What These Peptides Are
BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid peptide derived from a sequence in human gastric juice. Most of the research on it involves gut tissue, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue healing.
TB-500 is a 43-amino-acid peptide that mimics Thymosin Beta-4, a protein your body concentrates at wound sites. It shows stronger effects on muscle, tendon, and cardiac tissue.
People combine them because they work through different mechanisms. BPC-157 leans toward GI and soft tissue. TB-500 leans toward connective tissue and muscle. Stacked, they cover more ground than either one alone.
BPC-157 Dosing
The standard dose is 250-500mcg per day, injected subcutaneously. You can take it as one shot or split it (250mcg morning, 250mcg evening). Splitting keeps plasma levels more even, but plenty of people do fine with a single daily dose.
- Daily dose: 250-500mcg
- Frequency: Once or twice daily
- Injection: Subcutaneous (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm)
- Cycle length: 4-8 weeks
Some protocols front-load with 500mcg twice daily for week one, then drop to 250-500mcg daily. Most people skip the loading phase and start at the standard dose.
BPC-157 is unusually stable for a peptide. Time of day doesn't matter much, and food doesn't interfere with absorption.
Use the BPC-157 calculator to figure out reconstitution volumes and syringe units for your vial size.
TB-500 Dosing
TB-500 is dosed in milligrams, not micrograms. The standard is 2.0-2.5mg per week, split across 2-3 injections.
- Weekly dose: 2.0-2.5mg
- Frequency: 2-3 times per week (Monday/Wednesday/Friday is common)
- Per injection: 0.7-1.0mg (3x/week) or 1.0-1.25mg (2x/week)
- Injection: Subcutaneous or intramuscular
- Cycle length: 4-6 weeks
Example: 0.7mg on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday gives you 2.1mg for the week.
Some people load at 4-6mg per week for the first two weeks, then drop to maintenance. The standard 2.0-2.5mg weekly dose works for most people without loading.
Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water. Refrigerate after mixing and use within 3-4 weeks.
The Stack
Here is what the combined protocol looks like:
- BPC-157: 250-500mcg daily (one or two doses)
- TB-500: 2.0-2.5mg per week, split into 2-3 injections
- Cycle length: 4-6 weeks
- Injection: Subcutaneous for both
You can inject both in the same session, but draw from separate vials and use separate sites. A typical week:
- Every morning: BPC-157 250-500mcg subcutaneous
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday: TB-500 0.7-1.0mg subcutaneous
On days you do both, timing between them doesn't matter. Same session or hours apart, either works.
After 4-6 weeks, take at least 4-6 weeks off before running another cycle.
Reconstitution and Injection
Both peptides ship as freeze-dried powder. You reconstitute with bacteriostatic water before use.
BPC-157 (typical 5mg vial):
- Add 1ml BAC water to a 5mg vial = 5mg/ml
- 0.1ml on the syringe = 500mcg
- 0.05ml = 250mcg
TB-500 (typical 5mg or 10mg vial):
- Add 1ml BAC water to a 5mg vial = 5mg/ml
- 0.2ml = 1mg
- Add 2ml BAC water to a 10mg vial = 5mg/ml
- 0.2ml = 1mg
For injection, pinch the skin and inject into the fat layer at a 45-degree angle. Abdomen, upper thigh, and upper arm all work. Rotate sites when you can.
Store reconstituted vials at 2-8°C, away from light. Don't freeze them. See our storage guide for details.
What to Expect
BPC-157 users most often report improved gut comfort, faster healing of soft tissue injuries, and better skin recovery. Some notice changes in hair and nail quality, though that's more anecdotal.
TB-500 users report improved tendon function and joint mobility. The peptide has a clear affinity for connective tissue.
Stacked, the most common reports are faster recovery from tendon and joint injuries, less pain, and quicker bounce-back from hard training. Results usually start showing up in the first 1-2 weeks.
Timing and Cycling
BPC-157 plasma half-life is short (under an hour in rodent PK); twice-daily dosing tracks the pharmacodynamic effect window, not serum persistence. Synthetic TB-500 lacks published human PK; community estimates put the effective window at 24 to 72 hours, which is why 2-3 injections per week covers it.
Run the stack for 4-6 weeks. Longer cycles don't seem to add much and may give diminishing returns. Take 4-6 weeks off between cycles.
If you're new to both peptides, try BPC-157 alone for your first cycle. That way you know how you respond before adding TB-500.
References
- Seiwerth S et al. "BPC 157 and Standard Angiogenic Growth Factors." Curr Pharm Des, 2018. PubMed
- Chang CH et al. "The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing." J Appl Physiol, 2011. PubMed
- Bock-Marquette I et al. "Thymosin beta-4 denotes new directions towards developing prosperous anti-aging regenerative therapies." Int Immunopharmacol, 2023. PubMed
- Hannappel E. "beta-Thymosins." Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2007. PubMed
Disclaimer: These peptides are not FDA-approved for therapeutic use. Talk to a healthcare provider before starting any peptide protocol.