Humanin vs GHK-Cu
Side-by-side comparison of Humanin and GHK-Cu: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
Humanin
GHK-Cu
Humanin
Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide (MAPRGFSCLLLLTSEIDLPVKRRA) encoded within the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and translated from a short open reading frame that was not recognized as biologically active until…
Lowest listed price: $85.60 across 2 listings
Full Humanin profileGHK-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 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | Humanin | GHK-Cu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Recovery | Skin, Hair & Aesthetics |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | 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. |
| Mechanism of Action | Humanin signals through a heterotrimeric cell-surface receptor complex consisting of ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor alpha (CNTFR-alpha), WSX-1 (also known as IL-27R-alpha), and glycoprotein 130 (gp130) ([Ying et al., 2004]; [Hashimoto et al., 2009]).… | 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… |
| Half-Life | Short - on the order of minutes. Wild-type 24-amino-acid humanin is rapidly cleared from plasma (rodent data); the S14G analog (HNG) is more metabolically stable. No human pharmacokinetic data exist. | ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) |
| Typical Dose Range | Research compound — no established human doses | 200-500 mcg SC daily (community/RUO; no clinically established injectable dose) |
| Dosing Frequency | Once daily subcutaneous in anecdotal use (some split twice daily for the short half-life); no validated human regimen | Once daily subcutaneous; some run 5 days on / 2 days off. Topical: 1-2x daily to cleansed skin. |
| Administration | — | Subcutaneous, Topical |
| Side Effects | The side effect profile of humanin in humans is not established because no properly designed clinical trials have been published. The preclinical safety profile in rodents is reassuring: across numerous studies using wild-type humanin and HNG at doses… | 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… |
| Molecular Weight | 2687.26 Da | Free peptide (GHK): 340.38 Da (C14H24N6O4). Copper complex (GHK-Cu): 401.9 Da (C14H22CuN6O4, neutral 1:1 Cu(II) complex). |
| Common Vial Sizes | — | 50 mg, 100 mg |
Price History
2 data points- Disguised Alpha
- LB
Price History
4 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- BHG Labs
Humanin: potential benefits
- Cytoprotective effects
- Anti-apoptotic properties
- Neuroprotective potential
- Cardioprotective effects
- Cellular stress resistance
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)
Frequently asked
What's the difference between Humanin and GHK-Cu?
Humanin is a recovery that humanin signals through a heterotrimeric cell-surface receptor complex consisting of ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor alpha (cntfr-alpha), wsx-1 (also known as il-27r-alpha),…. 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…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Short - on the order of minutes. Wild-type 24-amino-acid humanin is rapidly cleared from plasma (rodent data); the S14G analog (HNG) is more metabolically stable. No human pharmacokinetic data exist. vs ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study)), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, Humanin or GHK-Cu?
Humanin has a half-life of Short - on the order of minutes. Wild-type 24-amino-acid humanin is rapidly cleared from plasma (rodent data); the S14G analog (HNG) is more metabolically stable. No human pharmacokinetic data exist.. GHK-Cu has a half-life of ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, Humanin or GHK-Cu?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Humanin from $85.60, GHK-Cu 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 Humanin and GHK-Cu?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Humanin and GHK-Cu 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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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.