GHK-Cu vs TB-500
Side-by-side comparison of GHK-Cu and TB-500: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
GHK-Cu
TB-500
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 profileTB-500
TB-500 is the name the market and the FDA use for a short synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4: the seven-amino-acid, N-acetylated actin-binding sequence Ac-LKKTETQ (residues 17 to 23). Thymosin beta-4 itself is a…
Lowest listed price: $29.00 across 8 listings
Full TB-500 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | GHK-Cu | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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… | Actin Sequestration and Cytoskeletal Dynamics The primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as TB-500) is binding to monomeric G-actin in a 1:1 complex, preventing its polymerization into F-actin filaments (PMID: 1627561).… |
| Half-Life | ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) | Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure. |
| Typical Dose Range | 200-500 mcg SC daily (community/RUO; no clinically established injectable dose) | 2000-5000 mcg (2-5 mg) subcutaneous 2x weekly loading; 2000 mcg (2 mg) weekly maintenance |
| Dosing Frequency | Once daily subcutaneous; some run 5 days on / 2 days off. Topical: 1-2x daily to cleansed skin. | 2x per week during loading; 1x per week maintenance |
| Administration | Subcutaneous, Topical | Subcutaneous, Intramuscular |
| 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. Occasional mild headache, nausea, or lethargy. Localized irritation at injection site. Rare: flu-like symptoms, temporary fatigue during initial use. |
| Molecular Weight | Free peptide (GHK): 340.38 Da (C14H24N6O4). Copper complex (GHK-Cu): 401.9 Da (C14H22CuN6O4, neutral 1:1 Cu(II) complex). | 889 Da (Ac-LKKTETQ); full-length thymosin beta-4 4963 Da |
| Common Vial Sizes | 50 mg, 100 mg | 2mg, 5mg, 10mg |
Price History
4 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- BHG Labs
Price History
4 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- Ion Peptide
- Disguised Alpha
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)
TB-500: potential benefits
- Accelerated dermal wound healing through enhanced keratinocyte and fibroblast migration, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis, including in diabetic and aged models (PMID: 12581423)
- Cardioprotection and tissue repair after myocardial infarction via ILK/Akt survival signaling in preclinical models (PMID: 17600280)
- Anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB suppression and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (preclinical)
- Corneal wound healing and dry eye symptom improvement in topical ophthalmic (RGN-259) Phase 2 trials (PMID: 25826322)
- Enhanced hair follicle stem cell migration associated with hair growth (preclinical)
- Musculoskeletal recovery through collagen deposition and matrix remodeling (preclinical and equine data)
- Endothelial cell migration and vascular regeneration in ischemic tissues (preclinical)
Frequently asked
What's the difference between GHK-Cu and TB-500?
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…. TB-500 is a injury, repair & recovery that actin sequestration and cytoskeletal dynamics the primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as tb-500) is binding to monomeric g-actin in a 1:1…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) vs Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, GHK-Cu or TB-500?
GHK-Cu has a half-life of ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study). TB-500 has a half-life of Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.. Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, GHK-Cu or TB-500?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: GHK-Cu from $34.99, TB-500 from $29.00. 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 TB-500?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. GHK-Cu and TB-500 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.
See current vendor prices
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Before you buy GHK-Cu or TB-500
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Related comparisons
Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. We earn an affiliate commission on some outbound clicks, and every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.