BPC-157 and Tendinopathy: What Has Been Studied

What the research covers

BPC-157 has not been tested for tendinopathy in a human trial. Its tendon data come from rodent (rat) studies and rodent (rat) tendon cells. The peptide is a chain of 15 amino acids, part of a larger peptide first found in gastric juice.

In an early rodent (rat) study, the Achilles tendon was cut. The peptide was then injected into the belly cavity once a day. Doses were 10 micrograms, 10 nanograms or 10 picograms per kg. Treated tendons were stronger, worked better and showed better tissue repair. In a later rodent (rat) study, the tendon was cut from the bone. The peptide improved healing where tendon meets bone.

Lab work on rodent (rat) tendon cells gave some clues. BPC-157 helped cells grow out of tendon pieces, survive stress and move. It did not directly make the cells multiply.

A recent rodent (rat) study repaired cut Achilles tendons. It compared BPC-157, TB-500 and both together for 4 weeks. With this peptide alone, scores improved, but the change was not significant. TB-500 alone gave a significant gain in tendon strength. The two together did no better than either alone.

All of these studies used tendons cut on purpose. None tested long-standing tendinopathy. A PubMed search on 27 September 2026 found no record of it tagged as a clinical trial.

Sources

1. Staresinic M, Sebecic B, Patrlj L, et al. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth. J Orthop Res (2003). PMID 14554208 doi:10.1016/S0736-0266(03)00110-4 Rodent (rat), cut Achilles tendon; 10 micrograms, 10 nanograms or 10 picograms per kg intraperitoneally once daily; better strength, function and tissue healing.
2. Krivic A, Anic T, Seiwerth S, et al. Achilles detachment in rat and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157: Promoted tendon-to-bone healing and opposed corticosteroid aggravation. J Orthop Res (2006). PMID 16583442 doi:10.1002/jor.20096 Rodent (rat), Achilles tendon cut from bone; improved tendon-to-bone healing.
3. Bicer O, Adanir O, Guleryuz Y, et al. Effects of BPC-157 and TB-500 on Achilles tendon healing in rats: A histopathological and biomechanical study. Jt Dis Relat Surg (2026). PMID 42542926 doi:10.52312/jdrs.2026.2951 Rodent (rat), 32 animals, repaired Achilles tendon; BPC-157 not significant on total scores; TB-500 significant on strength; no added benefit from combining.
4. Chang CH, Tsai WC, Lin MS, et al. The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration. J Appl Physiol (1985) (2011). PMID 21030672 doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00945.2010 Cells from rodent (rat) Achilles tendon; more outgrowth, survival under stress and migration; no direct effect on cell proliferation.
5. Sikiric P, Petek M, Rucman R, et al. A new gastric juice peptide, BPC. An overview of the stomach-stress-organoprotection hypothesis and beneficial effects of BPC. J Physiol Paris (1993). PMID 8298609 doi:10.1016/0928-4257(93)90038-u Original description: BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric juice peptide.