Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157, Robert's Stomach Cytoprotection
/PMC/2026
Why It Matters
This paper caught my attention because BPC 157 is heavily marketed in the biohacking space, but almost all evidence comes from preclinical work. This review consolidates decades of animal data showing therapeutic promise, but I need to be clear: there are essentially zero published human trials. The mechanism appears to involve growth factor modulation and blood vessel formation, but extrapolating rat studies to humans is a massive leap.
Key Findings
- Demonstrated gastric ulcer healing in multiple animal models, including protection against NSAID-induced damage and alcohol-induced lesions, with effects persisting even after treatment stopped
- Accelerated tendon-to-bone healing in rat Achilles tendon injuries, with improved biomechanical strength at 7-14 days post-injury compared to controls
- Promoted angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and appeared to interact with the nitric oxide system, potentially explaining multi-system effects
- Showed protective effects in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease, reducing both microscopic and macroscopic intestinal damage
- Stable in gastric juice without enzymatic degradation for extended periods, and effective when given orally, intraperitoneally, or topically in animal studies
Read the Paper↗PMC7096228