BPC-157 Side Effects | What Researchers Must Know

Researchers interested in peptides may have heard rumors about potential BPC-157 side effects. 

But is there any validity to them, or are they all speculation?

Let’s find out. 

Many researchers are actively investigating whether BPC-157 can accelerates the speed at which tendons, ligaments, and muscles heal. But BPC-157 has not yet undergone sufficient human clinical trials to establish whether it offers any of these benefits. 

So what are the potential side effects of BPC-157? And are they enough of a deal-breaker to render its regenerative properties useless?

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What is BPC-157?

BPC-157 is the synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide that is found and isolated from gastric juice, which is secreted from the gut.

It has recently gathered attention as a peptide with purported regenerative and performance-enhancing properties that may help injuries heal faster. 

As early as 1999, researchers noticed its effects in cell cultures and animals [1]:

“…the potentially beneficial effect on pancreas, liver injuries, endothelium and heart damage, i.e. dysrhythmias following reoxygenation, and blood pressure, along with effect on experimental acute/chronic inflammation, wound and fracture (pseudoarthrosis) healing are described”

“Nevertheless, the reported beneficial effects of this stomach pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on different organ lesions appear to be quite convincing, providing all together a particular network reflecting activity of a special peptidergic defence system.

Supportingly, its interactions with many important systems could provide an evident background for the observed protective effects”

What’s most surprising is how BPC-157 has gained a reputation for its healing properties and has also been revealed to offer other whole-body effects which were previously undiscovered.

A 2019 study examining BPC-157’s ability to heal spinal cord injuries and restore function in rats commented on the other benefits discovered since then [2]:

“BPC 157 has beneficial effects on inflammation, hemorrhage, and edema after traumatic brain injury, various severe encephalopathies (which follow gastrointestinal and/or liver lesions), NSAID overdose, or insulin overdose seizures and on severe muscle weakness after exposure to the specific neurotoxin cuprizone in a rat multiple sclerosis model or magnesium overdose.”

For these reasons alone, researchers are currently experimenting with this peptide to establish whether it can help test subjects recover from injuries at a much faster rate than what the body would normally allow.

According to one physician [3]:

“BPC-157 is a game changer for people who have shoulder issues, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, ligament problems, torn muscles, and it even helps to protect organs like the liver and kidneys”

However, it is important to note the current legal status of BPC-157. It is sold as a research chemical and is available exclusively to researchers. 

There are active efforts right now to add BPC-157 to the list of substances athletes WILL be tested for before a sporting event [4]:

“Recently, our laboratory identified the contents of five confiscated vials. Included in three of these vials were compounds previously reported in an anti-doping context: CJC-1295-DAC (drug affinity complex), ipamorelin, and sermorelin. Additionally, identified and reported here for the first time, were BPC 157 and a variant of mechano-growth factor, MGF R23H.”

“As described, its use in the sporting world as a means of quick injury healing seems apparent. Importantly, however, without proper clinical study, the potential harmful effects of BPC 157 have not yet been documented in detail.”

“… regardless of its capability to enhance athletic performance, this substance should be considered banned under category S0: Non-Approved Substances on the WADA Prohibited List.”

Are these fears based on the potential of BCP-157 to help athletes enhance their rate of recovery, or are these precautions unnecessary?

And adding to this, have any harmful side effects of BPC-157 been discovered to date?

To answer this question, it’s important to understand what the body of medical literature has discovered about BPC-157.

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Benefits of BPC-157

Researchers would not be investigating BPC-157 unless they believed there were potential, tangible benefits from doing so.

So what are the established benefits of BPC-157? 

BPC-157 may reduce the incidence of heart disease

A study was conducted in 2009 which involved rats treated with Digitalis, a drug used to treat congestive heart failure.

However, Digitalis can sometimes induce irregular heartbeats (i.e. arrhythmia) that can lead to other cardiovascular health problems.

BPC-157 was not only effective in reversing Digitalis-induced arrhythmia, but it did so when dosed in isolation [5].

When the researchers attempted to combine BPC-157 with a vasodilator drug known as L-NAME, the results were equivalent to using BPC-157 alone. 

BPC-157 may inhibit pain

One of the most devastating consequences of a severe injury is the amount of pain inflicted on the individual.

The pain can be strong enough to limit functional movement and decrease one’s overall quality of life.

In 1993, rats were tested for their reaction to pain using different tests: A “tail pinching” test, and a “hot plate” test whereby the rats were placed on heated surfaces to assess their reaction to the pain.

Here is what they found:

“BPC 157 reduced the nociceptive response in various assays, involving apparently different pathways, including both indirect as well as direct pain stimulation”

In other words, BPC-157 appears to act as an analgesic – meaning it works to relieve the pain felt by the test subject in question [6].

Moreover, researchers commented on how the pain reduction of BPC-157 was uniquely different from harmful drugs such as opioids and NSAIDs.

This means BPC-157 may be used as a viable alternative to pain medications known for having deleterious side effects.

BPC-157 shows potential in healing bone injuries

An example of how BPC-157 may be useful for treating injuries can be seen in rabbits who have segmental bone defects.

The term “bone defect” refers to a lack of bone where it is supposed to be in normal circumstances.

Researcher Pedrag Sikiric and his team took rabbits with these bone defects and allowed the injury to remain completely unhealed for six weeks.

They then administered BPC-157 in many different ways over 2 weeks: Locally into the bone defect once every few days, intramuscularly once every few days, and intramuscularly every single day at varying dosages (10 nanograms per kilogram of body weight, or 10 micrograms).

In every single method of BPC-157 administration, the bone defects were significantly healed [7].

Moreover, the bones were healed uniformly and they returned to their normal structure:

“no evidence for extracortical new bone formation, bony hypertrophy or ectopic bone formation was noted (avoiding the risk of reluctant osteogenesis outside the desired area)”

In other words, there was no abnormal bone formation or an “overgrowth” of bone.

BPC-157 can increase collagen synthesis

BPC-157 can not only kick-start the synthesis of collagen tissue, but it can also allow the collagen to organize appropriately [8].

Here is why this is important:

Collagen is an essential protein that serves a structural role in ligaments, muscles, tendons, and other important body parts.

Extending from this, collagen has multiple health benefits [9]:

• Improved skin health
• Relief of joint pain
• Growth of hair and nails
• Better cardiovascular health

Collagen supplements are highly regarded by health experts and BPC-157 may have a role to play in this field of study. 

BPC-157 may heal tendon injuries

Tendons are responsible for connecting muscles to bone.

The Achilles tendon is the largest one in the body, connecting the heel bone to the calf muscles.

It turns out BPC-157 is also potent in healing injuries sustained to the Achilles tendon, at least in the rat study being quoted [10]:

“Stable peptide BPC 157 with combined anti-inflammatory action and induction of early new blood vessel formation facilitates early functional recovery in Achilles tendon to bone healing.”

BPC-157 was proven to be superior to methylprednisolone, an anti-inflammatory drug commonly used for treating arthritis and preventing the “rejection” of a new organ during transplant surgeries.

After reviewing the benefits of BPC-157, we can now turn our attention to its documented side effects. 

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BPC-157 Side Effects | What Researchers MUST Know

Are there any BPC-157 side effects that researchers need to be worried about?

Let’s take a look at what the research indicates. 

Out of all the studies done in animals and the few human clinical trials that exist, no adverse side effects or toxicity events have been reported.

This even holds true when extremely high doses of BPC-157 were used.

However, peptides, in general, tend to have a few side effects [11]:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness/fatigue
• Slightly elevated blood pressure
• Redness/pain in the area of injection
• Increase in appetite

Many of the supposed side effects of BPC-157 arise during the first few injections when the body is getting used to the peptide.

But after a couple of days, the side effects tend to subside.

These side effects may also arise when test subjects are administered high doses of BPC-157, 

This assumes that researchers are administering the proper dosage of BPC-157 and that other lifestyle factors (sleep, diet, training) are appropriately taken care of [12].

In summation, the side effects of BPC-157 appear to be minimal and it has a favorable side effect profile. 

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BPC-157 Cancer?

One side effect of BPC-157 that was highlighted in past studies is the possibility of it causing or aggravating cancer.

This belief comes from the fact that BPC-157 is proangiogenic, meaning it stimulates the formation of new blood cells [13].

However, this claim does not lie on solid ground and cannot be taken at face value.

No studies done on BPC-157 to date have shown BPC-157 to initiate the formation of cancer, nor has any connection been found between BPC-157 and the aggravation of existing tumors.

Many more studies done on animals and humans would need to be done in order to substantiate this claim.

One in vitro study done in human melanoma cells found that BPC-157 actually inhibited the growth of the cancer cells.

Specifically, the researchers found BPC-157 worked to prevent DNA synthesis in those cells, which means it may be a potent inhibitor of cancer cell growth [14].

Another interesting study was able to successfully BPC-157 in treating cancer cachexia, a condition in which cancer patients suffer significant weight loss and skeletal muscle atrophy [15].

So does BPC-157 actually cause cancer? As of now, the answer is unknown to us.

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Where to Buy BPC-157 Online? | 2024 Edition

Researchers wondering about the best places to buy BPC-157 online will find the answers below.

While there are many online vendors of research peptides, here are our two favorites based on experience:

Limitless Life

Limitless Life is our top pick for peptide researchers looking to source the highest quality BPC-157 available.

But don't just take our word for it, here’s why they do a fantastic job serving the research community:

• Quality Assurance and Testing: Limitless Life produces some of the premier peptides. They are of the highest quality. Why? Because Limitless Life quality tests all their research peptides via HPLC-MS analysis. The company does this through multiple third-party labs to give researchers confidence they are getting pure peptides.
• Fast Shipping: With standard FedEx two-day shipping, along with overnight shipping options, Limitless Life gets peptides to the domestic research community with speed. For international order, researchers often see delivery in 5-10 days.
• Affordable Shipping Insurance: Limitless Life caters to research confidence by offering affordable shipping insurance. This ensures researchers get their product no questions asked.
• Support and Service: Limitless Life offers 7-days a week support available to researchers. They are available via email and phone support for any and all questions from the research community.
• ManyPayment Options: Limitless Life accepts a wide range of payment methods. For starters, they accept all major credit cards. Next, they accept e-check, Cash App, and cryptocurrency payments. Many of these options give researchers 10% off their peptides, too.

For researchers seeking unique BPC-157 formulations, like nasal sprays and capsules, Limitless Life comes in the clutch. They do offer lyophilized powder BPC-157, but they also have:

• BPC-157 + TB-500 Nasal Spray
• BPC-157 Capsules

To wrap things up, qualified researchers will find a 10% discount with Limitless Life. Simply lick the button below, then use the code:

peptidesorg10

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Research Chemical

Research Chemical is another fantastic research peptides vendor. They also sell high purity BPC-157 and have a solid reputation amongst the research community.

Here’s what the team at Peptides.org likes about this company:

• Third-Party Purity Testing: Research Chemical does purity testing with third-party labs and posts the results on product pages. This ensures researchers get high-quality BPC-157.
• Great Support and Service: Researchers have access to a dedicated support team with this vendor. They will answer any peptide or order-related question generally within one business day.
• Fast Shipping: Research Chemical strives to get peptides our quickly. They offer same-day or next-day shipping for domestic orders. This allows researchers to begin their studies with speed.

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Bacteriostatic Water and BPC-157

The tools required for properly handling BPC-157 include bacteriostatic water, sterile vials, and more.

Researchers must have access to these items and more to correctly administer, prepare, and store all peptide solutions.

As such, Peptides.org has surveyed the web to give our most highly recommended supplier that can deliver required materials for peptide research.

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Side Effects of BPC-157 | Verdict

So are the BPC-157 side effects a real cause for concern?

The side effect profile of BPC-157 is similar to that of other peptides, consisting of constitutional symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, and gastrointestinal disturbance. These generally would not constitute a red flag against use of this peptide.

The potential for long-term complications, such as malignancy, is another matter and is discussed in other of our articles.

For researchers looking to obtain high-quality BPC-157 at a fair price, this is our top-rated vendor.

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