GHK-Cu
Copper peptide — accumulation is the variable that governs the cycle
Experimental material. Read before using anything from here.
Nothing on this page is a medical recommendation, prescription or treatment plan. It is an organized translation of protocols circulating in research communities and, where it exists, of what published trials tested. The two are marked differently — and they are not equivalent.
Most of the compounds here have no FDA approval for human use. Several are sold labeled "research use only", which means they have not gone through purity, sterility or dosage controls for human consumption. A community-reported dose is not a validated dose: it is what someone reported having done.
Talk to a licensed health professional before considering any of these compounds. If you already use one and feel anything unexpected, seek care — do not wait for the next routine test.
Summary
Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper: a small copper-binding peptide that occurs naturally in human plasma. Levels sit around 200 ng/mL at age 20 and fall to about 80 ng/mL at 60 — part of why it attracts interest. It is the dominant component of the GLOW and KLOW blends, by mass.
Quick reference
- Routes
- Subcutaneous and topical formulations are the two main ones.
- Common range
- 1–2 mg/day SC or topical formulations of 1–3%.
- Measure
- Vial size and reconstitution volume define the entire calculation.
- Status
- Not approved. Injectable GHK-Cu left FDA Category 2 on April 15, 2026.
GHK-Cu Reconstitution Guide
| Vial size | BAC water added | Concentration | 1 mg draw (U-100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mg | 2.0 mL | 25.0 mg/mL | 0.04 mL = 4 units |
| 50 mg | 2.5 mL | 20.0 mg/mL | 0.05 mL = 5 units |
| 100 mg | 3.0 mL | 33.3 mg/mL | 0.03 mL = 3 units |
| 100 mg | 5.0 mL | 20.0 mg/mL | 0.05 mL = 5 units |
GHK-Cu Timeline & What to Monitor
| Endpoint | Topical timeline | Injectable framing |
|---|---|---|
| Skin firmness or smoothness | 8–12 weeks | Anecdotal; not trial-validated |
| Skin density (instrument-measured) | 12 weeks | Anecdotal; not trial-validated |
| Wrinkle depth | 8–12 weeks | Anecdotal |
| Hair shedding or thickness | 12+ weeks | Anecdotal; mostly community-derived |
| Wound or scar texture | Per-clinician | Per-clinician |
GHK-Cu vs Topical Cosmetic Copper Peptides vs the GLOW Stack
| Format | What it is | Evidence base | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topical GHK-Cu (cosmetic) | Copper Tripeptide-1 in serums and creams | Strongest human evidence (Leyden 2002, NEEL 2023) | Daily anti-aging skincare |
| Injectable GHK-Cu (research-use) | Reconstituted vial, SubQ injection | Mostly preclinical; community use | 1-2 mg/day cycles |
| GLOW stack (community blend) | GHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500 in one vial | Compound-level only; no direct stack RCT | Combined skin/recovery research |
| Generic "copper peptides" (cosmetics) | Various copper-binding peptides, not all GHK-based | Mixed; depends on specific peptide | Anti-aging skincare |
Storage and handling
The rules below apply to practically every lyophilized peptide in this reference. Where a compound has its own requirement, it appears in the table in the previous section.
- Lyophilized powder, sealed: refrigerator, between 2 and 8 °C, protected from light. Many tolerate room temperature for short transport periods, but that is tolerance, not a recommendation.
- After reconstitution: always refrigerated, between 2 and 8 °C. The stability window drops to days or a few weeks, depending on the compound.
- Never freeze after reconstituting. The freeze–thaw cycle degrades the peptide.
- Do not shake. Swirl the vial slowly. Shaking breaks the peptide chain.
- Bacteriostatic water down the wall of the vial, in a slow stream, not squirted directly onto the powder.
- Cloudy solution, with particles or a color change: discard. There is no recovery.
Lab tests and monitoring
This list is the one that appears recurrently in the source, with small variations by compound. It serves as a starting point for a conversation with a professional — not as a substitute for that conversation.
- Before starting: complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, fasting glucose and HbA1c, TSH and free T4, blood pressure and resting heart rate.
- Depending on the compound: IGF-1 (GH axis), lipase and amylase (VIP and the incretin agonists), serum copper and ceruloplasmin (GHK-Cu and blends containing it), CRP.
- Reassessment: most protocols review between week 4 and week 8, and then every 8–12 weeks.
- Do not wait for the routine lab test in the face of abdominal pain, visual changes, a change in a mole, shortness of breath, asymmetric swelling or any new and persistent symptom. That is a reason to seek care, not a spreadsheet item.
Evidence limits
Data source: peptidedosingprotocols.com, accessed on September 3, 2026. Translation and organization in Portuguese are original work. No primary source (PubMed, trial registry, package insert) was checked in building this page — the check was against the secondary source, and that alone.