"The renewal specialist." A copper peptide — three amino acids (glycine, histidine, lysine) bound to a copper ion. It occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, and its levels fall with age.
GHK-Cu is a small, highly active piece of a larger protein structure: three amino acids bound to a copper ion. It's found naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, but levels decline significantly with age — from roughly 200 ng/mL in young adults to about 80 ng/mL by age 60. Researchers view it as both a signaling molecule and a way to deliver usable copper to cells involved in tissue repair and remodeling.
GHK-Cu is studied for supporting balanced remodeling of skin and connective tissue — two complementary jobs at once:
It's also reported to support new blood-vessel growth in damaged areas, reduce certain inflammatory signals, shift the expression of a large number of genes toward patterns more typical of healthier tissue, and act as an antioxidant helper by supporting copper-dependent enzymes.
The strongest human evidence is for topical use on skin. Clinical studies, typically lasting 8–12 weeks, have reported:
Educational and editorial content only. Not medical advice. Content may describe emerging research not approved for clinical use.