Comparison
BPC-157 vs NMN
Side-by-side of BPC-157 and NMN. 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.
NMN
NMN supplements are oral nicotinamide mononucleotide capsules sold for longevity, energy, and metabolic health. They raise plasma NAD+ 30-90% at 250-1000.
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
NMN
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-90% at 250-1000 mg/day across human PK studies
- •Tissue NAD+ rise is inconsistent across human trials (Yoshino 2021, Igarashi 2022)
- •No human trials measure hard endpoints (mortality, CV events, cancer); evidence is biomarker-only
- •Most trials cluster at 250-500 mg/day; dose-response above 250 mg/day is poorly characterized
- •FDA position contested; widely sold as supplement but with regulatory uncertainty
- •Marketing claims for fertility and longevity outrun the human trial evidence substantially
Side-by-side
| Attribute | BPC-157 | NMN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | Body Protection Compound-157, Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.25 | 250 |
| Dosing frequency | daily (anecdotal protocols) | 1x daily, often morning |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | - | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | - | 3 |
| Molecular weight | - | 334.22 |
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 | C11H15N2O8P |
| 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. | Direct precursor in the NAD+ salvage pathway; converted to NAD+ by NMNAT enzymes in essentially every tissue. Raised NAD+ supports sirtuin and PARP enzyme activity. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA (2022) | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance |
| CAS | 137525-51-0 | 1094-61-7 |
| PubChem CID | 9941957 | 14180 |
| Wikidata | Q4835418 | Q418972 |
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
NMN
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- occasional headache
- flushing (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (precautionary, no data)
- active cancer (theoretical concern, not evidence-based)
Interactions
- metformin: no clinically significant interaction documented; both modulate metabolism through different mechanisms(minor)
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical concern about supporting cancer cell proliferation; coordinate with oncology team(moderate)
- CD38 inhibitors: would amplify NMN-induced NAD+ rise; not clinically relevant for most users(minor)
Which Should You Take?
NMN comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia, 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 healthspan extension, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick NMN.
Default choice: NMN. 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 NMN?
BPC-157 and NMN 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 NMN?
BPC-157 half-life is 4 hours; NMN half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack BPC-157 with NMN?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper