Last Updated September 21, 2023

 September 21, 2023

Peptide researchers interested in healing peptides may be curious about the right TB-500 dosage to use in their next experiment. 

Studies have shown that TB-500 acts to: 

  • reduce inflammation 
  • accelerate post-injury healing 
  • slow the progression of disease 

However, the internet is filled with conflicting information on how this healing agent should be dosed in test subjects. 

This informative guide includes a TB-500 dosage calculator and outlines the main benefits and side effects associated with its use. Plus, we reveal our preferred vendor of research-grade TB-500 online.

Buy TB-500 from the #1 online Peptides vendor in the world...

Disclaimer: Peptides.org contains information about products that are intended for laboratory and research use only, unless otherwise explicitly stated. This information, including any referenced scientific or clinical research, is made available for educational purposes only. Likewise, any published information relative to the dosing and administration of reference materials is made available strictly for reference and shall not be construed to encourage the self-administration or any human use of said reference materials. Peptides.org makes every effort to ensure that any information it shares complies with national and international standards for clinical trial information and is committed to the timely disclosure of the design and results of all interventional clinical studies for innovative treatments publicly available or that may be made available. However, research is not considered conclusive. Peptides.org makes no claims that any products referenced can cure, treat or prevent any conditions, including any conditions referenced on its website or in print materials.


TB-500 Dosage Chart | Quick Breakdown

Timeline Days 1-15 Days 16 and beyond (if needed)
Daily Dose of TB-500 for Recovery and Healing 2mg (subcutaneously) 1mg (subcutaneously)

What is TB-500?

TB-500 is a peptide consisting of 43 amino acids. It is a synthetic version of the endogenous protein thymosin beta-4. that is encoded by the TMSB4X gene and is found in animal cells, both human and nonhuman.

Thymosin beta-4 promotes a variety of essential biological functions such as [1]:

  • Lowered inflammation
  • Growth of new blood cells
  • Increased production of immune cells
  • Faster wound repair

Since thymosin beta-4 is naturally produced by the thymus gland in response to injury [2], researchers are actively investigating whether TB-500 accelerates the healing process in test subjects.

How does TB-500 work?

The main mechanism of action in TB-500 involves the upregulation of a cellular protein called “Actin”.

Actin plays a vital role in keeping the structural and functional integrity of cells intact, especially in muscle cells. This has led some researchers to hypothesize that TB-500 may increase the growth of new cells and hasten the healing of tissue injuries while improving muscle flexibility.

Due to the low molecular weight of TB-500, it is extremely mobile. Laboratory animal studies have shown that TB-500 can selectively upregulate Actin at the site of injury in laboratory animal models.

TB-500 in horse racing

Research has shown that TB-500 is commonly used in horse racing as a doping drug [3], and active efforts are currently underway to completely ban its use from this sport [4]:

Under Australia’s strict drug-free racing policy, anyone found guilty of injecting TB-500 into a racehorse would receive a minimum period of disqualification of two years:

“We have been aware of this substance for a number of years and we are confident we have the strategies and testing capabilities to control it.
“This drug has no place in racing, its use is easily detected in the thoroughbred and its administration to a racehorse would be viewed very seriously.”

TB-500 in athletics

While TB-500 is a research chemical with no recognized therapeutic use in humans, it has been banned by all major sporting organizations [5]:

“Indeed, TB-500 packages have recently been confiscated by the Belgian Customs during a routine control.

The case has received worldwide attention from the media since it was connected to a professional athlete which was still employed by his team, who declared that the product was for personal use.

In another case, a former team doctor was arrested in possession of the substance.

There are very few scientifically validated reports of TB-500 use in humans, which began in the mid 1970s in settings of immunodeficiencies related to congenital athymia [6].

To date, the majority of studies involving TB-500 have been conducted in animal models and cell cultures. We will explore the documented effects of TB-500 in the following section.


tb-500


Benefits of Thymosin Beta-4

Studies involving animal models and human research subjects have found that Thymosin Beta-4 produces several statistically significant effects. These effects are summarized below. 

Thymosin Beta-4 may help repair heart muscles

An in vivo study involving heart cells found that Thymosin Beta-4 may be effective in healing heart injuries [7].

In particular, Thymosin Beta-4 was able to stimulate vessel growth while simultaneously preventing the death of heart cells.

One of the few clinical trials involving humans was actually able to corroborate this finding in patients following ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Results of this small pilot study suggest that treatment with autologous thymosin β4 (Tβ4) prior to endothelial progenitor cell in STEMI patients may be associated with improved left ventricular function and exercise capacity at six months post-procedure.

This outcome requires follow-up before any conclusions can be drawn with respect to utilization of TB-500 or related compounds in settings of cell therapy for tissue repair [8].

Thymosin Beta-4 may accelerate healing from traumatic brain injury (TBI)

A 2012 paper reported rapid cognitive recovery in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI) [9].

As early as six hours following injury, rats treated with Thymosin Beta-4 experienced functional recovery, and the creation of new brain cells and blood vessels took place as early as 24 hours post-injury.

Thymosin Beta-4 could be used to treat eye problems

As early as 2007, Thymosin Beta-4 was being examined as a potential clinical solution to repair eye damage [10].

Some of the applications speculated include:

  • Diabetic eye disease
  • Faster healing from cataract surgery
  • Dry eyes
  • Chemical injuries

A Phase II clinical trial involving human test subjects found Thymosin Beta-4 eye drops to be effective for treating severe dry eye [11].

In total, nine treated patients had significantly reduced discomfort and improved tear volume production, even 28 days following treatment. 

Thymosin Beta-4 is useful for treating skin wounds that don’t heal

In preclinical animal studies involving various kinds of rats and mice (steroid-injected, old, diabetic), Thymosin Beta-4 was shown to be effective in healing skin wounds [12].

The same review also examined two Phase II clinical trials involving patients with ulcers.

Test subjects that received Thymosin Beta-4 experienced a healing process that was a month faster than those in the placebo group. 

The authors also noted how Thymosin Beta-4 was able to inhibit further inflammation and infection.

So as an inflammatory agent, Thymosin Beta-4 shows great promise for future studies in test subjects.

Thymosin Beta-4 may treat joint inflammation

Even in animal studies, the science on this is not clear.

According to a 2017 review of Thymosin Beta-4 and rheumatoid arthritis, there are a handful of studies touting Thymosin Beta-4 exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects [13].

However, there were a fair number of reports saying Thymosin Beta-4 increases the secretion of pro-inflammatory compounds.

And while increased Thymosin Beta-4 expression is uniformly seen in the joint fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients, it is uncertain whether this outcome is beneficial or harmful. This indicates that further research in this area may be warranted. 

Thymosin Beta-4 could heal ligament injuries

A rat study involving the local administration of Thymosin Beta-4 discovered that Thymosin Beta-4 has “potential clinical use in repairing ligaments” [14].

After transecting the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in rats and treating rats with Thymosin Beta-4 a month, the treated rats had significantly better biomechanics function.

Moreover, the collagen fibers within the treated rats were uniform and evenly spaced out.

This implies that Thymosin Beta-4 heals wounds and injuries in a way where normal physical movement can be restored.

Let’s now turn our attention to TB-500 dosage and how researchers may calculate it in a research setting. 

Buy TB-500 from our #1 recommended vendor...


TB-500 Dosage Calculator and Guide

When it comes to choosing the TB-500 dosage for an experiment, there are a few things researchers need to know about.

Unlike some other peptides, there is no “standardized dose” for TB-500 and no “safe” or “recommended” level. That’s because the available clinical research on TB-500 is scarce and there are only a few human trials available to use as a reference.

Based on these trials, TB-500 has been applied in a wide range of doses, starting with as low as 0.5mcg/kg of bodyweight and reaching up to roughly 16,000mcg/kg of bodyweight (1260mg/day) for 10-14 days. No clinical trials include TB-500 cycles longer than 2 weeks [15, 16].

The following dosing protocol for healing with TB-500 is not supported by any studies published thus far, but it can serve as a starting point for researchers, who are advised to begin with still lower doses and titrate upward approaching this protocol:

  • Daily Dose: 2mg, administered subcutaneously
  • Frequency: Daily subcutaneous injections
  • Study Duration: 15 days
  • Notes: Researchers need three vials of TB-500 10mg to complete this protocol. Following the two week period, researchers may continue administering a maintenance dose of 1mg/daily, if necessary to achieve full or near-full recovery among test subjects.

tb-500


TB-500 For Beginners

Researchers experimenting with TB-500 for the first time are recommended to adhere to the protocol mentioned above which involves daily doses of up to 2mg applied subcutaneously for 15 days.


TB-500 For Healing

TB-500 has shown potential in healing injuries within experimental animal models [17].

A number of rat studies have shown that Thymosin Beta-4 accelerates wound treatment [18]. And some laboratory animal studies even put forth the idea of Thymosin Beta-4 offering rapid pain relief [19].

According to Kleinman et al., while TB-500 is “likely to have additional uses in the skin and in injured organs for tissue repair and regeneration” there is no research showing what dosage it may be administered to this end.

In fact, Thymosin Beta-4 has been tested topically in clinical trials regarding its potential for skin and corneal healing [12].

The peptide decreased median healing time of skin ulcers by 45% compared to placebo when applied topically as a 0.03% cream for three months [20].

When applied as 0.1% ophthalmic solution for up to 28-days, Thymosin Beta-4 was also effective in improving dry eye symptoms [21].


TB-500 For Muscle Growth

One purported effect of TB-500 is muscle growth. 

Here’s a short list of some of the TB-500 effects observed in racehorses [22]:

  • Increased endurance
  • Increased strength
  • Increased muscle growth
  • Improved flexibility of joints
  • Improved muscle tone

These findings cannot be extrapolated to humans, suggesting that further research in this area is warranted.

Studies involving human test subjects have shown that TB-500 causes the up-regulation of Actin and promotes cell proliferation.

Although TB-500 is banned from sports, there is no evidence linking it to muscle growth in human test subjects [23].

However, the peptide may have potential beneficial effects on muscle recovery and healing, rather than muscle growth.

Clearly, further investigation is required in this area regarding TB-500’s effects on research subjects. Researchers interested in investigating this topic should adhere to the aforementioned recommendations of 2mg/daily, subcutaneously for 15 days.

If needed, TB-500 can be continued to be taken at 1mg/daily until achieving full recovery among test subjects.


TB-500 For Hair Growth

Findings from three laboratory animal studies involving rats and mice linked Thymosin Beta-4 to hair growth [24, 25, 26]. These claims have yet to be evaluated in humans and there is no research showing that it has this effect in test subjects.

While TB-500 has been shown to have many activities important in tissue protection, repair, and regeneration, there is currently no clinical research that has examined its use for hair growth.


Where to Buy TB-500 Online?

TB-500 is available online and may be purchased by researchers for experimentation.

Unfortunately, not all peptide vendors operate at the same high standard and many researchers are curious about where to buy TB-500 online.

After extensively vetting numerous vendors, our team has identified Peptide Sciences as the best place to buy TB-500 online for research purposes.

Peptides Sciences is a premier research peptides company that specializes in the synthesis of highly purified peptides, proteins, and amino acid derivatives. Every product is created for the sole purpose of scientific research and development.

Using automated manual synthesizers, Peptide Sciences offers the finest quality peptides and offers 99%+ pure TB-500. All peptides are free of fillers or binding agents, like mannitol, and each batch is lab-tested to verify its purity.

Plus, all peptides created and sold by Peptide Sciences are 100% TFA-free. Trifluoroacetic acid is found in many of the peptides from low-quality vendors who import from China.

Overall, researchers looking to purchase TB-500 should strongly consider Peptide Sciences.

Of course, other materials are required: Bacteriostatic water, syringes, and needles.


Thymosin Beta-4 and BPC-157?

One peptide combination that many researchers are currently interested in is Thymosin Beta-4 and BPC-157.

In short, BPC stands for “Body Protection Compound” and it is 15 amino acids long.

BPC-157 may help connective tissues heal much faster, while also improving digestive health and treating ulcer damage.

Both BPC-157 and Thymosin Beta-4 have been shown to offer anti-inflammatory benefits in laboratory animal studies and have been investigated as potential treatments for muscle injuries.

Researchers interested in exploring any potential synergistic benefits of BPC-157 and Thymosin Beta-4 may be interested to learn that Peptide Sciences offers this mixed peptide blend for research purposes.


tb-500


Bacteriostatic Water for Injection

TB-500 is typically packaged in the form of a lyophilized powder. Therefore, it needs to be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before it can be administered to test subjects via intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injection.

When handling peptides such as TB-500, researchers must adhere to the standard methods of reconstitution, injection, and storage. To do so, they will need a particular set of materials.

Fortunately, Peptides.org has found a solution in a reputable online supplier that carries all the research materials required for peptide handling.

BacteriostaticWater.org

This retailer streamlines the process of stocking your lab with offerings of convenient supply kits that furnish all the essentials. Choose between two deluxe kits from BacteriostaticWater.org.

Contents of the starter research kit include:

  • Bacteriostatic Water (30mL) – 3x
  • Insulin Syringes (0.5 cc/mL x 29g x ½) – 100x
  • Alcohol Prep Pads – 200x
  • Sterile Empty Glass Vial (10mL) – 1x
  • Large Needles + Syringes Combo (3cc x 21g x 1) – 10x

Featured in the premium research kit are the following:

  • Bacteriostatic Water (30mL) – 5x
  • Insulin Syringes (0.5 cc/mL x 29g x ½) – 200x
  • Alcohol Prep Pads – 200x
  • Sterile Empty Glass Vial (10mL) – 2x
  • Large Needles + Syringes Combo (3cc x 21g x 1) – 20x

Order from this highly recommended supplier today!

Buy Bacteriostatic Water from our #1 recommended vendor...


TB-500 Dosing | Verdict

When it comes to choosing the right TB-500 dosage for experimentation, very little research exists to show how this research chemical may be dosed in human test subjects.

While some laboratory animal studies have been cited in support of purported TB-500 benefits such as accelerated healing, these findings have yet to be examined in clinical trials.

Nevertheless, this guide has illuminated key areas where further TB-500 investigation may be warranted, providing researchers with a useful starting point for future studies.

Those interested in working with TB-500 are advised to order peptides for research from Peptide Sciences.

Buy TB-500 from our #1 recommended vendor...


References

  1. Pharmaceutical Crime. Retrieved February 10, 2020. unodc.org
  2. Tokura Y, Nakayama Y, Fukada S, et al. Muscle injury-induced thymosin β4 acts as a chemoattractant for myoblasts. J Biochem. 2011;149(1):43-8. doi:10.1093/jb/mvq115
  3. What is TB-500? Retrieved February 9, 2020. users.skynet.be
  4. Even horses don’t use banned drugs. Retrieved February 11, 2020. dailytelegraph.com.au
  5. TB-500: from horseracing to doping. Retrieved February 8, 2020. Dshs-koeln.de.
  6. Goldstein AL. History of the discovery of the thymosins. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Sep;1112:1-13. doi: 10.1196/annals.1415.045. Epub 2007 Jun 28. PMID: 17600284.
  7. Shrivastava S, Srivastava D, Olson EN, et al. Thymosin beta4 and cardiac repair.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:87-96. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05468.x.
  8. Zhu J, Song J, Yu L, Zheng H, Zhou B, Weng S, Fu G. Safety and efficacy of autologous thymosin β4 pre-treated endothelial progenitor cell transplantation in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction: A pilot study. Cytotherapy. 2016 Aug;18(8):1037-1042. doi: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2016.05.006. Epub 2016 Jun 7. PMID: 27288307.
  9. Xiong Y, Mahmood A, Meng Y, et al. Neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects of thymosin β4 treatment following experimental traumatic brain injury. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2012;1270:51–58. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06683.x
  10. Sosne G, Qiu P, Kurpakus-Wheater M. Thymosin beta 4: A novel corneal wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent. Clin Ophthalmol. 2007;1(3):201–207.
  11. Sosne G, Dunn S, Crockford D, et al. Thymosin Beta 4 Eye Drops Significantly Improve Signs and Symptoms of Severe Dry Eye in a Physician-Sponsored Phase 2 Clinical Trial. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54(15):6033. doi:https://doi.org/
  12. Treadwell T, Kleinman HK, Crockford D. The regenerative peptide thymosin β4 accelerates the rate of dermal healing in preclinical animal models and in patients. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2012;1270:37-44. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06717.x.
  13. Kim KS, Yang HI. Thymosin β4 in rheumatoid arthritis: Friend or foe. Biomed Rep. 2017;7(3):205–208. doi:10.3892/br.2017.952
  14. Xu B, Yang M, Li Z, et al. Thymosin β4 enhances the healing of medial collateral ligament injury in rat. Regul Pept. 2013;184:1-5. doi:10.1016/j.regpep.2013.03.026
  15. Ruff D, Crockford D, Girardi G, Zhang Y. A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin beta4 in healthy volunteers. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Apr;1194:223-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05474.x. PMID: 20536472.
  16. Wang X, Liu L, Qi L, Lei C, Li P, Wang Y, Liu C, Bai H, Han C, Sun Y, Liu J. A first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, single- and multiple-dose, phase I study of recombinant human thymosin β4 in healthy Chinese volunteers. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 Sep;25(17):8222-8228. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.16693. Epub 2021 Aug 4. PMID: 34346165; PMCID: PMC8419156.
  17. Philp D, Kleinman HK. Animal studies with thymosin β4, a multifunctional tissue repair and regeneration peptide. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:81.86. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05479.x
  18. Malinda KM, Sidhu GS, Mani H, et al. Thymosin beta4 accelerates wound healing. J Invest Dermatol. 1999;113(3):364-8. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.1999.00708.x
  19. Wan J, Ding Y, Nan S, et al. Thymosin Beta 4 Is Involved in the Development of Electroacupuncture Tolerance. Front Cell Neurosci. 2019;13:75. Published 2019 Mar 26. doi:10.3389/fncel.2019.00075
  20. Guarnera G, DeRosa A, Camerini R; 8 European sites. The effect of thymosin treatment of venous ulcers. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Apr;1194:207-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05490.x. PMID: 20536470.
  21. Sosne G, Dunn SP, Kim C. Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a phase 2 randomized trial. Cornea. 2015 May;34(5):491-6. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000000379. PMID: 25826322.
  22. Professional Monograph: Thymosin Beta 4 (Tb4). Retrieved February 10, 2020. northamptonintegrativemedicine.com
  23. THYMOSIN-BETA 4: THE DRUG THAT CHANGED THE AFL. Retrieved February 11, 2020. doctusproject.com
  24. Philp D, St-Surin S, Cha HJ, et al. Thymosin beta 4 induces hair growth via stem cell migration and differentiation. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007;1112:95-103. doi:10.1196/annals.1415.009
  25. Philp D, Nguyen M, Scheremeta B, et al. Thymosin β4 increases hair growth by activation of hair follicle stem cells. FASEB J. 2004;18(2):385-7. doi:10.1096/fj.03-0244fje
  26. Gao X, Liang H, Hou F, et al. Thymosin Beta-4 Induces Mouse Hair Growth. PLoS One. 2015;10(6):e0130040. Published 2015 Jun 17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130040

Scientifically Fact Checked by:

David Warmflash, M.D.

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents