GHK-Cu
Also searched as: Copper peptide · Copper tripeptide-1
GHK-Cu is a tripeptide of glycine, histidine and lysine bound to a copper ion. It occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, and plasma levels decline with age. It is the most widely used peptide in cosmetic skincare, where it appears as an ingredient in topical products rather than an injectable.
What the research has looked at
- Collagen and elastin synthesis in skin fibroblast cultures
- Wound healing in animal and some human studies
- Hair follicle activity in laboratory studies
- Gene expression changes in cultured human cells
This is a description of what has been studied, not a claim about what it does. Evidence level: early human data.
Legal position in the UK
Not a licensed medicine in the UKPermitted as a cosmetic ingredient in topical products under UK cosmetics regulation. Injectable preparations are a different matter and are not licensed medicines.
Handling and storage
Distinctive deep blue colour from the copper ion, so a colourless solution suggests something is wrong. Light-sensitive: store in the dark. Copper peptides are generally kept away from strong acids and from vitamin C in topical formulation.
Vial sizes: Commonly 50mg or 100mg per vial. Where a manufacturer supplies handling instructions, those take precedence over anything general.
Questions
- Why is GHK-Cu blue?
- The copper ion. A correctly reconstituted solution is a clear deep blue. A colourless or cloudy solution indicates a problem with the material or the mixing.
- Is topical GHK-Cu legal in the UK?
- Yes, as a cosmetic ingredient. Plenty of licensed skincare products contain it. That is entirely separate from injectable preparations.