The Substance: GHK-Cu and KPV Peptides

This week we are exploring the peptide “Substances” GHK-Cu and KPV. If you missed last week’s newsletter, be sure and check it out as it explains what peptides are and dives into BPC-157 and Thymosin.

Once again, I want to be very clear that the FDA has not approved the use of these drugs but they have moved them into a different category so they can actually be compounded. Right now, these are being made in research facilities so please read all my cautions about this in the last newsletter. Legit compounding pharmacies are gearing up to produce these soon.

Let’s take a look at this week’s featured peptides, GHK-Cu and KPV. Both of these tout some interesting anti-aging effects among other suggested uses. READ ON ….

GHK-Cu (Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Copper) is a naturally occurring copper-binding peptide that is found in our plasma which declines as we age. It was discovered in 1973 and has had decades of research for wound healing and skin improvement. It is thought to down-regulate inflammatory molecules (cytokines) and up-regulate antioxidant enzymes. The best news is it doesn’t take over and do the job for our cells but rather serves as a reminder to our own cells how to function properly and work at full capacity. This is why the peptide world is putting it on the radar for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing benefits.

One of the most extensively studied uses of GHK-Cu in humans is using this as a topical skin creams. It has been demonstrated to:

Tighten loose skin and improve elasticity.
Improve skin density and firmness.
Reduce fine lines and deep wrinkles.
Improve skin clarity.
Reduce photodamage and mottled hyper-pigmentation.
Wound healing
And more…

Are you getting excited? I am…

Other uses under investigation in lab and animal studies include:

GHK-Cu is starting to gain attention in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s are very copper rich but the overall status of a person with Alzheimer’s brain seems to be copper deficiency. Preliminary studies in animals are indicating that adding copper may actually be protective. Studies are still in the animal phases so stay tuned on this application.
Studies in the lab and in animals also report improvement in COPD and liver damage.
A well-known action of GHK-Cu is it stimulates blood vessel growth and the synthesis of collagen and elastin which helps strengthen the blood vessel wall. This is one of the important actions regarding wound healing. Even with the possible blood vessel growth, it was shown to suppress 70% of genes overexpressed in metastatic colon cancer in the lab. There is concern since this stimulates cell growth that it could increase cancer growth, however in animal studies it seems to do the opposite. More research needs to be done before using this in anyone with active cancer though.

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Dosing:

Face: Apply daily. May cause irritation and redness that resolves when you stop or decrease the amount.

Injection: daily for 10-21 days and then stop.

Side Effects:

May cause copper toxicity. The luna of the nail (the small white part at the base) may turn blue. Monitor your blood work if doing injectables for high copper and consider zinc supplementation to help with keeping the zinc/copper balance intact.
Redness, pain at the site of the injection
Rare reactions include redness, transient muscle atrophy, polyarthralgia, hand swelling and rashes.

My take:

I am super excited for the possibility of improving skin texture using it as a topical serum. We even have it in stock at the office as I am trying it out! If there is difficulty with healing a wound then this may have a role.

More studies in humans need to be done before using long-term as majority of research is in the lab and animals.

KPV, a tripeptide containing amino acids lysine-proline-valine which stimulates an ⍺-Melanocyte hormone. KPV is thought to have anti-inflammatory activity and reduces cytokine release which causes inflammation. May also help with colitis when given orally based on animal studies.

There is limited literature on KPV in animals but some promising results in lab research. I was not able to find any human case reports or studies. Since KPV is supposed to stimulate ⍺-Melanocyte hormone I took a look at the research for this hormone which is also primarily in the lab and animals. Here is a list of potential indications: