GHK-Cu vs BPC-157
Side-by-side comparison of GHK-Cu and BPC-157: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
GHK-Cu
BPC-157
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a molecule Pickart and Thaler first pulled out of human plasma in 1973. The free peptide (GHK, C14H24N6O4) weighs about 340.4 Da; bind it 1:1…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 7 listings
Full GHK-Cu profileBPC-157
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a synthetic pentadecapeptide consisting of 15 amino acids (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val) derived from a partial sequence of human gastric juice…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 15 listings
Full BPC-157 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | GHK-Cu | BPC-157 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Skin, Hair & Aesthetics | Injury, Repair & Recovery |
| Research Stage | Approved/marketed as a topical cosmetic ingredient (Copper tripeptide-1) with supporting small human studies. Injectable use is preclinical/off-label, research-use-only, with no human clinical trials. | Preclinical |
| Mechanism of Action | GHK-Cu works mostly as a copper shuttle and a signaling peptide. It binds Cu(II) with high affinity (log K around 16.4, close to albumin's 16.2) and can supply or regulate copper for copper-dependent enzymes like SOD1, lysyl oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, and… | Nitric Oxide (NO) System Modulation BPC-157 exerts a central integrative effect through modulation of the nitric oxide system. Studies by Seiwerth et al. (2022) demonstrated that BPC-157 counteracts both NO-excess and NO-deficiency states, functioning as a… |
| Half-Life | ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) | Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived. |
| Typical Dose Range | 200-500 mcg SC daily (community/RUO; no clinically established injectable dose) | 200-500 mcg subcutaneous 1-2x daily (community protocols); 1-10 mcg/kg in animal studies |
| Dosing Frequency | Once daily subcutaneous; some run 5 days on / 2 days off. Topical: 1-2x daily to cleansed skin. | Twice daily (AM and PM) for optimal serum levels; once daily acceptable |
| Administration | Subcutaneous, Topical | Subcutaneous, Oral, Intraperitoneal, Intravenous |
| Side Effects | Topical GHK-Cu is generally well tolerated; higher-concentration formulations (4-5%) raise the odds of irritation, redness, or stinging. Injectable use has no safety data from controlled trials; the main theoretical concern is copper accumulation with repeated… | Generally well-tolerated. Mild nausea or GI discomfort during initial use. Temporary increase in pain/inflammation at injury site (healing response). Rare: drowsiness, dizziness, mild headache. Very rare: transient changes in blood pressure. |
| Molecular Weight | Free peptide (GHK): 340.38 Da (C14H24N6O4). Copper complex (GHK-Cu): 401.9 Da (C14H22CuN6O4, neutral 1:1 Cu(II) complex). | 1419.5 g/mol (average); molecular formula C62H98N16O22 |
| Common Vial Sizes | 50 mg, 100 mg | 5mg, 10mg |
Price History
4 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- BHG Labs
Price History
7 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- LB
- Ion Peptide
- BHG Labs
GHK-Cu: potential benefits
- Stimulates type I collagen synthesis in human fibroblasts at low nanomolar-to-picomolar concentrations (PMID: 3169264)
- Increases glycosaminoglycans (dermatan/chondroitin sulfate) and upregulates decorin in wound models (PMID: 11121126)
- Modulates matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors, partially correcting the MMP-9/TIMP-1 imbalance in a smoke-induced emphysema model (PMID: 35936787)
- Drives tissue remodeling and chemoattracts macrophages, mast cells, and capillary cells to injury sites (PMID: 18644225)
- Modulates expression of ~4,000+ human genes via the Broad Institute Connectivity Map, including DNA-repair and antioxidant genes (PMID: 25302294)
- Increases stemness and proliferative potential of epidermal basal cells and keratinocytes (PMID: 23019153)
- Acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory copper regulator in the context of aging (PMID: 22666519)
- Broad skin-regeneration effects on collagen, proteoglycans, MMPs, and immune/endothelial cell recruitment (PMID: 26236730)
BPC-157: potential benefits
- Accelerated tendon and ligament healing with improved biomechanical strength in preclinical soft-tissue injury models (PMID: 30915550)
- Gastric and GI mucosal cytoprotection against ethanol-induced lesions, mediated in part by the nitric oxide system (PMID: 30279308)
- Healing of cysteamine-induced colitis and colon anastomosis in preclinical inflammatory bowel disease models (PMID: 24304574)
- Neuroprotection with dopaminergic and nitric oxide-system modulation in central nervous system injury models such as stroke and dopamine-receptor blockade (PMID: 34380875)
- Promotion of angiogenesis via VEGFR2 up-regulation, internalization, and VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signaling in rat hind-limb ischemia and endothelial assays (PMID: 27847966)
- Tendon fibroblast outgrowth, cell survival, and migration through FAK-paxillin pathway activation (PMID: 21030672)
- Growth hormone receptor up-regulation in tendon fibroblasts, potentiating growth hormone's proliferative effect (PMID: 25415472)
- Nitric oxide-system interaction with endothelium protection, angiogenesis, and EGR-1-mediated growth-factor and collagen expression (PMID: 22300085)
Frequently asked
What's the difference between GHK-Cu and BPC-157?
GHK-Cu is a skin, hair & aesthetics that ghk-cu works mostly as a copper shuttle and a signaling peptide. it binds cu(ii) with high affinity (log k around 16.4, close to albumin's 16.2) and can supply or regulate copper…. BPC-157 is a injury, repair & recovery that nitric oxide (no) system modulation bpc-157 exerts a central integrative effect through modulation of the nitric oxide system. studies by seiwerth et al. (2022) demonstrated that…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) vs Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived.), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, GHK-Cu or BPC-157?
GHK-Cu has a half-life of ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study). BPC-157 has a half-life of Short plasma half-life. The first formal preclinical ADME study reported an elimination half-life under ~30 minutes after IV/IM dosing in rats and dogs, with linear dose-proportional kinetics (PMID: 36588717); a 2026 biopharmaceutical review confirms this sub-30-minute plasma half-life and highlights a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic disconnect, as biological effects persist for hours to days (PMID: 42198317). No full human pharmacokinetic study has been published; twice-daily dosing is empirical/community-standard rather than PK-derived.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, GHK-Cu or BPC-157?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: GHK-Cu from $34.99, BPC-157 from $34.99. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack GHK-Cu and BPC-157?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. GHK-Cu and BPC-157 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
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