GHK-Cu

Reconstitution

Vial sizes up to 50 mg are mixed to 20 mg/mL. Larger vials hold at most 3 mL of water, so they are mixed more concentrated and need fewer units per dose.

^* This size is conventionally mixed more concentrated rather than diluted further — fewer units per dose than smaller vials of this peptide.

Dose to syringe units

On a standard 100-unit (1 mL) insulin syringe, for vials mixed to 20 mg/mL (sizes marked * are more concentrated and need fewer units):

Amounts listed in the Dosify Me data: 1000–2000 mcg. Frequency: 5 days/week. Timing: any consistent time, injection sites commonly rotated.

Listed titration schedule: 1.0mg (5 units) → 1.5mg (7.5 units) → 2.0mg (10 units), 5 days/week. FDA materials flag compounded injectable GHK-Cu as a safety concern due to limited human safety data. The 50mg reference vial mixes to 20mg/mL. Larger vial size options are capped at ~3mL BAC water instead of diluted further, so they come out more concentrated (fewer units per dose) than this reference size.

Reading units for GHK-Cu

• Syringe units measure volume, not the amount of GHK-Cu: on a U-100 insulin syringe 100 units is 1 mL.
• The vial is labelled in mg while quantities are often written in mcg: 1 mg is 1000 mcg, so a 50 mg vial holds 50000 mcg.
• Vials of 100 mg and larger hold at most 3 mL of water, so they are mixed stronger than the smaller sizes and the same quantity reads fewer units.

Check one row of the table above: 1000 mcg is 1 mg; 1 mg ÷ 20 mg/mL = 0.05 mL; 0.05 mL × 100 = 5 units.

What it does

• Naturally occurring copper-binding peptide found in human plasma, saliva, and urine that declines with age.
• Well-studied topically and in lab settings for boosting collagen production and skin repair.
• Also studied for supporting hair follicle activity and general wound healing.
• FDA materials flag compounded injectable GHK-Cu specifically as a safety concern — topical use is more established.
• A 2018 review (co-authored by GHK-Cu's discoverer, who also sells copper-peptide skincare) proposes anti-cancer mechanisms — stimulating DNA-repair genes, reducing inflammation, and blocking oxidative damage linked to cancer risk. Evidence is animal/cell-culture and gene-expression data, not a human cancer-incidence trial.

Why it is listed under Anti-Aging & Skin, Healing & Recovery, Cancer Risk & Prevention, Arthritis

• Anti-Aging & Skin: Boosts collagen production and skin repair as documented topically.
• Healing & Recovery: Supports wound healing through collagen and tissue repair mechanisms.
• Cancer Risk & Prevention: A 2018 review proposes anti-cancer mechanisms (DNA repair, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects) — mechanistic, not a direct human prevention trial.
• Arthritis: Copper inhibits the same MMP enzymes that break down cartilage, and a rat study found intra-articular GHK-Cu improved ACL-graft joint healing — though that benefit faded once treatment stopped, and there's no direct human osteoarthritis trial.

What users report

Anecdotal and early-research reports, kept apart from the evidence above. Not clinically established.

• Users report firmer skin, fewer fine lines, and faster fading of scars and stretch marks — topical use has research behind it; injected use does not.
• Hair regrowth and thicker hair are widely reported, especially with scalp or systemic use; the follicle studies are lab-based.
• Some report faster healing of wounds, tendon injuries, and post-surgical incisions.
• Reports of reduced joint pain and inflammation exist and are unverified.
• Anecdotal reports of better sleep and lower anxiety appear in forums with no supporting data.

Side effects

• Mild, short-lived redness or itching at the site.
• Rare allergic reactions with copper sensitivity.
• Topical use is well documented; injectable use far less so.
• Copper load matters in copper-metabolism conditions (Wilson's disease).

Medication caution

GHK-Cu calculator

Different vial or dose? Open the GHK-Cu reconstitution calculator, pre-filled with these numbers.

Frequently asked

How many units is 1 mg of GHK-Cu?

At 20 mg/mL (the standard mix for vials up to 50 mg), 1 mg of GHK-Cu is 5.0 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe (0.050 mL).

How many units is 1.5 mg of GHK-Cu?

At 20 mg/mL (the standard mix for vials up to 50 mg), 1.5 mg of GHK-Cu is 7.5 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe (0.075 mL).

How many units is 2 mg of GHK-Cu?

At 20 mg/mL (the standard mix for vials up to 50 mg), 2 mg of GHK-Cu is 10.0 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe (0.100 mL).

How much bacteriostatic water do I add to a 50 mg vial of GHK-Cu?

2.50 mL, which gives 20 mg/mL. Larger vials hold at most 3 mL of water, so they are mixed more concentrated and need fewer units per dose.

How much bacteriostatic water do I add to a 100 mg vial of GHK-Cu?

3.00 mL, which gives 33.33 mg/mL. This size holds at most 3 mL of water, so it is mixed more concentrated and the same dose is fewer units than from a smaller vial.

How often is GHK-Cu taken?

5 days/week. Any consistent time, injection sites commonly rotated Typical cycle: 4 weeks on, ~1–2 weeks off; repeat 2–3×/year.

Sources

• The Human Tri-Peptide GHK and Tissue Remodeling (PubMed)
• Skin Regenerative and Anti-Cancer Actions of Copper Peptides (MDPI)
• Copper peptides in regenerative aesthetic dermatology (Wiley)
• Tripeptides in wound healing and skin regeneration: a comprehensive review (Int. J. Med. Sci.)
• GHK-Cu(II) transiently improved healing outcome in a rat model of ACL reconstruction (PubMed)

Related pages and guides

• GHK-Cu calculator
• How many units is 250 mcg?
• How much bacteriostatic water for a 5 mg vial?
• U-100 vs U-50 insulin syringe for peptides
• Peptide injection site rotation
• All peptide guides