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Musculoskeletal Health

Musculoskeletal health covers the bones, muscles, tendons and joints that support the body and let it move. Two peptides, BPC-157 and TB-500, have the most research, and studies found better tendon recovery with the first and improved tissue repair with the second, though the evidence is limited for both. Much of it was in animals and cells, and the TB-500 work centered on the heart, so its relevance to people is unclear.

Sources: PMID 21030672; PMID 14554208; PMID 20536454

Supplements studied
0
Medicines and peptides
2
Graded outcomes
4
No supplement studies yetWe haven’t found supplement studies for Musculoskeletal Health. The medicines and peptides studied for it are listed below.

Prescription medicines and peptides studied, for context

These are not supplements. Most need a prescription, and some are research compounds with no approved use.

2 medicines and peptides

BPC-157

BPC-157: outcomes studied for Musculoskeletal Health
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Tendon Healing

Notable Improvement (mostly animal data)

Improves (the measure goes up)Large effect11 studies180 people

Studies that measured tendon healing

and 8 more on the BPC-157 page

Ligament Healing

Moderate Improvement (mostly animal data)

Improves (the measure goes up)Moderate effect11 studies90 people

Studies that measured ligament healing

and 8 more on the BPC-157 page

Muscle Injury Recovery

Moderate Improvement (mostly animal data)

Improves (the measure goes up)Moderate effect11 studies120 people

Studies that measured muscle injury recovery

and 8 more on the BPC-157 page

TB-500

TB-500: outcomes studied for Musculoskeletal Health
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Tissue Repair

Moderate Improvement

Improves (the measure goes up)Moderate effect9 studies75 people

Studies that measured tissue repair

and 6 more on the TB-500 page

Key findings

  • Tendon HealingBPC-157Improves (the measure goes up)
  • Ligament HealingBPC-157Improves (the measure goes up)
  • Muscle Injury RecoveryBPC-157Improves (the measure goes up)

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Studies cited

20 studies from PubMed

  1. Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review.HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery, 2025 · PMID 40756949
  2. Thymosin β(4) and β(10) Expression in Human Organs during Development: A Review.Cells, 2024 · PMID 38994967
  3. Thymosin beta-4 - A potential tool in healing middle ear lesions in adult mammalsInt Immunopharmacol, 2023 · PMID 38706788
  4. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and the central nervous systemNeural Regen Res, 2022 · PMID 34380875
  5. Thymosin beta-4 prenatal administration improves fetal development and halts side effects due to preterm deliveryEur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 2021 · PMID 33506933
  6. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound HealingFront Pharmacol, 2021 · PMID 34267654
  7. The effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on hippocampal ischemia/reperfusion injuries in ratsBrain Behav, 2020 · PMID 32558293
  8. Thymosin β4: A Multi-Faceted Tissue Repair Stimulating Protein in Heart InjuryInt J Mol Sci, 2019 · PMID 31333080
  9. Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healingCell Tissue Res, 2019 · PMID 30915550
  10. Therapeutic potential of pro-angiogenic BPC157 is associated with VEGFR2 activation and up-regulationJ Mol Med, 2017 · PMID 27847966
  11. Thymosin β4: multiple functions in protection, repair and regeneration of the mammalian heartExpert Opin Biol Ther, 2015 · PMID 26094634
  12. BPC 157 and blood vesselsCurr Pharm Des, 2014 · PMID 23782145
  13. Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applicationsAnn N Y Acad Sci, 2012 · PMID 22074294
  14. The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migrationJ Appl Physiol, 2011 · PMID 21030672
  15. Thymosin beta4 enhances repair by organizing connective tissue and preventing the appearance of myofibroblastsAnn N Y Acad Sci, 2010 · PMID 20536458
  16. Thymosin beta4 and cardiac repairAnn N Y Acad Sci, 2010 · PMID 20536454
  17. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the ratJ Orthop Res, 2010 · PMID 20225319
  18. Thymosin beta4 is cardioprotective after myocardial infarctionNature, 2007 · PMID 17600280
  19. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growthJ Orthop Res, 2003 · PMID 14554208
  20. Evaluating the Suitability and Potential Efficiency of Cannabis sativa Oil for Patients with Primary Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Prospective, Open-Label, Single-Arm Pilot StudyPain Med · PMID 33123730