral dosing (usually fade week 1-2)
TB-500 known side effects: Lethargy/fatigue dose-dependent in loading phase. Drop dose 25% if persistent.
Regulatory status: Both research-use only. WADA-prohibited in competitive sport for TB-500. BPC-157 was added to WADA monitoring 2019, formally prohibited 2024.

Cost: BPC-157 is cheaper per dose

Research-use BPC-157 runs ~$0.30-0.80/mg via tracked vendors. At 500 mcg/day, that's ~$5-12/week. Research-use TB-500 runs ~$0.40-1.00/mg. At 5 mg/week loading, that's ~$20-40/week loading or ~$8-15/week maintenance. The Wolverine stack at 4 weeks loading runs ~$100-200 total for both molecules, cheap compared to most recovery protocols.

BPC-157 cost: $0.30-0.80/mg → ~$5-12/week at 500 mcg/day
TB-500 cost: $0.40-1.00/mg → ~$20-40/week loading, $8-15/week maintenance
4-week stack total: ~$100-200 for both during loading phase

Who chooses which

Acute tendon or ligament injury: BPC-157 alone, 4 weeks, see if it resolves. GI flare-up or post-surgical recovery: BPC-157 (often oral for GI). Muscle tear or chronic systemic inflammation: TB-500 alone. Unknown mixed injury or wanting fastest possible recovery: stack both for 4-6 weeks. Hair/skin regeneration goal: TB-500 trumps BPC-157.

Choose BPC-157 if: Tendon/ligament injury, GI issues, post-op connective tissue, budget-constrained
Choose TB-500 if: Muscle tear, systemic recovery, skin/hair goals, chronic inflammation
Choose the stack if: Mixed injury, sports recovery, maximum 4-6 week protocol (published as the Wolverine stack)

Frequently asked

What's the difference between BPC-157 and TB-500?

BPC-157 is a injury, repair & recovery that nitric oxide (no) system modulation bpc-157 exerts a central integrative effect through modulation of the nitric oxide system. studies by seiwerth et al. (2022) demonstrated that…. TB-500 is a injury, repair & recovery that actin sequestration and cytoskeletal dynamics the primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as tb-500) is binding to monomeric g-actin in a 1:1…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived. vs Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.), and typical dose range.

Which has the longer half-life, BPC-157 or TB-500?

BPC-157 has a half-life of Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived.. TB-500 has a half-life of Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.

Which is cheaper, BPC-157 or TB-500?

Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: BPC-157 from $34.99, TB-500 from $29.00. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.

Can you stack BPC-157 and TB-500?

Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. BPC-157 and TB-500 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.

Is BPC-157 or TB-500 better for tendon injury?

BPC-157 wins for tendon and ligament. Animal model data shows accelerated tendon-to-bone healing and ligament regeneration on BPC-157 at 250-500 mcg/day. TB-500 helps the broader recovery picture (vascular supply, anti-inflammatory) but BPC-157 is the primary mover on tendon-specific repair. Stack both if you want the fastest possible timeline.

Can you take BPC-157 orally?

Yes, uniquely among injectable peptides. BPC-157 is derived from gastric protective protein, so it survives the stomach environment. Oral dose 500-1000 mcg/day works for GI indications (gastritis, IBD adjunct, oral mucositis). For systemic tendon/ligament repair, subQ injection still has better bioavailability and faster onset.

How long does TB-500 take to work?

Subjective improvements typically start week 2 of the loading phase (4 doses of 2-2.5 mg). Objective recovery markers (range of motion, pain scores) usually improve by week 3-4. Full effect typically reached at 6 weeks. Maintain at 2 mg/week if you want to extend the regenerative effect.

Can you stack BPC-157 and TB-500?

Yes, this is the canonical Wolverine stack. Standard protocol: BPC-157 250-500 mcg/day + TB-500 2-2.5 mg 2x/week for 4-6 weeks. No published interaction issues. Different mechanisms (BPC-157 = local angiogenesis, TB-500 = systemic actin sequestration) make them additive rather than overlapping.

Do BPC-157 and TB-500 show on drug tests?

Both are WADA-prohibited in competitive sport. TB-500 has been WADA-tested since 2010s; BPC-157 added to monitoring 2019 and formally prohibited 2024. Detection windows are short (days), but enhanced tests exist for both. If you're an active competitive athlete in a WADA-tested sport, avoid both during competition and within the relevant out-of-competition window.

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Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. We earn an affiliate commission on some outbound clicks, and every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.