L-Lysine for Wound Healing

Research suggests that L-lysine and lysine-containing compounds are associated with wound healing through several distinct mechanisms, with the strongest and most consistent evidence centered on GHK-Cu (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper complex), a naturally occurring peptide in which lysine serves as a structural component. Multiple reviews indicate that GHK-Cu promotes collagen and elastin synthesis, attracts immune and vascular cells to wound sites, modulates tissue-remodeling enzymes, and influences thousands of genes involved in regenerative processes across skin, bone, liver, and other tissues. Studies also indicate that lysine-derived polymers such as ε-poly-L-lysine and poly-L-lysine have been incorporated into experimental wound dressings — including hydrogels and nanogel particles — where they contribute antimicrobial properties and support tissue regeneration in laboratory and animal models, and one metabolomics study found that elevated L-lysine levels were associated with improved macrophage function and enhanced healing in diabetic wound models. However, it is important to note that the available evidence consists primarily of laboratory studies, animal models, and narrative reviews rather than human clinical trials, meaning that findings regarding direct supplementation with L-lysine for wound healing in people remain preliminary and warrant further controlled investigation before firm conclusions can be drawn.