Peptides for Endurance and Athletic Performance: What Athletes Should Know

Key Takeaways

• Compounds covered: MOTS-c, BPC-157, TB-500 (thymosin beta-4), CJC-1295, ipamorelin, sermorelin
• Goal area: Endurance performance, athletic recovery, and exercise-related metabolic health
• Evidence range: Ranges from foundational human mechanistic data (MOTS-c as an endogenous exercise-induced peptide) and early human pharmacology RCT data from historical drug development programs (CJC-1295 for GH/IGF-1 elevation) to rodent-model only data (BPC-157, TB-500)
• Regulatory range: Sermorelin (previously FDA-approved as Geref; withdrawn from market for commercial reasons; currently available through 503A compounding pharmacies by prescription); CJC-1295 and ipamorelin (not FDA-approved; on FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture); BPC-157 and TB-500 (not available for 503A compounding following FDA's 2026 review, with additional access restrictions effective April 22, 2026); MOTS-c (not approved for any human use).
• Key biomarkers: IGF-1, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, hs-CRP, comprehensive metabolic panel
• As of April 2026: As of the 2026 WADA Prohibited List, GH secretagogues (including GH-releasing peptides) are prohibited in competitive sport; MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 are not individually named but may be captured by WADA's S0 category ("Non-Approved Substances"). BPC-157 and TB-500 are not available for 503A compounding; MOTS-c is not approved for human use.
• Bottom line: Regulatory bans can precede the completion of human efficacy trials; the risk of a doping violation can be real even when the performance benefit is not yet established in clinical trials.

Understanding Athletic Performance and Recovery: The Biology

Endurance performance depends on several interconnected physiological systems: mitochondrial energy production efficiency, oxygen delivery and utilization, lean mass composition, and the capacity to recover from training-induced tissue damage. Peptides that have attracted athletic interest interact with at least one of these systems.

Mitochondria are the primary sites of aerobic energy production and are central to endurance capacity. The discovery that mitochondria encode their own bioactive peptides — mitochondrial-derived peptides — has opened a new category of exercise-relevant signaling molecules. Lee and colleagues established in a 2015 study in Cell Metabolism that MOTS-c, encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, regulates insulin sensitivity and homeostasis. Reynolds and colleagues, writing in Nature Communications in 2021, showed that MOTS-c is induced by exercise in skeletal muscle and regulates age-dependent physical decline — establishing that MOTS-c is not merely metabolically active, but is part of the body's exercise-response signaling.

Tissue repair and recovery capacity also limit training adaptation. Chronic high training loads generate inflammatory and mechanical damage to connective tissue — tendons, ligaments, and muscle fibers. Recovery from this damage is governed by growth factor signaling, angiogenesis, and satellite cell activation. Perandini and colleagues, in a 2018 review in The FEBS Journal, chronic inflammation impairs satellite cell function — establishing the biological context for compounds studied for recovery support.

Growth hormone and IGF-1 connect the recovery and body composition dimensions. Kraemer and Ratamess' 2005 review established that resistance and endurance exercise produce significant endogenous GH release — GH secretagogues amplify this naturally occurring response. The GH/IGF-1 axis influences lean mass, fat metabolism, and tissue repair capacity, all of which are relevant to athletic performance and recovery.

Peptides Studied for Athletic Performance: A Quick Comparison

The following peptides have published evidence relevant to athletic performance or endurance. They are listed by strength of evidence, from most-studied to least. Evidence quality and legal status vary substantially across this group.

• Compound: MOTS-c
  Mechanism for endurance: Endogenous mitochondrial-derived peptide; regulates AMPK pathway and metabolic homeostasis; produced by skeletal muscle during exercise
  Evidence: Animal studies demonstrating regulation of physical decline and metabolic effects; mechanistic human data; no controlled human performance trial
  FDA status: Not FDA-approved for any medical use; investigational compound not approved for any human use
  SP availability: Not available through Superpower or any licensed prescriber for this use
  Route: Injectable (animal studies); human administration route and dosing not established
• Compound: CJC-1295
  Mechanism for endurance: GHRH analog; elevates GH and IGF-1 in early human pharmacology studies. Lean mass and recovery effects are documented primarily in GH-replacement literature in GH-deficient populations; direct effects on recovery or body composition from CJC-1295 in healthy athletes have not been established in controlled trials
  Evidence: Early human pharmacology RCT (Teichman et al. 2006, N=65, healthy adults) from the original drug development program demonstrating GH/IGF-1 elevation; no controlled athletic performance trial
  FDA status: Not FDA-approved for any indication. On FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products.
  SP availability: Available by prescription from a licensed provider when clinically appropriate for the individual patient. Superpower does not prescribe or market these compounds for athletic performance, endurance, or recovery indications. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products. Competitive athletes subject to WADA testing should not use this compound regardless of prescription status.
  Route: Subcutaneous injection
• Compound: Ipamorelin
  Mechanism for endurance: Selective GHSR agonist; elevates GH and IGF-1 in early human pharmacology studies with minimal ACTH/cortisol elevation reported at studied doses; recovery and body composition effects discussed in the GH-axis literature have not been established for ipamorelin in healthy athletes
  Evidence: Clinical pharmacology data (Raun et al. 1998); no controlled athletic performance trial
  FDA status: Not FDA-approved for any indication. On FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products.
  SP availability: Available by prescription from a licensed provider when clinically appropriate for the individual patient. Superpower does not prescribe or market these compounds for athletic performance, endurance, or recovery indications. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products. Competitive athletes subject to WADA testing should not use this compound regardless of prescription status.
  Route: Subcutaneous injection
• Compound: BPC-157
  Mechanism for endurance: Proposed cytoprotective and angiogenic effects in tendon and muscle; FAK-paxillin and VEGF pathways in animal models
  Evidence: Animal studies only; no completed controlled human trial; systematic review (Vasireddi et al. 2025)
  FDA status: Not FDA-approved for any indication. As of April 2026, BPC-157 is not available for compounding under Section 503A; additional access restrictions take effect April 22, 2026
  SP availability: Not available through Superpower or any licensed prescriber for this use
  Route: Animal studies use injection; human route and dosing not established
• Compound: TB-500 (thymosin beta-4)
  Mechanism for endurance: Proposed regenerative and angiogenic effects; actin sequestration, cell migration, anti-inflammatory signaling
  Evidence: Preclinical data; no completed controlled human trial
  FDA status: Not FDA-approved for any indication. Following FDA's 2026 review of peptide bulk drug substances, not available for compounding under Section 503A. Investigational compound not approved for any human use.
  SP availability: Not available through Superpower or any licensed prescriber for this use
  Route: Subcutaneous injection (preclinical); human dosing not established

Compounds listed as investigational (MOTS-c, BPC-157, TB-500) have not completed the clinical trial process required for FDA approval. They are not legal to prescribe, compound, or sell for human therapeutic use in the US. Their inclusion here is for educational context only.

Peptides Studied for Athletic Performance: Individual Profiles

Each compound has a distinct mechanism, evidence base, and regulatory status. The profiles below reflect what is known — and what remains unknown — about each compound's relevance to athletic performance.

MOTS-c

MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid endogenous peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome. This mitochondrial-genome origin is structurally distinct from most synthetic peptides, which are encoded in the nuclear genome or synthesized.

Lee and colleagues established in a 2015 study in Cell Metabolism that MOTS-c acts through AMPK to affect metabolic homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and fat tissue [animal/in vitro]. Lee and colleagues also showed in a 2016 study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine that MOTS-c regulates metabolism via AMPK [animal/in vitro]. The AMPK pathway is a regulator of cellular energy status relevant to endurance physiology — it governs fuel selection, mitochondrial biogenesis, and glucose uptake during exercise.

Reynolds and colleagues' 2021 study in Nature Communications extended this picture, showing that MOTS-c is induced by exercise in skeletal muscle of mice, that circulating MOTS-c declines with aging, and that exogenous MOTS-c administration in aged mice improved physical function — a finding with potential implications for age-related athletic decline. Kim and colleagues' comprehensive mechanism review in the Journal of Translational Medicine in 2023 reviewed MOTS-c across stress and aging. Zhai and colleagues showed in 2020 that MOTS-c associated with myofiber composition in healthy aging men — human associational data, not a performance intervention. [Animal studies + human mechanistic associations; no controlled human performance trial as of April 2026]

As of April 2026, MOTS-c has not been approved by the FDA for any medical use. Research is limited primarily to laboratory and animal studies. Its safety, efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term effects in humans have not been established. MOTS-c is not prescribed, compounded, or dispensed through Superpower. Its inclusion here is for educational context only.

BPC-157

BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound 157) is a synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a gastric juice protein sequence. Its proposed mechanisms for athletic recovery interest relate to tissue repair: Chang and colleagues demonstrated in a 2011 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology that BPC-157 promotes tendon healing in a rat model. Sikiric and colleagues showed in a 2009 study in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology that BPC-157 promotes angiogenesis via VEGF in rodent models. The mechanism — promoting vascular growth and connective tissue repair — is theoretically relevant for athletes with overuse injuries or high training loads.

Vasireddi and colleagues conducted the most current systematic review of BPC-157 in orthopaedic sports medicine contexts, published in HSS Journal in 2025. Evidence remains limited to preclinical studies, with no completed controlled human trials. The overall evidence is not sufficient to support efficacy claims in human athletic populations. [Animal studies only; no controlled human trial as of April 2026]

As of April 2026, BPC-157 is not available for compounding under Section 503A. FDA completed its review of BPC-157 as a bulk drug substance in early 2026 and determined it does not qualify for inclusion on the 503A bulks list. Additional access restrictions take effect April 22, 2026. BPC-157 is not FDA-approved for any indication and is not available through Superpower or any licensed prescriber. Its inclusion here is for educational context only.

TB-500 (thymosin beta-4)

TB-500 is a synthetic version of thymosin beta-4, an endogenous 43-amino-acid protein peptide found in platelets and wound fluid. Thymosin beta-4 plays roles in actin sequestration, cell migration, angiogenesis, and anti-inflammatory signaling. Goldstein and colleagues' 2012 review in Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy reviewed thymosin beta-4's regenerative properties, including its roles in wound healing, cardiac repair, and blood vessel formation — the biological activities that have attracted athletic interest in the context of connective tissue and muscle recovery from overuse injury. [Preclinical and mechanistic data; no completed controlled human trial]

As of April 2026, TB-500 is not FDA-approved for any indication. Following FDA's 2026 review of peptide bulk drug substances, TB-500 is not available for compounding under Section 503A. Research on this compound is investigational and limited primarily to laboratory and animal studies. Its safety, efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term effects in humans have not been established. TB-500 is not prescribed, compounded, or dispensed through Superpower. Its inclusion here is for educational context only.

CJC-1295 and ipamorelin for athletic recovery

GH-releasing peptides — particularly CJC-1295 and ipamorelin — are discussed in athletic performance contexts primarily for their body composition and recovery effects, mediated through GH/IGF-1 elevation. Teichman and colleagues' early human pharmacology RCT of CJC-1295 in 65 healthy adults, conducted under the original sponsor's drug development program, demonstrated GH and IGF-1 elevation.

Kraemer and Ratamess, in their 2005 review of hormonal adaptations to exercise, exercise produces endogenous GH release — particularly high-intensity resistance and interval training. GH secretagogues amplify this naturally occurring response rather than introducing an exogenous hormone. For recreational athletes, the theoretical recovery benefit involves enhanced lean mass preservation, improved fat oxidation, and the downstream effects of IGF-1 on tissue repair. Whether this produces measurable athletic performance improvement has not been established in controlled athletic trials. [Phase 1/2 pharmacology data for IGF-1 elevation; no controlled athletic performance trial]

CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are not FDA-approved for any indication. Both substances are on FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products. Use for athletic performance in healthy adults has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not an indication Superpower prescribes these compounds for. Where these compounds are prescribed through a licensed provider for other indications, that prescribing is at the treating provider's discretion based on the specific patient's circumstances. As of the 2026 WADA Prohibited List (Class S2), both compounds are prohibited in competitive sport; competitive athletes subject to anti-doping testing should not use these compounds regardless of prescription status.

Regulatory Status at a Glance

As of April 2026, the regulatory landscape for performance-relevant peptides is as follows.

• MOTS-c: Not FDA-approved for any medical use. Investigational; not approved for any human use. Not available through Superpower.
• BPC-157: Not FDA-approved for any indication. As of April 2026, not available for compounding under Section 503A following FDA's 2026 review; additional access restrictions take effect April 22, 2026. Not available through Superpower.
• TB-500 (thymosin beta-4): Not FDA-approved for any indication. Following FDA's 2026 review of peptide bulk drug substances, not available for compounding under Section 503A. Not available through Superpower.
• CJC-1295: Not FDA-approved for any indication. On FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products. Prohibited in competitive sport under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List (Class S2).
• Ipamorelin: Not FDA-approved for any indication. On FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review; 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products. Prohibited in competitive sport under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List (Class S2).
• Sermorelin: Sermorelin acetate was previously FDA-approved (as Geref) for pediatric GH deficiency; the branded product was withdrawn from the market for commercial reasons, not safety concerns. No FDA-approved sermorelin product is currently marketed. Compounded sermorelin is available by prescription through licensed 503A pharmacies. Prohibited in competitive sport under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List.

Considerations for Athletes Evaluating Peptides

Direct comparison between these compounds is not straightforward — they have been studied in different populations, at different doses, and using different endpoints. Inferring relative effectiveness from separate trials is methodologically unreliable. Athletes evaluating these compounds should factor in the following considerations.

WADA and competitive status: For competitive athletes subject to anti-doping testing, WADA status is a threshold consideration that precedes efficacy. Heuberger and colleagues, in a 2019 review in Sports Medicine, performance benefit evidence is limited across many WADA-prohibited performance-enhancing compounds — meaning competitive athletes can face a doping violation for a compound that has not been shown to work. Watson and colleagues, in a 2022 review in the Journal of Internal Medicine, reviewed Olympic-level doping regulation. Competitive athletes should consult the current WADA Prohibited List and their national anti-doping authority before using any compound in this discussion.

Evidence level and the preclinical-to-human translation gap: MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 all have their evidence base primarily in animal models. The translation from rodent to human is not guaranteed. Mechanistic plausibility in animal models does not establish clinical efficacy in humans; the evidence level for these compounds is relevant to any clinical discussion.

Prescription and legal access: CJC-1295 and ipamorelin require a licensed prescriber's evaluation and a pharmacy dispensing order. MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 are not legally available through licensed prescribers in the U.S. Products marketed as these compounds through online vendors operate outside FDA oversight and cannot be assumed to contain what is claimed.

Goal specificity: Recovery from injury (a tissue-repair goal relevant to BPC-157 and TB-500) is a different clinical goal from improving baseline endurance capacity (a mitochondrial efficiency goal relevant to MOTS-c) or improving body composition and lean mass (a GH-axis goal relevant to CJC-1295 and ipamorelin). Each sub-goal connects to a different mechanism. A provider evaluating these compounds would assess which sub-goal is most clinically relevant for a specific individual.

A licensed provider will evaluate your full health history, training history, current medications, and baseline lab results before recommending any compound. This is not a decision to make without clinical context.

Safety Considerations

Safety data for most compounds discussed in this article is limited by the absence of completed human trials. MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 have not completed Phase 2 or Phase 3 human safety trials. For GH-releasing peptides, safety concerns extrapolated from the related GH replacement literature include water retention, increased fasting glucose, and injection-site reactions, as documented for recombinant GH therapy by Hazem and colleagues in a 2012 systematic review reviewed GH secretagogue safety in the European Journal of Endocrinology; direct controlled-trial safety data for GHRPs and GHRH analogs in healthy athletes is limited.

For competitive athletes using prohibited compounds, the safety risk is compounded by an additional concern: unregulated sourcing. Products sold outside licensed pharmacy channels lack pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing oversight. Identity, purity, and potency cannot be assumed. Gómez-Guerrero and colleagues' 2022 review noted that detection of synthetic peptides in doping control is an expanding area — athletes using these compounds from gray-market sources face both health and regulatory risk.

Broad contraindications for performance-relevant peptides:

• Competitive sport — GH secretagogues are prohibited under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List; MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 are not individually named on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List but may be captured by WADA's S0 category ("Non-Approved Substances"), which covers any pharmacological substance not addressed by any other section of the List and not currently approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use; consultation with a national anti-doping authority is required before use
• Active malignancy — theoretical proliferative effects of IGF-1 elevation and angiogenic compounds apply to both GH-releasing peptides and BPC-157/TB-500 mechanisms
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding — reproductive safety not established for any compound in this discussion
• Diabetes or significant insulin resistance — GH-releasing peptides elevate GH and may worsen insulin resistance; clinical monitoring is required
• Obtaining any compound through unregulated online sources — contamination and dosing risks cannot be mitigated by the end user

For compound-specific side effect profiles, see the individual compound pages linked above.

What to Test Before Starting Peptides for Athletic Performance

Regardless of which compound a provider recommends, baseline biomarker testing establishes the reference data that makes changes interpretable. For athletic performance contexts, the relevant baseline markers connect to the key physiological systems these compounds affect.

• IGF-1: For GH-releasing peptides, this is the essential baseline and primary monitoring marker. Testing IGF-1 levels before starting any GH-secretagogue protocol provides the reference point that guides dose and monitors response. For athletes interested in the GH axis broadly, baseline IGF-1 establishes where the axis currently stands.
• Fasting glucose: GH antagonizes insulin signaling. A fasting glucose baseline is essential context before introducing any compound that may affect glucose metabolism — particularly relevant for athletes with high carbohydrate requirements.
• Fasting insulin: Testing fasting insulin alongside glucose provides a more complete picture of insulin resistance status — the metabolic factor most likely to be affected by GH-axis peptides over time.
• hs-CRP: Systemic inflammatory burden is directly relevant for athletes evaluating recovery-focused compounds. A baseline hs-CRP measures the current inflammatory state and provides context for whether recovery is being limited by systemic inflammation versus other factors.
• Comprehensive metabolic panel: Liver function (ALT, AST) and kidney function (creatinine, eGFR) are standard safety baselines for injectable compounds. Athletes under high training loads may have transient elevations in liver enzymes from muscle damage that can confound this picture — establishing a true baseline during a lower-intensity period is ideal.
• Triglycerides: GH-axis activity affects fat oxidation and lipid metabolism. A triglyceride baseline provides context for any subsequent metabolic changes, particularly for endurance athletes who rely on efficient fat metabolism at sub-maximal intensities.

For athletes specifically interested in recovery and inflammatory markers, testing endurance and recovery biomarkers as a panel establishes the comprehensive baseline relevant to athletic physiology. These markers also serve as an objective reference for monitoring the effects of training load changes and recovery interventions over time.

IGF-1, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and hs-CRP together cover the GH-axis, metabolic, and inflammatory dimensions most relevant to the compounds discussed in this article.

How to Access These Compounds Safely

Sermorelin: previously FDA-approved (as Geref) for pediatric GH deficiency and GH deficiency evaluation; the branded product was withdrawn from the market for commercial reasons. No FDA-approved sermorelin product is currently marketed. Compounded sermorelin is available through 503A compounding pharmacies by prescription. CJC-1295 and ipamorelin: not FDA-approved for any indication; both are on FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review, and 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. All three compounds require a licensed prescriber's evaluation. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products and are prescribed at the treating provider's discretion for individual patient circumstances; Superpower does not prescribe or market these compounds for athletic performance, endurance, or recovery indications.

For MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500: these compounds are not legally available through licensed prescribers in the U.S. for the uses discussed in this article. As of April 2026, BPC-157 and TB-500 are not available for compounding under Section 503A following FDA's 2026 review, with additional access restrictions effective April 22, 2026; MOTS-c is investigational and not approved for any human use. Superpower does not facilitate access to these compounds. Products sold as these compounds through online vendors operate outside FDA oversight.

Competitive athletes using any of these compounds through any source — licensed or otherwise — should understand their WADA classification before proceeding. Competitive status and WADA eligibility are separate from legality of possession in the U.S. — the two frameworks address different questions.

Understanding Your Baseline

With compounds ranging from an endogenous mitochondrial peptide your body already produces during exercise, to GH secretagogues with Phase 2 RCT data, to experimental compounds with no human trial data, the evidence landscape for athletic performance peptides requires careful navigation. The baseline biomarker data — IGF-1, fasting insulin, hs-CRP, and a comprehensive metabolic panel — provides the objective reference points that make any clinical conversation grounded in what is actually true about an individual's physiology, rather than what is hypothesized from animal models.

That testing-first principle is central to Superpower's approach to preventive health. Whether the outcome of that conversation is a licensed compound through a provider, a training modification, or a deeper investigation of recovery physiology, the foundation is the same: knowing where your biomarkers stand before making decisions.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

MOTS-c is not approved by the FDA for any medical use. Research on this compound has been limited primarily to laboratory and animal studies, with no completed human clinical trial data available. Its safety, efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term effects in humans have not been established. MOTS-c is not prescribed, compounded, or dispensed through Superpower. This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or an endorsement of use.

BPC-157 is not FDA-approved for any indication. As of April 2026, BPC-157 is not available for compounding under Section 503A. FDA completed its review of BPC-157 as a bulk drug substance in early 2026 and determined it does not qualify for inclusion on the 503A bulks list; additional access restrictions take effect April 22, 2026. Research on this compound has been limited primarily to animal studies, with no completed Phase 2 or Phase 3 human clinical trial data for athletic recovery or any other indication. BPC-157 is not prescribed, compounded, or dispensed through Superpower. This information is provided for educational purposes only.

TB-500 (thymosin beta-4) is not approved by the FDA for any medical use. Research on this compound has been limited primarily to laboratory and animal studies. Its safety, efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term effects in humans have not been established. TB-500 is not prescribed, compounded, or dispensed through Superpower. This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or an endorsement of use.

Sermorelin acetate was previously FDA-approved (as Geref) for pediatric GH deficiency; the branded product was withdrawn from the market for commercial reasons, not safety concerns. No FDA-approved sermorelin product is currently marketed. Compounded sermorelin is available through 503A compounding pharmacies by prescription. CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are not FDA-approved for any indication; both substances are on FDA's Category 2 bulks list under active review, and 503A compounding availability varies by state pharmacy board, pharmacy-specific practices, and ongoing FDA enforcement posture. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved products and have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, efficacy, or manufacturing quality. Safety and efficacy have not been established through adequate and well-controlled clinical trials for athletic performance indications. These compounds are not marketed or prescribed by Superpower for athletic performance, endurance, or recovery indications.

As of the 2026 WADA Prohibited List, GH secretagogues including GH-releasing peptides are prohibited in competitive sport. MOTS-c, BPC-157, and TB-500 are not individually named on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List; however, WADA's S0 category ("Non-Approved Substances") covers any pharmacological substance not addressed by any other section of the List and not currently approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use, which may capture these compounds. Competitive athletes should verify WADA status with the current WADA Prohibited List and the relevant national anti-doping authority before use.

Common class-level side effects for GH-releasing peptides include water retention, increased fasting glucose, insulin resistance, and injection-site reactions. For research-only compounds, no systematic human adverse event profile exists. Contraindications include active malignancy, pregnancy, diabetes or significant insulin resistance, and competitive athletics subject to anti-doping rules. Long-term safety data for any compound discussed in this article for athletic performance purposes are limited or absent.

Superpower is a technology platform that connects members with licensed healthcare providers and testing services. Superpower does not prescribe or dispense medications and does not facilitate access to research-only compounds.

Disclaimer: This article discusses multiple peptide compounds with different regulatory statuses. Some compounds discussed (MOTS-c, TB-500, BPC-157) are not approved for human use; BPC-157 and TB-500 are not available for compounding under Section 503A following FDA's 2026 review; additional access restrictions take effect April 22, 2026. This educational content is editorially independent.