Peptide Supplements and Their Therapeutic Applications in Sports Medicine
Tewari K, Liu TP, Im C, Hamad C, Petrigliano F, Cheung EC, et al.. Am J Sports Med. 2026; online ahead of print.
PubMed 42578445 · doi:10.1177/03635465261464420
Summarises other people's work. Generates no new data.
- Who or what was studied
- Published animal and human studies of six peptides for musculoskeletal recovery
- Design
- Scoping review following PRISMA guidance (PubMed search)
What it found
Of the publications found, 67% used animal models. Human studies were a handful, mostly without robust controls, and showed modest improvements at best for metabolic bone health and degenerative knee pain. The authors conclude that the claimed benefits for recovery and performance remain unsubstantiated by human trials, document cardiovascular and metabolic risks, and say these peptides should not be recommended in place of, or alongside, standard orthopaedic care.
What it doesn't show
A scoping review searched one database (PubMed). The risks it names, such as congestive heart failure, were tied to specific peptides (MK-677 is the example given), not to all six.
Funding and conflicts of interest
No funding or conflict-of-interest statement appears in the PubMed record. Check the full text.
Summary written from the study's abstract and checked against PubMed on November 9, 2026. How we check studies. Educational information, not medical advice.
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- Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain (Lee et al., 2021)
- Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review (Vasireddi et al., 2025)
- Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing (McGuire et al., 2025)