Compound hub
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of GHK, a three-amino-acid peptide first described in human blood plasma in the 1970s. This hub answers the questions people ask about GHK-Cu from published studies, most of them in cells and animals, with a small human record that is mostly cosmetic.
Record card
| Common name | GHK-Cu |
|---|---|
| Full name | Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II) complex |
| Cosmetic ingredient name | Copper tripeptide-1 (PubChem synonym) |
| Free peptide | GHK, CAS 49557-75-7 |
| Copper complex | CAS 89030-95-5 |
| Structure reported | 1977 |
| Registered trial, checked 14 October 2026 | NCT07437586, Phase 2, topical gel, acute wounds, recruiting |
| Poisons Standard status | Held: no status stated on the Peptides and Australian Law page |
Questions answered here
04- Does GHK-Cu work? What published studies foundWhat published studies found about GHK-Cu: wound, skin, hair, weight, sleep and itching questions, each answered from named studies with the model, size and limits. Research material is not a medicine.Updated 2026-10-14
- GHK-Cu vs Glow, KLOW, KPV, NAD+ and retinol: what is the difference?How GHK-Cu differs from Glow and KLOW blend names, KPV, AHK-Cu, NAD+, glutathione and retinol, with what each has been studied for and whether any study compared them. Research material is not a medicine.Updated 2026-10-14
- What is GHK-Cu? The copper peptide explainedGHK-Cu is the copper complex of the three-amino-acid peptide GHK. What the name means, why the powder is described as blue, what studies tested it for, what the sources say about downsides and where its Australian legal status is recorded. Research material is not a medicine.Updated 2026-10-14
- Is GHK-Cu safe? What studies and the FDA record about side effectsGHK-Cu safety: what four small human skin studies, a 2026 evidence review and the FDA's April 2026 listing record about side effects, and what the sources read do not cover.Updated 2026-10-14
Form Laboratories supplies research-use-only reference material. Everything in this hub is an educational summary of published third-party literature. It is not medical advice, not a use instruction, and research material is not for human or animal use.