BPC-157 vs TB-500
BPC-157: Synthetic gastric peptide. TB-500: Thymosin beta-4 fragment. Per milligram, BPC-157 is cheaper right now ($0.450 vs $0.667 at the cheapest tested vendor). BPC-157 has stronger published evidence (grade C vs D). Prices per mg compare cost, not effect: the amounts used in studies differ between compounds.
BPC-157
A 15-amino-acid peptide derived from a protein in stomach juice. Many animal studies report faster healing of tendons, ligaments, muscle and the gut lining; there are almost no published human trials.
- What it is
- Synthetic gastric peptide
- Category
- Healing & recovery
- Status
- Not approved. FDA's compounding advisers recommended allowing it in July 2026, but pharmacies can't compound it until FDA finishes rulemaking; prohibited in sport.
- Cheapest
- $0.450 per mg (Cartman Gear)
- Median price
- $3.64 per mg
- Vendors
- 93 independently tested, 39 with a lab report
- Research
- Grade C: Mostly animal studies (13 papers)
- Studied as
- studied in people
- Reported side effects
- Neuropsychiatric events (preprint, LLM-curated clinical notes); Injection-site hypersensitivity (preprint, LLM-curated clinical notes); Gastrointestinal events (preprint, LLM-curated clinical notes)
TB-500
A synthetic version of the active region of thymosin beta-4, a protein that helps cells move and build new blood vessels. Studied in animals for wound, muscle and tendon repair.
- What it is
- Thymosin beta-4 fragment
- Category
- Healing & recovery
- Status
- Not approved. Prohibited in sport (WADA).
- Cheapest
- $0.667 per mg (Cartman Gear)
- Median price
- $4.06 per mg
- Vendors
- 91 independently tested, 24 with a lab report
- Research
- Grade D: Little or no evidence (11 papers)
- Studied as
- studied in people
- Reported side effects
- Mild to moderate adverse events with intravenous full-length thymosin beta-4 (no serious events or dose-limiting toxicity)
Questions people ask
What is the difference between BPC-157 and TB-500?
BPC-157: Synthetic gastric peptide. TB-500: Thymosin beta-4 fragment. Per milligram, BPC-157 is cheaper right now ($0.450 vs $0.667 at the cheapest tested vendor). BPC-157 has stronger published evidence (grade C vs D). Prices per mg compare cost, not effect: the amounts used in studies differ between compounds.
Which is cheaper, BPC-157 or TB-500?
BPC-157 is cheaper per mg: $0.450 for BPC-157 vs $0.667 for TB-500 at the cheapest independently tested vendor.