Comparison
BPC-157 vs Melatonin
Side-by-side of BPC-157 and Melatonin. 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.
Melatonin
Melatonin as a sleep supplement: 0.3-1 mg matches physiological output, 3-10 mg is pharmacological. Shifts circadian phase, shortens sleep latency.
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
Melatonin
- •Shortens sleep onset latency by ~7 to 12 minutes at physiological 0.3 to 1 mg doses
- •Advances circadian phase when taken 30 to 60 minutes before target bedtime, useful for jet lag and shift work
- •Does not meaningfully increase total sleep time in healthy adults without circadian misalignment
- •Endogenous nighttime production is not suppressed by short-term exogenous supplementation
- •Higher doses (3 to 10 mg) raise plasma levels above physiological range and often increase morning grogginess
- •Effective for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and reducing jet-lag severity in eastward travel
Side-by-side
| Attribute | BPC-157 | Melatonin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | Body Protection Compound-157, Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 | N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 0.75 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.25 | 0.5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily (anecdotal protocols) | daily, 30 to 60 minutes before target sleep time |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | - | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | - | 1 |
| Molecular weight | - | 232.28 |
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 | C13H16N2O2 |
| 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. | Agonist at MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, signaling biological night and promoting sleep-onset gating plus circadian phase shifts. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA (2022) | OTC in US; prescription in UK, EU, Japan |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | OTC supplement in US; Rx in UK, EU, Japan, Australia |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 137525-51-0 | 73-31-4 |
| PubChem CID | 9941957 | 896 |
| Wikidata | Q4835418 | Q179243 |
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
Melatonin
Common side effects
- vivid dreams
- morning grogginess (higher doses)
- headache
- dizziness
Contraindications
- autoimmune disease (theoretical)
- concurrent anticoagulant therapy without monitoring
Interactions
- fluvoxamine: CYP1A2 inhibition raises melatonin levels substantially(major)
- warfarin: possible increased bleeding risk(moderate)
- benzodiazepines and alcohol: additive sedation(moderate)
- antihypertensives: may alter blood pressure response(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Melatonin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. BPC-157 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → 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 sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Melatonin.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Melatonin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Melatonin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Melatonin. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for BPC-157 only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns 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 Melatonin?
BPC-157 and Melatonin differ in category (peptide vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, BPC-157 or Melatonin?
BPC-157 half-life is 4 hours; Melatonin half-life is 0.75 hours.
Can you stack BPC-157 with Melatonin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper