Intermediate Injury Recovery With the GLOW/KLOW Stack

Once vascular flow returns, lingering inflammation and low cellular energy can still keep tissue stuck in a half-healed state. Tier II of the Peptide Fox injury ladder—nicknamed GLOW/KLOW—combines NAD⁺, GHK-Cu, and KPV to deliver high-energy, low-inflammation remodeling. Here’s how to deploy it through weeks 4–10 for tendons, ligaments, and post-surgical repairs that need a true rebuild—and to capture search intent around “GHK-Cu peptide protocol,” “KPV for inflammation,” and “NAD plus tendon recovery.”

Quick SEO Takeaways

• GLOW (GHK-Cu + NAD⁺) restores cellular energy and collagen quality; KLOW (KPV) prevents cytokine flare-ups.
• Expect tissue texture and strength to change rapidly between weeks five and eight when dosing stays consistent.
• This tier bridges foundational peptides and growth-hormone secretagogues, making it the essential middle chapter of any injury recovery keyword strategy.

What GLOW/KLOW Actually Means

• GLOW — GHK-Cu + NAD⁺: restore redox balance and reboot collagen gene expression so tissue gains tensile strength instead of stiff scar tissue.
• KLOW — KPV: calm NF-κB–driven cytokine chatter without steroid-style suppression, allowing remodeling to continue uninterrupted.

Together they create a repair environment that is energetic, organized, and predictable.

Why This Tier Matters

• NAD⁺ refuels the ATP economy. It keeps β-oxidation humming, activates sirtuins for mitochondrial upkeep, and prevents the “brown-out” that leaves injured areas feeling drained after light activity.
• GHK-Cu writes the blueprint for quality collagen. By balancing MMP activity, activating lysyl oxidase, and recruiting VEGF, it aligns new fibers in parallel layers that move and load like original tissue.
• KPV silences residual inflammation. Instead of blunt-force NSAID suppression, it prevents unnecessary cytokine transcription and preserves immune signaling that supports healing.

Expected Timeline

Dosing Plan

Implementation tips

• Inject NAD⁺ on its own; buffer with saline if stingy.
• Dose GHK-Cu in the evening—collagen synthesis hits its stride overnight.
• KPV can share a syringe with BPC-157 if you’re still running the Wolverine stack locally.
• Support copper metabolism with 15–25 mg zinc and ~1 mg manganese daily.

Training & Lifestyle Integration

• Resume progressive strength work: 2–4 resistance sessions per week plus 7–10k daily steps.
• Keep protein near 1 g per lb of body weight; collagen and glycine continue to help fiber assembly.
• Prioritize 7–9 hours of sleep—NAD⁺ and GHK-Cu both sync with the circadian repair window.

Safety Profile

Avoid high-dose NSAIDs or corticosteroid injections while on this tier—they suppress the microangiogenesis you built in Tier I.

Graduation Criteria for Tier III

• Range of motion ≥90% of baseline
• Strength deficit ≤10% compared with the uninjured side
• No swelling after heavy loading days
• Energy and sleep remain stable through the workweek

Meet those benchmarks and you're ready to layer in ARA-290 with GH secretagogues for neural and endocrine reintegration.

Complete Injury Recovery Tier System

You're reading: Tier II — Energy & Collagen Restoration (Weeks 4-10)

Tier Progression

Where You Came From

← Tier I: Wolverine Stack — Foundation vascular restoration with BPC-157 + TB-500

Ready to Advance?

→ Tier III: GH/EPO Fragments — When tissue is rebuilt but neural inhibition and hormone timing still hold you back

Related MITT Articles

• MITT-Stack White Paper — Scientific deep-dive on mitochondrial protocols
• Mitochondrial Stack for GLP-1 — MITT application for weight loss

Quick FAQ

Do I have to take all three? For full effect, yes. NAD⁺ powers the cellular engines, GHK-Cu tells them what to build, and KPV ensures the environment stays calm.
Can I pulse the doses? You can reduce NAD⁺ to 3× weekly once energy stabilizes, but keep GHK-Cu and KPV consistent for at least eight weeks.
What if skin looks irritated near injections? Rotate sites; GHK-Cu can cause mild histamine release in sensitive individuals—antihistamine 30 minutes pre-dose can help.

Get the GLOW/KLOW stack dialed in and you'll transform "healed enough" tissue into resilient, load-ready structure that actually performs like the original.

Scientific References

Evidence Level: Emerging-Moderate (Level B/C)

This Tier II protocol combines peptides with varying evidence levels: NAD+ (Level B - multiple RCTs), GHK-Cu (Level B/C - RCTs in dermatology), and KPV (Level C - preclinical + IBD trials).

Key Research Citations

NAD+ — Cellular Energy & Redox Balance

• Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2021) — Comprehensive review of NAD+ metabolism in aging and disease
• Cell Reports Medicine / npj Aging (2018–2023) — Multiple RCTs showing NMN/NR elevate NAD+ with anti-inflammatory signatures
• Cell Metabolism (2016, Camacho-Pereira et al.) — CD38 drives age-related NAD+ decline
• Mechanisms: Sirtuin activation, PARP regulation, mitochondrial biogenesis, circadian CLOCK/BMAL1 signaling
• Clinical: Level B evidence with human trials demonstrating tissue NAD+ elevation

GHK-Cu — Collagen Synthesis & Gene Modulation

• Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology / Oxidative Medicine & Cellular Longevity (2012–2022)
• Clinical dermatology RCTs — Dermal thickness ↑, wrinkle depth ↓ vs vehicle/retinoids, improved wound closure
• Mechanisms: Gene-set modulation (~4,000 genes), collagen/elastin upregulation, lysyl oxidase activation, iron homeostasis
• Clinical: Level B/C evidence with RCTs in skin/wound healing

KPV (α-MSH Fragment) — Anti-Inflammatory Signaling

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Peptides (2014–2021)
• Mechanisms: NF-κB inhibition, mast-cell stabilization, PepT1-targeted delivery to inflamed tissue
• Applications: Colitis models, inflammatory tissue repair
• Clinical: Level C evidence (mechanistic data + IBD trials)

Evidence Interpretation

The GLOW/KLOW combination leverages:

• ✓ NAD+ with strongest human data (multiple RCTs, biomarker validation)
• ✓ GHK-Cu with proven dermatological efficacy (FDA-regulated trials)
• ✓ KPV with robust mechanistic data and early clinical signals
• ✓ Synergistic mechanisms: energy restoration (NAD+) + collagen quality (GHK-Cu) + inflammation control (KPV)

Clinical Classification: Emerging-Moderate Evidence (combination of Level B and Level C components)

References

Mitochondrial & Repair Axis Research

Mitochondrial Function:

1. NAD⁺ metabolism in aging and disease — Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2021). Comprehensive review on NAD⁺ synthesis, CD38-mediated decline, PARP consumption, and sirtuin signaling.

1. CD38 drives age-related NAD⁺ decline — Cell Metabolism (2016, Camacho-Pereira et al.). Demonstrates CD38 upregulation as a major NAD⁺ sink in aging/inflammation.

1. NAD⁺ precursors increase tissue NAD⁺ in humans — Cell Reports Medicine / npj Aging (2018–2023). Multiple RCTs showing NMN/NR elevate NAD⁺ with anti-inflammatory signatures.

Repair & Collagen:

1. GHK-Cu — Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology / Oxidative Medicine & Cellular Longevity (2012–2022). Gene-set modulation (~4k genes), collagen/elastin upregulation, iron homeostasis, skin/wound trials.

1. GHK-Cu clinical dermatology — RCTs: dermal thickness ↑, wrinkle depth ↓ vs vehicle/retinoids, improved wound closure.

1. KPV (α-MSH fragment) — Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Peptides (2014–2021). NF-κB inhibition, mast-cell stabilization; colitis models; PepT1-targeted delivery to inflamed gut.

For current trial data:

• ClinicalTrials.gov: "NAD+ aging" OR "NMN clinical trial"
• PubMed: "GHK-Cu wound healing" OR "KPV anti-inflammatory"