Thymosin beta-4
Not FDA-approved
Also known as: TB-4, Tβ4
Thymosin beta-4 is a natural protein of 43 amino acids made in nearly all human cells. Inside cells it holds actin, a protein cells use to move, which links it to wound repair. It has been tested in people for eye, skin and heart conditions, but not for muscle or tendon injuries.
How it works
- It is the main protein that stores spare actin inside cells. Cells draw on actin to change shape and crawl.
- In animal studies, it sped skin wound healing in diabetic and aged mice, with more collagen laid down in the wound.
- In cell studies, it blocked NF-κB, a switch that turns on inflammatory genes.
- In mice after a heart attack, it helped heart muscle cells survive and improved heart function.
Evidence
Muscle, tendon and ligament injury (injected)
No controlled human trial has tested it for these injuries. The support comes from lab and rodent studies. Its human testing has been in eye, skin and heart conditions instead.
Caveats
- TB-500 is a separate, lab-made fragment of just seven amino acids. Findings for the full-length protein do not apply to it.
- In a placebo-controlled trial of 73 people with venous leg ulcers, a form applied to the ulcer had safety comparable to placebo. The trial did not clearly show faster healing.
- In lab studies, colon cancer cells made to produce extra thymosin beta-4 became more invasive. Active cancer is a reason to avoid it.
- Human safety data for injected use are limited, and there are none in pregnancy.
References
This page is for education only. It is not medical advice. Decisions about any treatment belong with a physician who knows your history.