BPC-157 Peptide: What it is and how it works
From the ever-challenging world of sports to the difficult road to recovery for patients undergoing surgeries and physical therapy, there are multiple uses for the Body Protection Compound 157 (BPC 157). Having gained significant popularity in recent years, BPC 157 is a peptide that could assist the body’s natural healing abilities, allowing for improved muscle growth and repair.
The health implications of this peptide for individuals looking to improve their musculature system are massive, so it begs the question: what IS BPC 157, and how does it affect the body?
What is BPC-157?
In layman’s terms, Body Protection Compound 157, or BPC 157, is a peptide derived from a protein found in the human gastric system. BPC 157 has a variety of therapeutic effects on the body, specifically targeting and improving muscle growth and repair, reducing inflammation, and promoting tissue regeneration.
BPC 157 has been demonstrated to provide relief to pain and swelling in the body. This is particularly valuable to athletes who may require assistance when dealing with joint or muscle pain as a result of their intense training regimens. There is also room to speculate that long-term damage to ligaments and muscle, which results in chronic pain, could be treated and eventually cured with the use of this peptide.
Many inaccurately believe that BPC 157 is a steroid due to its results but that is not the case. Steroids artificially introduce chemicals into the body, but PBC-157 is a peptide, which means it increases the body’s natural ability to produce the required chemical. Peptides are a much safer alternative. BPC 157 was created using naturally occurring amino acids within the intestinal juices, which means the body can easily use it to assist in various biological processes.
Benefits of BPC-157
With regular injections of BPC 157, an athlete could fundamentally increase the overall quality of their workout regimens. One of the biggest parts of a healthy workout is getting the proper rest time to ensure no lasting damage is suffered, but this peptide helps reduce recovery time by helping fix the aching parts, allowing the user to get back to training faster.
By increasing blood flow and stimulating the growth of new blood vessels, an individual could train harder, for longer, and more often. More intensive sports and martial arts like Jiu Jitsu practitioners would be able to recover from damaged muscles faster, decrease injury inflammation, and increase muscle growth, all in one go. With martial arts such as Jiu-Jitsu, tissue damage can be prominent in injuries across the sport, and those who study the art would also benefit from the increased muscle growth and strengthening of bones, tendons, and ligaments that BPC 157 provides, which prevents further injuries from occurring.
Intense diets and stress related to practicing sports can also leave the body with damaged intestines and ulcers. It has also been suggested that these issues improve with the use of BPC 157. Even improved recovery from alkali burns has been demonstrated in some subjects.
Damage to tendons can be the greatest fear for some athletes and a painful reality for others. Recovery can be slow, and full recovery may never happen at all. Most impressively of all, BPC 157 has been shown to help with tendon recovery.
In medical terms, BPC 157 does this by inhibiting the body’s production of inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins that contribute to the inflammation response. It also promotes ex vivo outgrowth of tendon fibroblasts, in vitro migration of tendon fibroblasts, cell survival under stress, and increased activity of growth hormone receptors. All of which contributed to a marked improvement in a damaged tendon.
Dosage Cycles
It is recommended that the dosage of BPC 157 varies depending on both the individual and the intended use. Most sources would say that a standard 250-500mcg a day is optimal, and taking it via injection is the most effective method.
It is important to note that BPC 157 has not been approved by the FDA for medical use, and thus it is difficult to procure. Once further research has been done, there is a chance that a qualified doctor may prescribe it to a patient for medical reasons, as could a pharmaceutical company for research purposes.
Furthermore, the World Anti-Doping Agency has banned the compound and added it to the list of non-exempt substances. Injections should only be performed under the guidance and supervision of healthcare professionals.
Possible Side Effects
BPC 157 has been shown to have a low risk of side effects, but there are still some potential effects associated with its use. Some users have reported nausea, dizziness, and headaches, but these are often mild symptoms that subside quickly.
Anyone discussing this would be remiss not to mention that there is concern regarding long-term use causing the development of cancer. However, the compound has not been conclusively proven to cause cancer, as further research on this subject is required.
Abusing this peptide with improper dosing, or even unsupervised self-administering, has the potential to lead to serious health risks and complications. An individual should not put anything in their body that a doctor has not said is okay to do so, and athletes should not use products marketed for “research only.”
Bottom Line
BPC 157 is, overall, a promising supplement for those wishing to improve their performance and recovery time. Further research is needed to fully understand the effects this substance has on the body, but early studies have suggested there are several potential benefits.
Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize that BPC 157 is not a substitute for well-regimented training, nutrition, and injury prevention strategies. It should not be administered without the guidance of a healthcare professional, as athletes in any sport, Jiu Jitsu or otherwise, should always prioritize safety above all else.
