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BPC-157 vs TB-500: What the Research Shows

BPC-157 and TB-500 side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
Gastric pentadecapeptidePCAC voted 8–6 for 503A (Jul 2026)BPC-157BPC-157, an experimental gastric pentadecapeptide, not an approved drug; human evidence is a few small uncontrolled reports, including complete symptom resolution in 10 of 12 patients in a bladder pilot.[7]Healing & recoveryMost searchedSynthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4PCAC voted 8–6 for 503A (Jul 2026)TB-500TB-500, a short synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4's actin-binding region; human trials tested full-length thymosin, which was well tolerated in healthy volunteers with no dose-limiting toxicity.[23]Healing & recovery+30% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider BPC-157 if…

  • you want any human reports (a small, uncontrolled report): 14 of 16 patients (87.5%) reported relief with BPC 157 alone or combined with thymosin beta-4 (TB4).[24]

Consider TB-500 if…

  • you are weighing animal data: the only study of TB-500 itself in our review is in rats, where higher maximum load to failure in the Achilles tendon reached significance for TB-500 (p < 0.05)[8]

What they have in common

  • BPC-157 is prohibited by WADA at all times, in and out of competition[2]
  • TB-500 is prohibited by WADA at all times, in and out of competition[2]
Neither is FDA approved for any use in people. Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 9 of 13 fields where the two differ. Category, FDA status, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, Vial sizes sold are the same or both unknown.

FieldBPC-157TB-500
ClassGastric pentadecapeptideSynthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4
Also calledBPC, body protection compound, Pentadecapeptide BPC 157TB4, thymosin beta-4, TB-500 fragment
WADAProhibited by WADA (S0)BPC-157 is named in S0 (non-approved substances), prohibited at all times, in and out of competition.Prohibited by WADA (S2.3)TB-500 is named as a thymosin-beta-4 derivative in S2.3 (growth factors), prohibited at all times.
Anti-doping detection
  • A 2023 method detects BPC-157 and five main metabolites in human urine at very low concentrations.PMID 37959764
  • A 2017 anti-doping lab method detects BPC 157 in urine; the peptide was stable in urine for at least 4 days.PMID 28035768
Half-lifeless than 30 minIV and IM (single and repeated) (rat, beagle dog) · Frontiers in pharmacology 2022, PMID 36588717No published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 2026
Evidence strengthHuman observational evidence, 3 of 4Strongest: Alternative therapies in health and medicine 2025, PMID 40131143Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: Cardiovascular research 2025, PMID 41229390
Human studies we summarised3 human (0 randomized or controlled) of 24 summarised7 human (7 randomized or controlled) of 16 summarised
Typical study doses
US searches per month301,000 · Most searched49,500 · +30% searches

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

Sold mixed: KLOW, GLOW, Wolverine

These blends put both in one vial. The blend calculator works out the dose of each component per draw. Evidence for the combination: 1 published study included both (PMID 42542926).

Blend calculator
KLOWGHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500 + KPVBlend mathGLOWGHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500Blend mathWolverineBPC-157 + TB-500Blend math

Sources

  1. 1FDA gives notice that 12 peptides will be removed from Category 2 (nominations withdrawn)FDA · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Stable Isotope Labeling-Based Nontargeted Strategy for Characterization of the In Vitro Metabolic Profile of a Novel Doping BPC-157 in Doping Control by UHPLC-HRMS.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023PMID 37959764Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Detection and in vitro metabolism of the confiscated peptides BPC 157 and MGF R23H.Drug testing and analysis · 2017PMID 28035768Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5Pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of body-protective compound 157, a potential drug for treating various wounds, in rats and dogs.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022PMID 36588717Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Safety of Intravenous Infusion of BPC157 in Humans: A Pilot Study.Alternative therapies in health and medicine · 2025PMID 40131143Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study.Alternative therapies in health and medicine · 2024PMID 39325560Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Effects of BPC-157 and TB-500 on Achilles tendon healing in rats: A histopathological and biomechanical study.Joint diseases and related surgery · 2026PMID 42542926Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Doping control analysis of TB-500, a synthetic version of an active region of thymosin β₄, in equine urine and plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Journal of chromatography. A · 2012PMID 23084823Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10Simplifying and expanding the screening for peptides <2 kDa by direct urine injection, liquid chromatography, and ion mobility mass spectrometry.Journal of separation science · 2016PMID 26578461Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11Recombinant human thymosin beta 4 improves ischemic cardiac dysfunction in mice and patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after reperfusion.Cardiovascular research · 2025PMID 41229390Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12A first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, single- and multiple-dose, phase I study of recombinant human thymosin β4 in healthy Chinese volunteers.Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2021PMID 34346165Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Recombinant human thymosin beta-4 (rhTβ4) improved scalp condition and microbiome homeostasis in seborrheic dermatitis.Microbial biotechnology · 2021PMID 34318587Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a phase 2 randomized trial.Cornea · 2015PMID 25826322Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) (1199 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (humans[mh] OR patients[tiab]) (678 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  17. 17PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (randomized[tiab] OR clinical trial[pt]) (18 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  18. 18PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (16 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  19. 19PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (wound[tiab] OR dermal[tiab] OR skin[tiab] OR hair[tiab]) (212 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  20. 20PubMed search: ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (tendon[tiab] OR muscle[tiab] OR cardiac[tiab] OR myocardial[tiab] OR heart[tiab]) (246 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  21. 21PubMed search: "TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "Ac-LKKTETQ"[tiab] (33 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  22. 22PubMed search: ("BPC-157"[tiab] OR BPC157[tiab] OR "body protection compound"[tiab] OR "pentadecapeptide BPC"[tiab]) AND ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  23. 23A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin beta4 in healthy volunteers.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2010PMID 20536472Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  24. 24Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain.Alternative therapies in health and medicine · 2021PMID 34324435Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  25. 25Advisory committee backs 6 of 7 peptides for the 503A listNCPA · 2026ncpa.org

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