GHK-Cu
Naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide. Topical use studied for skin remodelling; injectable use is anecdotal.
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Also: Copper Tripeptide-1
Naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide. Topical use studied for skin remodelling; injectable use is anecdotal.
Evidence Intelligence Score™
- Preclinical
- Pilot human← current
- RCT
- Multi-RCT
- Meta-analysis
Confidence aggregates eight dimensions of evidence — human data, safety maturity, mechanism, clinical readiness, momentum, consistency, long-term follow-up, and translational signal. It is a measure of what is known, not a recommendation. Methodology.
- Human evidenceWeight of RCT and observational data6.3
- Safety maturityFollow-up depth and adverse-event signal4.9
- Mechanism confidencePathway specificity and clarity6.4
- Clinical readinessDistance to physician-prescribable use5.4
- Research momentumRecency of indexed clinical evidence5.0
- Study consistencyEffect direction across cohorts4.4
- Long-term dataFollow-up beyond initial trial windows3.6
- Translational confidenceAnimal → human signal preservation6.1
Early human signals exist, primarily from observational and pilot work — directional, not definitive.
Translational confidence is limited until pre-registered human trials reproduce the preclinical signal.
Interactions outside listed contraindications, long-term safety, and effect heterogeneity across age and sex are not fully resolved.
Outlook: directional. The next 12–24 months of registered trials will determine whether the early signal holds.
Skin quality
4 studies- moderatePickart L, Margolina APreclinical2018unreviewed
- weakPickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A
GHK and GHK-Cu modulate >4000 human genes including skin remodeling, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant pathways relevant to dermal regeneration.
Preclinical2017unreviewed - moderatePickart L, Margolina A
GHK-Cu upregulates collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and antioxidant enzymes in human dermal fibroblasts; clinical topical studies show improved skin density and reduced photodamage.
Preclinical2015unreviewed - moderate
Hair growth & restoration
2 studies- weakTrüeb RM
Topical GHK-Cu stimulates hair follicle cell proliferation and enlarges follicle size in animal models; limited open-label human data shows increased anagen rates.
Preclinical2018unreviewed - weakPickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina APreclinical2015unreviewed
Tissue & joint repair
1 study- moderatePickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina APreclinical2015unreviewed
Skin quality
2 regimensTopical cosmetic use. Injectable use is unapproved and not studied in registration trials.
Cosmetic use; long-term safety profile generally favorable when topical.
Topical use generally well tolerated; rare local irritation. Injectable GHK-Cu in humans lacks regulatory approval and lacks safety data.
Studies typically 12 weeks; benefits accumulate with continued use.
Hair growth & restoration
2 regimensTopical cosmetic only. No regulatory approval for hair-loss indication.
No randomized hair-growth trial to date.
Topical use well tolerated; scalp irritation rare. Not FDA-approved for hair loss.
Most data are preclinical or open-label adjunct to minoxidil; no large RCTs.
Tissue & joint repair
1 regimenAnimal model. Injectable GHK-Cu is not approved for human use.
Preclinical.
These are observed research regimens drawn from approved labels, clinical trials, or preclinical literature — not dosing recommendations. Suggestive, never prescriptive.
- —Long-term safety beyond reported study durations.
- —Effect size in populations under-represented in the cited trials.
- —Interactions with concomitant medications outside listed contraindications.
We surface uncertainty next to every claim. Suggestive, never prescriptive — discuss with a clinician.
1 brand across three tiers.
Research-use only
1 brandSold by chemical suppliers labelled 'for laboratory research only — not for human consumption'. No pharmaceutical-grade QC, no medical oversight. Listed for transparency.