Healing & Regeneration
GHK (Copper-Free) Dosing & Reconstitution Calculator
GHK (Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine) — the copper-free tripeptide backbone. Used in research distinguishing peptide-only effects from copper-chelation activity. MW 340.38 Da. 5 mg vial.
TL;DR — GHK is the free tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) without bound copper. Used to isolate peptide-backbone effects from the copper-mediated biology of GHK-Cu. Standard vial: 5 mg in 2.5 mL BAC water (2,000 mcg/mL). Research dose: 1–5 mg.
⚠ Note — ⚠ Copper-free variant — distinct from GHK-Cu. Verify your vial label specifies copper-free GHK before dosing.
2 mg
Start Dose
5 mg
Vial
2.5 mL
BAC Water
2,000
mcg/mL
Compare Similar
Frequently Asked
How do I reconstitute copper-free GHK?
Add 2.5 mL of Bacteriostatic Water to a 5 mg GHK vial to yield 2,000 mcg/mL. For a 2 mg dose, draw to the 10 IU line on a 100-unit syringe (0.1 mL). GHK is highly water-soluble and dissolves rapidly. Store at 4°C and use within 21 days.
Why use GHK without copper instead of GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu research cannot isolate whether observed effects are due to the peptide sequence, the copper ion, or both. Copper-free GHK studies provide the peptide-only control condition. Some collagen stimulation, gene expression, and wound healing effects attributed to GHK-Cu may be partially or fully due to the GHK backbone alone.
Does GHK without copper still stimulate collagen?
Research indicates GHK (without copper) retains meaningful collagen I and III stimulatory activity via TGF-β signaling, though generally at lower magnitude than GHK-Cu. The copper ion amplifies bioactivity through additional redox and enzymatic mechanisms. GHK alone is active but copper chelation enhances the response significantly.
What is the molecular weight of GHK?
GHK (Gly-His-Lys) has a molecular weight of 340.38 Da. GHK-Cu has a higher molecular weight of approximately 403.96 Da due to the addition of the copper (II) ion (63.55 Da). When performing mass-based dosing calculations, confirm which form you are working with.
Peptide Intelligence
What gene pathways does GHK activate?
A 2012 analysis of GHK-responsive gene networks identified GHK activating or suppressing >4,000 human genes. Key pathways include collagen synthesis, BMP signaling, VEGF angiogenesis, and nerve growth factor (NGF) expression. The copper-free peptide backbone activates many of these same pathways, though copper enhances specific enzymatic co-factor pathways.
What is the difference between GHK, AHK, and GHK-Cu?
GHK (Gly-His-Lys) is the native human tripeptide. GHK-Cu has copper bound for enhanced bioactivity. AHK-Cu (Ala-His-Lys copper complex) is a synthetic analog with substituted N-terminal glycine. AHK-Cu is reported to have greater specificity for hair follicle stimulation than GHK-Cu, making the analogs complementary rather than interchangeable.
Also Explore
Primary Sources
Pickart et al. — GHK Gene Networks (2012)
Pickart & Margolina — GHK Review (2018)
Data last reviewed 2026-04-20 · Methodology →
Cite This Calculator