BPC-157 vs TB-500 at a glance
| Compared | BPC-157 | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | 15-amino-acid fragment of a stomach protein | 7-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4 |
| Claimed uses | Gut, tendon, ligament and muscle healing | Muscle, tendon and wound repair, flexibility |
| How it’s said to work | Blood vessel growth and repair signals at the injury | Helps cells move to injuries; calms inflammation |
| Human evidence | Three small pilot studies (2 to 16 people) | No published human trials |
| FDA status | Not approved; advisory committee backed compounding in July 2026 | Not approved; advisory committee backed compounding in July 2026 |
| Sport | Banned (WADA) | Banned (WADA) |
What is the difference between BPC-157 and TB-500?
They come from different natural proteins and are thought to work in different ways. BPC-157 is a piece of a protein found in stomach juice, while TB-500 copies the active part of thymosin beta-4, a protein found in almost every cell.
Both are lab-made and sold as powders for injection, labeled for research.
What does the research show for each?
BPC-157 has a large body of animal research, mostly from one group in Croatia, showing faster healing of tendons, muscles and the gut in rats. A 2025 review found only three small human studies and said it shouldn’t be recommended for clinical use until proper trials are done.
TB-500’s evidence comes almost entirely from studies of the full thymosin beta-4 protein in cells and animals; TB-500 itself has no published human trials.
What is the Wolverine stack?
The Wolverine stack is a nickname for using BPC-157 and TB-500 together, hoping the two different mechanisms add up. The combination has never been tested.
Side effects and risks of BPC-157 and TB-500
The side effects of both are largely unknown because neither has been properly tested in people. Researchers have raised theoretical concerns about effects on blood vessel growth, which could matter for people with cancer.
Products sold online aren’t checked for purity, strength or contamination.
Are BPC-157 and TB-500 legal?
Neither is approved for human use by the FDA or any other regulator. In 2026 both moved off the FDA’s list of compounding substances with safety concerns, and in July 2026 an FDA advisory committee recommended allowing both in pharmacy compounding, but the FDA hasn’t decided.
Both are banned at all times by the World Anti-Doping Agency.