Peptide Protocols: What Published Studies Actually Used
Peptide protocols with a published human dose, route and schedule exist for seven compounds: tirzepatide and tesamorelin on their FDA labels, and CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MK-677, thymosin beta-4 and BPC-157 in single small studies. No label or study in these sources tested an on and off cycle. One knee chart review gave BPC-157 with thymosin beta-4 to 4 patients, but with no dose in its abstract and no placebo group, it does not establish a stack. The table below lists each protocol with its dose, route, schedule and the people who got it. For BPC-157, the whole human record is a 2-person pilot by drip and a 17-patient chart review. A chart review looks back at past patient records.
Short answer
- Which peptides have a published human protocol?
- Tirzepatide and tesamorelin (FDA labels), plus single trials of CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MK-677 and recombinant thymosin beta-4.
- What about BPC-157?
- A 2-person IV pilot and a 17-patient knee chart review with no dose in its abstract. A 2025 review found 1 clinical study among 36.
- Cycles and stacks?
- No study tested an on and off cycle. One retrospective chart review gave two peptides together, BPC-157 and thymosin beta-4, with no dose in its abstract and no placebo group.
Sources: Zepbound prescribing information (DailyMed); Egrifta WR prescribing information (DailyMed); Altern Ther Health Med 2025, IV BPC-157 pilot (PMID 40131143); Altern Ther Health Med 2021, BPC-157 knee chart review (PMID 34324435); HSS J 2025, BPC-157 systematic review (PMID 40756949); Front Endocrinol 2026, performance peptides review (PMID 42395176)
Which peptides have a published human dose?
| Compound | Record | Dose as studied | Route | Schedule | Length | Who |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tirzepatide | Zepbound FDA label | 2.5 mg start, then 2.5 mg steps | Under the skin | Once weekly; 4 weeks before each step | At least 4 weeks per step | Label population |
| Tesamorelin | Egrifta WR FDA label | 1.28 mg | Under the skin | Once daily | Not stated in the quote used here | Label population |
| Tesamorelin | Egrifta SV patient instructions | 1.4 mg (0.35 mL) | Under the skin | As labeled | Not stated in the quote used here | Label population |
| Tesamorelin | Pooled phase 3 trials, 2010 | 2 mg | Under the skin | Daily | Not stated in the quote used here | 806 people with HIV and excess belly fat (543 tesamorelin, 263 placebo) |
| CJC-1295 | JCEM 2006 | Four rising single doses; best tolerated at 30 or 60 mcg/kg | Under the skin | Single dose, or 2 to 3 weekly or every-other-week doses | Single dose, or 2 to 3 doses | Healthy adults |
| Ipamorelin | Int J Colorectal Dis 2014 | 0.03 mg/kg | Intravenous infusion | Twice daily, day 1 to 7 after surgery or discharge | Up to 7 days after surgery | Bowel resection patients |
| MK-677 (oral ghrelin mimetic) | Ann Intern Med 2008 | 25 mg | By mouth | Once daily | Not stated in the quote used here | Healthy older adults |
| Thymosin beta-4 (recombinant, not TB-500) | J Cell Mol Med 2021 | 0.05 to 25.0 mcg/kg single; 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0 mcg/kg repeated | Not stated in the quote used here | Single dose, or once daily for 10 days | Single dose, or 10 days | Healthy Chinese volunteers |
| BPC-157 | IV pilot, 2025 | 10 mg day 1, 20 mg day 2 | Intravenous, in 250 cc saline over 1 hour | Two infusions | 2 days | 2 healthy adults |
| BPC-157 | Knee chart review, 2021 | Not given in the abstract | Injection into the knee | Not given in the abstract | Not given in the abstract | 17 patients, retrospective |
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
Seven compounds have a published human dose: tirzepatide and tesamorelin on FDA labels, and CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MK-677, thymosin beta-4 and BPC-157 in single studies. A dose from a trial in surgery patients or healthy volunteers describes that trial, nothing more.
Sources: Zepbound prescribing information (DailyMed); Egrifta WR prescribing information (DailyMed); Egrifta SV prescribing information (DailyMed); J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010, tesamorelin pooled phase 3 (PMID 20554713); J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, CJC-1295 in healthy adults (PMID 16352683); Int J Colorectal Dis 2014, ipamorelin after bowel resection (PMID 25331030); Ann Intern Med 2008, oral ghrelin mimetic in older adults (PMID 18981485); J Cell Mol Med 2021, recombinant thymosin beta-4 phase I (PMID 34346165); Altern Ther Health Med 2025, IV BPC-157 pilot (PMID 40131143); Altern Ther Health Med 2021, BPC-157 knee chart review (PMID 34324435)
What is the tirzepatide label protocol?
The Zepbound label starts at 2.5 mg once a week and steps up by 2.5 mg, with at least 4 weeks at each step. It is the clearest protocol here, because tirzepatide is an approved drug with a label.
The Zepbound prescribing information lists:
- 2.5 mg injected under the skin once weekly for 4 weeks
- Then increases in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks at the current dose
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
For the full step-up and maintenance figures, see the tirzepatide dosage guide and the tirzepatide profile.
What tesamorelin doses do the labels and trials list?
Tesamorelin is a daily shot in its labels and its trials. The two Egrifta products list 1.28 mg and 1.4 mg, and the earlier trials used 2 mg.
The Egrifta labels and the pooled phase 3 trials list:
- Egrifta WR label: 1.28 mg under the skin once daily
- Egrifta SV patient instructions: 1.4 mg (0.35 mL)
- Pooled phase 3 trials (2010): 2 mg under the skin daily, against placebo, randomized 2 to 1
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
The pooled trials gave tesamorelin to 543 people and placebo to 263. All had HIV and extra belly fat. Visceral fat, the deep fat around the organs, fell significantly. The treatment effect was -15.4% against placebo. The two label amounts belong to two different products. For the math on a vial, see the tesamorelin calculator; for the compound, the tesamorelin profile.
Sources: Egrifta WR prescribing information (DailyMed); Egrifta SV prescribing information (DailyMed); J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010, tesamorelin pooled phase 3 (PMID 20554713)
What dose was used in the CJC-1295 study?
The only human CJC-1295 doses here come from a 2006 study in healthy adults. It was best tolerated at 30 or 60 micrograms per kg of body weight. A first part gave one of four rising single doses under the skin. A second part gave two or three doses, a week or two apart.
The 2006 study reported:
- Safe and fairly well tolerated, mostly at 30 or 60 micrograms per kg
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
The study estimated CJC-1295's half-life at 5.8 to 8.1 days, and its repeated doses were spaced one or two weeks apart. Those doses are per kg of body weight and come from a short study with no long term arm. See the CJC-1295 with DAC profile.
Sources: J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, CJC-1295 in healthy adults (PMID 16352683)
What doses did the ipamorelin and MK-677 trials use?
Ipamorelin was given by drip at 0.03 mg per kg, twice a day, after bowel surgery, and it did not beat placebo. MK-677 was given at 25 mg by mouth once a day to healthy older adults. Its trial title calls it an oral ghrelin mimetic: a drug taken by mouth that copies ghrelin, a hunger hormone.
The two trials list:
- Ipamorelin (2014): 0.03 mg per kg by drip into a vein, twice a day, from day 1 to day 7 after surgery or until going home
- MK-677 (2008): 25 mg by mouth once daily, against placebo
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
The ipamorelin study found no significant difference from placebo in its main results. A hospital drip dose is not an under-the-skin home dose. The trial does not give one. See the ipamorelin profile and the MK-677 guide.
Sources: Int J Colorectal Dis 2014, ipamorelin after bowel resection (PMID 25331030); Ann Intern Med 2008, oral ghrelin mimetic in older adults (PMID 18981485)
Is there a human TB-500 protocol?
No. No human TB-500 dose was found for this guide. The closest is a 2021 first safety study of thymosin beta-4 in healthy Chinese volunteers. It used the full lab-made protein, which is not TB-500.
The 2021 phase I study lists:
- Single dose trial: 0.05, 0.25, 0.5, 2.0, 5.0, 12.5 or 25.0 micrograms per kg
- Repeated dose trial: 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0 micrograms per kg once daily for 10 days
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
A first study in people tests safety across a range of doses. It does not pick one for use. See the TB-500 profile and the TB-500 calculator, which lists these figures with the rest of the record.
Sources: J Cell Mol Med 2021, recombinant thymosin beta-4 phase I (PMID 34346165)
Is there a BPC-157 protocol?
No. The human data are a 2-person pilot by drip and a 17-patient chart review, and neither tested a dose against placebo. A 2025 review found 36 BPC-157 studies. 35 were in animals or cells and 1 was in people.
The 2025 intravenous pilot study lists:
- Day 1: 10 mg of BPC-157 in 250 cc of normal saline, infused over one hour
- Day 2: 20 mg of BPC-157 in 250 cc of normal saline, infused over one hour
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
That pilot was in 2 healthy adults. It reported no side effects at up to 20 mg. Two people for two days is a safety signal at most, not a protocol.
The second report is a 2021 chart review of knee shots at one clinic. It covered 17 patients; 16 were reached by phone and 1 could not be reached. Its abstract gives no dose. A chart review looks back at what was already done. It does not test a dose. For more, see the BPC-157 profile.
Sources: HSS J 2025, BPC-157 systematic review (PMID 40756949); Altern Ther Health Med 2025, IV BPC-157 pilot (PMID 40131143); Altern Ther Health Med 2021, BPC-157 knee chart review (PMID 34324435)
Are there published peptide cycles or stacks?
No. No study in this guide tested an on and off cycle or a loading phase. One retrospective knee chart review gave two peptides together, BPC-157 and thymosin beta-4, to 4 patients, but with no dose in its abstract and no placebo group, it does not establish a stack. Online plans like "8 weeks on, 4 off" do not come from any study here, and no study here tested BPC-157 with TB-500 or CJC-1295 with ipamorelin.
A 2026 review of performance peptides points to the gap. It notes no approval for body or sport uses. It also notes doubt about what is in products, the dose, and stacking, when products come from unregulated sellers.
Sources: Front Endocrinol 2026, performance peptides review (PMID 42395176)
How do you read a peptide protocol you find online?
Check it against the published record with five questions. Each one comes from a difference between the studies above.
- Does it cite a label or a trial? If not, it is not in the table above.
- Same people? The ipamorelin dose was for surgery patients; the CJC-1295 doses for healthy adults.
- Same route? BPC-157 was given by drip in one study and into the knee joint in the other, and ipamorelin was given by drip. None was given under the skin.
- Per kg or flat? CJC-1295, ipamorelin and thymosin beta-4 doses are per kg of body weight.
- Same length? The BPC-157 pilot lasted two days; the thymosin beta-4 repeated dose arm, 10 days.
For vial math, see the peptide reconstitution calculator. For side effects, see peptide side effects.
Sources: Int J Colorectal Dis 2014, ipamorelin after bowel resection (PMID 25331030); J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, CJC-1295 in healthy adults (PMID 16352683); Altern Ther Health Med 2025, IV BPC-157 pilot (PMID 40131143); J Cell Mol Med 2021, recombinant thymosin beta-4 phase I (PMID 34346165)
Common questions
What is a peptide protocol?+
In a label or a trial, a protocol is the dose, the route, how often it is given, for how long, and in which people. In this guide, only protocols written in an FDA label or a published human study count. Online protocols that cite neither are not covered.
Is there a published BPC-157 protocol?+
Not one that matches what is sold online. One report is a 2-person pilot that gave 10 mg by drip on day 1 and 20 mg on day 2. The other is a 17-patient look back at knee shots, with no dose in its abstract. A 2025 review found 36 BPC-157 studies, 35 in animals or cells and 1 in people.
Is there a published CJC-1295 and ipamorelin stack protocol?+
No. The sources reviewed here contain no trial that gave CJC-1295 and ipamorelin together. The CJC-1295 study was in healthy adults, and the ipamorelin study gave it by intravenous infusion to patients after bowel surgery, where it did not beat placebo.
Do peptides need to be cycled on and off?+
No published trial in these sources tested an on and off cycle for these peptides. Cycle lengths such as 8 weeks on and 4 weeks off are not drawn from any study reviewed here.
What dose of tesamorelin does the FDA label list?+
The Egrifta WR label lists 1.28 mg injected under the skin once daily. The Egrifta SV patient instructions state 1.4 mg (0.35 mL). Both are label figures for the approved product, not a recommendation, and dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
What doses were used in the CJC-1295 study?+
The 2006 study in healthy adults gave one of four rising single doses under the skin. A second part gave two or three doses, a week or two apart. It said CJC-1295 was safe and fairly well tolerated, mostly at 30 or 60 micrograms per kg. These are study doses, not a recommendation.
Is TB-500 the same as thymosin beta-4 in human trials?+
No. The human phase I study in these sources used recombinant human thymosin beta-4, the full protein. TB-500 is a separate synthetic product, and no human dose for it was found in the sources for this guide.
Sources: Altern Ther Health Med 2025, IV BPC-157 pilot (PMID 40131143); Altern Ther Health Med 2021, BPC-157 knee chart review (PMID 34324435); HSS J 2025, BPC-157 systematic review (PMID 40756949); J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, CJC-1295 in healthy adults (PMID 16352683); Int J Colorectal Dis 2014, ipamorelin after bowel resection (PMID 25331030); Egrifta WR prescribing information (DailyMed); Egrifta SV prescribing information (DailyMed); J Cell Mol Med 2021, recombinant thymosin beta-4 phase I (PMID 34346165)
Disclaimer: this is label or study information, not a recommendation. Dose decisions belong with a licensed clinician.
Related reading
This guide is for education only and is not medical advice. It reports what FDA labels and published human studies used; it does not recommend any compound, dose, cycle or stack. No FDA label for BPC-157, CJC-1295, ipamorelin or thymosin beta-4 appears in these sources.