Loading the comparison…
Loading the comparison…
Longevity & Skin
Tetrapeptide proposed to support telomerase and circadian rhythm.
Longevity & Skin
A natural copper-binding tripeptide with decades of skin research.
Epithalon is not FDA-approved and rated 2/5 for evidence; GHK-Cu is not FDA-approved and rated 3/5. GHK-Cu has more human evidence behind it. Epithalon is banned in sport by WADA; GHK-Cu is not. Both are used for longevity & skin goals.
| Compare | Epithalon Tetrapeptide proposed to support telomerase and circadian rhythm. | GHK-Cu A natural copper-binding tripeptide with decades of skin research. |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Longevity & Skin | Longevity & Skin |
| Evidence | 2/5Mostly Russian research groups; independent replication lacking. | 3/5Several small human topical/cosmetic studies; injection data is mainly preclinical. |
| FDA status | Not FDA-approved | Cosmetic ingredient; injectable not approved |
| WADA (sport) | Banned | Not on the Prohibited List |
| Also known as | Epitalon, Epithalone, AEDG | Copper tripeptide-1, Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper |
| How it works | Proposed to activate telomerase and boost melatonin production from the pineal gland. Mechanisms not confirmed by independent Western research. | Delivers copper to tissue, stimulates collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, supports wound remodeling, and appears to reset expression of many genes toward a younger profile (gene-expression studies). |
| Half-life | Short | Short (minutes–hours); effects driven by gene/repair signaling |
| Commonly reported doses |
|
|
| Route | Subcutaneous | Subcutaneous |
| Good once mixed | ~30 days in the fridge | ~30 days in the fridge |
| Top side effects |
|
|
| Lowest research-listing price per mg | $1.80 (10 mg vial, 40% off) | $0.35 (100 mg vial, 40% off) |
| Latest lab purity | 99.26% (lot EPI0002) | 99.94% (lot GHK0003) |
Want a third? Add another peptide. Doses are commonly reported ranges, not recommendations.
Free for ChatGPT and Claude
Connect MyPeps to ChatGPT or Claude and ask follow-ups about Epithalon and GHK-Cu. It answers from these same pages, with links back here.
Epithalon is not FDA-approved and rated 2/5 for evidence; GHK-Cu is not FDA-approved and rated 3/5. GHK-Cu has more human evidence behind it. Epithalon is banned in sport by WADA; GHK-Cu is not. Both are used for longevity & skin goals.
Epithalon: Not FDA-approved. GHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; injectable not approved. Regulations change, so confirm with the FDA.
Epithalon is rated 2 out of 5: Mostly Russian research groups; independent replication lacking. GHK-Cu is rated 3 out of 5: Several small human topical/cosmetic studies; injection data is mainly preclinical. The scale is explained on our methodology page.
Epithalon is banned by WADA, by name or as part of a named class. GHK-Cu is not named on the WADA list, though the general rule on non-approved substances (S0) can still apply.