ION BLUE RESEARCH DIRECTORY
Copper Peptides
Peptides that complex with copper ions (or the copper-free forms of those sequences), the best-known being GHK / GHK-Cu. Studied in laboratory, cell, and some human cosmetic research for roles in skin and connective tissue; evidence varies by endpoint and is summarized per entry rather than as a category-wide claim.
Category-level context for navigating related peptides and scientific evidence.
Overview
Peptides that complex with copper ions (or the copper-free forms of those sequences), the best-known being GHK / GHK-Cu. Studied in laboratory, cell, and some human cosmetic research for roles in skin and connective tissue; evidence varies by endpoint and is summarized per entry rather than as a category-wide claim.
Peptides in this category
AHK-Cu
AHK-Cu is a copper-bound tripeptide (alanine-histidine-lysine) sold as a cosmetic/research ingredient and promoted for hair. The only cited research is a single laboratory study on isolated hair follicles and cells in a dish — not on people. What we don't know: whether AHK-Cu does anything for hair or skin in living people — no human trials are cited.
Copper Tripeptide-1
Copper Tripeptide-1 is a naturally occurring copper peptide complex (GHK-Cu). In laboratory and cell studies, GHK-Cu has been examined for proposed roles in collagen and elastin synthesis, the activity of collagen-degrading enzymes, and antioxidant activity. It is one of the more extensively studied peptides in skin-aging and firmness research.
GHK (Tripeptide-1)
Tripeptide-1 (GHK; glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) is a naturally occurring tripeptide used in cosmetics. Much of the skin literature concerns its copper complex (copper tripeptide-1 / GHK-Cu, summarized separately); cited evidence for the copper-free tripeptide is largely in vitro and review-level.