GHK-Cu Dosage Guide: Vial Reconstitution, Injection Volumes, and Research Protocols

GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide GHK-Cu) is one of the most studied peptides for skin repair, collagen synthesis, and wound healing. This guide covers everything you need to know about reconstituting a GHK-Cu vial and calculating accurate injection volumes for research purposes.

What Vials Typically Come In

GHK-Cu for research is most commonly supplied in lyophilised (freeze-dried) powder form at:

• 50 mg vials (most common for topical/cosmetic research)
• 5 mg vials (standard for subcutaneous injection research)
• 10 mg vials (occasionally available)

Verify the vial size on your certificate of analysis before reconstitution.

How to Reconstitute GHK-Cu

Reconstitution uses bacteriostatic water (BW) — sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative. Standard bacteriostatic water extends the shelf life of the reconstituted peptide significantly compared to plain sterile water.

Step-by-step reconstitution for a 5 mg vial:

1. Clean the vial top with an alcohol swab and allow to dry

2. Draw 1 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe

3. Inject the water slowly down the side of the vial (do not aim at the powder)

4. Swirl gently — do not shake. Shaking denatures the peptide

5. Allow 2-3 minutes for complete dissolution

6. The solution should be clear and colourless; discard if cloudy

Resulting concentration: 5 mg in 1 mL = 5 mg/mL (5000 mcg/mL)

You can adjust the bacteriostatic water volume to achieve a preferred working concentration. For example:

• Add 2 mL BW to 5 mg → 2.5 mg/mL (2500 mcg/mL)
• Add 5 mL BW to 5 mg → 1 mg/mL (1000 mcg/mL)

Standard Research Dosage Ranges

Research studies on GHK-Cu use a range of doses depending on the application:

For human research extrapolation, subcutaneous doses of 1–3 mg per injection 2–3 times weekly are most commonly referenced.

Injection Volume Table

Using a 5 mg/mL reconstituted solution (5 mg dissolved in 1 mL BW):

Use our Dose Calculator to determine your exact injection volumes for any vial size, concentration, or target dose.

Frequency, Timing, and Cycle Length

Subcutaneous injection protocol (from research literature):

• Frequency: 2–3 injections per week
• Timing: No specific time requirement; evening administration is common
• Cycle length: 8–12 weeks, followed by a 4-week break

Topical application protocol:

• Apply to target area once or twice daily
• Cycle length: Continuous use acceptable given the established safety profile

Storage After Reconstitution

• Store at 2–8°C (standard refrigerator)
• Protect from direct light
• Use within 28 days of reconstitution
• Lyophilised powder (unreconstituted): store at -20°C for long-term storage