Comparison
GHK-Cu vs Sermorelin
Side-by-side of GHK-Cu and Sermorelin. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu peptide (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper) is a topical copper peptide. Trials show fine-line and wound-healing gains; injectable longevity claims rem.
Sermorelin
Sermorelin peptide therapy uses a 29-amino-acid GHRH analog to raise endogenous GH. Dosing, half-life, sermorelin vs ipamorelin, and safety.
Effects at a glance
GHK-Cu
- •Endogenous tripeptide that binds copper(II); plasma levels decline ~60% from age 20 to 60
- •Topical RCTs show improvement in skin firmness, fine lines, and barrier function over 12 weeks
- •Wound-healing models report accelerated re-epithelialization in diabetic and aged skin
- •Pickart gene-expression analyses show reset of >4000 genes toward a younger expression profile in cell culture
- •Anecdotal subcutaneous longevity protocols use 1 to 3 mg daily; no human longevity RCTs exist
- •Hair-growth claims rest on small open-label trials and topical scalp formulations
Sermorelin
- •Synthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH fragment; FDA approved 1997 for pediatric GH deficiency as Geref
- •Voluntarily discontinued by Serono in 2008 for commercial reasons; not safety-related
- •Compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult anti-aging and body-composition use
- •Produces physiologic pulsatile GH release; ~10 to 20 minute plasma half-life
- •Standard anti-aging clinic protocol: 200 to 500 mcg subcutaneously pre-bed, often with ipamorelin
- •Banned by WADA under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors)
Side-by-side
| Attribute | GHK-Cu | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | Copper Peptide, Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper, GHK | Sermorelin acetate, GRF 1-29, Geref, GHRH (1-29) NH2 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.25 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 2 | 0.3 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | 1-2x daily |
| Routes | topical, subcutaneous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 340.85 | 3357.88 |
| Molecular formula | C14H24N6O4 (GHK alone); C14H22CuN6O4 with Cu(II) | C149H246N44O42S |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide that chelates Cu(II) and delivers it to copper-dependent enzymes (lysyl oxidase, superoxide dismutase). Modulates expression of >4000 genes toward a younger profile in fibroblast culture, including upregulation of decorin and downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. | Synthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH fragment that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs to stimulate endogenous pulsatile GH synthesis and release while preserving the GH-IGF-1 negative feedback loop. |
| Legal status | Topical cosmetics legal in most jurisdictions; injectable form not FDA approved for any indication; research-use-only grey market | FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | allowed | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Topical OTC (cosmetic); injectable not FDA approved; research-chemical status | Rx only via compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; topical use likely low-risk; injectable not recommended | Category C (historical labeling); not recommended in pregnancy |
| CAS | 49557-75-7 | 86168-78-7 |
| PubChem CID | 73587 | 16129617 |
| Wikidata | Q3104638 | Q416620 |
Safety profile
GHK-Cu
Common side effects
- mild erythema at topical site
- transient itch
- blue-green discoloration of injection site (copper)
- rare contact dermatitis
Contraindications
- copper allergy
- Wilson disease
- open wound near injection site (caution)
- pregnancy (no data)
Interactions
- topical retinoids: additive irritation; alternate days or apply at different times(minor)
- topical vitamin C (ascorbic acid): ascorbate reduces Cu(II) to Cu(I), which can destabilize the GHK-Cu complex; separate by 30 minutes(minor)
Sermorelin
Common side effects
- injection-site pain or irritation
- transient flushing
- headache
- vivid dreams (pre-bed dosing)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- history of pituitary tumor
- diabetic retinopathy (theoretical)
- untreated hypothyroidism
Interactions
- ipamorelin: synergistic GH release via parallel GHRH and ghrelin pathways; standard anti-aging clinic pairing(minor)
- CJC-1295: pharmacologically redundant (both GHRH-pathway); typically not stacked(minor)
- insulin: sustained GH can blunt insulin sensitivity over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH response; reduce expected efficacy(moderate)
- levothyroxine (untreated hypothyroidism): untreated hypothyroidism blunts GH response; correct thyroid first(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Sermorelin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. GHK-Cu is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is skin health, pick GHK-Cu.
- → If your priority is wound healing, pick GHK-Cu.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick Sermorelin.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Sermorelin.
Default choice: Sermorelin. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for GHK-Cu only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between GHK-Cu and Sermorelin?
GHK-Cu and Sermorelin differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, GHK-Cu or Sermorelin?
GHK-Cu half-life is 0.5 hours; Sermorelin half-life is 0.25 hours.
Can you stack GHK-Cu with Sermorelin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper