A naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide widely used in topical skincare products.
GHK is a three-amino-acid peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) found in human plasma, saliva and urine, where it binds copper. As GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1), it is a common ingredient in serums and creams marketed for skin firmness and repair.
Topical GHK-Cu is sold as a cosmetic ingredient. It is not an FDA-approved drug. Injectable GHK-Cu was among the twelve peptides FDA removed from 503A Category 2 in April 2026, which does not make it approved or eligible for compounding.
Status reflects public FDA actions and reporting as of October 8, 2026. An advisory committee vote is a recommendation, not an FDA decision, and inclusion on a compounding list is not FDA approval.
Laboratory and small cosmetic studies report effects on collagen production and skin appearance with topical use. Evidence for injected GHK-Cu, the form often discussed in peptide communities, is limited to laboratory and animal work.
nnng.com does not publish doses, cycles or protocols for peptides. For approved drugs, the dose comes from the FDA-approved prescribing information and your prescriber. For unapproved compounds there is no established human dose, and numbers that circulate online are usually extrapolated from animal studies or written by sellers. If a clinician has already prescribed a dose, our reconstitution calculator converts that prescribed amount into syringe units. It is arithmetic only and does not suggest a dose.