Former wrestler and ADCC competitor Brandon Reed recently opened up about his experience using peptides for recovery during a candid conversation on The Charles Eoghan Experience podcast.
Reed, who transitioned from collegiate wrestling to jiu-jitsu in 2021, revealed that he has incorporated peptides into his recovery protocol to address persistent knee and back issues that have plagued his athletic career.
“I use peptides though, like BPC-157, TB-500,” Reed disclosed. “It made my knees feel a lot better. That was my big problem – my knees and my back actually, too.”
The heavyweight grappler, who competes around 238 pounds, explained that he turned to peptides as an alternative to more aggressive performance enhancement options. “I felt good. I was like, I don’t want to take ster*ids. And he [his coach] was like, you can try peptides.”
Reed confirmed he used the combination known informally in fitness circles as the “Wolverine stack” – BPC-157 and TB-500 together. He noted: “I don’t like that they call it stack though. It sounds very ster*id. The stack is very ster*id.”
The effectiveness of peptides appears to vary significantly between individuals, according to Reed’s observations. “I’ve heard I’ve had friends who said they haven’t worked for them. Then I had friends who said they worked really well. And I end up being someone it worked really well for.”
Reed also mentioned he’s not currently using the peptides while traveling through Europe but found them beneficial during his regular training cycles.
When discussing his overall training approach, Reed described a disciplined regimen that includes jiu-jitsu training once daily combined with strength training three times weekly and conditioning twice weekly. He works with a strength coach who designs his programs and oversees his nutrition.
The interview offers a glimpse into how high-level grapplers like Reed are approaching recovery and injury management in a sport known for its physical demands, with peptides representing one approach that some athletes are finding beneficial for sustaining their training.
