Skip to content
Peptigraph home

GHK-Cu and KLOW Together: What Is Known

GHK-Cu and KLOW 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 & hairFour-peptide blendNot FDA approved · unstudied blendKLOWUnapproved blend of GHK-Cu, BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV; an FDA Drugs@FDA search for its component GHK-Cu returned no matches, so no approved product was found.[23]Healing & recovery
Interaction notes

Timing, interactions and safety

Evidence for the combination

No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 0 results, 2 Oct 2026).

GHK-Cu is not FDA approved, and we have no sourced data on combining it with KLOW.
Each component

Side by side

Showing 11 of 13 fields where the two differ. PCAC vote, Jul 2026, Evidence strength are the same or both unknown.

FieldGHK-CuKLOW
ClassCopper tripeptideFour-peptide blend
Also calledcopper peptide, copper tripeptide-1, GHK—
CategorySkin & hairHealing & recovery
FDA statusInjectable off Category 2 (Apr 2026)Not FDA approved · unstudied blend
WADAWADA status unclearGHK-Cu: This is not named on the 2026 list. The catch-all class S0 prohibits any drug with no approval anywhere for human use, so it would be banned if no health authority has approved it, but we have not verified that for this substance.Prohibited by WADA (S0)Contains BPC-157 (named in S0) and TB-500 (S2.3). A blend is prohibited if any component is.
Anti-doping detectionNone reportedanti-doping literature, as of 2 Oct 2026
  • BPC-157: A 2023 method detects BPC-157 and five main metabolites in human urine at very low concentrations.PMID 37959764
  • BPC-157: A 2017 anti-doping lab method detects BPC 157 in urine; the peptide was stable in urine for at least 4 days.PMID 28035768
  • TB-500: A horse-racing doping method identified TB-500 and its metabolites in equine urine and plasma after a single dose (animal data, not human).Journal of chromatography. A 2012, PMID 23084823
  • TB-500: A direct-urine screen includes TB-500 among the peptides it can detect, at 50 to 500 pg/mL.PMID 26578461
Half-lifeNo published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 2026BPC-157: less than 30 minIV and IM (single and repeated) (rat, beagle dog) · Frontiers in pharmacology 2022, PMID 36588717
Human studies we summarised4 human (2 randomized or controlled) of 14 summarised14 human (9 randomized or controlled) of 63 summarised, across ingredients
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg80 mg
US searches per month234,100 · +340% searches60,500 · +1,524% searches
Related tools

GHK-Cu vs KLOW

Choosing between the two rather than combining them? The comparison lines them up field by field.

Open the comparison
ComparisonKLOW vs GHK-Cu

What people search

  • ghkcu klow50/mo
  • klow ghkcu40/mo
  • klow and ghkcu10/mo
  • ghk cu and klow together10/mo
  • ghk cu and klow10/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. 13Stable Isotope Labeling-Based Nontargeted Strategy for Characterization of the In Vitro Metabolic Profile of a Novel Doping BPC-157 in Doping Control by UHPLC-HRMS.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023PMID 37959764Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Detection and in vitro metabolism of the confiscated peptides BPC 157 and MGF R23H.Drug testing and analysis · 2017PMID 28035768Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15Doping control analysis of TB-500, a synthetic version of an active region of thymosin β₄, in equine urine and plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Journal of chromatography. A · 2012PMID 23084823Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16Simplifying and expanding the screening for peptides <2 kDa by direct urine injection, liquid chromatography, and ion mobility mass spectrometry.Journal of separation science · 2016PMID 26578461Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  17. 17Pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of body-protective compound 157, a potential drug for treating various wounds, in rats and dogs.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022PMID 36588717Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  18. 18Recombinant human thymosin beta 4 improves ischemic cardiac dysfunction in mice and patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after reperfusion.Cardiovascular research · 2025PMID 41229390Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  19. 19A first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, single- and multiple-dose, phase I study of recombinant human thymosin β4 in healthy Chinese volunteers.Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2021PMID 34346165Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  20. 20Recombinant human thymosin beta-4 (rhTβ4) improved scalp condition and microbiome homeostasis in seborrheic dermatitis.Microbial biotechnology · 2021PMID 34318587Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  21. 21Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a phase 2 randomized trial.Cornea · 2015PMID 25826322Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  22. 22PubMed 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 (("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 ("BPC-157"[tiab] OR BPC157[tiab] OR "body protection compound"[tiab] OR "pentadecapeptide BPC"[tiab]) AND ("TB-500"[tiab] OR TB500[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta4"[tiab] OR Tbeta4[tiab]) AND (KPV[tiab] OR "Lys-Pro-Val"[tiab] OR "lysine-proline-valine"[tiab]))PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  23. 23Drugs@FDA (openFDA) search: active ingredient "GHK-Cu"U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026api.fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026

Found an error? Report a correction.