GHK-Cu protocol · PepGuide

Standard

Week 1

10u

1 mg · Daily

Loading. Establish tolerance; watch for injection-site sting or redness.

Week 2

15u

1.5 mg · Daily

Ramp. Smooth step-up from loading dose.

Weeks 3–8

20u

2 mg · Daily

Working dose. Full effect builds over the next 4–6 weeks.

Off

4 weeks

Mandatory copper-accumulation washout. Do not skip, especially after an Aggressive phase.

Phase	How often	Dose	Units	Notes
Week 1	Daily	1 mg	10u	Loading. Establish tolerance; watch for injection-site sting or redness.
Week 2	Daily	1.5 mg	15u	Ramp. Smooth step-up from loading dose.
Weeks 3–8	Daily	2 mg	20u	Working dose. Full effect builds over the next 4–6 weeks.
Off	4 weeks	–	–	Mandatory copper-accumulation washout. Do not skip, especially after an Aggressive phase.

Aggressive

30–40u

3–4 mg · 1–2× daily AM

Bump here ONLY if: (1) you've completed at least 2 weeks at 2 mg with zero injection-site sting, headache, or histamine flare, AND (2) you have a specific high-demand goal; post-surgical recovery, active wound healing, or a stalled hair/skin response after 6+ weeks at 2 mg. Start at 3 mg (e.g., 2 mg AM + 1 mg PM to leverage GHK-Cu's short half-life). Push to 4 mg only if 3 mg is producing visible results and you want to test further, PeptideDeck and SeekPeptides note no published benefit above 3 mg/day; cost roughly doubles.

Phase	How often	Dose	Units	Notes
Aggressive	1–2× daily AM	3–4 mg	30–40u	Bump here ONLY if: (1) you've completed at least 2 weeks at 2 mg with zero injection-site sting, headache, or histamine flare, AND (2) you have a specific high-demand goal; post-surgical recovery, active wound healing, or a stalled hair/skin response after 6+ weeks at 2 mg. Start at 3 mg (e.g., 2 mg AM + 1 mg PM to leverage GHK-Cu's short half-life). Push to 4 mg only if 3 mg is producing visible results and you want to test further, PeptideDeck and SeekPeptides note no published benefit above 3 mg/day; cost roughly doubles.

Cycle & timing

Cycle: 8 weeks on / 4 weeks off. Stays within copper-accumulation limits while giving 6 weeks at working dose.

Timing: Daily SubQ anytime, or topical twice daily.

Where: SubQ adjacent to target. Systemic: abdomen or thigh.

What to expect

Skin quality improvement at 6–8 weeks. Hair growth improvement at 8–12 weeks. Localised tissue improvement adjacent to injection sites.

How much to buy

For 8-wk @ 2 mg × 7/wk:

3

× 50mg vials

2

× 100mg vials

Men & women

Unisex, same protocol for men and women. Copper peptides add copper, so with long or high use watch the copper:zinc balance (extra copper can push zinc down).

Dilution calculator

Set to the guide's typical mix for GHK-Cu. Change anything to see where to draw.

Vial size

BAC water added

Dose you want

Draw to

20u

Volume

0.20 mL

Strength

10 mg/mL

Doses per vial

25

Assumes a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL). Double-check against the compound's page before you draw.

Recommended mixes

Vial	Water	Strength
50 mg	5 mL	10 mg/mL
100 mg	10 mL	10 mg/mL

50 mg: 1 unit = 0.10 mg

100 mg: 1 unit = 0.10 mg (reconstitute into 10 mL BAC water vial)

Storage

PowderFreeze-dried: -4°F.
MixedReconstituted: 36–46°F, light-protected (copper oxidizes), 6 weeks. Use amber vial or foil wrap.

Don't use if: Wilson's disease · Copper dysregulation · Copper allergy

Stop if you notice

Skin discoloration, neurological symptoms (copper toxicity)

Side effects

Rare injection-site irritation. Copper dysregulation with very extended continuous use.

Drug interactions

High-dose vitamin C (oral or IV): theoretical copper-ascorbate redox, separate timing. Copper chelators (penicillamine, trientine, tetrathiomolybdate): directly antagonistic. High-dose zinc (>50 mg/day chronic): reduces copper absorption, long-term combo blunts effect. High-dose iron: competes with copper for transport, reduces uptake. Topical retinoids / AHAs: irritation if same area, separate sessions.

Labs

Compound-specific: hsCRP (baseline + end). Serum copper and ceruloplasmin if cycles are extended. Out of range? Rising serum copper / ceruloplasmin = copper is accumulating → pause and re-dose lower.

What these labs mean →

Warnings

Extended continuous use can cause copper accumulation; the document's mandatory 30-day off period is critical

Patient education

Aseptic technique: alcohol swab the vial septum and the injection site, use a single-use sterile needle for every injection, never share vials or needles between people. Sharps disposal in an FDA-cleared sharps container, never household trash. Cold chain: if a refrigerated peptide reaches room temperature for more than the labeled stability window, discard it. Mark the date of first puncture on every multi-dose vial. Inspect every vial before injection: clear solution (unless labeled otherwise), no particulates, no cloudiness, no color change. Rotate injection sites to avoid lipoatrophy, induration, and infection. Carry a record of what you're injecting if you need emergency care.

These apply on top of the universal safety rules.

Pairs well with

BPC-157

tissue repair stack

BPC-157

TB-500

collagen synthesis

TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4)

CJC-1295 No DAC + Ipamorelin

GH environment for skin

CJC-1295 (No DAC) + Ipamorelin

Tesamorelin

GHRH adjunct

Tesamorelin

Avoid with

High-dose vitamin C same session

copper oxidation

Extended continuous use

mandatory 30-day off

GLOW / KLOW Blend

already contains GHK-Cu, would double-dose copper

GLOW Blend KLOW Blend

Can GHK-Cu + BPC-157 share a syringe?

On the fence: keep separate. GHK-Cu is fine freshly drawn, but copper oxidizes sensitive peptides. Never store it mixed, keep it away from vitamin C, and if unsure give it its own pin.

What it does

Evidence: human data is topical/skin; no systemic-injection dosing trial.

Copper-binding tripeptide, activates 4,000+ repair genes. Plasma levels decline 90% between age 20 and 60. Activates genes for collagen/elastin synthesis, angiogenesis, and anti-inflammation.

Supply math note

Use 50 mg vials at the 2 mg working dose, reconstituted shelf life is ~28 days; the 100 mg vial only depletes inside that window at the Aggressive 3–4 mg/day phase.

Approved drug

Tretinoin (Renova) is FDA-approved for fine wrinkles and Botox for frown lines, both far better evidenced than cosmetic peptides.

References

seekpeptides researchdosing peptidedosages PubMed

From the guide, page 34.