Pentadecapeptide

Key points

• Pentadecapeptide means a peptide of 15 amino acids, and here it refers to BPC-157.
• It is based on a sequence found in a protein in the stomach, and is studied mostly in animals for healing.
• Reliable human evidence is very limited, as with BPC-157 generally.
• It has no UK marketing authorisation, and it is on the WADA Prohibited List.

Quick facts

What it is

Another name for BPC-157 (15 amino acid peptide)

Studied for

Tissue repair

UK status

Not a licensed medicine; sold for research use

In sport

On the WADA Prohibited List

How it works

As BPC-157, it is studied for effects on the healing of tissue such as tendon, muscle and the gut lining, through pathways linked to blood vessel growth and cell migration. This comes mainly from animal and laboratory work rather than human trials.

What the evidence shows

There is a large body of animal research, but no completed human randomised trials. Human benefit, dose and long term safety are not established. See the BPC-157 entry for a fuller account.

What it does not settle

• Whether the animal results carry across to people is not known.
• Long term human safety has not been studied.
• Products are not checked for purity, dose or contamination.

Side effects

Common

• In animal studies it has generally been well tolerated, but this does not establish how it behaves in people.

Less common but serious

• Because there is no licensed product, the dose, purity and contents of material bought online cannot be verified.

Report any suspected side effect through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

UK legal status and access

Pentadecapeptide, as BPC-157, has no UK marketing authorisation, so it is not a licensed medicine and is not offered by registered clinics or pharmacies. It is sold online labelled for research use.

Common questions