From the Guidelines
BPC-157 is not recommended for joint health due to limited evidence and lack of FDA approval, and instead, patients should consider evidence-based treatments such as exercise, weight loss, and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as recommended by the 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Athritis Foundation guideline 1. While BPC-157 may have potential benefits for joint health, its use remains experimental and is not supported by high-quality evidence. The 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Athritis Foundation guideline recommends exercise, weight loss, and topical NSAIDs as first-line treatments for osteoarthritis, with strong evidence supporting their effectiveness 1. Some key points to consider when managing joint health include:
- Exercise and weight loss are strongly recommended for patients with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis who are overweight or obese 1
- Topical NSAIDs are recommended for knee osteoarthritis, with evidence showing their effectiveness in reducing pain and improving function 1
- Intra-articular injections, such as glucocorticoids and hyaluronan, may be considered for patients who do not respond to first-line treatments, but their use should be guided by evidence-based recommendations and individual patient factors 1 It is essential to consult with a healthcare provider before using any treatment, especially those with existing medical conditions or taking other medications, to determine the best course of treatment for individual patient needs.
From the Research
Benefits of BPC-157 in Joint Health
- BPC-157 has been shown to have regenerative properties that can help relieve multiple types of knee pain, including osteoarthritis, meniscus tears, tendinosis, ligament tears or sprains, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and septic arthritis 2.
- A retrospective study found that intra-articular injection of BPC-157 helped 87.5% of patients with knee pain, with 91.6% of patients who received only BPC-157 showing significant improvement 2.
- BPC-157 has the potential to repair tears, build cartilage, and reduce the number of knee surgeries, offering advantages over the use of steroids 2.
- The peptide has been shown to accelerate musculoskeletal soft tissue healing, including tendon, ligament, and skeletal muscle healing, with consistently positive and prompt healing effects in various injury types 3.
- BPC-157 promotes tendon healing by involving tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration, and its mechanism of action is likely mediated by the activation of the FAK-paxillin pathway 4.
- The use of BPC-157 has been found to have few adverse reactions, making it a promising therapy for the conservative treatment or aid of recovery in hypovascular and hypocellular soft tissues such as tendon and ligaments 3.