GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
Two three building block peptides that carry copper. One has human data from use on the skin. The other is marketed as its hair growth cousin, based on hair root cells in a dish, with no human trial. Same metal, same format, different evidence.
- GHK-Cu people
- 99
- GHK-Cu nulls
- 2
- AHK-Cu people
- 0
- AHK-Cu nulls
- 0
Dose
No injectable human dose established
Topical use is permitted as a cosmetic ingredient. No published trial has established an injectable human dose. Injected amounts that circulate are not a human dose.
Commonly reported injected amounts, in mg. GHK-Cu is approved only as a cosmetic ingredient, not as an injection.
Amounts commonly reported for injected GHK-Cu, recorded for this archive's reconstitution calculator, are 1, 2 and 3 mg. They are self-reports rather than trial doses, and this archive does not recommend any of them. No human dose has been established for injected GHK-Cu.
| Reported amount | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|
| 1 mg | Self-reported in community sources; not a trial amount and not a label dose |
| 2 mg | Self-reported in community sources; not a trial amount and not a label dose |
| 3 mg | Self-reported in community sources; not a trial amount and not a label dose |
Dose
No human dose established
No published study on this page has given this compound to people and reported a result.
1 animal study, 1 lab study, no human study
First-hand reports are counted on each profile and never added together. This page sets two published records side by side. It does not pick a winner.
Column A
GHK-CuCopper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu)
A tiny copper-carrying peptide your body makes. It is common in skin creams and has been studied for healing wounds and firming skin.
Column B
AHK-CuAHK-Cu (alanine-histidine-lysine copper)
AHK-Cu is a copper peptide sold as the hair growth cousin of GHK-Cu. It has only been shown to push hair follicle cells to grow in a dish. There is no human trial.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| What we compare | GHK-Cu | AHK-Cu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Healing & Recovery | Cosmetic |
| FDA status | Not an approved drug; allowed as a cosmetic ingredient | Cosmetic ingredient; not a drug |
| Half-life | Short (topical use) | Not established (topical) |
| Molecular weight | 340.38 Da (free peptide); 402.92 Da (the copper complex, PubChem CID 71587328) | 354.4 Da for the AHK tripeptide; PubChem lists the AHK-Cu chloride complex at 451.4 Da |
| How it works | It carries copper into cells and turns on genes used in repair. That helps skin cells make collagen and the other building blocks that heal wounds. | In a dish, the copper peptide pushed follicle base cells to multiply and make more VEGF, a blood vessel growth signal. |
| Studies in people | 7 | 0 |
| Evidence | Limited: 2 completed trials, 99 people given it | Animal or lab only: 1 animal study, 1 lab study, no human study |
| Legal status, US | Allowed in cosmetics; not an approved drug | Sold as a dietary supplement |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu: A tiny copper-carrying peptide your body makes. It is common in skin creams and has been studied for healing wounds and firming skin. AHK-Cu: AHK-Cu is a copper peptide sold as the hair growth cousin of GHK-Cu. It has only been shown to push hair follicle cells to grow in a dish. There is no human trial.
Which has stronger research evidence, GHK-Cu or AHK-Cu?
Each compound gets a band worked out from facts we counted, with the math shown. GHK-Cu is Limited (2 completed trials, 99 people given it). AHK-Cu is Animal or lab only (1 animal study, 1 lab study, no human study). That counts how much has been done in people. It does not rate whether either one works, and neither one is called the winner.
Are GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu FDA-approved?
GHK-Cu: Not an approved drug; allowed as a cosmetic ingredient. AHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; not a drug.
Related posts
Blog articles that cover GHK-Cu or AHK-Cu, newest first.
- Longevity / Sep 27, 2026 / 18 minPeptides for Longevity: What the Evidence Actually Shows in 2026
- Healing & Recovery / Sep 27, 2026 / 17 minPeptides for Joint Pain: BPC-157, TB-500, Lorecivivint, Pentosan and Collagen Peptides, Evidence Tiered
- Research / Sep 27, 2026 / 10 minPeptides for Hair Growth: GHK-Cu, AHK-Cu, PTD-DBM and PP405
- Safety / Sep 27, 2026 / 14 minPeptide Side Effects by Class: What Is Documented, What Is Anecdotal
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page puts two published records side by side. It is for learning, and it is not medical advice. When this site shows a dose, it is the dose a trial or a clinic actually used, or what people say they did, with the source attached. None of it tells you what to take.