Reviewed & approved by Dr. Nova Reyes · Last checked 2026-10-26. ← Back to Evidence Library
AHK-Cu: what the evidence says
At a glance
What it is: a copper complex of the 3-amino-acid peptide alanine-histidine-lysine (AHK). It is a close cousin of GHK-Cu and is sold mainly in hair and skin serums. R1
What the evidence says: one Korean lab study found it lengthened human hair follicles kept alive in culture and helped scalp cells survive. R1 No human trial of hair, skin or anything else was found in PubMed or ClinicalTrials.gov.
Biggest risks: unknown. No human safety data. Copper exposure matters for people with copper disorders.
Rating
| Human Human evidence | None: no human trial found |
| Animal Animal / lab evidence | One study in human hair follicles and dermal papilla cells in culture R1 |
| Regulatory | Not approved as a drug · Not on FDA 503A or 503B bulk lists · No FDA safety-risk entry R2, R3, R4 |
| Established human dose | None. Study details lists what the study used |
Evidence verdict: Hair growth: Lab only (one human hair-follicle culture study) · Skin or anti-aging: No human data Card verdict: No human data (hair-growth claims rest on one human hair-follicle lab study; skin claims untested in people) Card note: One lab study only, see page
This page reports what studies used. It is not dosing advice.
Legend: HUMAN data · ANIMAL / LAB data · UNKNOWN · UNVERIFIED: not yet confirmed against a primary source
About the evidence: the whole evidence base is one 2007 lab paper. A PubMed search for AHK-Cu returned 2 hits; only this one is about the compound.
What is it?
A copper-binding tripeptide like GHK-Cu, with alanine in place of glycine. Related pages: GHK-Cu, Matrixyl.
Does it work?
- Animal Hair follicles in culture (Pyo 2007): follicles grew longer; scalp (dermal papilla) cells multiplied more and died less, with signs of lower cell-death signaling. R1
- Unknown No human hair, skin or wound trial.
Is it safe?
- Unknown No human safety data for creams or injections.
- Unknown Copper load is a concern for people with Wilson disease or other copper disorders.
Gray-market "research use only" AHK-Cu: extra risks
A gray-market vial has no quality control and no guarantee of identity, strength or sterility. We test retail vials blind under the Open Peptide Standard; see /tests/. A passing test covers one batch on one date and does not mean the compound is safe.
What we don't know
- Unknown Whether it grows hair or improves skin in people
- Unknown Whether it gets through the skin at levels that matter
- Unknown Any safety data
Is it legal?
- US (FDA): not an approved drug. Not on the 503A or 503B bulk category lists and not on FDA's safety-risk page. As a cosmetic ingredient it is regulated as a cosmetic only if no drug claims are made. R2, R3, R4
- Athletes: not named on the WADA 2026 list. UNVERIFIED whether WADA would treat injected use under S0 (non-approved substances). R5
Study details
Study details
These are amounts researchers used, not recommendations. | Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Citation | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pyo 2007 | Human hair follicles and dermal papilla cells (lab) | Culture medium | 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁹ M | Days | Longer follicles; more cell growth | [PMID 17703734](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17703734/) |Full reference list (PubMed, CT.gov, FDA and WADA checked Oct 26, 2026)
- R1 Pyo HK, et al. Arch Pharm Res. 2007. PMID 17703734
- R2 FDA, 503A bulk drug substances categories list (updated May 14, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
- R3 FDA, 503B bulk drug substances categories list (updated Mar 21, 2025). https://www.fda.gov/media/94164/download
- R4 FDA, Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks (content current Apr 22, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- R5 WADA. The 2026 Prohibited List, S0. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
Disclaimer
This page is for education and harm reduction, not medical advice or a recommendation to use AHK-Cu. Talk to a clinician you trust, especially if you have a copper-related condition such as Wilson disease, are pregnant, or plan to inject it. Report problems to FDA MedWatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch).