Peptide Therapy: BPC 157: Could BPC 157 be the Great Healer?

What Can BPC 157 Do?

Healing:

BPC 157 benefits almost all organs, even when given at low doses (Chang CH, 2011). It has anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory effects (Chang CH, 2011). It helps with injuries that occur as a result of direct trauma, and for systemic issues such as hyperkalemia (excessive potassium levels) and hypermagnesia (excessive magnesium) (Gwyer D, 2019).

BPC 157 is useful in wound healing. It can heal blood vessels and re-establish the integrity of blood flow (Sikiric P, 2020). It acts through different vasoactive pathways and systems, optimizing the vascular response which helps the healing process (Seiwerth S, 2014).

Gut:

BPC 157 helps heal gastrointestinal lesions, the pancreas, liver injuries, cells in blood vessels, heart damage, and pseudoarthrosis (a fracture healing disorder which takes longer than normal to heal) (Chang CH, 2011).

It can protect stomach cells and maintain gastric integrity against various toxins in the gut (Sikiric P, 2020).

BPC 157 prevents gastric cell injury in the gut, which causes damage to the gastric epithelium (a protective layer of cells) (Sikiric P, 2018). It also protects cells in other locations (Sikiric P, 2020).

With this ability to protect stomach cell and endothelium (cells that line the blood vessels, heart, and circulatory system), BPC 157 can help recover mucosal integrity and control blood vessel function (Sikiric P, 2018).

BPC 157 can be very useful in gut repair to return the gut to good health, as it protects cells and organs (Sikiric P, 2017). It heals gastric and whole intestinal tract lesions and wounds, fistulas, blood vessels and neurons (Sikiric P, 2017). With these properties, BPC 157 can be used for leaky gut, gut repair, weaning off PPIs (proton pump inhibitor drugs), heart repair and other tissue repair needs.

Tendons & Ligaments:

BPC 157 can regenerate tissue (Chang CH, 2011) and improve tendon, ligament and bone healing (Seiwerth S, 2018).

BPC 157 can help heal different kinds of tissue, including skin, muscle, bone, ligament and tendon.  It is thought that BPC 157 increases growth hormone receptor in tendon fibroblasts (Chang CH, 2014). Fibroblasts are the most common cells of connective tissue and are critical to wound healing. Increasing growth hormone receptors in fibroblast enhances the effect of growth hormone and helps the tendon to heal (Chang CH, 2014).

This is great news for tendons and ligaments, which are often slow to heal. Typically, it takes 6-8 weeks for bone to heal, but tendon and ligament injuries can last much longer and heal much more slowly. BPC 157 is very useful for these types of injuries.

Repairs Damage:

It can protect against the negative effects of alcohol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS, such as Ibuprofen) on the gastric cells and lining (Sikiric P, 2020). It helps with side effects of NSAIDs, which is primarily damage to the liver (Sikiric P, 2017).

BPC 157 protects stomach cells and maintains gut lining integrity against various toxins (alcohol, NSAIDs and other drugs) (Park JM, 2020). There is a medical need to reduce NSAIDs-induced toxicity and BPC 157 can help (Park JM, 2020).

Leaky gut syndrome is a result of increased gut permeability. This is caused by things like physical stress, mental stress, NSAIDs, alcohol, pesticides and many other contributing factors; which can all make the gut ‘leaky’. BPC 157 can heal leaky gut syndrome (Park JM, 2020).

Other Benefits:

BPC 157 can improve behavioral disturbances due to overstimulated or damaged neurotransmitters systems. It modulates serotonin and dopamine (Sikiric P, 2016). BPC 157 has neuroprotective effects and protects neurons (Sikiric P, 2016).

BPC 157 counteracts cancer cachexia (a wasting syndrome common in cancer patients) and muscle wasting (Sikiric P, 2020).

Anecdotally it is being used to reduce gut inflammation and heal leaky gut, and to heal muscle, tendon or ligament injuries.

How Does BPC 157 Work?

It is not entirely clear how BPC 157 works but there are theories:

• It is attracted to signaling molecules produced by injured tissues, yet exactly how this works is not known. It likely varies depending on the particular tissue and nature of the injury.
• It is thought to speed up angiogenic repair (Seiwerth S, 2014). Angiogenesis is the creation of new blood vessels and is critical for wound healing. It helps the formation of new blood vessels from old ones. This can increase blood flow to damaged tissues and increases blood flow to tendons and ligaments to increase healing (Seiwerth S, 2014).
• BPC-157 increases the delivery of nutrients and various healing factors that are required for growth and repair. This increases the healing of joint structures, tendons, and ligaments. In addition, most joint structures, ligaments, and tendons are made of different kinds of collagen. BPC-157 stimulates increases in collagen production, thus healing these injuries.
• It is also thought to upregulate growth hormone receptors in injured tissues (Chang CH, 2014). This amplifies the effect of growth hormone and helps speed healing.

Side Effects?

According to studies, there are no side effects or toxic effects from using BPC 157 (Chang CH, 2011). Few studies report any adverse reactions (Gwyer D, 2019).

It is orally absorbed and can be taken as a capsule or injection.

The effect of BPC 157 is quick and usually occurs after one dose, while long-lasting effects also occur (Chang CH, 2011).

It is best to work with an experienced Functional Medicine practitioner when using peptides. Our clinic can help you with BPC 157 or other peptides.

** Please stay tuned for our next blog on Peptide Therapy **