AHK-Cu
AHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide (alanyl-histidyl-lysine, structurally related to GHK-Cu) studied mainly in vitro and in ex vivo human hair-follicle organ-culture experiments for potential hair growth and dermal regenerative effects, with human in-vivo clinical evidence still very limited.
This page is a research-orientation summary, not a dosing guide. For anything beyond general background, read the primary literature or talk to a qualified clinician — specifics like amount, frequency, or administration aren't something we publish here.
What it does & how it works
Like other copper tripeptides, AHK-Cu chelates copper and has been shown in laboratory studies to promote proliferation of human dermal papilla cells and to prolong survival and hair-shaft elongation of cultured human hair follicles. Proposed mechanisms include upregulation of growth factors relevant to the hair cycle (such as VEGF and IGF-1) and anti-apoptotic effects on follicle and dermal cells, alongside modulation of extracellular matrix components such as glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, an activity documented for related copper-tripeptide complexes.
Typical results seen in research
Evidence is largely limited to in vitro and ex vivo human hair-follicle organ-culture experiments showing prolonged hair shaft elongation and follicle viability, together with general wound-healing/extracellular-matrix data from structurally related copper tripeptides. Controlled in-vivo animal studies and human clinical trials specific to AHK-Cu are limited, so claims about visible hair regrowth or skin regeneration in living humans should be treated as preliminary rather than clinically proven.
How it’s commonly used
AHK-Cu is used almost exclusively in topical research formulations — applied to skin or scalp, or incorporated into hair-follicle culture media in laboratory studies — rather than by systemic injection.
- Archives of Pharmacal Research · 2007 The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro
- Biomedicines · 2026 Overview of Short Peptides for Hair Loss
Curated from published literature for research orientation. Not an exhaustive review, and not a substitute for reading primary sources.