Skeletal muscle dysfunction affects about one-third of COPD patients and worsens clinical outcomes. While some treatments like androgens exist, effective clinical drugs are still lacking. This study highlights the potential role of GHK-cu, a peptide found in lower levels in COPD patients, in improving muscle function.
Many think of this peptide as having more beneficial effects on the skin, and wound healing, but this study found that in a mouse model, exogenous administration led to muscle retention, and that GHK-cu directly activates sirt1, a key regulator of muscle health, mitochondrial function, and oxidative defense.
1 Like
It certainly would be great to see some human clinical trials with GHK and/or GHK-Cu. I wonder if any are in the works?
1 Like
That would be great, I don’t know if the companies that have invested millions in myostatin inhibitors would be thrilled about them…
That’s pretty interesting. I’m going to have to give it a go 
GHK-cu is pretty reasonable cost wise. I’ve been using it for years in our skin care product. Many people use it SubQ in the Glow Protocol a peptide blend of three peptides: GHK-Cu, TB-500, and BPC-157
1 Like
Yeah, I’ve been looking into starting my own, based on the the Anela version, but still on the fence with the daily injections part. Getting there though! This new paper has me intrigued. I might do injections 3 times a week.
I’m also thinking of replacing one of the ingredients with kpv. I might have to play around, because it is said that bpc helps reduce the sting of ghk-cu, not sure if kpv does the same.
Beth
#6
Hi Steve,
Someone just asked me about glow peptides
I had only heard of tb500 and bpc157 for recovery/healing purposes…
I am unfamiliar with injecting CHGK cu
I see some of you have been injecting… is there a risk of too much copper… is this better to use topically …
I’m assuming this is not risk free or that it does not produce miraculous results or there would be more buzz about it on here??
PS, I’m not inclined to try it and really just trying to learn
The amount of copper in GHK-cu is negligible. I think it’s less than 20% actual copper. Toxic amount of copper is 10mg. GLOW doses typically have 2.5mg GHK-cu total.
It’s really hard to overdose it, the main culprit being the amount of pain/ISR injecting it generates after a few hours. You don’t want to go higher.
1 Like
@qBx123Yk has the answer. The amount of copper in 2.5mg of GHK-cu is not 2.5mg, but I can’t find the exact amount. GHK is freely circulating peptide in most if not all of our bodily fluids and binds to copper, these are 2 different things a peptide (GHK) and a mineral (copper) that become bound in a complex. Adding already bound GHK-cu is what is being done with the injections and topicals.
It’s typically provided in a vial with a 10+10+50mg ratio of BPC+TB+GHK-cu. That would provide 20 doses with 500mcg+500mcg+2.5mg if you reconstitute with 5.0mL bac water. One could mitigate the sting a bit with a higher amount of bac water.
I have not tried this combo yet but do have some GHK-cu now, so I’m going to try it soon.
As qBx123Yk has indicated it does have a bite to it, probably due to the pH of the GHK-cu. So I may try it with PBS (phosphate buffered saline).
I’ve used the topical version of GHK-cu in my skin care formula for 4 or 5 years now and people seem to like it GHK-cu is very pH sensitive itself and should not be used topically with any acidic topicals like Vit-C serums and Retinol to name a few. You can use it with about a 2 hr separation.
Endogenous GHK has an affinity for copper, when it binds to copper it forms the GHK-cu complex. It is extremely important for a variety of functions, it’s not just for the skin.
Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine is a tripeptide consisting of glycine, L-histidine and L-lysine residues joined in sequence. Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine is a hepatotropic immunosuppressor and shows anxiolytic effect. Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine and its copper complexes show good skin tolerance.
https://www.medchemexpress.com/glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine.html
1 Like
Beth
#9
@Steve_Combi and @qBx123Yk thank you both!
Do you think GHK cu does anything particularly special for cosmetic purposes when injected that we don’t get with a serum ? Steve, you have it and use it topically, so I’m guessing your answer is probably not… or it might just be a case of so many peptides, so little time :).
Qb, you’ve been using it, right? Thoughts?
I have no need for the other two peptides that seem to be more geared towards inflammation/recovery… I’m just thinking 100% vanity
Many people that inject it mention skin, nails, and hair benefits. There have been some nice before and after pictures that people claim are entirely due to GLOW, GHK-Cu in particular.
I had used it for a while (2 months), but the ISR never got better and I never did see any skin benefits. So I’ve stopped. Frankly, I’ve gotten more skin benefits from using tesamorelin than from GLOW.
Some people have no issue with the ISR from it, but most do. They do all or some combination of thse things:
- dilute it
- pair it with other peptides to take the bite out. BPC, TB4, KPV help. GHK-basic is also becoming popular, as it seems to tame the bite even more.
- inject in larger muscles like the glutes
1 Like
Tim
#11
My source provides the vials in two sizes, GLOW 50 and GLOW 70. The former consists of 35 mg of GHK-cu, 10 mg of TB-500, and 5 mg of BPC-157. The latter breaks down to 50-10-10. The price for a kit of ten vials is $145 and $175, respectively.
I’ve been taking it subq EOD for a year. Along with a few other peptides, it keeps me running and pain free. Internally, it is a beautiful thing. Cosmetically, it doesn’t do much. Maybe if I stopped using it my face would age like Dorian Gray’s. On other forums, some users inject it directly into their fine lines and wrinkles, which they say is painful. I wouldn’t do it. Even injecting it into the glutes is not completely painless.
1 Like
