GHK-Cu

GHK-Cu is glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to copper(II). The tripeptide chelates Cu(II) with high affinity, and the complex rather than the bare peptide is what most of the literature studies.

Loren Pickart isolated GHK from human plasma albumin in 1973. He had been chasing an activity he could already measure: something in human albumin made aged human liver tissue synthesise proteins the way young tissue does. GHK turned out to be it.

The molecule is endogenous and declines with age. Reported plasma concentration runs around 200 ng/ml at age 20 and near 80 ng/ml by 60. That decline is the observation much of the subsequent research was built to explain.

GHK-Cu carries one of the largest published literatures of any compound in this catalogue, with more than 400 peer-reviewed papers. Microarray work has reported modulation of over 4,000 human genes, which is unusual breadth for a three-residue peptide and the main reason the compound keeps appearing in transcriptional studies. Published endpoints include collagen gene expression, metalloproteinase and TIMP regulation, antioxidant gene expression, DNA repair, and wound-closure models.

GHK-Cu is also the largest constituent by mass of our GLOW and KLOW blends, at 50 mg in each, because copper-tripeptide work typically runs at higher concentrations than the repair peptides it is paired with.

Supplied as a lyophilised powder at ≥99% purity by HPLC, with batch LC-MS identity confirmation and a certificate of analysis. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water. Copper complexes are photosensitive: store the sealed vial at -20°C, keep reconstituted solution at 2-8°C, and protect from light at every stage.

For in-vitro laboratory research only. Not for human or veterinary use.