Healing & Recovery Peptide Dosage Protocols
Healing and recovery peptides trigger angiogenesis, cell migration, and ECM remodeling. The flagship compounds are BPC-157 (gastric protective pentadecapeptide) and TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 fragment).
7 protocols indexed
TB-500
TB-500 is the synthetic counterpart of the active region of thymosin beta-4 (Tbeta4), a 43-amino-acid G-actin-sequestering peptide first isolated by Allan Goldstein and colleagues from bovine thymus tissue in the 1960s [1][2]. Goldstein and Crockford have published extensively on Tbeta4's roles in actin polymerization regulation, endothelial cell migration, angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory signaling, and stem cell mobilization, with downstream effects on wound healing, cardiac repair, and corneal regeneration [3][4]. Phase 2 trials of topical thymosin beta-4 in venous stasis ulcers and pressure ulcers showed accelerated healing in subsets of patients, with safety comparable to placebo, although the trials had small sample sizes and methodological constraints [5][6]. TB-500 is not approved by the FDA, EMA, or other Western regulators for any indication; it remains a research peptide and is banned by WADA for athletes. Research dosing in animals and the human literature typically uses 2 to 10 mg/week subcutaneously, often split into one or two injections during a 4 to 6 week loading phase, followed by maintenance at 2 mg/week.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardResearch PeptideAra-290
ARA 290 (cibinetide) is a synthetic 11-amino-acid peptide engineered by Michael Brines and Anthony Cerami from a tertiary-structure surface region of erythropoietin that mediates tissue protection but not erythropoiesis, binding to a heteromeric receptor consisting of the EPO receptor and the beta-common receptor (CD131) on inflammatory and neural cells [1][2]. By activating the tissue-protective receptor without engaging the homodimeric EPO receptor that drives red cell production, ARA 290 produces anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and tissue-regenerative effects through downstream JAK2-STAT3 and PI3K-Akt signaling, without erythrocytosis or thrombotic risk [3]. Clinical trials in sarcoidosis-related small fiber neuropathy and type 2 diabetic neuropathy have demonstrated reductions in neuropathic pain, increases in corneal nerve fiber density on confocal microscopy, increases in regenerating GAP-43-positive nerve fibers on skin biopsy, and modest improvements in HbA1c and lipid profile sustained 4 weeks after end of dosing [4][5][6]. ARA 290 is not approved by the FDA, EMA, or other Western regulators. Research dosing has used 1 to 8 mg/day subcutaneous, typically for 28 days, with 4 mg/day emerging as the preferred dose in published phase 2 trials.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardTissue Repair & HealingBPC-157
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV) derived from a partial sequence of a larger Body Protection Compound originally isolated from human gastric juice by Predrag Sikiric and colleagues at the University of Zagreb in the early 1990s [1][2]. Across more than 30 years of preclinical work, BPC-157 has been shown to accelerate the healing of tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and cornea through pro-angiogenic mechanisms involving VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) activation, nitric oxide synthase upregulation through the Akt-eNOS axis, ERK1/2 signaling, and modulation of the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems [3][4]. Chang and colleagues demonstrated in the Journal of Applied Physiology that BPC-157 promotes tendon healing by enhancing tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and migration in tendon fibroblast cultures, and that it upregulates growth hormone receptor expression in those cells [5][6]. BPC-157 is not FDA approved and remains a research peptide. Typical research dosing is 250 to 500 mcg/day subcutaneously, with cycles of 4 to 8 weeks.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardTissue Repair & HealingKPV
KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (Lys-Pro-Val, residues 11-13 of alpha-MSH) that retains the broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity of the parent hormone while lacking the pigmentary effects mediated through melanocortin-1 receptor activation on melanocytes [1][2]. The peptide acts primarily by inhibiting NF-kB nuclear translocation in macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and intestinal epithelial cells, suppressing transcription of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IFN-gamma. Brzoska, Luger, and colleagues reviewed the alpha-MSH-derived tripeptide pharmacology comprehensively in Endocrine Reviews and argued that KPV represents a viable anti-inflammatory candidate for immune-mediated conditions in which alpha-MSH itself would be problematic due to off-target hyperpigmentation [2]. Dalmasso and Merlin demonstrated in Gastroenterology that KPV is transported intact across colonic epithelium by the PepT1 di/tripeptide transporter (which is upregulated in inflamed colon) and reduces intestinal inflammation in DSS-induced colitis at 205 mcg/day in drinking water [3]. KPV is not approved by the FDA, EMA, or other Western regulators. Research dosing is 200 to 500 mcg/day subcutaneously or orally, often divided into two doses, in cycles of 4 to 8 weeks.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardTherapeutic BlendBPC-157 + TB-500
The BPC-157 and TB-500 stack pairs two research peptides with complementary regenerative mechanisms: BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound, a 15-amino-acid pentadecapeptide from gastric juice that drives VEGFR2-mediated angiogenesis and growth hormone receptor upregulation in tendon fibroblasts) [1][2] and TB-500 (the active 7-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4 that sequesters G-actin, promotes endothelial cell migration, and supports stem cell mobilization) [3][4]. Sikiric, Chang, and colleagues have published the preclinical foundations for BPC-157 in tendon, ligament, and gastrointestinal healing, while Goldstein, Crockford, and colleagues have established TB-500/thymosin beta-4 in wound, cardiac, and corneal repair [5][6]. The combination is not FDA approved, and the only published controlled clinical evidence on each peptide individually is limited. Typical research dosing pairs BPC-157 at 250 to 500 mcg/day subcutaneously with TB-500 at 2 to 5 mg twice weekly during a 4 to 6 week loading phase, followed by maintenance of TB-500 at 2 mg weekly for an additional 4 to 8 weeks.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardTherapeutic BlendTri-Heal
Tri-Heal is a research-only compounded peptide blend formulated to combine three regenerative peptides in a single vial for convenience in healing protocols: TB-500 (typically 25 mg), BPC-157 (typically 10 mg), and KPV (typically 10 mg) [1][2][3]. The rationale draws on independent preclinical evidence for each component covering distinct phases of the wound healing cascade: TB-500 provides actin-mediated cell migration and angiogenic support through G-actin sequestration (Goldstein, Crockford) [4][5]; BPC-157 drives VEGFR2-mediated angiogenesis, ERK1/2-mediated fibroblast proliferation, and approximately 3-fold growth hormone receptor upregulation in tendon fibroblasts (Sikiric, Chang) [6][7]; and KPV provides anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity through inhibition of NF-kB-driven cytokine release in macrophages and intestinal epithelium (Brzoska, Dalmasso, Merlin) [8][9]. Tri-Heal as a fixed-combination product has not been evaluated in any published randomized controlled trial and is not approved by the FDA, EMA, or any other regulator. Typical research dosing reconstitutes the vial in bacteriostatic water and delivers a daily subcutaneous dose calibrated to deliver approximately 250 mcg BPC-157, 600 to 800 mcg TB-500, and 250 mcg KPV per injection.
Open Protocolarrow_forwardSynergistic StackTB-500 + BPC-157
The TB-500 and BPC-157 stack is the most widely studied combination protocol in unregulated peptide research, pairing two regenerative peptides with distinct loading and maintenance dosing schedules designed to match the very different pharmacokinetic profiles of the two molecules and the different tissue compartments their mechanisms address [1][2][3]. TB-500 (the active fragment of thymosin beta-4) has a plasma half-life of approximately 2 hours but durable tissue incorporation that supports twice-weekly dosing during loading and once-weekly maintenance [4][5]. BPC-157 (the gastric pentadecapeptide originally isolated by Sikiric and colleagues) is unusually stable in serum and gastric juice and is typically given as small daily injections to maintain steady angiogenic and growth factor signaling at the site of injury throughout the cycle [6][7]. Goldstein, Crockford, Sikiric, Chang, and colleagues provide the preclinical evidence base for each component [4][5][6][8]. The combination is not FDA approved and is banned in competitive sport by WADA under category S2. This page focuses on dosing-schedule architecture (loading, maintenance, taper, cycling, injection-site selection) rather than re-derivation of basic mechanism, which is covered in the BPC-157 plus TB-500 page.
Open Protocolarrow_forward