Episode 166-'Bro-peptides' and The Ultimate Balancing Act: Training for Ironman While Crushing Med School

A brief synopsis of the episode's main discussions and takeaways as well as extended references

Author

Jeff Sankoff
March 14, 2025

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Table of Contents

BPC-157 and TB500, peptides that are heavily promoted despite no evidence to back any of the claims

In this episode, Jeff and Juliet dive into a listener-submitted question about the efficacy of peptides, specifically BPC 157 and TB 500, for performance enhancement in endurance sports. They dive into the murky waters of peptide use among athletes. Are they the next big thing, or just another way for companies to cash in on gullible athletes? They explore the lack of scientific evidence supporting the use of peptides, critique the misleading information peddled by influential figures like Andrew Huberman, and discuss the potential dangers and regulatory issues associated with peptide supplements. The hosts emphasize the importance of credible science and caution against the allure of quick fixes promoted on social media.

Matthew Marquardt-Medical student, professional triathlete, somehow doing both well

Matthew according to Matthew: Matthew Marquardt is a professional Ironman triathlete and third-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, aspiring to become a Head and Neck cancer surgeon. A 2021 Princeton graduate in Chemistry with a minor in Entrepreneurship, he is passionate about using 3D printing to improve cancer surgery and applying athletic insights to enhance surgeon performance. He discovered triathlon in 2021 when he began medical school. In 2022, he won the overall age-group title at the Ironman World Championship in Kona and turned pro in 2023, earning three podiums and the fastest swim split en route to 11th at IM World Champs in Nice. In 2024, he finished 4th in the IM Pro Series with three more podiums, a sub-8-hour performance, and a new bike course record at IM Lake Placid. Through racing, he is driven by a mission to use sport as a platform for cancer advocacy, to honor the people in his life who have battled cancer, and to inspire others to redefine what is possible.

I was enormously impressed with Matthew and really enjoyed our conversation. Here is some more detail on what he has been able to accomplish in a very short amount of time:

Marquardt's athletic journey began in competitive swimming. He was ranked among the top 60 incoming recruits nationally by collegeswimming.com and secured multiple Ohio state titles in high school, including the 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay, and 400 free relay. He also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200 backstroke. Academically, he attended Princeton University, majoring in chemistry with certificates in entrepreneurship and materials science and engineering. During his time at Princeton, he contributed significantly to the men's swimming and diving team.

Transition to Triathlon

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of his senior swimming season, prompting Marquardt to transition to triathlon in 2021. His impact was immediate; he won the USA Triathlon National Championship for his age group and finished second at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. In 2022, he claimed the top spot in his age group at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, posting the fastest time among age group racers on Day 1 by nearly 15 minutes.

Professional Triathlon Career

Marquardt turned professional in 2023 and quickly established himself as a formidable competitor:

  • Ironman Texas 2023: In his professional debut, he secured third place with a remarkable 2:43:09 marathon split, finishing just 21 seconds behind the winner.

  • Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2023: He achieved a second-place finish, underscoring his rapid ascent in the professional ranks.

  • Ironman World Championship 2023: Marquardt placed 11th at the World Championships in Nice, France, showcasing his competitiveness on the global stage.

In 2024, he continued his impressive performances:

  • Ironman Texas 2024: He repeated his third-place finish, demonstrating consistency at high levels of competition.

  • Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant 2024: Marquardt secured third place, further solidifying his status in the triathlon community.

  • Ironman Lake Placid 2024: He achieved a second-place finish with a time of 7:57:14.

  • Ionman World Championship 2024: Marquardt finished 15th in his Kona debut, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Medical Career and Advocacy

Parallel to his athletic endeavors, Marquardt is a dedicated medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He is actively involved in research at The OSU James Comprehensive Cancer Center, aiming to integrate his experiences as a medical student and triathlete. His commitment extends beyond academics and athletics; he leverages his platform to raise awareness for cancer research, inspired by personal connections to the disease.

Episode takeaways:

  • Being intentional with your time can help you reclaim those precious minutes lost to distractions like scrolling through social media.

  • Matthew Marquardt proves that you can be a triathlon champion while juggling a demanding medical school schedule, which is completely absurd and inspiring.

  • Balancing triathlon training with medical school is no easy feat, and it involves making sacrifices that most age groupers won't fully appreciate.

  • The recent rule changes in triathlon will impact how hydration is managed during races, so get ready to ditch those giant bottle contraptions!

  • Debunking the myths around peptides: just because some influencers endorse them doesn't mean they're effective; science says otherwise.

References used for the MMB

BPC-157

Chang, C. H., Tsai, W. C., Hsu, Y. H., & Pang, J. H. (2014). Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 enhances the growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 19(11), 19066–19077. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules191119066

  • Achilles tendon of male Sprague-Dawley rat. From the result of cDNA microarray analysis, growth hormone receptor was revealed as one of the most abundantly up-regulated genes in tendon fibroblasts by BPC 157

Gwyer, D., Wragg, N. M., & Wilson, S. L. (2019). Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing. Cell and tissue research, 377(2), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03016-8

  • Currently, all studies investigating BPC 157 have demonstrated consistently positive and prompt healing effects for various injury types, both traumatic and systemic and for a plethora of soft tissues. However, to date, the majority of studies have been performed on small rodent models and the efficacy of BPC 157 is yet to be confirmed in humans. Further, over the past two decades, only a handful of research groups have performed in-depth studies regarding this peptide

Lee, E., Walker, C., & Ayadi, B. (2024). Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 30(10), 12–17.

  • One of the few human subjects research available - not related to exercise recovery.

  • “The experimental peptide BPC-157 is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List in the category of S0 Unapproved Substances. Furthermore, this substance is not approved for human clinical use by any global regulatory authority and it may lead to negative health effects.”

  • “studies appear to have been cancelled or stopped without any published conclusions.”

TB500 (TB1000)

Maar, K., Hetenyi, R., Maar, S., Faskerti, G., Hanna, D., Lippai, B., Takatsy, A., & Bock-Marquette, I. (2021). Utilizing Developmentally Essential Secreted Peptides Such as Thymosin Beta-4 to Remind the Adult Organs of Their Embryonic State-New Directions in Anti-Aging Regenerative Therapies. Cells, 10(6), 1343. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061343

  • Evidence that beta thyomisin 4 accelerates wound recovery in mouse heart

Xing, Y., Ye, Y., Zuo, H., & Li, Y. (2021). Progress on the Function and Application of Thymosin β4. Frontiers in endocrinology, 12, 767785. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.767785

  • Review on TB4 includes current findings in clinical trials. Non-trivial findings for benefits to myocardial infarction and ulcer wound healing, and no trials have passed phase 3.

Delcourt, V., Garcia, P., Chabot, B., Barnabé, A., Bouscarel, M., Loup, B., Popot, M. A., & Bailly-Chouriberry, L. (2023). TB500/TB1000 and SGF1000: A scientific approach for a better understanding of misbranded and adulterated drugs. Drug testing and analysis, 15(4), 458–464. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.3421

  • No FDA approval leads to lack of regulation, and TB500 product tested by researchers was not found to be what it was advertised as.

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