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.
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
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.
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.
@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.
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.
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.
Started with the GLOW thing about 2 months ago and have seen skin quality improvements in both my wife and I. We have several others in the family using this combo and it’s become a topic
I would not know for sure if it’s fake but I’d guess it’s not. The sting is not as common as the “internet” would suggest, at least not in my circle of 8 friends and family.
That is not to say there aren’t a few times a month when it does sting a bit and can take much longer to absorb, leaving a bit of a lump for a few hours.
Topically it is restricted like any other topical with respect to penetration. While I do use several penetrants and we do see good results, I feel that the injections are providing a better/different response.
Healing from the inside, where no topical can get.
I’ve not seriously considered this, as vain as I am, because I’ve heard we need to inject daily… for health, I’d do it, but not for beauty… oh look, I guess I am not AS vain as I thought I was
I bought multiple kits of 10 vials from an overseas vendor before the popularity soared, and the prices were much lower than what I quoted above. I still have two or three, but I don’t know if they’ve degraded in the freezer.
I still get a site reaction from the copper. I have to aim for the upper glutes or I will suffer for 36 hours. I guess that tells me that it’s working.
Overall, I don’t mind subq for any of the peptides.
I’ve been doing 2mg AM and PM. I’ve noticed a few of them give a bit of redness or slight swelling. I’m excited to see the skin health benefits from this.
I’m combining with oxytocin peptide, have you used this?
Most peptides (unopened, well sealed), are good for a couple years at -21C if they are within that time frame you are good
The copper sting can be mitigated several ways, maximize the dilution ratio, add a bit of PBS (phosphate buffered saline) and another poster here suggested adding GHK to the mix.
GHK-cu in solution should be neutral 7.0 pH
I think if there is any free copper, that may be an issue as it will increase the pH due to it’s natural acidity. Check the pH of your mixture, it should be between 7.0 and 8.0 max
GHK is the peptide your body produces before it binds with the copper in your body. Theoretically adding it to GHK-cu may be picking up any “stray” copper in the vial that is not bound. Copper ions are more acidic.
