A naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide, researched mainly as a topical skin-regeneration, anti-aging and wound-healing agent.
Not an FDA-approved drug for any medical indication. It is widely used and regulated as a cosmetic ingredient for topical skincare, not as a therapeutic. No prescription GHK-Cu formulation has medical approval.
Also known as: Copper tripeptide-1, Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine copper complex
Delivers copper into cells and acts as a broad gene-expression modulator, shifting thousands of genes toward a repair profile. Stimulates fibroblasts and upregulates collagen, elastin and proteoglycans while balancing matrix metalloproteinases; also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
GHK is a naturally occurring plasma tripeptide whose levels decline with age. Topical evidence is moderate: controlled studies report improvements in skin firmness, elasticity and appearance, and gene-expression work shows it modulates many wound-healing genes. Wound trials are encouraging but small — a double-blind placebo-controlled study reported faster closure with 2% GHK-Cu gel. The honest limitation: many supportive studies are small, industry-adjacent or cosmetic-endpoint focused, and injectable or systemic GHK-Cu, as marketed to biohackers, lacks rigorous human trials. The benefit is best supported for topical skin use, not systemic claims.
We report both positive and negative trial results. For exact study protocols, read the sources — we cite them rather than repackage them.
Bars reflect the strength & volume of research evidence for each use — not a guarantee of results.
Topically it is generally well tolerated; skin irritation or contact sensitivity can occur. Systemic or injected use is poorly characterised in humans, and excess copper exposure is a theoretical concern.
In skincare, combined with retinoids and vitamin C. In peptide marketing it is grouped with BPC-157 and TB-500 under 'regeneration' — though those pairings have no clinical combination evidence.
Mechanistic context only — we don't publish combinations, amounts or protocols.
Versus other repair peptides here, GHK-Cu is unusual in having real, if modest, controlled human data — but that data is mostly for topical skin and wound endpoints, not the systemic anti-aging effects it is often sold for.
A common misconception. The human evidence is for topical skin and wound applications, not systemic anti-aging.
In topical cosmetic use it is generally considered safe. Systemic use raises unstudied copper-load questions.
No. It is a cosmetic ingredient, not an approved drug.
No reviews yet. If you've used GHK-Cu, be the first to share what it helped with and any side effects.
⚠️ Educational research information only — not medical advice. Many peptides are sold strictly for laboratory research and are not approved treatments. The evidence scores reflect research interest and strength, not efficacy or safety for any individual. Always consult a qualified professional.