Safety Profile

GHK-Cu

Updated today

Dermal Compound
8/10Good
Primary use: Skin / wound healing research

Regulatory Status

Not FDA-approved (cosmetic)

Safety Summary

  • Extensive topical safety
  • naturally occurring peptide
  • well-tolerated across all routes studied

GHK-Cu sits in our well-studied tier (8/10). The safety dataset is robust, mechanisms are characterized, and side-effect patterns are predictable. Researchers working with this compound should still verify vendor COA quality — a clean safety profile means nothing if the vial contains the wrong compound or is under-dosed. Researchers often consider BPC-157 and TB-500 as alternatives in the same category — see the related-compounds section below for safety comparisons.

Molecular Profile

TypeCopper-peptide complex
Molecular Weight340.38 g/mol (free) / 401.91 g/mol (with Cu)
Amino Acids3 (tripeptide)
CAS Number89030-95-5
SequenceGly-His-Lys
FormulaC₁₄H₂₄N₆O₄·Cu

Storage

Lyophilized−20°C, up to 2 years
Reconstituted2–8°C, up to 30 days
  • Protect from light
  • Avoid repeated freeze-thaw
  • Blue color indicates copper binding

Related Compounds

Methodology

How we rate peptide safety

Every compound in our index gets a 1–10 safety score based on four weighted factors. The score reflects known research-use risk — not medical advice.

  • 40% — Clinical evidence. Volume of peer-reviewed trials, sample sizes, duration, and consistency of outcomes. FDA-approved compounds anchor the top end (8–10); preclinical-only compounds cap at 6.
  • 30% — Adverse-event profile. Severity and frequency of reported side effects, including GI events, cardiovascular signals, hypoglycemia, and long-term organ effects.
  • 20% — Regulatory status. FDA approval, EMA approval, or status in active clinical trials. Compounds under safety warnings are penalized.
  • 10% — Community-reported outcomes. Reddit, forum, and published case-report signal beyond formal trials. Used as a late-stage tiebreaker, not a leading factor.
9–10Well-studied, FDA-approvedLarge-trial evidence, established long-term safety. Examples: semaglutide, tesamorelin at approved doses.
7–8Mostly safe, some caveatsPhase 2/3 evidence or long community track record with known manageable side effects. Routine monitoring recommended.
5–6Mixed dataLimited clinical trials, mostly community/preclinical data. Real but uncertain risk profile.
3–4Caution advisedKnown side-effect patterns, thin safety data, or compounds under active regulatory scrutiny.
1–2Significant risk signalsDocumented serious adverse events (cardiovascular, hepatotoxicity, contamination) or withdrawn regulatory status.

Safety ratings are derived from published clinical data, FDA approval status, and community-reported outcomes. They are not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before using any research compound.

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