Name: GHK-CU
Brand: Lilipeptide
SKU: LILI-ghk-cu
Availability: OutOfStock

GHK-Cu at a glance

Few research peptides are as small as GHK-Cu. The molecule is just three residues long, Gly-His-Lys, holding a single copper(II) ion through nitrogen atoms on the histidine side chain and the peptide backbone. The resulting complex has the formula C14H24CuN6O4 and a molecular weight of 403.9 g/mol. Endogenous GHK was first identified in human plasma, and reported levels are lower in older individuals than in younger ones, an observation that shaped much of the later interest in it.

Price and availability

A listing from Lilipeptide, shipped from China. It is listed at $47.00. As with every order here, the brand is paid only after you confirm delivery.

This listing: Lilipeptide GHK-Cu

Brand: Lilipeptide
Also sold by: Vital Edge Science GHK-Cu $52.00 · Core Peptides 100mg $65.00 · Lab77 Peptides 100mg $57.00 · Uther Peptide 100mg $70.00 · HK Peptide 100mg $48.00 · TFC Peptides 100mg $45.00

Lab testing

There is no public lab report for this listing yet. We can ask the brand for the batch COA before you order. Many buyers also split an independent HPLC test with others who bought the same batch.

Request the batch COA · How group testing works

Bought through escrow: the brand is only paid after you confirm delivery. If the parcel never arrives, or an independent test shows the wrong compound or a significant under-fill, open a claim before releasing payment.

What it is studied for

Two lines of explanation recur in the literature. The first treats GHK as a carrier that can hand copper to cells and to copper-dependent enzymes, among them lysyl oxidase, which cross-links collagen and elastin. The second concerns transcription: gene-expression profiling studies have reported that GHK shifts the activity of a large number of human genes, including clusters linked to tissue remodeling, antioxidant defense and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Fibroblast cultures exposed to the complex have been reported to produce more matrix components, and metalloproteinase activity is described as modulated rather than simply suppressed. How much of this carries over from culture dishes to living tissue is still debated.

Research and regulatory status

The bulk of the research sits in dermatology and cosmetic science: topical formulations, wound models in rodents, hair-follicle work and fibroblast assays. Copper peptides are already a familiar cosmetic ingredient, yet that commercial use is not equivalent to drug approval, and GHK-Cu holds no approved therapeutic indication. Large randomized human trials are scarce, so most claims rest on in-vitro, animal and small cosmetic studies. Anyone reading this literature should note who funded each study and whether its endpoint was measured objectively.

Checking the lab data

Identity is best confirmed by mass spectrometry showing a peak consistent with the copper complex or, after dissociation in the instrument, the free GHK tripeptide; a good report states which species it measured. HPLC purity should be batch-specific. Because copper content defines the product, some labs add a metal assay such as ICP-MS or a copper-to-peptide ratio. Expect a blue to blue-violet lyophilized cake; a white or greenish powder warrants questions.

No independent report is attached to this listing yet. You can compare brands that publish one on the GHK-Cu page or browse the lab reports directory.

Listing details

Compound: GHK-Cu
Synonyms: Copper Tripeptide-1, Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine copper complex
Class: Copper-binding tripeptide complex
Format: Lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder
Molecular formula: C₁₄H₂₄CuN₆O₄
Molecular weight: 403.9 g/mol
Sold by: Lilipeptide
Ships from: China
Lab report: Not yet published

Storage and preparation

Keep unopened freeze-dried vials cold, sealed and out of the light; moisture is what degrades a lyophilized cake fastest. After reconstitution, refrigerate the solution and work within the stability window your protocol sets.

Buyer questions

Why might a GHK-Cu report show a mass other than 403.9 g/mol?

Mass spectrometry often strips the copper ion during ionization, so the dominant peak may correspond to free GHK rather than the intact complex. Salt forms and adducts can shift values too. A credible report explains which species it measured and why, rather than listing a single number without context.

Is copper-free GHK sold as the same product?

No. GHK without copper is a separate research material that is sometimes listed on its own. The two differ in color, molecular weight and in how they are discussed in the literature, since many reported effects are attributed to the copper complex. Check the listing title and the analytical report to confirm which form a vial contains.

When does Lilipeptide get paid?

Only after you confirm delivery. Until then the payment is held in escrow, and you can open a claim if anything is wrong with the order.

Supplied for laboratory research only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a substitute for any prescription medicine. Nothing on this page is medical advice.