{"id":"ghk-cu","name":"GHK-Cu","aliases":["copper peptide","copper tripeptide-1","glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"],"url":"https://lyoresearch.com/compounds/ghk-cu","class":{"id":"healing-peptides","name":"Tissue-repair peptides","url":"https://lyoresearch.com/classes/healing-peptides"},"summary":"GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring three-amino-acid peptide that binds copper, found in plasma, saliva and urine, with levels that fall with age. Applied to skin in creams it has modest evidence from small trials for improving fine lines and skin firmness, which is why it is a common cosmetic ingredient. Injected use — increasingly promoted online — has no human evidence of any kind.","overall_grade":"C","overall_grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","human_trials":"Small topical trials","regulatory_status":"Cosmetic ingredient","molecule":{"formula":"C14H21CuN6O4-","molecular_weight":"400.90","cas":null,"pubchem_cid":139035031,"note":"No CAS number listed on the PubChem record"},"pharmacokinetics":{"basis":"none","route":"Topical in the trials; injected as sold, with no human study","half_life":"No human pharmacokinetic data","licensed_regimen":null,"product":null,"source":null},"outcomes":[{"outcome":"Skin appearance (topical)","grade":"C","grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","effect_size":"small","adverse":false,"human_studies":"3–4 small trials","evidence":"Twelve-week facial studies in the late 1990s and early 2000s reported improved skin laxity, clarity and fine lines versus vehicle or comparators. Small, short, largely industry-run.","references":[{"citation":"Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data.","where":"Int J Mol Sci, 2018;19:1987 (review)","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Pickart+Margolina+GHK-Cu+2018+review"},{"citation":"Leyden JJ, et al. Skin care benefits of copper peptide containing facial cream.","where":"American Academy of Dermatology meeting, 2002 (abstract)","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=copper+peptide+facial+cream+skin+laxity+12+week"}]},{"outcome":"Wound healing (topical)","grade":"C","grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","effect_size":"small","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Small trials, mixed","evidence":"A GHK-Cu gel was tested on diabetic foot ulcers in the 1990s with mixed results; the product was not carried forward.","references":[{"citation":"Mulder GD, et al. Enhanced healing of ulcers in patients with diabetes by topical treatment with glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper.","where":"Wound Repair Regen, 1994;2:259–269","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mulder+glycyl-histidyl-lysine+copper+diabetic+ulcers+1994"}]},{"outcome":"Hair growth","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"None controlled","evidence":"Claims rest on cell and animal work and on analogy with minoxidil; no human trial.","references":[]},{"outcome":"Any outcome (injected)","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"None","evidence":"Unstudied in humans. Injecting a copper complex without data on distribution or dose is not a safety-neutral act.","references":[]}],"regions":[{"region":"European Union","status":"Cosmetic ingredient; no medicinal authorisation","note":"Permitted in cosmetics. Injectable products presented for human use are unauthorised medicinal products."},{"region":"United States","status":"Cosmetic; injectable not approved","note":"Placed in Category 1 for non-injectable routes in 2023 (may be compounded topically pending review). The injectable nomination is listed as withdrawn since April 2026."},{"region":"United Kingdom","status":"Cosmetic; injectable unlicensed","note":"Lawful in topical cosmetics. Injectable products are unlicensed medicines."},{"region":"Australia","status":"Cosmetic; injectable unapproved","note":"Topical cosmetic use is unregulated as a medicine. Injectable GHK-Cu was named in the TGA's April 2026 advisory."},{"region":"Canada","status":"Cosmetic; injectable not authorised","note":"Injectable products have no DIN and cannot lawfully be sold."},{"region":"Sport (WADA)","status":"Not named","note":"Not listed. As a cosmetic it raises no doping question; injected as an unapproved drug it would fall under S0."}],"faq":[{"q":"Does GHK-Cu work for wrinkles?","a":"Modestly, in small twelve-week studies of topical products — improvements in fine lines, firmness and skin clarity versus vehicle. The trials are small and mostly industry-funded, so the honest answer is “probably a little.”"},{"q":"Is injecting GHK-Cu safe?","a":"Unknown. There are no human studies of injected GHK-Cu. Topical safety data does not transfer to injection."},{"q":"Does GHK-Cu regrow hair?","a":"No human trial has tested it. The claim comes from cell and animal studies and from its structural similarity to how minoxidil is thought to act."}],"references":[{"cite":"Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data.","where":"Int J Mol Sci, 2018;19:1987 (review)","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Pickart+Margolina+GHK-Cu+2018+review","note":"Review by the peptide's discoverer; declared interest."},{"cite":"Leyden JJ, et al. Skin care benefits of copper peptide containing facial cream.","where":"American Academy of Dermatology meeting, 2002 (abstract)","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=copper+peptide+facial+cream+skin+laxity+12+week","note":"Twelve-week facial study; conference abstract, industry-supported."},{"cite":"Mulder GD, et al. Enhanced healing of ulcers in patients with diabetes by topical treatment with glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper.","where":"Wound Repair Regen, 1994;2:259–269","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mulder+glycyl-histidyl-lysine+copper+diabetic+ulcers+1994","note":"Small trial of a GHK-Cu gel on diabetic foot ulcers."}],"last_reviewed":"2026-09-02","literature_searched_to":"2026-09-02","changelog":[{"date":"2026-09-02","note":"Full page. Added wound-healing and hair rows, mechanism, regional status and FAQ."},{"date":"2026-09-01","note":"Initial publication."}],"license":"CC BY 4.0 — cite as “LYO Research” with a link.","methodology":"https://lyoresearch.com/methodology"}