Cosmetic Peptide

AHK-Cu

Copper tripeptide-3 · Ala-His-Lys-Cu · AHK copper peptide

Copper-complexed tripeptide Ala-His-Lys, the GHK-Cu sibling used in hair and cosmetic SKUs. Same copper-peptide class, different sequence. Evidence is mostly in vitro / cosmetic, not a drug program. Reconstitution is the same job as GHK-Cu (often stings).

Not FDA-approved - research chemical

Quick answer

What it is: Copper-complexed tripeptide Ala-His-Lys, the GHK-Cu sibling used in hair and cosmetic SKUs.

Typical research dose: 1-2 mg/day (injectable research) or topical 0.5–2%

Reconstitution calculator ↓

Research summary, not medical advice.

Reviewed by Kymata Health Editorial Team

·Last updated: August 2026·Evidence: Low

Typical research dose

1-2 mg/day (injectable research) or topical 0.5–2%

Frequency

1× daily or 2–3× weekly (injectable); 1–2× daily topical

Half-life

Sparse published PK

Common vials

10 mg / 50 mg

CAS

N/A

Molecular weight

Tripeptide–copper complex

Use-case scores

0–10 against the evidence we have, not a gym ranking. Hidden domains do not apply here.

Skin / cosmetic3/10
Cosmetic/hair folklore. Thinner file than GHK-Cu. In vitro / community.

Compound card

Class: Ala-His-Lys copper tripeptide (cosmetic cousin of GHK-Cu)
Formula: Ala-His-Lys·Cu
Status: Not FDA-approved · research use

Dose it

10 mg + 2 mL BAC water → 5 mg/mL · 1000 mcg ≈ 20 units (U-100)

Open in calculator

How it works

AHK-Cu is Ala-His-Lys complexed with copper(II) - copper tripeptide-3 - vs GHK-Cu (Gly-His-Lys-Cu). Cosmetic and hair in-vitro literature exists; there is no drug approval. Injectable reconstitution is the same job as GHK-Cu and often stings.

Source: Copper-tripeptide cosmetic literature adjacent to GHK-Cu PMID: 18644225; AHK-Cu has no FDA monograph

Research Use Cases

✓Hair / cosmetic copper peptide: Low

Dosing

Phase	Dose	Frequency	Notes
Injectable research	1–2 mg	Daily or 2–3× weekly	Community range. Dilute if PIP is severe (same as GHK-Cu).
Topical	0.5–2% leave-on	1–2× daily	Cosmetic use. Not a reconstitution-calculator problem.

Administration

Route / form

Topical or subcutaneous

Timing

Topical on clean skin; injectable site rotation.

Empty stomach?

No - Food timing is not critical.

Timeline

Weeks–months

Cosmetic endpoints if any; not a labeled hair-loss drug.

Who it is for

Hair / cosmetic copper peptide

Low

Sibling of GHK-Cu. Evidence is cosmetic-grade, not Phase 3.

Reconstitution

Vial	Water	Concentration	Example dose
10 mg lyophilized	2 mL BAC	5 mg/mL	Confirm vial mg. Same class of copper-tripeptide math as GHK-Cu if the COA matches.

Change vial size or water volume? Open the reconstitution calculator.

Safety & Considerations

Copper load on long injectable cycles - zinc balance is the usual GHK-Cu warning. PIP common. Not minoxidil, not finasteride.

Regulatory & Legal Status

FDA Status (US)

Research Only

Cosmetic / research copper tripeptide. No FDA drug monograph

WADA Status (2026)

Not Listed

Not currently on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. Policies may change - verify before competition.

Classification

Research Chemical

US Compounding: Not eligible / not available

⚠️ This information is for educational purposes only and may not reflect the most current regulatory updates. Always verify with official FDA, WADA, and jurisdiction-specific sources before use.

Limits of current evidence

Do not launder GHK-Cu gene-expression counts onto AHK.
This site will not treat androgenetic alopecia from this page.

Verdict

AHK-Cu is a different tripeptide from GHK-Cu. Hair-vendor marketing is not a Pickart reprint. Not minoxidil.

Interactions & Contraindications

Copper load on long injectable cycles - zinc balance is the usual GHK-Cu warning. PIP common. Not minoxidil, not finasteride.

AHK-Cu vs. GHK-Cu

Canonical comparison: AHK-Cu vs GHK-Cu

Attribute	AHK-Cu	GHK-Cu
Sequence	Ala-His-Lys-Cu (copper tripeptide-3)	Gly-His-Lys-Cu (copper tripeptide-1)
Typical SKU	Hair / cosmetic	Skin / wound / GLOW component
Literature	Thinner than GHK-Cu	More published dermal copper-peptide work
Recon	Same copper-peptide sting risk	Known PIP; often extra water

Verdict: Siblings, not substitutes. GHK-Cu has the deeper paper trail. AHK-Cu is the hair-catalog cousin.

Frequently Asked Questions

AHK-Cu vs GHK-Cu?▼

Different tripeptide, same copper-peptide class. GHK-Cu has more published dermal literature. AHK-Cu is the hair-SKU sibling.

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