The GHK-Cu copper peptide is one of the oldest and best documented peptides in skin research, and it’s one of the few you can buy as a vial, as capsules, in two blends and in a topical lotion. This guide covers what it is, what’s been studied and which LA Peptides product fits your work.
What is the GHK-Cu copper peptide?
GHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of a tiny peptide made of glycine, histidine and lysine. It occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, and the amount in plasma drops with age, from around 200ng/ml at 20 to about 80ng/ml by 60.
The copper is the point. GHK binds copper tightly and is thought to act as a carrier, delivering it to cells in a usable form. That’s also why the powder is blue, which surprises people the first time they see it.
GHK-Cu copper peptide research
Loren Pickart first described GHK in 1973, after noticing that plasma from young people made old liver tissue behave younger in culture. Most later work has looked at skin: collagen production, wound models and gene expression in cell cultures. It’s also one of the most used peptides in cosmetic formulas. A PubMed search for GHK-Cu brings up the main papers.
Its cousin, AHK-Cu, swaps glycine for alanine and is studied mostly for hair follicles. Both sit in our cosmetic peptides range.
Ways to buy the GHK-Cu copper peptide
The 100mg vial is the main research format, and at $39.99 it’s one of the lowest prices per milligram in the shop. The capsules suit oral comparison studies. GLOW and KLOW combine GHK-Cu with recovery peptides, and Smooth puts it into a topical lotion.
Storing and mixing GHK-Cu
Keep the sealed vial in the fridge, away from light. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water, added slowly against the glass, then swirl until the blue solution is clear. A 100mg vial mixed with 5ml gives 20mg per ml. The reconstitution guide has the full steps.
Buying a GHK-Cu copper peptide online: what to check
- The amount: 100mg in our vial, 2.5mg per capsule
- A batch COA, opened from the QR code on the vial label
- The color: a blue powder or solution is normal and expected
- Whether a blend or lotion fits your study better than the plain peptide
For skin and copper peptide work, the Calabasas bundle groups GHK-Cu, AHK-Cu, SNAP-8, KPV, the Smooth lotion and glutathione with BAC water at about 15% off.
Where to buy a GHK-Cu copper peptide
Every format above is sold directly at LA Peptides. If you’re not sure which one you need, start with the vial. It’s the most flexible, it’s the best value per milligram and you can always add the capsules or a blend later. Don’t forget BAC water if you’re ordering the vial.
GHK-Cu copper peptide FAQ
Why is GHK-Cu blue?
Because of the copper ion bound to the peptide. It’s normal.
How much GHK-Cu is in the vial?
100mg. Our capsules hold 2.5mg each.
What’s the difference between GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu?
One amino acid. GHK-Cu is mostly a skin peptide, AHK-Cu mostly a hair follicle peptide.
Is GHK-Cu for human use?
No. LA Peptides sells it for laboratory research only.
Shop the GHK-Cu copper peptide
Vial, capsules, blends and lotion at LA Peptides.
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not evaluated by the FDA.