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Copper Peptide

Magic for Your Skin or Money Down the Drain?

Dr. Valorie Davidson

What is GHK-Cu?

GHK-Cu stands for glycyl-L-histadyl-L-lysine-copper (try saying that five times real fast or even once lol). It is a naturally occurring peptide that binds to copper. It is found in human plasma, saliva, and urine. And as with most good things, GHK-Cu declines with age.

In our bodies, GHK-Cu is involved with cellular repair, collagen production, wound healing, and inflammation.

I know what you are thinking, tell me about the collagen part!

Yes, GHK-Cu is like Miracle-Grow for your skin.

• Supports collagen and elastin production
  • The structural proteins that keep skin firm, plump, and springy
  • Rescue the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Boosts tissue repair
  • Helps wound healing
  • Helps skin cell turnover and health
• Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
  • Calming effect on the skin to protect from oxidative damage (UV, pollution)

And Hair Too!

There is evidence that it can help hair.

• Pushes the hair follicle toward the growth phase
• Reduces inflammation of the scalp
• Promotes the collagen around the follicle to help hair health, texture, and thickness.

But Isn’t Copper Toxic?

Copper by itself is toxic to your body. In the body, to prevent toxicity, it is bound by a protein called ceruloplasmin.

The peptide GHK loves copper. If there is a good amount of GHK peptide in your system, then it can whisk the copper away from the ceruloplasmin. Which then creates GHK-Cu.

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It is the combination of copper and GHK that is great for skin and hair.
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Should I take copper for my skin? Taking copper as a supplement is not going to have the effects on skin and hair like GHK-Cu unless there is a copper deficiency (which is not common).

It’s the GHK peptide combined with copper that is the magic for skin and hair. Now, when I say that, it is your own GHK peptide that binds to copper that is magic for hair and skin. We are still in the learning phase if the copper peptide (GHK-Cu) injected could have an impact on hair and skin. But it certainly does look promising.
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It's your declining GHK peptide (with age) that can cause issues with hair and skin.

In young adults, their GHK peptides are relatively robust. Which is why we notice hair and skin changes as we age. Then combine that with declining hormones, environmental pollutants, and stress, well, I sure pay more for skin and haircare now at 52 than ever before.

• Slower wound healing
• Thinner skin
• Loss of collagen and elasticity
• Hair thinning
• Slower tissue repair

That is why, as we age, our skin can become more fragile and prone to more micro-traumas like scratches, tears, and slower-healing. And also why our hair starts to grow more slowly, the strands are finer and weaker, and increased shedding.

Topical vs Injection:

Topical GHK-CU (copper peptide) supports the skin you see (or apply it to). Whereas the injectable theoretically supports the biological signals underneath.

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​Topical is the most popular, having been around longer and with more studies. Again, it only helps where you put it. And will not have the systemic effects that injections can/could have.

• Acts locally on the upper layers of your skin
• Can support skin texture and appearance
• May help with fine lines and wrinkles where you apply it.
• Hair topical has limited penetration to the follicle and deeper tissues of the scalp.

Injection delivers the GHK-Cu directly to the tissues where it can influence:

• Fibroblasts: cells that make collagen and keep skin and connective tissue strong
• Endothelial cells: the cells that line your blood vessels to support circulation and nutrient delivery.
• Immune signalling: helps to regulate inflammation and healing
• Extracellular matrix: this is like a ‘scaffolding structure’ to give tissue strength and elasticity.

The injections have the potential of shifting from a cosmetic peptide to tissue repair signals.

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Injectable GHK-Cu (copper peptide) is a newer clinical application, and research is still evolving. Much of what we understand about GHK-Cu injectables is theoretical and based on in vitro, animal studies, and clinical experience. The potential sounds very promising.

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In the full article, I break down:

• Injectable GHK-Cu
• Who is actually a good candidate
• Safety blood testing labs to run
• Cycling protocols
• Clinical dosing examples for skin fragility, wound healing, and hair loss.

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Simon Says:

Simon Says: Spring is here, and get some Vitamin D, AKA sunshine! When the sun hits your skin, it converts a cholesterol molecule into previtamin D3, which is then converted to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) by your body heat. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) takes a roadtrip to your liver to become 25-hydroxyvitamin D, then onto the kidneys to become 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (active).

Okay, maybe it's just me, or maybe it’s menopause, or maybe I’m just older and want to be more organized. But I am ready to Marie Kondo my life. Or at least my home, office, cars, closet, cabinets, and my desktop.

Maybe it’s bc spring is here and I want to unload.

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I have found some articles that clutter increases cognitive load. That people in cluttered environments show higher cortisol levels, less working memory, and more difficulty with focus and tasks.

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The thing is, I didn’t always feel this intensely about it. An unfolded load of laundry, counter clutter, email inbox congestion, not that big of a deal.

And yes, I think we can blame the hormones. Since I have entered menopause, I have gotten way more intense about things that clutter my space and mind.

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Estrogen plays a key role in how the brain filters information, manages stress, and tolerates sensory input.

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When estradiol levels are higher, the prefrontal cortex is better able to ignore irrelevant stimuli, hold multiple tasks in mind, and stay flexible rather than reactive.

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As estrogen fluctuates and declines in menopause, that filtering system becomes less efficient. Visual clutter, unfinished tasks, and constant inputs demand more mental energy, increase cognitive load, and activate the stress response. What once felt ignorable now feels distracting or overwhelming and downright annoying.

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The growing desire for order isn’t about me being controlling or I’ve turned into a perfectionist. It’s about reducing my brain’s workload and lowering cortisol so thinking feels clearer again.

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So when my husband asks me where his pants are (bc he just hung them on the railing) or where are those receipts…I say the same thing, ‘in the garbage.’

Disclaimer

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