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GLOW 70 mg
Peptide Library · Profile
GLOW 70 mg
A three-component blend of GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 — and the compound in our catalogue that most needs an honest page, because those three components have very different amounts of evidence behind them.
Blend total70 mg5 : 1 : 1 ratio
Elemental copper7.9 mgper vial
Human injection studies of GHK-Cu0by any route
WADA statusProhibited2 of 3 components
The short version
Plain English first. Everything below this section is the same material with the sources, the numbers and the caveats attached.
What it is
Three compounds premixed in one vial — GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500, at roughly five to one to one.
What has actually been measured
The components, separately, and mostly in animals. GHK-Cu does have genuine human evidence — and all of it is on the skin, in creams and gels.
What has not been measured
The blend. No study has ever given these three together, in any species. And no published human study has injected GHK-Cu by any route at all.
What most people get wrong
That it is three peptides. Most of the vial by mass is a copper complex — 7.9 mg of elemental copper, injected, going around the gut that normally regulates it.
What GLOW is
GLOW is a three-component blend supplied as a single 70 mg lyophilised vial containing GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 together. It is marketed for skin, hair and connective-tissue recovery, and it is genuinely popular. It is also the compound in our catalogue that most requires an honest page, because the three components have completely different evidence bases and a blend page that averages them into one reassuring paragraph would be misleading.
| Component | Mass in vial | Share | Evidence base |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHK-Cu | 50 mg | 71.4% | Topical human trials; no injection studies |
| BPC-157 | 10 mg | 14.3% | Extensive rodent data; ~30 humans total |
| TB-500 | 10 mg | 14.3% | No human trial has ever used this molecule |
Component split is the conventional GLOW formulation. Confirm the exact ratio on the certificate of analysis for the lot you receive — blend ratios are not standardised across suppliers.
The structural problem with any fixed blend
You cannot titrate one component without moving all three. If GHK-Cu is the component you want more of, you get 20% more BPC-157 and TB-500 whether you want them or not. And because GHK-Cu is 71% of the mass, the copper load is what actually constrains the amount — see the copper section below. Buying the three vials separately costs $188 against $100 for the blend, but it is the only way to move one variable at a time.
The three components
GHK-Cu — copper tripeptide-1 · 50 mg
Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine complexed 1:1 with copper(II). MW ≈ 401.9 Da, CAS 89030-95-5. Isolated from human plasma by Pickart and Thaler in 1973; plasma GHK falls from around 200 ng/mL at age 20 to about 80 ng/mL at 60.
Its affinity for Cu²⁺ sits in a deliberate physiological window — tight enough to take copper from albumin, loose enough to hand it to cuproenzymes including lysyl oxidase, superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c oxidase. It stimulates collagen synthesis in fibroblast culture,[2] modulates glycosaminoglycan and decorin expression in wounds[3] — decorin governs collagen fibril diameter and is central to the difference between scar and regenerated tissue — and raises integrin α6/β1 and p63 positivity in keratinocytes.[10]
The strongest independent corroboration is Campbell et al. in Genome Medicine: GHK was identified via the Connectivity Map as a compound that reverses the gene-expression signature of emphysematous lung destruction, and 10 nM for 48 hours restored actin-cytoskeleton organisation and collagen-contraction capacity in COPD-derived fibroblasts.[5] That concentration matters — see below.
Two things to know about the GHK-Cu literature
First, the great majority of the mechanistic review literature is authored by Loren Pickart, who discovered the molecule and holds commercial interests in it. Campbell et al. is the important independent work.
Second, the frequently cited "copper peptide grows hair" paper — Pyo et al. 2007 — used AHK-Cu, not GHK-Cu. It is routinely miscited as GHK-Cu evidence, including by vendors. It is not.
BPC-157 · 10 mg
Covered in full on its own page — VEGFR2 upregulation without raising VEGF, nitric oxide modulation, FAK–paxillin-driven fibroblast migration and growth hormone receptor upregulation in tendon. Read the full BPC-157 profile →
TB-500 · 10 mg — and an identity problem
"TB-500" names two different molecules
| Full-length thymosin β4 | "TB-500" fragment | |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence | 43 amino acids | Ac-LKKTETQ (residues 17–23) |
| Molecular weight | ≈ 4,963 Da | 889 Da |
| CAS | 77591-33-4 | 885340-08-9 |
| Used in human trials? | Yes — all of them | Never |
Both are sold under the name TB-500. A 10 mg vial contains either ≈ 11.2 µmol of the 7-mer or ≈ 2.0 µmol of the 43-mer — a 5.6-fold difference in molar quantity for identical labelled mass. Chemical characterisation of a commercial TB-500 product identified Ac-LKKTETQ,[9] and WADA's own detection work defines TB-500 as that fragment — yet multiple vendors list "TB-500" while describing full-length thymosin β4 on the product page. Check the molecular weight on the certificate of analysis, not the product name.
Thymosin β4 is the principal intracellular G-actin sequestering protein, present at 100–500 µM in most cells. The actin-binding determinant was mapped by mutational analysis to the LKKTETQ motif at residues 17–23[6] — which is the entire rationale for the fragment. Note the logical gap: the isolated heptapeptide binds actin far more weakly than the intact protein, whose activity depends on the flanking helices. "The active region" is a claim about binding epitope, not equivalent potency.
There is a further consequence specific to blends. Full-length Tβ4 is a physiological reservoir for Ac-SDKP (residues 1–4), an independently antifibrotic peptide released by prolyl oligopeptidase. Several benefits attributed to "TB-500" actually derive from Ac-SDKP — which cannot be generated from the Ac-LKKTETQ fragment at all.
The copper arithmetic
This is the section no vendor page publishes, and it is the single most defensible safety point about GLOW.
Copper is 15.8% of GHK-Cu by mass (63.546 ÷ 401.91). A 70 mg GLOW vial containing 50 mg of GHK-Cu therefore holds approximately 7.9 mg of elemental copper.
Why the oral upper limit is a floor, not a ceiling
The 10 mg/day Tolerable Upper Intake Level from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements applies to oral copper, where intestinal absorption is homeostatically regulated — the gut simply stops taking up copper it does not need. Injected copper bypasses that regulation entirely. The oral UL is therefore not a valid ceiling for parenteral use; it is a marker for where concern begins.
At 2 mg of GHK-Cu per administration, each dose delivers roughly 316 mcg of elemental copper — about 35% of the adult RDA — parenterally. Repeated daily, that approaches and can exceed physiological handling capacity over a cycle. This is the stated reason GHK-Cu conventions involve cycling rather than continuous use.
Copper excess causes liver damage and gastrointestinal symptoms. Anyone with Wilson's disease or another hereditary copper-metabolism disorder is at markedly elevated risk. Copper status is monitorable — serum copper, ceruloplasmin and liver enzymes.
And a dose–response mismatch nobody discusses
Published GHK-Cu activity in fibroblasts occurs at 1–10 nanomolar. The Campbell COPD work used 10 nM. Milligram-scale subcutaneous administration produces transient concentrations many orders of magnitude above the range in which the compound was ever shown to do anything. There is no evidence that higher is better, and a coherent mechanistic argument that it may not be — excess free copper is redox-active and can drive Fenton-type oxidative damage, the opposite of the antioxidant effect claimed at physiological concentrations.
Reconstitution — 70 mg vial
Because GLOW is a fixed blend, every draw carries all three components in the same 5 : 1 : 1 ratio. The table below shows total blend mass per unit and the component split it contains.
| BAC water | Concentration | Blend per unit | GHK-Cu | BPC-157 | TB-500 | Cu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | 35 mg/mL | 350 mcg | 250 mcg | 50 mcg | 50 mcg | 39.5 mcg |
| 3 mL ★ | 23.3 mg/mL | 233 mcg | 167 mcg | 33 mcg | 33 mcg | 26.3 mcg |
| 5 mL | 14 mg/mL | 140 mcg | 100 mcg | 20 mcg | 20 mcg | 15.8 mcg |
★ 3 mL is the common choice — check the vial physically holds it. The final column is elemental copper per U-100 unit, which is the quantity to track across a cycle rather than blend milligrams.
Worked example
Reconstituted at 3 mL, a 10-unit draw delivers:
- 2.33 mg total blend
- 1.67 mg GHK-Cu · 333 mcg BPC-157 · 333 mcg TB-500
- 263 mcg elemental copper — about 29% of the adult daily RDA, parenterally
The whole vial contains 30 such draws and 7.9 mg of copper in total. At one draw daily that is a 30-day cycle delivering roughly 79% of a single day's oral upper limit, spread across a month, bypassing gut regulation.
Reported protocol conventions
Commonly reported — not clinically established
There are no published human injection studies of GHK-Cu by any route, at any dose. There is no published pharmacokinetic study of GHK-Cu in humans or animals — any half-life figure you find online is unsourced, and we will not repeat one. There is no human trial of the TB-500 fragment. The conventions below are market practice with no evidential support, documented because they are what is searched for. Nothing here is a direction to administer anything to any person.
| Convention | Commonly reported |
|---|---|
| Amount per administration | 1–2.5 mg total blend |
| Frequency | Daily, or 3–5 times weekly |
| Cycle length | 4–6 weeks |
| Washout | 4+ weeks — motivated explicitly by copper accumulation |
| Route | Subcutaneous; GHK-Cu alone is also used topically |
| Vial duration | 70 mg ≈ 28–70 administrations depending on amount |
Note the mismatch worth thinking about: a reconstituted vial is conventionally considered good for about 28 days, and a 70 mg vial at the lower end of the reported range will outlast that. Plan the cycle around the solution's shelf life, not the vial's contents.
Storage
Standard peptide handling applies — lyophilised at −20 °C for long-term, reconstituted at 2–8 °C protected from light, no freeze–thaw of solution. GLOW has one distinctive property worth using:
The colour is a stability indicator
GHK-Cu is a copper complex and reconstituted GLOW should be distinctly blue. Loss of that blue, a shift toward green or brown, or any precipitate means the copper complex has broken down. Most peptide solutions give you no visual signal at all when they degrade; this one does. Use it. Being a coloured complex also makes GLOW more light- and oxidation-sensitive than a plain peptide — keep it in the carton.
No manufacturer stability study specific to GHK-Cu or to this blend exists. The guidance above is standard practice plus the chemistry of the complex, not a cited stability dataset.
Reported effects and side effects
What the components' literature reports
- GHK-Cu: increased collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycan and decorin synthesis; improved skin firmness, density and clarity in 12-week topical cosmetic studies; enhanced diabetic ulcer healing; an 87% reduction in iron release from ferritin; NF-κB, TNF and IL-6 suppression.
- BPC-157: tendon, gut and vascular repair in rodent models — see its own page.
- TB-500 / Tβ4: accelerated re-epithelialisation and angiogenesis in rodent wounds; cardiomyocyte survival via ILK/Akt. All in the full-length protein. Human efficacy remained unproven in every completed controlled trial — the pressure-ulcer, venous-ulcer and neurotrophic keratopathy programmes all met safety endpoints and missed efficacy endpoints.
Reported side effects
- Injection-site reactions are the most commonly reported issue with GHK-Cu-containing blends — stinging or burning on injection, erythema, localised swelling, and transient blue-green discolouration at the site from the copper. No controlled data exist; these are uncontrolled reports.
- Copper accumulation — the principal mechanism-based concern, covered above.
- Theoretical proliferative concern follows from both BPC-157's VEGFR2-driven angiogenesis and thymosin β4's pro-migratory action and overexpression in several tumour types. Mechanism-based caution, not an observed clinical finding.
Where the topical evidence is genuinely good
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel assessed Copper Tripeptide-1 and concluded it is safe as used in cosmetics, on negative irritation and sensitisation testing.[13] That conclusion is explicitly scoped to topical cosmetic use and does not extend to injection — a distinction vendor pages routinely blur.
Regulatory and anti-doping status
| Component | WADA | FDA |
|---|---|---|
| GHK-Cu | Not on the Prohibited List | Not approved as a drug; on the bulk substances page as "nominated but withdrawn". Established cosmetic ingredient (INCI: Copper Tripeptide-1). |
| BPC-157 | S0 — prohibited at all times since 1 Jan 2022 | Removed from Category 2 in April 2026; PCAC voted 8–6 in July 2026 to recommend Bulks List addition. Still an unapproved drug. |
| TB-500 / Tβ4 | S2 — prohibited at all times, named explicitly | Not approved; "nominated but withdrawn" on the bulks page. WADA has validated urine detection to 50 pg/mL. |
For any athlete under the WADA Code, GLOW is prohibited — two of its three components are banned at all times, and thymosin β4 detection methods are validated and in use.
Frequently asked
Is the blend better value than buying the components separately?
On price, yes: $100 against $188 for GHK-Cu 50 mg ($55) + BPC-157 10 mg ($65) + TB-500 10 mg ($68) — an $88 saving, about 47%. On control, no. A fixed blend means you cannot change one component without changing all three, and since GHK-Cu is 71% of the mass, the copper load sets your ceiling regardless of what you actually wanted more of.
How much copper am I actually dealing with?
A 70 mg GLOW vial contains about 7.9 mg of elemental copper, because GHK-Cu is 15.8% copper by mass. The adult oral tolerable upper limit is 10 mg per day — but that limit assumes gut absorption, which is homeostatically regulated. Injected copper bypasses that regulation, so the oral limit is not a valid ceiling. This is the single most important number on this page.
Why does the solution turn blue?
Because GHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex, and that is what copper complexes look like. It is useful: a shift away from blue, toward green or brown, or any precipitate, tells you the complex has degraded. Most peptide solutions give no visual warning at all.
What is the difference between GLOW and KLOW?
KLOW is GLOW plus KPV, the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH, at 80 mg total. KPV has an anti-inflammatory literature centred on NF-κB suppression without melanocortin receptor binding, largely in colitis models. It adds a fourth uncontrollable variable to a blend that already has three.
Should I be worried about the TB-500 identity issue?
You should be aware of it. Material sold as TB-500 may be a 7-amino-acid fragment (889 Da) or the full-length 43-amino-acid protein (4,963 Da) — a 5.6-fold molar difference for the same labelled mass, and essentially all the published biology used the full-length form. Check the molecular weight on the certificate of analysis. We flag it because it changes what the component can plausibly do, not because either form is unsafe.
Is GLOW banned in sport?
Yes. BPC-157 is prohibited at all times under WADA S0 and thymosin β4 and its derivatives — TB-500 named explicitly — under S2. Validated urine detection for TB-500 exists down to 50 pg/mL. GHK-Cu alone is not prohibited, but that does not help when it arrives in the same syringe.
References
- Tripeptide in human serum which prolongs survival of normal liver cells
Pickart L, Thaler MM · Nature New Biology · 1973;243:85–87 - Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide–copper complex GHK-Cu²⁺
Maquart FX et al. · FEBS Letters · 1988;238(2):343–346 · View source - Expression of glycosaminoglycans and small proteoglycans in wounds: modulation by GHK-Cu²⁺
Siméon A et al. · Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2000;115(6):962–968 · View source - Enhanced healing of ulcers in patients with diabetes by topical treatment with GHL-Cu
Mulder GD et al. · Wound Repair and Regeneration · 1994;2(4):259–269 · View source - A gene expression signature of emphysema-related lung destruction and its reversal by the tripeptide GHK
Campbell JD et al. · Genome Medicine · 2012;4(8):67 · PMID 22937864 · View source - The actin binding site of thymosin β4 mapped by mutational analysis
Van Troys M et al. · EMBO Journal · 1996;15(2):201–210 · PMID 8617195 · View source - Thymosin β4 accelerates wound healing
Malinda KM et al. · Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 1999;113(3):364–368 · PMID 10469335 · View source - Thymosin β4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair
Bock-Marquette I et al. · Nature · 2004;432(7016):466–472 · View source - Doping control analysis of TB-500, a synthetic version of an active region of thymosin β4, in equine urine and plasma
Ho ENM et al. · Journal of Chromatography A · 2012;1265:57–69 · View source - Copper-GHK increases integrin expression and p63 positivity by keratinocytes
Kang YA et al. · Archives of Dermatological Research · 2009;301(4):301–306 · View source - GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in skin regeneration
Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A · BioMed Research International · 2015;2015:648108 · PMID 26236730 · View source - A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin β4 in healthy volunteers
Ruff D et al. · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2010;1194:223–229 · PMID 20536472 · View source - Safety assessment of tripeptide-1, hexapeptide-12, their metal salts and fatty acyl derivatives as used in cosmetics
Johnson W Jr et al., Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel · International Journal of Toxicology · 2018 · View source - Copper — fact sheet for health professionals
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements · View source
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Nothing on this page is dosing guidance, and no figure here should be read as a recommendation.