Comparison
BPC-157 vs Epitalon
Side-by-side of BPC-157 and Epitalon. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
BPC-157
BPC-157 peptide profile: pentadecapeptide body protection compound 157. Preclinical data on tendon, gut healing, recovery. No human RCTs as of 2026.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
Effects at a glance
BPC-157
- •Preclinical models show accelerated tendon-to-bone and ligament healing after surgical or chemical injury
- •Rodent studies report mucosal protection and faster recovery from NSAID-induced and colitis-induced gut damage
- •Anecdotal human protocols use 250 to 500 mcg twice daily subcutaneously near the injury site
- •No completed phase II or III human RCTs as of 2026, so efficacy and long-term safety remain unestablished
- •Banned by WADA since 2022 under the S0 non-approved substances category for competitive athletes
- •Theoretical angiogenic concern means avoidance is prudent in active malignancy until human data exists
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
Side-by-side
| Attribute | BPC-157 | Epitalon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | Body Protection Compound-157, Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.25 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily (anecdotal protocols) | daily during cycle |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, oral | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal |
| Onset (hr) | - | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | - | 168 |
| Molecular weight | - | 390.35 |
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 | C14H22N4O9 |
| Mechanism | Proposed upregulation of VEGFR2 and nitric oxide pathways, modulation of growth-hormone receptor expression, and stabilization of gut-brain axis signaling. Mechanism remains largely preclinical. | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA (2022) | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU |
| WADA status | banned | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 137525-51-0 | 307297-39-8 |
| PubChem CID | 9941957 | 219042 |
| Wikidata | Q4835418 | Q5384126 |
Safety profile
BPC-157
Common side effects
- injection-site irritation
- nausea
- headache (anecdotal)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy (theoretical angiogenic concern)
- no established safety profile in humans
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
Which Should You Take?
BPC-157 and Epitalon score evenly on the criteria we weight (goal breadth, legal accessibility, evidence depth). The conditionals below should drive the decision more than any aggregate score.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick BPC-157.
- → If your priority is gut barrier and microbiome health, pick BPC-157.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, BPC-157 is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: either is defensible. BPC-157 edges out on goal breadth + legal accessibility; Epitalon is the right call if your priority sits in the goals listed above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between BPC-157 and Epitalon?
BPC-157 and Epitalon differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, BPC-157 or Epitalon?
BPC-157 half-life is 4 hours; Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack BPC-157 with Epitalon?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper