The regenerative power of TB-500 is well recognized, as is its considerable facilitative effects on the recovery of common performance related injuries in animals. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated its healing effects on damaged muscle, tendon, and ligament tissue, and these benefits are widely familiar to veterinarians.
However, it has also been observed to have potent recuperative effects on damaged bone tissue as well, specifically on the healing of bone fractures in animal studies. Certainly, this is quite a beneficial effect, though it is perhaps somewhat lesser known than its more publicized muscle and connective tissue recovery capabilities.
Here, we’ll examine its effects on bone healing through a pioneering study conducted in 2014.
Healing Broken Bone Fractures With TB-500
Published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, the study sought to ascertain the therapeutic potential of TB-500 in the treatment of bone fractures.
Taking into account its well documented beneficial effects on the healing of injured soft tissue, the researchers hypothesized that the peptide would likewise be able to exert a positive impact on the recovery of broken bones as well. This is due to the similarity of various healing processes at the cellular level and TB-500’s unique mechanisms of action.
In particular, its enhancing effect on cell differentiation and stem cell activation was expected to improve healing time and efficacy.
Additionally, the peptide’s powerful ability to stimulate angiogenesis was expected to have a facilitative effect on bone fracture healing as well.
While there had been no studies conducted specifically on Thymosin Beta-4 and bone healing prior to this one, there had been several promising findings related to this area that were uncovered in other research cases. Apart from the already established tissue regenerative and wound healing effects, findings interpreted from other studies suggested that the peptide could stimulate the reformation of bone tissue after injury.
Other findings also indicated an increase in bone volume density following breaks in TB-500 treated subjects compared with non-treated ones.
Again, however, these findings were somewhat interpretive and indirect, necessitating a focused study such as this one to fully unveil its genuine impact on bone injuries.
The Study
In the study, rodent test subjects sustained a bilateral fracture to the fibula and were split into a treatment group receiving TB-500 administration and a control group receiving saline solution.
In both groups, subjects received either Thymosin Beta 4 or saline injections at the time of the injury and every 3 days following (day 3, day 6, day 9, and day 12). Following this course of administration, fractures were analyzed at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks post injury.
After thorough biomechanical, histological, and histomorphometric analysis, researchers found that the peptide had exerted a profound beneficial effect on the healing of subjects’ bone fractures.
Rat test subjects receiving TB-500 administration showed a 41% increase in peak force to failure and had bone calluses that were 25% stiffer than the control group. The volume of new mineralized bone tissue was over 25% greater in treated mice than controls as well.
Researchers observed that those subjects receiving peptide administration achieved a higher fractional bone volume 3 weeks following injury and greater biomechanical soundness 6 weeks after injury.
Accordingly, they concluded that these findings showed that the peptide had the potential to stimulate bone formation, reduce the risk of re-injury (due to increased peak force to failure of the fracture site), and enhance bone stiffness and integrity during the recuperative process.
The Conclusion
Study researchers concluded that these substantial effects provided strong evidence of the ability of TB-500 to greatly improve bone fracture healing.
Further, they predicted future therapeutic potential in treating broken bones, noting the “enhanced biomechanical properties of fractures” in those subjects receiving Thymosin Beta-4 administration.
Indeed, such findings further demonstrate the exceedingly wide-ranging healing and protective potential of this peptide.