What research exists on peptides studied for tendon, muscle and connective tissue repair, and how much of it was done in animals rather than people.
Recovery is the area with the widest gap between what is claimed and what has been measured. Most of the compounds discussed for tendon and soft tissue repair have been studied almost entirely in rodent injury models, where a severed tendon can be examined directly. Very little of that work has moved into human trials.
This hub collects what exists, labelled by what kind of study produced it.
BPC 157, PL-14736, PL 14736, PLD-116, PL-10, Bepecin, pentadecapeptide BPC 157
A 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric juice protein, studied mostly in rats for tendon and muscle healing. No randomised trial has shown a benefit in people.
TB500, TB 500, Ac-LKKTETQ, TB-500 acetate, thymosin beta-4 fragment 17-23
A seven-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4, not the protein itself. No study has reported giving it to a human being.
Evidence review
Every published human study of BPC-157, what each one measured, and why the total is 31 people in uncontrolled reports plus two conference abstracts.
Safety
BPC-157 is not an approved medicine anywhere, is prohibited in sport at all times, and is widely sold. What regulators have actually published, and when.
Comparison
Two peptides sold for the same thing, compared on what has been measured: one head-to-head rat study, no human efficacy trial, and one regulatory difference.