Copper-free GHK: what the studies show, status and safety
Summary
Copper-free GHK is a tiny peptide the body makes itself, built from three amino acids. As the cosmetic ingredient Tripeptide-1 it is listed in the EU and was judged safe for creams in 2014. As a medicine it is approved nowhere, and injecting it is approved nowhere either. No study in people has ever tested the bare peptide without copper. The human results quoted for it belong to the copper complex GHK-Cu or to a modified molecule. What is shown for copper-free GHK comes from chemistry, cell cultures and rodents.
Key findings at a glance
- No human study of copper-free GHK exists. Both controlled trials in people tested a copper complex, and both missed their objective targets [1], [2]. The only placebo-controlled trial with GHK but no copper tested a conjugate, a new molecule built from GHK and another compound [3].
- Copper-free results come from dishes and rodents. Skin cells, chemical tests and rat and mouse studies used the bare peptide [4], [5], [6]. In a culture medium that contains copper, the peptide can pick it up and form the complex itself, as its discoverer concedes [7].
- A cosmetic ingredient, not a medicine. The EU lists Tripeptide-1 as a skin-conditioning ingredient with no restriction [8]. A US expert panel judged it safe in 2014 at the concentrations then in use, 0.00002 to 0.001 per cent [9].
- Injection is approved nowhere. No approved medicine containing it was found in any of the seven markets checked [10], [11], [12], [13]. Unlike GHK-Cu, it is not on the FDA list of compounding substances with safety risks [14].
- The famous decline in blood levels has no traceable measurement. Reviews by the discoverer say levels fall from 200 ng/ml at 20 to 80 ng/ml at 60. They cite no data [7], [15]. The only independent value is 133.0 ng/ml in 11 healthy adults, without age groups [16].
- Banned in sport, not covered by German criminal law. It falls under class S0 of the 2026 Prohibited List, which covers unapproved drugs [17]. The annex to the German Anti-Doping Act does not list it [18].
What it is
GHK is named after its three building blocks, the amino acids glycine, histidine and lysine. Loren Pickart described it in 1973 as an activity in human blood serum that kept normal liver cells alive longer [19]. Its sequence was confirmed in 1977 [20].
From the start the peptide came with copper. Pickart's group found that it is recovered from plasma together with copper, and that it helps cells take copper up [21], [22]. That is why two forms exist on paper: the bare peptide described here, and the copper complex covered on the GHK-Cu page.
Quick facts
| Field | Value | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | GHK, copper-free GHK | [23] |
| Cosmetic name | Tripeptide-1; the acetate salt is Tripeptide-1 Acetate | [8] |
| Other name | Prezatide, a common name in the FDA substance register, not an official drug name | [23] |
| Class | A peptide of three building blocks the body makes, without any metal | [23] |
| Sequence | Gly-His-Lys | [20] |
| Formula and mass | C14H24N6O4, 340.38 g/mol | [23], [24] |
| Copper form | GHK-Cu, cosmetic name Copper Tripeptide-1, a separate substance | [8] |
| How long it lasts | Never measured in people; broken down quickly in rats | [25] |
| Status as a cosmetic | Listed in the EU; assessed in the US in 2014 | [8], [9] |
| Status as a medicine | Approved nowhere | [10] |
| Discoverer | Loren Pickart, 1973 | [19] |
| CAS registry number | 49557-75-7 | [23] |
| PubChem CID | 73587 | [24] |
| UNII | 39TG2H631E | [23] |
| DrugBank | DB11296 | [23] |
| Cosmetic database reference | 59874 | [8] |
Several look-alikes carry the GHK name. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 are modified versions with their own cosmetic names, and data on them do not apply to bare GHK [9]. The hair product ALAVAX is a conjugate, not GHK [3].
How it works
No mechanism has been shown in people. Everything below comes from chemistry, cell cultures and rodents, and each point is a hypothesis.
- Carrying copper. GHK binds copper tightly. At equal amounts of albumin and peptide in the test tube, about 42 per cent of the copper sat on the peptide. At concentrations found in blood, only about 6 per cent sat on small molecules [26].
- Catching reactive aldehydes. In a buffer solution, GHK reacted with 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein, two harmful by-products of fat breakdown, and bound them [5], [27]. This is chemistry, not a result in living cells.
- Shielding cells from metals. In cell cultures, GHK reduced the chemical reactivity of copper and prevented cell death caused by copper and zinc [28].
- The bottom layer of the skin. In human skin cells and lab-grown skin, copper-free GHK increased cell division and markers of the basal layer. The authors write that it "showed similar effects with copper-GHK" [4].
- Signals in skin cells. In human skin fibroblasts, GHK, GHK-Cu and plain copper all lowered the release of two signalling proteins, the inflammatory messenger IL-6 and the growth factor TGF-β1 [29], [30]. Because copper alone did the same, the peptide's own share cannot be separated.
- A hormone receptor in rat liver cells. One group found GHK acting through the angiotensin II type 1 receptor in isolated rat liver cells [31]. The finding has not been repeated.
- A gene pattern in a database. The Connectivity Map is a public database of how genes in cells respond to drugs. A search of it matched GHK against the gene pattern of emphysema-damaged lung [32].
One caveat runs through all of this. Pickart writes that the gene data "was collected for GHK without copper". He adds: "we cannot exclude the possibility that the actual gene regulator was the GHK copper complex formed in the culture media" [7].
The same doubt applies to most copper-free cell results, because culture media usually contain some copper. For the findings made with the copper complex itself, see GHK-Cu.
What the studies found
Nobody has tested copper-free GHK in people. What exists are two trials of a copper complex, one trial of a GHK conjugate, and a body of cell and rodent work.
Counts from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov, checked on 23 September 2026. Neither of the two registry entries tests copper-free GHK. Sources [1], [2], [3], [33].
Trials in people, all with copper
Human RCT, copper complex In 86 patients with venous leg ulcers, a cream with a copper tripeptide complex at 0.4 per cent did no better than an inert dummy cream. The paper states: "There was no difference between the latter two treatments" [1].
Human RCT, copper complex In 13 patients after CO2 laser treatment around the mouth, GHK-Cu skin care improved nothing measurable over 12 weeks. Only self-rated satisfaction was higher (p = 0.04) [2].
Neither trial says anything about copper-free GHK. Both are described in detail on the GHK-Cu page.
Hair: a conjugate, not GHK
Human RCT, conjugate In 45 men aged 20 to 60 with pattern hair loss, a scalp spray in two strengths was compared with a placebo spray over six months. The hair count rose by 52.6 on the stronger version and 71.5 on the weaker one, against 9.6 on placebo (p < 0.05 for both) [3].
Hair length and thickness did not differ, and no side effects were reported. The product, ALAVAX, was built as a single molecule joining 5-aminolaevulinic acid to GHK. It is a conjugate, so the result cannot be credited to free GHK [3].
Skin cells and chemistry
Cell data Copper-free GHK raised cell division, a marker of the skin's stem-like basal cells (p63) and a marker of dividing cells (PCNA) in human skin cells and lab-grown skin [4]. In skin fibroblasts it lowered two signalling proteins, but copper alone did the same [29], [30].
Chemistry In a buffer solution, GHK used up 4-hydroxynonenal, forming bound products [5]. Acrolein was consumed completely within 4 hours at every GHK strength tested [27]. The amounts are listed under doses used in studies.
Lungs: a database match
Database and cell data Lung tissue from 6 patients with COPD and 2 donor lungs, 64 samples in all, gave a gene pattern for emphysema damage. A database search then flagged GHK as a substance with the opposite pattern [32].
In a dish, lung fibroblasts from people with COPD contracted collagen gels less well than normal. Adding GHK made them contract more (p < 0.01) [32]. No patient was treated, and no clinical outcome was measured.
Behaviour in rodents
Animal data A Russian research group reported less anxious behaviour in male rats after single injections into the belly at three dose levels, most clearly at the lowest [34]. In a later test by the same group, "the peptide GHK had no anxiolytic effect" [35].
Animal data The group also reported lower pain sensitivity in mice [36] and less pain-induced aggression in rats [37]. Plain lysine at an equal molar dose had the same effects, so the authors credit the lysine part of the molecule [37].
Blood levels: the 200-to-80 figure
Review claim Three reviews by the discoverer state that plasma GHK is about 200 ng/ml at age 20 and falls to 80 ng/ml by age 60 [7], [38], [15]. None of the three cites a measurement for it.
Observational The only independent measurement comes from a 2023 study in China. It found 133.0 ± 54.54 ng/ml in 11 healthy adults and 70.27 ± 38.87 ng/ml in 9 people with COPD (p = 0.009) [16].
The claimed values appear in reviews without a cited measurement [15]. The measured values come from one study without age groups, which does not say whether copper-bound GHK was counted [16].
That study did not group people by age, so it neither confirms nor refutes a decline. It does not say whether GHK carrying copper was counted as well [16].
Why, then, does an untraceable figure appear almost everywhere? Because citations copy each other. A 2012 lung paper quotes it from an earlier review by the same discoverer [32], [39]. A 2020 review repeats it without any measurement behind it [40].
Each repetition looks like new confirmation, yet every trail ends at the same unreferenced sentence. The measurement is also hard to make. A validated test in rat plasma could only detect GHK from 50 ng/ml upwards [25], so the claimed 80 ng/ml sits just above that limit.
Registered studies
Registry A search of ClinicalTrials.gov on 23 September 2026 found two entries naming GHK as a substance. Neither tests copper-free GHK [33].
- A facial device study. It treated 27 people with a device and a serum of seven ingredients, one of them a copper GHK complex. No effect of any one ingredient can be isolated.
- A blood-level study. It plans to measure GHK and GHK-Cu in the blood of 100 people wearing a skin patch. No GHK is given, and recruitment has not started; the estimated start is January 2027.
What is still unknown
- How GHK behaves in the body. No human data exist for any route. In rats it was broken down quickly to a two-part fragment after injection into a vein [25].
- Whether any cell result applies to people. No study in people has tested the bare peptide.
- How much GHK stays free of copper in the body. In blood it competes with albumin for copper [26].
- Whether blood levels really fall with age. No study with age groups has been published [16].
- What long-term use does. No repeat-dose, reproductive or cancer-risk studies were found [9].
Side effects and safety
No study in people has tested copper-free GHK, so no side-effect rates exist. What exists is one cosmetic assessment and a handful of animal and cell findings.
- The cosmetic assessment. In 2014 the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel found the ingredients "safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics" [9]. For Tripeptide-1 that meant 0.00002 to 0.001 per cent, in 36 products, 35 of them left on the skin [9].
- Much of that data was borrowed. The negative toxicity data came mostly from trade materials containing palmitoyl tripeptide-1. Data on repeated dosing, reproduction and cancer risk "were not found in the published literature" [9].
- Purity. The report covers this under the copper-free peptide. Commercial GHK "is approximately 95% pure, but often includes small amounts of mildly neurotoxic materials" [9], [41].
- Rodents given injections. Mice and rats received ten daily injections into the belly at six dose levels. From the second-lowest level upwards, liver cell division rose and the antibody response was suppressed [6], [9].
- Liver damage at high doses. Signs of liver degeneration appeared at the two highest levels, while the lowest had no effect on liver cell division. A follow-up abstract gives micrograms instead of milligrams, so the exact doses are uncertain; the printed figures are in the dose table [6], [9].
- Toxic in some cell systems. The discoverer reported in 1980 that nanomolar concentrations caused "outright toxicity" in some culture systems [22].
- Tumour cells in culture. In cell culture, GHK stimulated the growth of two human tumour cell lines, and whether that matters for people has never been studied [42], [9].
- No official warning names it. The FDA risk list names only injectable GHK-Cu [14]. Eight FDA warning letters to online peptide sellers in 2025 and 2026 do not mention GHK [43].
Injecting copper-free GHK is approved nowhere. There is no human data for it, no study of repeated dosing and no pharmacopoeia standard that injectable material could be tested against. The cosmetic assessment covers creams at trace levels, not syringes [9].
Doses used in studies
The doses below are simply what the cited studies gave, listed so that the results can be understood. They are not advice on how to use anything.
Almost every line describes a chemical test, a cell culture, a rodent or a cosmetics survey. The one line with people tested a conjugate, not GHK. No dose-finding study of copper-free GHK in people exists, for any route.
| Study | Model | Dose or concentration | Route | Duration | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choi 2012, skin cells | Human skin cells and lab-grown skin | Not stated in the abstract | Culture medium | Length of the culture | [4] |
| Gruchlik 2012 and 2014, fibroblasts | Human skin fibroblasts | 1 nM in the 2014 study, compared with GHK-Cu and copper chloride; not stated in the 2012 abstract | Culture medium | Length of the test | [29], [30] |
| Campbell 2012, lung cells | Human lung fibroblasts | 10 nM; database comparison at 0.1 and 10 nM | Medium with 1 per cent serum | 48 hours | [32] |
| Beretta 2007 and 2008, aldehydes | Chemical test | 1 mM against 50 µM HNE; 0.1 to 1.0 mM against 30 µM acrolein | Buffer, pH 7.4 | Up to 4 hours | [5], [27] |
| Endo 1997, breakdown | Male rats | 10 mg/kg | Into a vein | Single dose, samples to 60 minutes | [25], [9] |
| Bobyntsev 2015, anxiety | Male rats | 0.5, 5 and 50 µg/kg | Into the belly | Single dose, 12 minutes before testing | [34] |
| Bobyntsev 2015, pain | Male mice | 0.5, 1.5, 5, 15 and 50 mg/kg as printed | Into the belly | Single dose | [36] |
| Sever'yanova 2017, aggression | Rats | 5, 15, 50 and 150 µg/kg | Into the belly | Single dose | [37] |
| Smakhtin 2002, liver and immunity | Mice and rats | 0.5, 1.5, 5, 50, 150 and 450 mg/kg as printed | Into the belly | 10 injections, 24 hours apart | [6], [9] |
| Lee 2016, hair | 45 men; conjugate, not GHK | 100 or 50 mg/ml | Spray on the scalp | 6 months, once daily | [3] |
| Cosmetics survey 2014 | Products on the US market | 0.00002 to 0.001 per cent, 36 uses | On the skin | Long-term use possible | [9] |
Two rodent papers print their doses in milligrams per kilogram, while sister papers from the same group use micrograms. The table gives the units as printed, and the true doses may be a thousand times lower [36], [6].
Development and approval status
Copper-free GHK is a cosmetic ingredient and nothing more. No market checked has approved it as a medicine, and injecting it is approved nowhere.
From a serum activity to a cosmetic ingredient
- 1973Described as an activity in human serumPickart, ref [19]
- 1977Sequence confirmed as Gly-His-LysRef [20]
- 1979-1981Copper binding describedRefs [21], [26]
- 1992 and 2006Two controlled human trials, both with a copper complex, both negativeRefs [1], [2]
- 2014US cosmetic panel judges Tripeptide-1 safe as then used0.00002 to 0.001 per cent, ref [9]
- 2016Hair trial of a GHK conjugate45 men, ref [3]
- 2023First independent blood measurement133.0 ng/ml in 11 healthy adults, ref [16]
- 2026FDA lists only GHK-Cu, not copper-free GHKRefs [14], [44]
- 1973 — the peptide is described in human serum, and its sequence is confirmed in 1977 [19], [20].
- 1979 to 1981 — its close link to copper is worked out [21], [26].
- 1996 — a wound dressing with the copper complex is cleared in the US as a medical device, not as a drug [45].
- 2014 — the US cosmetic panel finds Tripeptide-1 safe at the concentrations then used [9].
- 2024 — a bulk powder is listed in the US drug code directory, a self-registration by the seller and not an approval [46].
- 2026 — the FDA names only GHK-Cu on its risk list, and only GHK-Cu is nominated for pharmacy compounding [14], [44].
| Market | As a cosmetic ingredient | As a medicine | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Assessed 2014 | Not approved | [9], [46] |
| European Union | Listed, unrestricted | Not approved | [8], [10] |
| Germany | Listed under EU rules | Not approved | [8], [10] |
| United Kingdom | Not checked | Not approved | [11] |
| Australia | Not scheduled | None found | [47] |
| Canada | Not restricted | Not approved | [12], [48] |
| Switzerland | Not checked | Not approved | [13] |
Status was checked on 23 September 2026. Australia's poisons schedule does not mention GHK, but a product for treatment would still need a registration that does not exist [47].
The United States shows how easily the two forms get mixed up. GHK-Cu for injection is on the FDA's list of substances with possible serious safety risks [14]. GHK-Cu for other routes is nominated for pharmacy compounding [44]. Copper-free GHK appears on neither list.
Anti-doping
Copper-free GHK is banned in sport at all times, in and out of competition, under class S0. A full-text search of the 2026 Prohibited List found no mention of it by name [17].
Class S0 covers "any pharmacological substance ... with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use". Its examples start with "including but not limited to" [17]. GHK has no such approval anywhere, and being made by the body is no exemption.
A face cream with Tripeptide-1 at trace levels is not usually seen as a pharmacological substance. The anti-doping agency has never clarified this, though. German anti-doping law does not list GHK, so it carries no criminal penalty there [18]. More on this family is under peptides banned in sport.
Compared with related peptides
| Peptide | What it is | Human evidence | Regulatory position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper-free GHK | Three-part peptide the body makes, without metal [23] | None for the bare peptide | Listed cosmetic ingredient; not approved as a medicine [8], [9] |
| GHK-Cu | The same peptide bound to copper | 2 controlled trials, both negative on objective measures [1], [2] | Listed cosmetic ingredient; injectable form on an FDA risk list [14] |
| AHK-Cu | A lab-made copper peptide of three building blocks | No study in people | Sold as a cosmetic raw material; no expert panel assessment |
| Matrixyl | A five-part collagen fragment with a fatty acid | One vehicle-controlled trial in 93 women, no effect sizes published | Skin-care ingredient; US panel review not concluded |
The AHK-Cu and Matrixyl rows summarise their own pages in this register, which carry the underlying references.
Copper-free GHK is the only one of the four with no human study of its own. It is also the only one whose evidence depends almost entirely on its sibling, the copper complex.
That makes the GHK-Cu page the natural next read. Results reported there belong to the complex, and this page cannot borrow them. The reverse also holds: several cell findings made with the bare peptide should not be read as GHK-Cu evidence [4], [7].
Common misconceptions
- "GHK and GHK-Cu are the same thing." They are separate substances with separate registry numbers and cosmetic names [23], [8]. Both controlled human trials tested a copper complex [1], [2].
- "GHK is made by the body, so taking it is harmless." Natural levels are in the nanogram range. In rodents, injections suppressed the antibody response and damaged the liver at high doses [6]. Commercial material has contained mildly neurotoxic impurities [9].
- "GHK levels fall from 200 to 80 ng/ml with age." The figure appears in the discoverer's reviews without a cited measurement [15]. The only independent study found 133.0 ng/ml in 11 healthy adults and did not compare age groups [16].
- "GHK resets thousands of genes to a younger state." The reviews claim it can switch "at least 4,000 human genes" up or down [38]. That comes from database comparisons in cell lines, not from anything measured in people, and the authors concede that the copper complex formed in the culture medium may have been the active form [7].
- "A cream with Tripeptide-1 and a vial of GHK have the same status." The cosmetic listing and the 2014 assessment cover creams, at 0.00002 to 0.001 per cent [9]. Nothing covers injection.
- "Not being named means it is allowed in sport." Class S0 catches any drug-like substance without human approval, and its example list is open-ended [17].
Frequently asked questions
Is copper-free GHK the same as GHK-Cu?
No. GHK is the bare peptide of three building blocks, listed in cosmetics as Tripeptide-1. GHK-Cu is the same peptide bound to a copper ion, with its own registry numbers and cosmetic name. Nearly all human results quoted online belong to GHK-Cu.
Has GHK without copper ever been tested in people?
No. Both controlled trials in people used a copper complex, and both missed their objective targets. The only placebo-controlled trial with GHK but no copper tested ALAVAX, a conjugate built as a new molecule. Everything else on copper-free GHK comes from chemistry, cells and rodents.
Is GHK approved as a medicine anywhere?
No. No approved medicine containing GHK was found in the United States, the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada or Switzerland. A listing in the US drug code directory is a self-registration by the company, not an approval.
Is GHK allowed in cosmetics?
Yes. The EU lists it as Tripeptide-1, a skin-conditioning ingredient with no restriction. A US expert panel judged it safe in 2014 at the concentrations then in use, 0.00002 to 0.001 per cent. That verdict covers creams, not injections.
Is it safe to inject GHK?
Nobody knows, because it has never been studied. No human data, no repeat-dose studies and no pharmacopoeia standard exist for injectable material. In rodents, injections suppressed the antibody response and damaged the liver at high doses.
Do GHK levels in the blood really fall with age?
Nobody has shown it. The figure of 200 ng/ml at age 20 falling to 80 ng/ml at 60 appears in the discoverer's reviews without a cited measurement. The only independent study found 133.0 ng/ml in 11 healthy adults and did not compare age groups.
Has GHK been tested for hair loss?
Not on its own. The placebo-controlled trial in 45 men used ALAVAX, a conjugate of GHK and 5-aminolaevulinic acid. Hair counts rose more than on placebo, length and thickness did not differ, and the result cannot be credited to free GHK.
Where does the claim that GHK changes thousands of genes come from?
From database comparisons published in reviews by the discoverer's team. They matched gene patterns in cell lines and measured nothing in people. The authors say the data came from GHK without copper, but concede that the copper complex may have formed in the culture medium.
Is GHK banned in sport?
Yes. It is not named on the 2026 Prohibited List, but class S0 covers any drug-like substance without human approval, and GHK has none. German anti-doping law does not list it. A cosmetic cream is a grey zone that has never been officially clarified.
Why do so many GHK reviews come from one author?
Loren Pickart described the peptide in 1973 and later founded Skin Biology, a company selling copper peptide cosmetics. Many widely cited reviews come from him and colleagues there. The 2018 review states that the authors declare no conflict of interest.
Sources
- Bishop JB, Phillips LG, Mustoe TA et al. (1992). A prospective randomized evaluator-blinded trial of two potential wound healing agents for the treatment of venous stasis ulcers. Journal of Vascular Surgery 16(2):251-257. PMID 1495150. DOI 10.1067/mva.1992.37086
- Miller TR, Wagner JD, Baack BR, Eisbach KJ (2006). Effects of topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin. Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery 8(4):252-259. PMID 16847171. DOI 10.1001/archfaci.8.4.252
- Lee WJ, Sim HB, Jang YH et al. (2016). Efficacy of a complex of 5-aminolevulinic acid and glycyl-histidyl-lysine peptide on hair growth. Annals of Dermatology 28(4):438-443. PMID 27489425. DOI 10.5021/ad.2016.28.4.438. The methods section describes solid-phase synthesis of the product as one molecule.
- Choi HR, Kang YA, Ryoo SJ et al. (2012). Stem cell recovering effect of copper-free GHK in skin. Journal of Peptide Science 18(11):685-690. PMID 23019153. DOI 10.1002/psc.2455
- Beretta G, Artali R, Regazzoni L et al. (2007). Glycyl-histidyl-lysine (GHK) is a quencher of alpha,beta-4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal: a comparison with carnosine. Chemical Research in Toxicology 20(9):1309-1314. PMID 17672515
- Smakhtin MY, Sever'yanova LA, Konoplya AI, Shveinov IA (2002). Tripeptide Gly-His-Lys is a hepatotropic immunosuppressor. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 133(6):586-587. PMID 12447473. Follow-up: Patologicheskaia Fiziologiia i Eksperimental'naia Terapiia 2003;(2):19-21, PMID 12838768
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A (2012). The human tripeptide GHK-Cu in prevention of oxidative stress and degenerative conditions of aging: implications for cognitive health. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2012:324832. PMID 22666519. DOI 10.1155/2012/324832. Affiliation: Skin Biology, Bellevue, Washington
- European Commission, CosIng cosmetic ingredient database. Entries TRIPEPTIDE-1 (reference 59874; functions skin conditioning and skin protecting; no annex restriction), TRIPEPTIDE-1 ACETATE (100255) and COPPER TRIPEPTIDE-1 (55687). Retrieved through the EU search interface on 23 September 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/details/59874
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review (Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV et al.). Safety Assessment of Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-12, their Metal Salts and Fatty Acyl Derivatives, and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as Used in Cosmetics. Final report released 30 June 2014; journal version International Journal of Toxicology 2018, DOI 10.1177/1091581818807863. https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/tripep062014final.pdf
- European Medicines Agency. Medicines output report, retrieved 23 September 2026; no entry for prezatide, glycyl or GHK.
- Datapharm, electronic Medicines Compendium (United Kingdom). Search for "prezatide" on 23 September 2026 with no result. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=prezatide
- Health Canada. Drug Product Database, active ingredient searches for "prezatide", "glycyl" and "tripeptide" on 23 September 2026, no match. https://health-products.canada.ca/api/drug/activeingredient/
- Swissmedic. List of authorised human medicines, copy of 15 September 2026, searched for prezatide, glycyl, tripeptide, GHK and Gly-His with no match.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. Content current as of 22 April 2026; names "GHK-Cu (for injectable routes of administration)" and no copper-free GHK. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- Pickart L, Margolina A (2018). Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19(7):1987. PMID 29986520. DOI 10.3390/ijms19071987. Affiliation: Skin Biology, Bellevue, Washington; the paper states "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
- Deng M, Zhang Q, Yan L et al. (2023). Glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine-Cu2+ rescues cigarette smoking-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction via a sirtuin 1-dependent pathway. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle 14(3):1365-1380. PMID 36905132. DOI 10.1002/jcsm.13213. Plasma GHK measured by reversed-phase HPLC with UV detection.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List. Full text searched on 23 September 2026 for "GHK", "Gly-His", "tripeptide", "glycyl" and "copper" with no match; class S0 wording quoted as published.
- Germany. Annex to section 2(3) of the Anti-Doping Act (AntiDopG), Federal Law Gazette 2023 I No. 67. Searched on 23 September 2026 for GHK, glycyl, tripeptide and copper with no match.
- Pickart L, Thaler MM (1973). The original description of the serum activity. Nature New Biology 243(124):85-87. PMID 4349963. Title not reproduced. No abstract in PubMed.
- Schlesinger DH, Pickart L, Thaler MM (1977). Growth-modulating serum tripeptide is glycyl-histidyl-lysine. Experientia 33(3):324-325. PMID 858356
- Pickart L, Thaler MM, Millard M (1979). Effect of transition metals on recovery from plasma of the growth-modulating tripeptide glycylhistidyllysine. Journal of Chromatography 175(1):65-73. PMID 546910
- Pickart L, Freedman JH, Loker WJ et al. (1980). Growth-modulating plasma tripeptide may function by facilitating copper uptake into cells. Nature 288(5792):715-717. PMID 7453802
- US FDA and NCATS, Global Substance Registration System. Record UNII 39TG2H631E (prezatide, listed as a common name): CAS 49557-75-7, DrugBank DB11296, formula C14H24N6O4, mass 340.3787. Retrieved 23 September 2026. https://gsrs.ncats.nih.gov/
- Wikidata, item Q55999876 (prezatide): PubChem CID 73587, ChEBI 75430, InChIKey MVORZMQFXBLMHM-QWRGUYRKSA-N. Queried 23 September 2026. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55999876
- Endo T, Miyagi M, Ujiie A (1997). Simultaneous determination of glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine and its metabolite, L-histidyl-L-lysine, in rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization. Journal of Chromatography B 692(1):37-42. PMID 9187381. Detection limit 50 ng/ml; dose of 10 mg/kg as reported in the 2014 cosmetic safety assessment.
- Lau SJ, Sarkar B (1981). The interaction of copper(II) and glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a growth-modulating tripeptide from plasma. Biochemical Journal 199(3):649-656. PMID 7340824
- Beretta G, Arlandini E, Artali R et al. (2008). Acrolein sequestering ability of the endogenous tripeptide glycyl-histidyl-lysine (GHK). Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 47(3):596-602. PMID 18378108. DOI 10.1016/j.jpba.2008.02.012
- Min JH, Sarlus H, Harris RA (2024). Glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine prevents copper- and zinc-induced protein aggregation and central nervous system cell death in vitro. Metallomics 16(5):mfae019. PMID 38599632. DOI 10.1093/mtomcs/mfae019
- Gruchlik A, Jurzak M, Chodurek E, Dzierzewicz Z (2012). Effect of Gly-Gly-His, Gly-His-Lys and their copper complexes on TNF-alpha-dependent IL-6 secretion in normal human dermal fibroblasts. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica 69(6):1303-1306. PMID 23285694
- Gruchlik A, Chodurek E, Dzierzewicz Z (2014). Effect of Gly-His-Lys and its copper complex on TGF-β secretion in normal human dermal fibroblasts. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica 71(6):954-958. PMID 25745767
- García-Sáinz JA, Olivares-Reyes JA (1995). Glycyl-histidyl-lysine interacts with the angiotensin II AT1 receptor. Peptides 16(7):1203-1207. PMID 8545239
- Campbell JD, McDonough JE, Zeskind JE et al. (2012). A gene expression signature of emphysema-related lung destruction and its reversal by the tripeptide GHK. Genome Medicine 4(8):67. PMID 22937864. DOI 10.1186/gm367. Methods: commercially obtained GHK at 10 nM, no copper added.
- ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, queried 23 September 2026 for "GHK", "tripeptide-1", "glycyl-histidyl-lysine", "Gly-His-Lys", "prezatide" and "ALAVAX". Substance-related entries: NCT05932732 (facial device treatment with a multi-ingredient serum, 27 participants, completed) and NCT07706361 (skin patch and blood levels, 100 planned, not yet recruiting). NCT07437586 is a registry entry from a sponsor whose other entries describe themselves as mock or example studies; not counted as a study. https://clinicaltrials.gov/
- Bobyntsev II, Chernysheva OI, Dolgintsev ME et al. (2015). Anxiolytic effects of Gly-His-Lys peptide and its analogs. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 158(6):726-728. PMID 25900608. DOI 10.1007/s10517-015-2847-3
- Alferova ME, Bobyntsev II, Vorvul AO, Tenkova AN (2025). Anxiolytic effect of GHK-PGP peptide and its structural analogues in a test with punished behavior. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 179(5):575-578. PMID 41511598. DOI 10.1007/s10517-026-06528-w
- Bobyntsev II, Chernysheva OI, Dolgintsev ME et al. (2015). Effect of Gly-His-Lys peptide and its analogs on pain sensitivity in mice (in Russian). Eksperimental'naia i Klinicheskaia Farmakologiia 78(1):13-15. PMID 25826868
- Sever'yanova LA, Dolgintsev ME (2017). Effects of tripeptide Gly-His-Lys in pain-induced aggressive-defensive behavior in rats. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 164(2):140-143. PMID 29181666. DOI 10.1007/s10517-017-3943-3
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A (2015). GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in skin regeneration. BioMed Research International 2015:648108. PMID 26236730. DOI 10.1155/2015/648108
- Pickart L (2008). The human tri-peptide GHK and tissue remodeling. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition 19(8):969-988. PMID 18644225. DOI 10.1163/156856208784909435
- Dou Y, Lee A, Zhu L, Morton J, Ladiges W (2020). The potential of GHK as an anti-aging peptide. Aging Pathobiology and Therapeutics 2(1):58-61. PMID 35083444. DOI 10.31491/apt.2020.03.014
- Pickart L, Lovejoy S (1987). Biological activity of human plasma copper-binding growth factor glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine. Methods in Enzymology 147:314-328. PMID 3670089. Content as reproduced in the 2014 cosmetic safety assessment.
- Williams MV, Cheng Y (1980). Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a growth promoting factor for human cells. Cytobios 27(105):19-25. PMID 7418444
- US Food and Drug Administration. Eight warning letters to online peptide sellers dated 26 February 2025 to 24 August 2026, full texts searched for "GHK" on 23 September 2026 with no match. https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/
- US Food and Drug Administration. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act. Updated 14 May 2026; lists "GHK-Cu (except for injectable routes of administration)" in category 1 and copper-free GHK in no category. https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
- openFDA. 510(k) medical device clearances for applicant ProCyte: K953853, Iamin Gel Wound Dressing, 5 February 1996; also K965005 and K964468. https://api.fda.gov/device/510k.json
- openFDA. National Drug Code directory, queried 23 September 2026 for prezatide and prezatide monoacetate: one bulk ingredient listing (NDC 71052-050, marketing start 15 July 2024) and two over-the-counter topical listings. A listing is a self-registration by the company, not an approval. https://api.fda.gov/drug/ndc.json
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard — June 2026) Instrument 2026. Full text searched for GHK, glycyl, tripeptide, prezatide, Gly-His and histidyl with no match. The ARTG register itself was not searched.
- Health Canada. Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, page dated 13 August 2025; no entry for tripeptides, glycyl compounds or GHK. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-hotlist-prohibited-restricted-ingredients/hotlist.html
Cite this page
Every figure and register search on this page was checked between 23 and 24 September 2026. The status of GHK differs between cosmetics and medicines, and either can change, so the version and date matter as much as the text.
myPeptides Research & Editing. (2026). Copper-free GHK: what the studies show, status and safety. Version 1.0, 24 September 2026. myPeptides Peptide Register. Retrieved from https://mypep.app/peptides/ghk
How pages in this register are compiled and graded is described under methodology; the full register is at peptides.
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-09-24 | Initial publication |
Last verified: 24 September 2026. Next review: when the blood-level study reports, on any change to the FDA compounding lists, or on any change in the cosmetic or anti-doping classification.