Andrew Huberman
June 1, 2026
TL;DR
Dr. Abud Bakri discusses peptide biology, mechanisms, and safety profiles—from FDA-approved GLP-1s to research compounds like BPC-157—explaining known effects, evidence gaps, and the regulatory landscape for peptide use.
“Peptides are one of the languages of the human body—the body uses different languages to communicate between cells, going from DNA to RNA to proteins which can be broken down as polypeptides and peptides.”
— Dr. Abud Bakri
“All the data on BPC-157 comes from one group. So people can be skeptical. There's a couple of Chinese groups that have also replicated some of their work, but that's it.”
— Dr. Abud Bakri
“The best job in 2025 was to be a peptide affiliate. People made my yearly salary in a month selling peptides illegally on TikTok.”
— Dr. Abud Bakri
“Either BPC is as amazing as we think it is and it's unfortunate that millions of people don't have access to it, or BPC is actually ineffective or harmful to people and millions of people are injecting it right now. Both cases are very bad endpoints.”
— Dr. Abud Bakri
1. What Are Peptides and How Do We Categorize Them?
Peptides are one of the body's languages of communication between cells. They can be categorized into two major groups: those with known receptors (like GLP-1 agonists) where we can predict clinical effects, and those without identified receptors (like BPC-157) where mechanisms remain elusive but animal data shows biological activity. Understanding this distinction is crucial for evaluating safety and efficacy.
2. History of BPC-157: From Pavlov to Modern Research
BPC-157 originated from research into dog gastric juices documented by Pavlov in the early 1900s, which were sold as medicinal elixirs. In the 1990s, a Croatian group isolated BPC-157 as a 15-amino-acid peptide from the larger 40-kDa BPC protein and began publishing animal studies showing accelerated healing of tendons, ligaments, nerves, and protection against gastric ulcers.
3. Animal Data: What BPC-157 Shows It Can Do
Studies in mice demonstrate BPC-157 accelerates tendon and ACL healing, prevents stress-induced gastric ulcers even with corticosteroid co-administration, promotes neural regeneration, and modulates dopaminergic and GABAergic signaling. These effects are attributed to upregulation of growth factors, VEGF signaling, nitric oxide synthesis, and increased growth hormone receptors on target tissues.
4. Mechanisms of Action: How BPC-157 Works Without Known Receptors
Without identified specific receptors, BPC-157 may work through multiple pathways: modulating existing proteins, enhancing growth factor signaling (especially VEGF), promoting cell migration, increasing blood vessel formation, and potentially modulating the gut-brain axis. It appears to accelerate healing and repair across multiple tissue types, though the unifying mechanism remains unclear.
5. Human Data and Clinical Trials: The Evidence Gap
Only two small human trials exist: Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies using BPC-157 rectal enemas (80 mg) for ulcerative colitis, conducted by the same Croatian group in the early 2000s. Phase 1 showed no adverse effects; Phase 2 showed a positive signal but full data remain unpublished. BPC-157 does not appear to enter systemic circulation when taken orally or rectally, remaining localized to tissues.
6. Safety Concerns: Angiogenesis, Tumors, and the Unknowns
The main safety concern is BPC-157's pro-angiogenic effect via VEGF upregulation, which could theoretically accelerate tumor growth. However, no animal studies or human reports document tumor acceleration. The LD50 (lethal dose) of BPC-157 is unknown, making FDA approval difficult. Additional anecdotal reports include worsening of angiomas on the face and potential interference with dopaminergic signaling in some users.
7. Regulatory Status and Legal Landscape
BPC-157 was moved from FDA Category 1 (permissible to compound) to Category 2 (banned to compound) in late 2024, then removed from Category 2 in April 2025 but not yet placed on Category 1. Physicians can prescribe the acetate form through compounding pharmacies, but state medical boards vary in their acceptance. Telehealth prescribing is governed by the laws of the patient's state, creating a patchwork of legality across the U.S.
8. The Peptide Market: Gray Market, Compounding, and Pharma
All raw peptide materials originate in China. The market is stratified: standard pharmaceuticals (FDA-approved, highly regulated), compounding pharmacies (variable quality control, regulatory gray areas), and gray-market research sites (unregulated, uncontrolled purity and potency). Black market sources (direct from China via WhatsApp, bathtub synthesis) pose the highest contamination risk. The gray market represents an estimated 5–10 billion dollars annually in the U.S.
9. Financial Incentives and Physician Conflicts
Physicians can profit from compounded peptides by marking up the cost to patients without disclosure. Malpractice insurance typically does not cover non-FDA-approved peptides, creating liability risk. Unlike standard pharmaceuticals, patients have the right to ask physicians what they paid for the drug versus what they're charging, revealing potential conflicts of interest.
10. Future Directions: What Clinical Trials Should Happen
Priority studies should include: completing Phase 3 trials for ulcerative colitis, testing BPC-157 oral capsules for GERD, evaluating post-surgical tendon healing, and exploring neuropsychiatric effects on addiction and mood. These endpoints are based on the strongest anecdotal reports and the most biologically plausible mechanisms, and would provide the evidence base needed to determine whether BPC-157 should be more widely available or restricted.