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GHK-Cu and Epitalon Together: What Is Known

GHK-Cu and Epitalon taken together: what each one is, how each is regulated, and what is known about combining them.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
Copper tripeptideInjectable off Category 2 (Apr 2026)GHK-CuCopper tripeptide with mostly topical or cosmetic human data; a small randomized laser-resurfacing study found no statistically significant differences between groups for earlier resolution of erythema.[3]Skin & hairTetrapeptidePCAC voted 7–5 for 503A (Jul 2026)EpitalonSynthetic tetrapeptide with no randomized human trial; an early controlled study in degenerative retinal lesions reported a positive clinical effect in 90% of cases.[13]Longevity
Interaction notes

Timing, interactions and safety

Evidence for the combination

No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 2 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Neither is FDA approved for use in people, and we have no sourced data on combining them.
Each component

Side by side

Showing 9 of 12 fields where the two differ. WADA, Half-life, Evidence strength are the same or both unknown.

FieldGHK-CuEpitalon
ClassCopper tripeptideTetrapeptide
Also calledcopper peptide, copper tripeptide-1, GHKEpithalon, epithalamin, N-acetyl epitalon
CategorySkin & hairLongevity
FDA statusInjectable off Category 2 (Apr 2026)PCAC voted 7–5 for 503A (Jul 2026)
PCAC vote, Jul 2026Not on the Jul 2026 agendaPCAC voted 7–5 for the 503A list (Jul 2026); not finalized
Human studies we summarised4 human (2 randomized or controlled) of 14 summarised1 human (1 randomized or controlled) of 13 summarised
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg10 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
US searches per month234,100 · +340% searches12,100 · +193% searches

What people search

  • ghk cu epithalon90/mo
  • ghk cu epithalon blend30/mo
  • epithalon ghk cu10/mo

US monthly searches, Google Keyword Planner, Oct 2026. Shown so you can see which questions this page answers.

Sources

  1. 1FDA gives notice that 12 peptides will be removed from Category 2 (nominations withdrawn)FDA · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Effects of topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin.Archives of facial plastic surgery · 2006PMID 16847171Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Tripeptide-copper complex GHK-Cu (II) transiently improved healing outcome in a rat model of ACL reconstruction.Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society · 2015PMID 25731775Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) (431 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (humans[mh] OR patients[tiab] OR volunteers[tiab]) (150 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (randomized[tiab] OR clinical trial[pt] OR split-face[tiab]) (8 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (wound[tiab] OR hair[tiab] OR skin[tiab] OR wrinkle*[tiab]) (123 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (2 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (rat[tiab] OR mice[tiab] OR rats[tiab] OR animal[tiab]) (80 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (facial[tiab] OR cream[tiab] OR photodamage[tiab] OR volunteers[tiab] OR women[tiab]) (6 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12PubMed search: ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab]) AND (hair[tiab] OR alopecia[tiab]) (16 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Pineal-regulating tetrapeptide epitalon improves eye retina condition in retinitis pigmentosa.Neuro endocrinology letters · 2002PMID 12195242Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice.In vivo (Athens, Greece) · 2006PMID 16634527Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15[Effect of epitalon and melatonin on life span and spontaneous carcinogenesis in senescence accelerated mice (SAM)].Voprosy onkologii · 2005PMID 15909815Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16Effect of Epitalon on biomarkers of aging, life span and spontaneous tumor incidence in female Swiss-derived SHR mice.Biogerontology · 2003PMID 14501183Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  17. 17PubMed search: (epitalon[tiab] OR epithalon[tiab] OR epithalamin[tiab]) (165 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  18. 18PubMed search: (epitalon[tiab] OR epithalon[tiab] OR epithalamin[tiab]) AND (humans[mh] OR patients[tiab] OR randomized[tiab]) (58 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  19. 19PubMed search: (epitalon[tiab] OR epithalon[tiab] OR epithalamin[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (0 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  20. 20PubMed search: epitalon[tiab] AND (mice[tiab] OR rats[tiab] OR "life span"[tiab] OR lifespan[tiab]) (31 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  21. 21PubMed search: (epitalon[tiab] OR epithalon[tiab] OR epithalamin[tiab]) AND ("GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR GHK[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptide"[tiab] OR "copper peptides"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "glycyl-histidyl-lysine"[tiab] OR "Gly-His-Lys"[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  22. 22Advisory committee backs 6 of 7 peptides for the 503A listNCPA · 2026ncpa.org

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