Comparison
BPC-157 vs. TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 Fragment)
BPC-157 or TB-500 – are there human studies?
The short answer
For neither of them. That is the complete answer to the question, and it applies to the two most discussed recovery peptides in biohacking. For BPC-157, the review literature notes that there is no approved formulation, no validated dosing regimen and no completed phase II trial; in 2023, the US agency added the substance to the list of substances not cleared for use in compounded medicines. For TB-500, the databases mainly return a publication on doping analysis. Both promised effects – tendons, ligaments, gut, wound healing – come from rat and cell models.
The numbers side by side
| Axis | BPC-157 | TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 Fragment) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human evidenceHow much data in humans, and how good | 1 | 1 | level |
| MechanismHow well the chain of effects is understood | 4 | 4 | level |
| Safety dataHow well safety has been studied – not how safe it is | 2 | 2 | level |
| Hype gap10 means: the marketing stays level with the data | 1 | 1 | level |
| Track record of useHow much documented use in humans exists – does not measure whether it works | 4 | 4 | level |
| Rating | Not studied in humans · Not studied in humans | ||
“Track record of use” measures how long and how widely something has been used in humans – not whether it works. The BK-Score is a subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules. It is not a scientific rating, not the consensus of a professional society and not a medical recommendation.
Why these numbers
BPC-157
Despite enormous popularity, there is no published controlled human study; the evidence consists of rodent models. Safety has not been studied systematically. It is sold as a repair agent for almost every tissue.
TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 Fragment)
The human data concern thymosin beta-4 in clinical approaches, not the fragment being traded; controlled studies on the research product are lacking. Safety unexplored, marketed as a regeneration miracle cure.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there so many user reports if there are no studies?
User reports and studies answer different questions. A report cannot separate whether an injury healed because of the peptide or would have healed in that time anyway – that requires a control group. That is exactly what is completely missing here.
Are the substances legal in Germany?
Neither is an approved medicine. Selling them to consumers with health-related claims can be regarded as unlawfully placing an unapproved medicine on the market. TB-500 is also on the doping prohibited list.
What about combinations such as GLOW or KLOW?
There is no human study on any of these combinations. The selling point is synergy – which is exactly what a combination study would have to show and what has never been measured.
See all 255 ratings in the ranking
Information only, not medical advice and no usage or dosing recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in medical hands.