Peptide Therapy Guide: BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295 & More (2025)

Peptide therapy has become one of the hottest trends in biohacking and longevity medicine. Athletes swear by them for recovery, anti-aging clinics promote them for everything from healing to fat loss, and they've become a multi-hundred-million dollar industry. But what's real, what's hype, and what's the legal reality?

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids—essentially small proteins. Your body makes thousands of peptides naturally, and they serve as signaling molecules that regulate various biological processes.

"Peptide therapy" typically refers to using synthetic versions of these signaling molecules to achieve specific effects: accelerating healing, building muscle, improving sleep, or stimulating growth hormone.

Important distinction: Peptides are different from anabolic steroids. They work through signaling pathways rather than directly forcing hormonal changes. However, some (like growth hormone secretagogues) do affect hormone levels.

Popular Peptides Explained

Healing & Recovery Peptides

BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound)

What it is: A synthetic peptide based on a protective compound found in gastric juice.

Claimed benefits: Accelerated healing of tendons, ligaments, muscles, and gut tissue. Often called the "Wolverine peptide" for supposed rapid healing.

Administration: Subcutaneous injection near injury site, or oral/sublingual.

Typical dose: 250-500mcg 1-2x daily

Cost: $80-150/month

TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4)

What it is: Synthetic version of a naturally occurring protein involved in tissue repair.

Claimed benefits: Promotes new blood vessel growth, reduces inflammation, supports healing. Often stacked with BPC-157.

Administration: Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection.

Typical dose: 2-5mg 1-2x weekly

Cost: $100-200/month

Growth Hormone Secretagogues

These peptides stimulate your pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone naturally, rather than injecting synthetic HGH directly.

CJC-1295 (with or without DAC)

What it is: Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) analog.

Claimed benefits: Increases growth hormone levels, may improve body composition, sleep, and recovery.

Administration: Subcutaneous injection, often before bed.

Cost: $150-300/month

Ipamorelin

What it is: Growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) that stimulates the ghrelin receptor.

Claimed benefits: Selective GH release without affecting cortisol or prolactin. Often combined with CJC-1295.

Administration: Subcutaneous injection, usually before bed.

Cost: $100-200/month

Tesamorelin

What it is: GHRH analog—notably, the only FDA-approved peptide in this category.

FDA-approved for: Reducing abdominal fat in HIV patients with lipodystrophy.

Off-label use: Body composition, anti-aging. This is the one GH peptide you can legally get prescribed.

Cost: $400-800/month (expensive due to FDA approval)

Other Notable Peptides

Peptide	Primary Use	Notes
PT-141 (Bremelanotide)	Sexual dysfunction	FDA-approved as Vyleesi for female HSDD
Melanotan II	Tanning, libido	NOT FDA-approved; significant safety concerns
Selank	Anxiety, cognition	Approved in Russia, not US
Semax	Cognitive enhancement	Approved in Russia, not US
GHK-Cu	Skin, wound healing	Copper peptide; topical and injectable
Epithalon	Longevity (telomeres)	Heavily marketed but weak evidence

What Does the Science Say?

Here's the honest assessment of the evidence for popular peptides:

BPC-157: Promising in Animals, Unproven in Humans

Dozens of animal studies showing accelerated healing of various tissues
Works through multiple mechanisms: angiogenesis, growth factors, gut-brain axis
But: Almost no controlled human trials published
Anecdotal reports are extremely positive, but this is weak evidence
Systematic reviews conclude more research is needed

TB-500: Similar Story

Strong mechanistic rationale and animal data
Used extensively in veterinary medicine (racehorses)
But: Very limited human studies
The one human wound-healing study was small and inconclusive

Growth Hormone Secretagogues: Better Evidence

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin: Small human studies confirm they do raise GH/IGF-1
Tesamorelin: Well-studied with FDA approval for specific use
Whether raising GH provides meaningful benefits for healthy adults is debated
Long-term safety data in healthy populations is limited

The Evidence Gap

The peptide industry is built largely on: (1) animal studies, (2) mechanistic plausibility, and (3) anecdotes. While some peptides may genuinely work, we don't have the rigorous human clinical trial data that would typically be required to make health claims. This doesn't mean they don't work—it means we don't know for certain.

Legal & Regulatory Status

The regulatory landscape for peptides changed dramatically in 2023-2024:

The FDA's Category 2 List

In late 2023, the FDA finalized a rule moving numerous peptides to "Category 2" of its bulk drug substances list. Category 2 means these peptides cannot be used by compounding pharmacies to make patient-specific medications.

What This Means Practically

Licensed US pharmacies can no longer legally compound these peptides
Doctors cannot legally prescribe them from compounding pharmacies
"Research chemical" websites still sell them, but this is a legal gray area
Quality and contamination risks increase with unregulated sources

Peptides That Are Still Available

Tesamorelin: FDA-approved, available by prescription
PT-141 (Bremelanotide): FDA-approved as Vyleesi
Semaglutide/Tirzepatide: FDA-approved GLP-1 medications
GHK-Cu: Currently not restricted for cosmetic use

How People Get Peptides

Before 2024 (Historical)

Telehealth clinics: Prescribed via online consultation, filled by compounding pharmacies
Anti-aging/longevity clinics: In-person or telemedicine prescriptions
Compounding pharmacies: Made patient-specific preparations

Current Reality (Post-FDA Restrictions)

"Research chemical" vendors: Sell peptides labeled "not for human consumption"
International pharmacies: Some people order from overseas
Underground sources: Quality completely unverified

Quality & Safety Concerns

With FDA restrictions pushing the market underground, quality concerns have increased significantly:

• Third-party testing shows many products are mislabeled or contaminated
• Some "peptides" contain little to no active ingredient
• Bacterial contamination is a real risk with injectable products
• No recourse if products cause harm

Risks & Side Effects

General Injection Risks

Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, pain)
Infection risk (if contaminated product or poor technique)
Abscess formation

Peptide-Specific Concerns

Growth hormone secretagogues:

Water retention, joint pain
Potential for glucose intolerance
Theoretical cancer concerns (GH promotes cell growth)
Unknown long-term effects

BPC-157:

Generally well-tolerated in animal studies
Theoretical concern: promoting blood vessel growth could affect tumors
Unknown long-term human effects

Melanotan II:

Nausea, flushing, appetite suppression
Changes to moles (potential melanoma risk)
Uncontrolled erections in men
The FDA has issued explicit warnings about this one

Our Assessment

The Balanced View

Peptides are genuinely interesting molecules with real biological effects. Some may truly help with healing, body composition, or performance. The science is plausible and animal data is often impressive.

However:

Human clinical trial data is largely missing
The FDA has restricted most popular peptides, making legal access difficult
Unregulated sources pose real quality and safety risks
Long-term effects are unknown
Marketing claims often far exceed evidence

When Peptides Might Make Sense

FDA-approved options (Tesamorelin, PT-141) with physician supervision
You've exhausted conventional treatment options
You understand you're experimenting with uncertain benefits
You can verify product quality (challenging now)
You're working with a knowledgeable physician

When to Skip Them

You're expecting guaranteed results
You'd be using unverified sources
You have a history of cancer (especially with GH peptides)
You're not comfortable with the legal/regulatory uncertainty
You haven't optimized the basics (sleep, nutrition, training)

Peptide Therapy: What You Need to Know

Critical Regulatory Information

Peptide Therapy Overview

What This Guide Covers