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Not FDA-approved

Skin & aging

GHK-Cu

Also called copper tripeptide-1

EvidenceLow research
ClassCopper-binding tripeptide

GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide tied to tissue repair. See what animal and lab research shows, how it works, and why injectable use is not FDA-approved.

Reviewed by
William Maish, MD MBA MPH, Clinical Product Lead
Published
October 13, 2025
Last updated
October 5, 2026

Key takeaway

GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide involved in tissue repair, sold on the wellness market as an injectable for skin, hair, and tissue repair. For this systemic use the evidence is preclinical, with no controlled human trials; its better-studied role is topical. As of 2026 the injectable/systemic use is not FDA-approved.

At a glance

FDA statusNot FDA-approved (systemic/injectable use)
What it isCopper-binding tripeptide involved in matrix remodeling and repair
ResearchFor systemic use, evidence is animal and laboratory only; human data relate mostly to topical use
Topical formCosmetic form cataloged separately as Copper tripeptide-1
Evidence strengthLow research

What is GHK-Cu?

GHK-Cu is the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to copper. It occurs naturally in the body and declines with age, and it is one of the most studied "copper peptides." This entry concerns the systemic, injectable wellness use for skin, hair, and tissue repair; the topical cosmetic form is cataloged separately under its ingredient name, Copper tripeptide-1. The injectable use is not an approved medicine.

How does it work?

In laboratory and animal models, GHK-Cu is described as a signal for tissue remodeling. It is reported to:

  • Influence the extracellular matrix
  • Deliver copper
  • Act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
  • Support new blood-vessel formation
  • Switch on gene programs1 linked to repair

These are cell and animal findings. This describes the proposed mechanism, separate from demonstrated benefit from systemic use in people.

Is it FDA-approved?

No, not for systemic use. Injectable or systemic GHK-Cu is not an FDA-approved drug. Copper peptides sit in the contested peptide-compounding space; the FDA advisory committee reviewed several peptides in 2026, but those recommendations are non-binding and no additions to the compounding list have been finalized, so lawful compounding remains unsettled. (Topical cosmetic use is regulated separately as a cosmetic ingredient.)

What does the research show?

For systemic use, the evidence is preclinical. The table sets out what has been studied in each model, with both animal studies drawn from PubMed:

ModelFinding
RatInjected GHK-Cu transiently improved ligament-graft healing2
MouseGHK-Cu reduced acute lung injury3
HumanData essentially limited to topical cosmetic and wound contexts; no robust human trials establish efficacy or safety of injected GHK-Cu for skin, hair, or tissue repair

The systemic benefit is therefore an extrapolation from cell and animal work.

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More for skin & aging

Sources: a rat ligament-healing study (Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2015, DOI: 10.1002/jor.228312) and a mouse lung-injury study (Oncotarget, 2016, DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.111683), indexed on PubMed. This document is educational, is not medical advice or a health claim, and is not an offer to sell any product.