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GHK-Cu (copper peptide): dosage in studies

Updated 12 Oct 2026 Author: About 2 min read Drafted with the help of AI; sources and claims checked separately.

Not a recommendation, not treatment guidance. This page shows only what published human studies used, with sources. This site does not say how much anyone should use of any substance. Fimea warns against using injectable peptides bought online: Fimea warning.

GHK-Cu, the copper tripeptide, has been studied in humans as a cream or gel on wounds and skin. The leg ulcer trial in the table used a 0.4% cream [1]A. The abstracts of the trials on diabetic foot ulcers and on skin after laser treatment do not give the concentration [2, 3]A.

Doses used in studies

Doses used in published human studies. Not a recommendation.
StudyParticipantsDoseFrequencyDurationSource and level
Bishop 1992 86 people with venous leg ulcers (three groups) Cream with 0.4% tripeptide copper complex, on the ulcer Not reported Not reported [1]A

Evidence levels: A = randomised human trial or meta-analysis · B = observational human study or case series · C = animal study · D = cell or laboratory study · E = not peer-reviewed

Notes

In the diabetic foot ulcer trial, GHK-Cu gel was applied daily as a metered dose, but the abstract does not give the concentration [2]A.

Bishop 1992 is more than 30 years old, and its abstract does not say how often the cream was used or for how long [1]A.

What points the other way or is uncertain

In the leg ulcer trial, the 0.4% copper tripeptide cream did not shrink ulcers more than placebo cream, whereas silver sulfadiazine cream did [1]A.

After laser treatment, GHK-Cu skincare products did not speed up the fading of redness or improve wrinkles on objective assessment; only patient satisfaction was higher [3]A.

According to a review, about 35% of the GHK-Cu research literature comes from the discoverer of the peptide and authors from his company, which limits the independence of the evidence [4]B.

More on this

Read the research yourself: sources

  1. Bishop JB, Phillips LG, Mustoe TA, et al. A prospective randomized evaluator-blinded trial of two potential wound healing agents for the treatment of venous stasis ulcers. J Vasc Surg. 1992;16(2):251-257. PMID 1495150
  2. Mulder GD, Patt LM, Sanders L, et al. Enhanced healing of ulcers in patients with diabetes by topical treatment with glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine copper. Wound Repair Regen. 1994;2(4):259-269. PMID 17147644
  3. Miller TR, Wagner JD, Baack BR, Eisbach KJ. Effects of topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2006;8(4):252-259. PMID 16847171
  4. Najafi N, Maatouk H, Vardanyan KG, et al. A Systematic Review of the Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications of GHK-Cu (Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine-Copper Complex) in Topical Microneedle Delivery: A Case for Expanded Clinical Trials. Arch Intern Med Res. 2026;9(3):269-293. PMID 42787770
  5. Mayfield CK, Bolia IK, Feingold CL, et al. Injectable Peptide Therapy: A Primer for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physicians. Am J Sports Med. 2026;54(1):223-229. PMID 41476424

Sources checked in PubMed on 12 Oct 2026. Only the abstracts of Bishop 1992 and Mulder 1994 are available, so frequency and duration are not known. Details on conference abstracts in review [4] are from its full text.

Content is general information about research, not medical advice. If you have symptoms, contact a healthcare professional.