AHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of the tripeptide alanyl-histidyl-lysine, a synthetic cousin of the natural copper peptide GHK-Cu in which glycine is swapped for alanine.
Amounts reported for AHK-Cu are listed under Reported protocols, each with its source and study kind. No amount ladder is inferred from them. This is educational source context, not a protocol or recommendation.
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What published studies and recent community write-ups report about amounts, timing and course length. 1 preclinical and 3 community-reported rows, each linked to its source. These are descriptions of what others report, not instructions, and nothing here is medical advice.
| Context | Dose | Frequency | Route | Course | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preclinical1 row | |||||
| Ex vivo human hair follicle and dermal papilla cell studyIsolated human hair follicles and cultured dermal papilla cells (Seoul National University) | 10^-12 to 10^-9 molar in the culture medium | Continuous exposure in culture | Cell and organ culture | Duration of the culture experimentsNot applicable | Archives of Pharmacal Research (PubMed)2007 |
| AHK-Cu lengthened hair follicles and increased dermal papilla cell proliferation across this concentration range, raised the Bcl-2 to Bax ratio and lowered cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, although the reduction in apoptotic cells at 10^-9 molar was not statistically significant. The study notes that the related tripeptide-copper complex also raised VEGF and lowered TGF-beta1 in fibroblasts. This is the only peer-reviewed AHK-Cu experiment, and it was done on tissue in a dish. | |||||
| Community-reported3 rows | |||||
| Cosmetic formulation guide for scalp serums | 0.5-1% in finished serums (range quoted 0.3-2%); about 0.25 mL per application | Once daily to start, in the evening; twice daily if tolerated | Topical to a clean, dry scalp, massaged in for 1-2 minutes | Open-ended; increase to 1% or twice-daily application only after tolerance is establishedNone described for topical use | Community resource2026 |
| This 2026 guide gives the formulation math (a 2.5-5% stock solution diluted into a carrier, landing at roughly 4-25 mg of AHK-Cu per mL of final product) and warns that concentrations above 2% add irritation risk without proportional benefit and that a vividly blue product signals excess copper. It points out that the laboratory concentration of 10^-9 molar is about 0.35 micrograms per mL, far below any serum, so the topical percentages are formulation convention rather than a translation of the study. | |||||
| Community profile covering topical and injectable use | Topical: 0.5-1% serum, 4-6 drops per application; injectable figures quoted as 100 mcg, 250 mcg or 500 mcg | Topical once or twice daily; injectable described as daily | Topical to scalp or skin; subcutaneous described but flagged as unsupported | Topical protocols of 12-24 weeks; injectable use described as 8-12 weeksTopical use continuous; a 4-week break is described after injectable cycles | Community resource2026 |
| The page is explicit that its injectable numbers are derived by analogy from GHK-Cu, that fewer than 15 injectable experience reports exist online and that no pharmacokinetic or safety data support injection, while topical use is the better-supported route by default. It also records that most topical users combine AHK-Cu with minoxidil, which makes any reported result impossible to attribute to the peptide. | |||||
| Research-vendor listing (format only) | 100 mg per lyophilized vial; a third-party certificate reports 99.72% purity and 107.06 mg measured | Not stated | Not stated; sold for laboratory research only | Not statedNot stated | Community resource2026 |
| This is a vendor page, not a protocol. The listed CAS number (682809-81-0) and the charged formula with chloride belong to the hydrochloride salt record, and the 100 mg vial size reflects the compound's use as a bulk formulation ingredient rather than a dosed peptide. The page gives no dosing information. | |||||
Formulation guides describe starting a 0.5% serum once daily on a clean, dry scalp in the evening and watching for irritation before changing anything.
If tolerated, the same guides move to twice-daily application or a 1% concentration, one change at a time. Community reports place any early shedding in the first 4-6 weeks and describe it as settling by weeks 6-8.
Topical protocols are described as running 12-24 weeks before judging the result, because a hair growth cycle takes months. No study has measured any of these time points; they are hair-biology assumptions applied to an untested product.
Plus 3 community resources (dosing guides, forum threads and vendor write-ups), reported above but not linked.
AHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of the tripeptide alanyl-histidyl-lysine, a synthetic cousin of the natural copper peptide GHK-Cu in which glycine is swapped for alanine. It is sold mainly as a cosmetic ingredient for scalp and skin serums, and its evidence base is a single 2007 Korean study in which picomolar to nanomolar concentrations lengthened isolated human hair follicles and stimulated dermal papilla cells. No animal or human trial of any kind has been published, so every concentration used in serums and every injectable figure quoted on forums is an extrapolation from GHK-Cu practice, and the vendor lists the compound by the CAS number of its hydrochloride salt.
These themes describe recurring questions in published research. They are not claims of effectiveness or recommendations for use.
Tissue repair, extracellular matrix and recovery models.
Collagen, skin signaling and connective-tissue models.
AHK-Cu lengthened hair follicles and increased dermal papilla cell proliferation across this concentration range, raised the Bcl-2 to Bax ratio and lowered cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, although the reduction in.
This 2026 guide gives the formulation math (a 2.5-5% stock solution diluted into a carrier, landing at roughly 4-25 mg of AHK-Cu per mL of final product) and warns that concentrations above 2% add irritation risk.
The page is explicit that its injectable numbers are derived by analogy from GHK-Cu, that fewer than 15 injectable experience reports exist online and that no pharmacokinetic or safety data support injection, while.
This is a vendor page, not a protocol. The listed CAS number (682809-81-0) and the charged formula with chloride belong to the hydrochloride salt record, and the 100 mg vial size reflects the compound's use as a bulk.
Study models remain visible so laboratory and animal findings are not mistaken for established human outcomes.
1 protocol row describe animal, cell or toxicology work. Amounts from these rows do not translate to people.
3 rows record what blogs, vendor write-ups or forums describe for AHK-Cu. None has been verified against primary literature.
Sequence, synonyms and registry identifiers as recorded in PubChem, the National Library of Medicine's open chemistry database. Formula, mass and CAS number are summarized at the top of the page.
Ala-His-Lys complexed with one copper(II) ion
AHK-Cu, Ala-His-Lys copper complex, L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II), Copper tripeptide-3 (cosmetic trade usage), orb1942089
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copper (2S)-6-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[(2S)-2-aminopropanoyl]azanidyl-3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoyl]amino]hexanoate
2 curated references, each with its journal, year and study model, plus 3 community resources reported but not linked.