What it is
GHK-Cu is a three-amino-acid peptide (glycine, histidine, lysine) bound to a copper ion. It occurs naturally in human plasma and was first identified by Loren Pickart in 1973. For decades it has been a skincare ingredient, sold as "copper peptide". More recently, research-peptide suppliers have sold it as lyophilised powder for injection, usually in 50 mg vials.
That shift in route is the key point of this page. The human evidence for GHK-Cu is almost entirely about creams on skin. Injecting it is a different use, and it has not been tested in published human trials. For the cosmetic evidence, see GHK-Cu (topical).
How it works
GHK binds copper tightly and is thought to deliver it to tissues. Copper is a cofactor for enzymes that build and cross-link collagen and elastin. In fibroblast cultures and animal wounds, GHK-Cu increases collagen and other skin-matrix proteins and adjusts the balance of matrix-degrading enzymes (metalloproteinases) and their inhibitors.
Pickart and Margolina's 2018 review adds gene-expression data suggesting GHK shifts the activity of many human genes toward repair patterns. These findings come from databases of cell-line responses, not from people receiving the peptide.
The body's own level falls with age: about 200 ng/mL of plasma GHK at 20, about 80 ng/mL by 60, according to the same review. That decline is the rationale behind injecting it, but no study has shown that injection restores anything measurable in humans.
What the research found
Human studies. None published for injection that we could find. The human work is topical: 8 to 12 week cosmetic studies on facial and eye creams in women with photoaging, reporting improvements in skin density, firmness and fine lines. Those studies say little about what a subcutaneous dose does systemically.
Animal studies. The wound-healing data summarised in the 2018 review:
- In rabbits, GHK-Cu improved wound contraction and granulation tissue.
- In healthy and diabetic rats, collagen dressings containing GHK sped healing; one preparation increased wound collagen ninefold.
- In rats with ischaemic (poor blood supply) wounds, GHK-Cu treatment sped healing and lowered the matrix-degrading enzymes MMP-2 and MMP-9.
Several of these applied GHK-Cu directly to wounds or built it into dressings. They are not models of a daily subcutaneous injection.
Hair. Hair growth and larger follicles are listed among GHK-Cu's effects in the review, but no human hair trial is described, and none exists for injected GHK-Cu that we could find.
Side effects and safety concerns
With no human injection trials, there is no controlled data on side effects from injection. The cosmetic literature reports decades of topical use without notable adverse effects, but that does not transfer directly to injection.
The US FDA listed GHK-Cu among bulk drug substances for compounding that may present significant safety risks, stating that "compounded injectable drugs containing GHK-Cu may pose risk for immunogenicity due to potential for aggregation and peptide-related impurities." Immunogenicity means the immune system reacting to the product. In April 2026 the entry was withdrawn after the nominations were withdrawn. As legal commentary on that change notes, removal does not place a substance on the list of approved compounding ingredients; GHK-Cu is due to go before FDA's compounding advisory committee.
Copper itself is a consideration: people with Wilson's disease or other copper-handling disorders have particular reason for caution with any copper-containing product.
GHK-Cu (injectable) vs related peptides
| Compound | Main research focus | Human evidence |
|---|---|---|
| GHK-Cu (injectable) | Collagen, wound repair | None for injection |
| GHK-Cu (topical) | Skin quality, photoaging | Small 8 to 12 week cosmetic studies |
| BPC-157 | Tendon, gut and soft-tissue repair | Mostly rodent studies |
| TB-500 | Cell migration, tissue repair | Mostly animal studies |
| GLOW | Blend of the three above | No studies of the blend |
Status in the Philippines
No injectable GHK-Cu product is registered with FDA Philippines as a medicine. It is not a controlled substance under RA 9165. Locally it is sold by research-peptide suppliers, and it is one of the more common vials in the local market. If you are working with a vial, the GHK-Cu calculator and the reconstitution calculator handle the arithmetic.
Local stock GHK-Cu 50mg at Primara Labs, delivered in Metro Manila and nationwide. Research use only.
Storage
Keep lyophilised powder refrigerated and away from light. Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water, store at 2 to 8°C. Brownouts are the local risk: during a long outage, move vials to a cooler with ice packs rather than leaving them in a warming fridge. See the beginner guide for handling basics.
