Protocol Tracking
Recovery Stack Protocol: BPC-157, TB-500, and CJC-1295/Ipamorelin
How to structure a BPC-157 + TB-500 recovery stack, what adding CJC-1295/Ipamorelin does to complexity, blend vial reconstitution math, injection site rotation, and half-life curves for all three compounds.
Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, changing, or stopping any protocol.
What a recovery stack is
A recovery stack is a multi-compound protocol designed around tissue repair, injury recovery, and musculoskeletal performance — as opposed to a metabolic or longevity-focused stack. The most commonly reported recovery stack in the research and compounding community combines BPC-157 and TB-500, sometimes with CJC-1295/Ipamorelin added for GH-axis support.
Each compound in a recovery stack operates through a different mechanism. Running them together is not redundant — it covers different phases and pathways of tissue repair. This is also what makes multi-compound stacks complex to track: each compound has its own dosing schedule, half-life, vial setup, and injection site requirements.
Core two-compound recovery stack: BPC-157 + TB-500
| Property | BPC-157 | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | NO signaling, VEGF, cytoprotection, growth factor upregulation | Actin sequestration, angiogenesis, cell migration, inflammation modulation |
| Half-life | ~4 hours | ~24 hours |
| Dosing (loading) | 250–500 mcg/day (once or twice daily) | 2–4 mg twice weekly (4–8 mg/week total) |
| Dosing (maintenance) | 250–500 mcg/day, same cadence | 2 mg once weekly |
| Typical loading phase | Continuous (no separate loading phase) | 4–6 weeks loading, then maintenance |
| Injection route | SubQ (systemic or near injury) | SubQ or IM (systemic effect regardless) |
These are ranges reported in research and practitioner communities. Your prescribing provider's protocol takes precedence — follow their instructions, not general community ranges.
Adding CJC-1295/Ipamorelin: the three-compound stack
CJC-1295 (no DAC) + Ipamorelin is sometimes added to the BPC-157/TB-500 core for GH-axis support. The rationale: endogenous GH drives IGF-1, which is anabolic for connective tissue, muscle, and bone. Higher GH pulse amplitude during a recovery protocol may accelerate tissue remodeling.
The tracking complexity increases significantly with three compounds:
- BPC-157: daily dosing, 4-hour half-life, site rotation required
- TB-500: twice-weekly loading, 24-hour half-life, accumulates over loading phase
- CJC-1295/Ipamorelin: daily dosing in fasted state, very short half-life for CJC (30 min), 2-hour for Ipamorelin
Three different dosing cadences, three different half-lives, and fasted-timing requirements for the CJC/Ipa pair. This is exactly the scenario where a dedicated tracker becomes necessary rather than optional.
Reconstitution setup for a recovery stack
BPC-157 and TB-500 can be mixed in the same vial (blend) or kept in separate vials. CJC-1295/Ipamorelin is almost always a separate vial (blend or separate), because the injection timing is different (fasted state).
Example blend vial setup for BPC-157 + TB-500:
- 5 mg BPC-157 + 5 mg TB-500 = 10 mg total in one vial
- + 2 mL bac water = 5,000 mcg/mL total (2,500 mcg/mL each)
- For 250 mcg BPC-157 + 500 mcg TB-500 = 750 mcg total dose
- 750 ÷ 5,000 × 100 = 15 units
Use the reconstitution calculator for your specific vial strengths and bac water volume. Set vial strength to the combined total when using a blend vial.
Injection site rotation for a recovery stack
Daily BPC-157 injections mean injection site rotation is critical. Repeated injections at the same site cause lipohypertrophy — fatty tissue buildup that reduces absorption by up to 25–40% and creates inconsistent dosing. With BPC-157 dosed daily and a 4-hour half-life (no accumulation buffer), impaired absorption directly affects active levels.
Standard SubQ rotation sites: left/right abdomen (2 zones each), left/right thigh, left/right flank. Six zones on rotation supports 6 days of daily BPC-157 without reusing a site. My Pep Calc tracks injection site per dose log, flagging when a site needs to rest.
See the injection site rotation guide for detailed zone mapping and rotation systems.
Half-life chart for a recovery stack
BPC-157 (4-hour half-life, no accumulation) produces a sharp daily pulse pattern. TB-500 (24-hour half-life, twice-weekly dosing) produces a loading accumulation curve over 4–6 weeks before plateauing. CJC-1295 (30-minute half-life) produces sharp, fast-clearing spikes.
Seeing these three curves on one timeline — from your actual logged doses — gives you a clear picture of when each compound is active, where there's overlap, and when you're at trough levels across all three. Use the half-life chart with your logged protocol to render this view.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best peptide stack for recovery?
- The most commonly reported recovery stack is BPC-157 + TB-500. They work through complementary mechanisms: BPC-157 through NO signaling and growth factor upregulation; TB-500 through actin regulation and angiogenesis. Some protocols add CJC-1295/Ipamorelin for GH-axis support. Protocol design is your prescribing provider's call — they know your injury context.
- Can you mix BPC-157 and TB-500 in the same syringe?
- Yes. BPC-157 and TB-500 are generally considered compatible in solution and are commonly co-injected. You can mix them in the same vial (blend vial) or draw from separate vials into the same syringe. When using a blend vial, set vial strength to the combined total for reconstitution calculations.
- How long does a recovery stack protocol last?
- Protocol duration depends on the condition being addressed and your provider's design. Common frameworks: TB-500 loading phase of 4–6 weeks (higher dose twice weekly), then maintenance (1×/week). BPC-157 is typically continued throughout. Total protocol length ranges from 8–12 weeks in many practitioner reports. Your prescribing provider determines the right duration for your case.
- Why is injection site rotation important for a recovery stack?
- Daily BPC-157 injections at the same site can cause lipohypertrophy — fatty tissue buildup that reduces absorption by 25–40% per clinical studies. Since BPC-157 has no accumulation buffer (4-hour half-life, clears between doses), impaired absorption directly reduces active levels. Rotating across 6+ SubQ sites prevents lipohypertrophy.
Sources
Stop doing this math by hand.
My Pep Calc runs reconstitution, dose tracking, site rotation, and half-life curves for your whole stack — not just one compound.
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