Evidence Grade C — Moderate human evidence. 71 published studies, 29 human. 1 registered clinical trial.
Medically reviewed by a licensed medical professional
GHK-Cu is a copper peptide found naturally in your blood that is widely used in skincare and anti-ageing products. As a cosmetic ingredient (under the name 'copper tripeptide-1'), it appears in serums, creams, and hair care products. It has no pharmaceutical approval for any medical condition. The topical cosmetic use should be clearly distinguished from its unregulated availability as an injectable research compound — these carry fundamentally different risk profiles.
GHK-Cu is also known by these brand and alternate names:
71 published studies: 29 human, 12 animal, 27 in-vitro, 11 reviews
GHK-Cu has no pharmaceutical authorisation from any regulatory agency. It is widely available as a cosmetic ingredient in over-the-counter skincare products, where it is marketed for skin conditioning. A small study comparing GHK-Cu cream to vitamin C and retinoic acid creams reported improvements in skin appearance measures.
No pharmaceutical clinical trials for injectable GHK-Cu have been completed. The compound's cosmetic use (topical, in formulated skincare products) should be clearly distinguished from its unregulated availability as an injectable research compound. These represent fundamentally different risk profiles.
Research suggests the copper ion in GHK-Cu may serve as a cofactor for enzymes involved in collagen cross-linking. Laboratory studies have reported effects on collagen synthesis, gene expression, and wound-related pathways. These observations come from in vitro (cell culture) experiments and limited topical application studies. The distinction between cosmetic-grade topical application and injectable pharmaceutical use is significant — the evidence base pertains primarily to topical use.
Research suggests GHK-Cu has been studied primarily as a cosmetic ingredient, with small studies comparing it favourably to vitamin C and retinoic acid creams for skin appearance measures. The topical safety record is excellent over decades of cosmetic use. No pharmaceutical clinical trials for injectable GHK-Cu have been completed. There are no injectable pharmacokinetic data, no established human dosing for systemic use, and a potential copper toxicity risk with systemic administration that does not apply to topical use. Products from unregulated sources intended for injection lack pharmaceutical quality assurance.
PeptideTrace tracks 1 registered clinical trial for GHK-Cu sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
Topical GHK-Cu Gel for Acute Skin Wound Healing
GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1) is a naturally occurring tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) complexed with Cu2+ (1:1). MW 403.93 Da. His imidazole provides primary Cu2+ binding. Found in human plasma (~200 ng/mL age 20, ~80 ng/mL age 60). Isolated from albumin by Pickart 1973. Widely used in cosmetics. Not approved as pharmaceutical. Applied topically or SC in research.
Research suggests Cu2+ serves as cofactor for lysyl oxidase (LOX), cross-linking collagen/elastin. Stimulates collagen I/III/IV synthesis, upregulates decorin. Promotes angiogenesis via VEGF/FGF2. Anti-inflammatory via TGF-beta1/TNF-alpha suppression. Gene expression studies (Genome Medicine 2014): modulated 4,048 genes (DNA repair, antioxidant upregulated; inflammation downregulated).
No pharmaceutical authorization. Widely used as cosmetic ingredient (INCI: copper tripeptide-1). Leyden et al. (2002; N=67): GHK-Cu cream improved skin laxity, clarity, firmness vs. vitamin C and retinoic acid (12 weeks). In vitro: +70% collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. No pharmaceutical trials completed.
The information on this page is provided for educational and research reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.
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GHK has no pharmaceutical authorisation. Small cosmetic studies of the copper-complexed form (GHK-Cu) have reported improvements in skin appearance measures. No pharmaceutical clinical trials for injectable use have been completed. As with GHK-Cu (#85), the cosmetic evidence base for topical use should be distinguished from claims about injectable use. Gene expression profiling studies have reported broad effects, but observational genomic changes do not constitute evidence of therapeutic efficacy. This entry overlaps substantially with GHK-Cu (#85).
Argireline has no pharmaceutical authorisation. It is widely available as a cosmetic ingredient in over-the-counter skincare products. Small industry-sponsored studies have reported wrinkle depth reductions of 17–30% with topical application. The key scientific question is whether sufficient peptide penetrates intact skin to reach neuromuscular junctions and produce a meaningful effect. The molecule's size exceeds the conventional limit for transdermal absorption. Argireline's cosmetic use in formulated skincare products represents a fundamentally different risk profile from injectable use.
Matrixyl 3000 has no pharmaceutical authorisation. It is widely used as a cosmetic ingredient. Small studies report wrinkle reduction, with a head-to-head comparison against the original Matrixyl suggesting greater statistical significance on wrinkle endpoints. As a two-component combination, Matrixyl 3000's evidence should be interpreted alongside the individual component entries: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (#139) and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (#140). It is a topical cosmetic ingredient.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health.
