Carl read the papersWhat it actually is
SS-31 (elamipretide) is a peptide that concentrates in mitochondria and binds cardiolipin, a lipid critical to the inner membrane where energy is made.
By stabilising that membrane, it aims to protect mitochondria from damage, reduce oxidative stress and keep ATP production efficient — especially in tissues that are energy-hungry or aging.
How it’s thought to work
- Cardiolipin binding — stabilises the inner mitochondrial membrane.
- Reduces oxidative stress — limits damaging reactive oxygen species.
- Protects ATP output — helps mitochondria keep producing energy efficiently.
- Cellular resilience — studied in heart, muscle and eye conditions.
What the research says
Has reached human clinical trials (notably for mitochondrial and heart conditions) — more clinical development than most peptides here, with mixed results. In September 2025 the FDA gave it accelerated approval (as Forzinity) for Barth syndrome, a rare inherited mitochondrial disease.
- Mitochondrial protection and ATP efficiency.
- Heart, muscle and age-related conditions (trials).
- Oxidative-stress and longevity research.
Watch: SS-31 explained
Video by Peptides-explained-easy on YouTube. Not affiliated with Peptide Carl and not an endorsement — included because a second explanation of the same mechanism is often what makes it click.
Reported protocols
These are the doses the peptide community actually reports running (Reddit & forums), alongside published research — logged for education, not as a recommendation to use.
| Parameter | Commonly reported range |
|---|---|
| Community dose | ~5 mg/day (range 5–10, occ. 20) — NOTE the clinical dose is 40 mg/day |
| Frequency | Daily, or a few × / week |
| Route | Subcutaneous |
| Cycle | Short 4-week blocks / intermittent |
| Community tip | Real first-hand dosing logs are sparse — treat these as low-confidence estimates |
Common use cases
| Goal | Community protocol notes |
|---|---|
| Mitochondrial protection | ~5 mg/day subQ, short blocks |
| Before a MOTS-c cycle | commonly run 4–6 wks prior |
| (Reality) | community dosing is low-confidence |
Mixing it (reconstitution)
Freeze-dried peptides must be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before they can be measured. Carl’s calculator turns “mg in the vial + ml of water + target dose” into “units on the syringe” — and tells you how long the vial lasts.
→ Open the Reconstitution Calculator
Injection & handling
SubQ, community ~5 mg/day (the clinical dose is far higher at 40 mg). Daily or a few×/week, in short 4-week blocks. Real first-hand dosing logs are sparse. Refrigerate reconstituted.
Stacks it appears in
- Mitochondrial Tune-Up — SS-31 protects the engine while NAD+ fuels it and MOTS-c tunes performance.
Sources
- FDA label: Forzinity (elamipretide) injection, DailyMed
- Drugs@FDA NDA 215244 Forzinity: original approval 19 Sep 2025 (priority, new molecular entity)
- Shirley M. Elamipretide: First Approval, Drugs 2026 (PMID 41335372)
- TAZPOWER, Thompson WR et al. Elamipretide in Barth syndrome, Genet Med 2021 (PMID 33077895)
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03098797: TAZPOWER (Barth syndrome)
- MMPOWER-3, Karaa A et al. Elamipretide in primary mitochondrial myopathy, Neurology 2023 (PMID 37268435)
- EMBRACE STEMI, Gibson CM et al. IV elamipretide in heart attack, Eur Heart J 2016 (PMID 26586786)
- Szeto HH. First-in-class cardiolipin-protective compound, Br J Pharmacol 2014 (PMID 24117165)
- Birk AV et al. SS-31 re-energizes ischemic mitochondria by interacting with cardiolipin, J Am Soc Nephrol 2013 (PMID 23813215)
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07531251: 4TAZPower confirmatory trial (recruiting)
