BPC-157 is a synthetic peptide taken from a naturally occurring protein in the stomach. It has been of tremendous interest to many researchers over the years because of its ability to boost healing in a wide variety of tissue types, including muscles, tendons, and even elements of the nervous system. It belongs to a group of healing peptides. Much of the research on BPC-157 focuses on its ability to promote healing by stimulating the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. This serves to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the injured tissue, which is a key part of the healing process. Scientists have investigated how BPC-157 may facilitate tissue self-repair and, more specifically, its role in wound healing.
With its involvement in multiple protection and healing pathways, BPC-157 presents new possibilities for research into tissue repair and overall health. For now, the focus is on discovering exactly how it works and how it can one day contribute to healing in various tissues, although without making any final therapeutic claims for its application in humans.
What is BPC-157 and What is bpc 157 UsedFfor?
BPC-157, or Body Protection Compound-157, is a derivative of a natural protein found in the gastrointestinal tract. The protein has a protective action on the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, enabling it to recover from damage, supporting healing processes, and facilitating the growth of new blood vessels.
Scientists have created an artificial variant of this substance, called BPC-157, which is composed of 15 amino acids derived from the parent protein. Although smaller, BPC-157 has retained much of the therapeutic activity of the original substance. Research has discovered bpc 157 benefits in several areas, including:
- Helping wounds heal more effectively
- Promoting the growth of new blood vessels
- Aiding the body’s clotting function (coagulation)
- Stimulating the production of nitric oxide
- Improving immune system responses
- Influencing the expression of some genes·
- Regulation of hormones, especially in the gastrointestinal tract
BPC-157 Research
BPC-157 and Wound Healing
BPC is found naturally in the gastrointestinal tract to help maintain the lining that protects the stomach and intestines from the corrosive actions of stomach acid, bile, and other digestive chemicals. One way it does this is by attracting fibroblasts—cells that play a significant role in healing. Research has shown that BPC-157 encourages fibroblasts to grow and migrate more quickly, depending on the dosage. Since fibroblasts are the cells that produce significant compounds like collagen, fibrin, and elastin, they play a central role in healing tissue and supporting the wound-healing process.
Vascular Growth and Collateralization
BPC-157 is also effective at inducing the growth of new blood vessels. BPC-157 stimulates the proliferation of endothelial cells (cells that constitute blood vessels) and promotes the formation of new vessel networks. Research on rats has shown that BPC-157 can effectively induce the growth of new blood vessels, even in tissues where the blood supply has been cut off, as in ischemic conditions.
Most of this research has focused on the digestive system, although there is also growing evidence that BPC-157 can aid in the growth of blood vessels in the heart, brain, and muscles. This may someday translate to therapies for conditions such as strokes or heart attacks. Even experiments involving chicken embryos have utilized BPC-157 to optimize this process by activating specific signaling pathways (e.g., VEGFR2) involved in blood vessel formation, cell survival, and wound healing.
Laboratory studies also showed that BPC-157 can induce a phenomenon known as “vascular running.” This refers to the way that blood vessels naturally move towards areas that are injured or blocked in order to restore blood flow to damaged tissue and allow cells to resume normal function. Due to this ability, BPC-157 may one day offer a non-surgical alternative for the treatment of slowly developing arterial blockages, such as those caused by atherosclerosis. If possible, this would eliminate the need for procedures such as stents, bypass surgery, and other invasive techniques.
BPC-157 and Tendon Healing
Since BPC-157 promotes both fibroblast growth and the formation of new blood vessels, it is no wonder that it has had outstanding success in animal trials for the healing of tendons, ligaments, bones, and other connective tissues.
This is the reason why some people have started calling these peptides’ Wolverine Stack Peptides.’ These are the kinds of injuries that normally heal slowly, in part because these tissues have a poor blood supply. With a disrupted blood supply, it takes longer for fibroblasts and other repair cells to reach the area of injury and initiate repair, resulting in overall delayed healing.
Nevertheless, research on rat tendons found that BPC-157 acts by enhancing both new blood vessel growth and fibroblast proliferation in damaged tendons, ligaments, and bones. Some findings even suggest that BPC-157 is more potent than other growth factors with established activity, such as bFGF, EGF, and VGF, in healing these tissues.
Additional in vitro research has also shown that BPC-157 significantly promotes F-actin formation in fibroblasts—a protein essential for cell structure and migration. Since cell migration is a crucial component of tissue healing, this finding is significant. Additional examination has shown that BPC-157 increases the activation of proteins such as paxillin and FAK, which are key players in the signaling pathways that guide cell migration during wound healing.
Antioxidant Properties
Studies with rats have demonstrated that BPC-157 can neutralize some markers of oxidative stress, including nitric oxide and malondialdehyde (MDA). This indicates that BPC-157 possesses potent antioxidant properties. This is also supported by other studies, which have demonstrated that BPC-157 can decrease the production of harmful reactive oxygen species in the gastrointestinal tract.
Researchers have even explored using genetically engineered Lactococcus lactis bacteria to directly introduce BPC-157 into the gastrointestinal tract. In their study, the bacteria are capable of effectively boosting BPC-157 yields in cell culture, which opens up some interesting possibilities for future methods.
BPC-157 and Bees
Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a serious condition in which entire colonies of honeybees abruptly decline and die. Although the exact causes are not yet fully understood, one potential cause is an infection of the bees’ digestive system with the fungus Nosema ceranae.
Researchers discovered that adding BPC-157 to the bees’ food reduces the damage inflicted by this fungus on the bees’ intestines. As a result, the survival rate of the hives improved significantly. These tests were conducted under real-world field conditions and are one of the first successful oral treatments for protecting honey bees—key pollinators of many of the world’s food crops—from CCD’s devastating effects.
Where To Buy Bpc 157?
Peptides have become widely available across the internet. However, we always ask ourselves where to get bpc 157? It’s important to find a trusted supplier who has done proper testing and has the best product on the market. Keep in mind that BPC-157 and many other research peptides aren’t approved for human use and many of them are still in the trial phase.
References:
- Huang T.C. et al. (2015) – Body protective compound-157 enhances alkali-burn wound healing in vivo and promotes proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in vitro,
Drug Design, Development and Therapy
doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S79930 - Chang C.H. et al. (2014) – Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 enhances the growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts,
Journal of Orthopaedic Research
doi.org/10.1002/jor.22636 - Drmić D. et al. (2018) – Counteraction of perforated cecum lesions in rats: Effects of BPC 157, L-NAME and L-arginine,
World Journal of Gastroenterology
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300820/ - Amic F. et al. (2018) – Bypassing major venous occlusion and duodenal lesions in rats with BPC 157,
World Journal of Gastroenterology
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300818/ - Perović M. et al. (2017) – BPC 157 counteracts prolonged bleeding and thrombocytopenia after abdominal aorta anastomosis in rats,
Current Vascular Pharmacology
doi.org/10.2174/1570161115666170608120706 - Vukojević J. et al. (2020) – BPC 157 and nitric oxide system interplay in muscle and tendon healing,
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
doi.org/10.1007/s11010-020-03837-z - Rastogi R.P. et al. (2021) – Therapeutic potential of BPC 157 in honeybee colony collapse disorder (CCD) via gut protection,
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13108-w