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GHK-Cu

Copper Peptide / Wound Healing

Also known as: Copper Peptide GHK · GHK-Copper · Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper

A naturally occurring tripeptide-copper complex with wound healing, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, & collagen-stimulating activity across multiple tissue types.

Typical Dose

1–2 mg, 3–5x per week

Route

Subcutaneous injection; topical cream (skin)

Cycle

8–12 weeks

Half-life

Short (~1 hour in plasma)

Storage

Reconstituted: 2–8°C. Store away from light (copper peptides are light-sensitive).

Overview

GHK-Cu is a tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) complexed with copper(II) that is naturally present in human plasma, saliva, & urine, declining significantly with age (from ~200 ng/mL at age 20 to ~80 ng/mL by age 60). It was originally discovered as the active component of serum that stimulated liver cell regeneration.

Its mechanism is broad: GHK-Cu promotes collagen & elastin synthesis, activates antioxidant enzymes, modulates anti-inflammatory gene expression (resets ~30% of aging-related gene expression changes when incubated with aged fibroblasts), promotes wound healing angiogenesis, & stimulates nerve regeneration. It has been extensively studied topically for skin aging & wound healing.

For systemic injection use, GHK-Cu activates similar systemic anti-aging & repair mechanisms. It is one of the few peptides with a substantial body of evidence at both the topical & systemic level.

Quick Start Guide

1

Reconstitute with 1 mL bacteriostatic water per 50 mg vial.

2

Inject 1–2 mg subcutaneously 3–5x per week near the area of concern (or abdomen for systemic effect).

Research Indications

Wound healing & tissue repair

Most Effective

Accelerates wound closure, promotes angiogenesis, & increases collagen deposition. Studied in chronic wounds, surgical incisions, & burns.

Skin anti-aging (topical)

Most Effective

Reduces wrinkle depth, increases skin elasticity & density, improves skin color. Extensive topical evidence base.

Anti-inflammatory & antioxidant

Effective

Inhibits TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, & other pro-inflammatory cytokines. Activates superoxide dismutase & catalase.

Hair growth stimulation

Moderate

Stimulates hair follicle enlargement & hair growth in animal & small human studies. Often combined with topical minoxidil.

Research Protocols

Systemic anti-aging / tissue repair

8–12 weeks

Dose

1–2 mg SubQ

Frequency

3–5x weekly

Route

SubQ abdomen or near target tissue

Wound healing (localized)

4–8 weeks

Dose

1 mg SubQ near wound

Frequency

Daily

Route

SubQ perilesional

Peptide Interactions

BPC-157Compatible

Complementary wound healing: BPC-157 (GH receptor upregulation, angiogenesis) + GHK-Cu (collagen synthesis, antioxidant). Sometimes combined for comprehensive tissue repair.

TB-500Compatible

No adverse interaction. TB-500 addresses systemic remodeling; GHK-Cu addresses collagen synthesis & antioxidant protection.

Side Effects & Safety

Common

  • Injection site redness (blue-green tint from copper — normal)
  • Mild fatigue

Uncommon

  • Headache
  • Nausea at higher doses

When to Stop

  • Signs of allergic reaction
  • Signs of copper toxicity: nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice (very unlikely at peptide doses)

How to Reconstitute

1

Wipe stopper. Add bacteriostatic water slowly down inner vial wall.

2

Swirl gently — copper peptides may foam slightly.

3

Solution should be pale blue (normal for copper complex). Refrigerate. Store away from light.

Dosing math: Pale blue-green color is characteristic of copper coordination & expected. Not a quality defect. Common: 1 mL per 50 mg vial = 50000 mcg/mL; for 1 mg dose: 0.02 mL. Most users reconstitute at lower concentration (e.g., 5 mL per 50 mg = 10000 mcg/mL; for 1 mg: 0.1 mL).

Quality Indicators

Good — use as normal

  • Pale blue to blue-green solution (copper chelation)
  • Clears immediately on swirling

Acceptable

  • Slightly deeper blue — more copper coordination product, still functional

Discard immediately

  • Colorless (may indicate copper loss/degradation)
  • Brown or black discoloration
  • Particulate

What to Expect

Week 1–2

Wound healing acceleration & anti-inflammatory effects begin quickly. Skin quality improvements take longer.

Week 3–8

Collagen synthesis increasing. Skin quality, elasticity, & hair density improvements (if applicable) begin to be measurable.

Week 9–12

Cumulative collagen & elastin remodeling. Full tissue quality improvement evident.

Community Insights

Self-reported. Reflects user experience, not clinical outcomes.

Research References

A Copper Peptide Activates Anti-Aging Genes in Human Skin by Resetting the Gene Expression of Aging Skin to More Youthful Levels

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology · 2019

GHK-Cu restores ~30% of aging-related gene expression changes in aged human fibroblasts to more youthful patterns.

Verify what you have

Information on this page applies to pharmaceutical-grade peptides. Purity & identity of research-grade products vary. Certipep provides independent ESI-TOF-MS & HPLC analysis with a signed analytical report.

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