Side-by-side · Research reference

CardiogenvsSS-31

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

AAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED5/46 cited

BPhase 3HUMAN-REVIEWED9/43 cited

Cardiogen

Bioregulator · Cardiac

CardiacTissue target

Gene regulationMechanism

AnimalEvidence level

SQ · Variable protocols

SS-31

Cardiolipin-binding · Mitochondrial protective

40 mgDaily doseSzeto 2014

Phase 3Evidence levelSzilagyi 2009 Szeto 2014

~3 hrHalf-life

SQ · Abdomen · Once daily

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

Cardiogen

SS-31

Primary target

Cardiovascular cell gene expressionKhavinson 2022

Cardiolipin in inner mitochondrial membraneSzeto 2014

Pathway

Peptide bioregulation → modulation of SASP / inflammaging → cardiac tissue homeostasisKhavinson 2022

Cardiolipin binding → cristae stabilisation → ETC integrity → reduced ROS + preserved ATP synthesisSzeto 2014 Szilagyi 2009

Downstream effect

Suppression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), reduction of age-related inflammatory markers, modulation of heat shock protein expression in cardiac tissue

Mitochondrial bioenergetic preservation; cardio-, neuro-, and reno-protective effects in animal + clinical studiesSzeto 2014

Feedback intact?

Presumed — peptide bioregulators act via gene regulation, not receptor agonism

—

Origin

Derived from cardiac tissue peptide extracts; synthetic analogue based on Khavinson bioregulator methodology

Synthetic tetrapeptide D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH₂; cell-permeable, mitochondrial-selectiveSzeto 2014

Antibody development

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

Cardiogen

SS-31

Standard dose

Variable — typically 10–20 mg per course

No standardised human protocol; animal-derived dosing.

40 mg / day SQ (clinical trials)Szeto 2014

Anecdotal community range 5-10 mg/day. Phase 3 trials use 40 mg.

Frequency

Intermittent courses — 10–20 days, repeated periodically

Khavinson-school bioregulators typically dosed as periodic interventions, not continuous.

Once daily

Evidence basis

Animal models / mechanistic studies

No Phase 1+ human trials in PubMed.

Multiple Phase 3 trials (Barth, AMD, ischemia-reperfusion)Szeto 2014 Szilagyi 2009

Route

Subcutaneous injection

—

Duration

10–20 day courses, repeated 2–4× per year

Russian geriatric protocols; unclear extrapolation to general populations.

Indefinite for mitochondrial disease; cycled for healthspan use

Lower / starter dose

—

5 mg / day (anecdotal)

Reconstitution

—

Bacteriostatic water

Timing

—

Morning fasted preferred; pre-workout for exercise-induced mitochondrial stress

Half-life

—

~3 h plasma; tissue uptake longer

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

Cardiogen

SS-31

Injection site reactions

Mild erythema, induration (presumed)

—

Systemic adverse events

No documented serious AEs in available literature

Very limited safety data; no rigorous pharmacovigilance.

—

Immunogenicity

Unknown — no antibody development studies published

—

Long-term safety

Unknown — no extended human trials indexed in PubMed

Phase 3 data over 24+ months; no major safety signalsSzeto 2014

Injection site reaction

—

Erythema, mild pruritus

GI symptoms

—

Nausea (uncommon)

Headache

—

Reported in some Phase 3 trials

Cardiovascular

—

Cardio-protective in studies; no signal of harm

Pregnancy / OB

—

Avoid — insufficient data

Absolute Contraindications

Cardiogen

·Active malignancy (theoretical peptide growth factor concern)
·Hypersensitivity to peptide components

SS-31

·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
·Hypersensitivity to peptide

Relative Contraindications

Cardiogen

·Acute cardiac events (no safety data in acute MI, unstable angina)
·Pregnancy / lactation (no reproductive toxicity data)

SS-31

·None established

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

Cardiogen

SS-31

1. Reconstitution

Add sterile water or saline per manufacturer instructions (typically 1–2 mL per lyophilised vial). Roll gently to dissolve.

Add bacteriostatic water per label. Light-protected handling.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites. Use sterile technique.

SQ — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

3. Timing

Variable — often evening injection. No established circadian preference.

Morning fasted; pre-workout for exercise-augmented mitochondrial stress.

4. Storage

Lyophilised: refrigerate 2–8 °C, protect from light. Reconstituted: use immediately or refrigerate, discard after 7–14 days per labeling.

Lyophilised: refrigerate, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate ≤30 days.

5. Needle

27–30G insulin syringe, 45° angle for subcutaneous administration.

29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

06Stack Synergy

Cardiogen

+ Thymalin

Moderate

View Thymalin →

Khavinson-school multi-organ bioregulator approach: thymalin (thymic peptide) addresses immune senescence while cardiogen targets cardiac tissue. Combined use in geriatric populations demonstrated normalisation of cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune parameters with reduced mortality over 6–8 years of observation.

Cardiogen: 10–20 mg SQ · 10–20 day course
Thymalin: 10–30 mg IM · concurrent or sequential courses
Frequency: 2–4 courses per year
Primary benefit: Multi-system aging mitigation, cardiovascular and immune homeostasis

SS-31

+ MOTS-c

Moderate

View MOTS-c →

SS-31 and MOTS-c address mitochondrial decline through complementary axes. SS-31 protects existing mitochondrial structure (cardiolipin binding, cristae stabilisation). MOTS-c upregulates AMPK/PGC-1α, triggering biogenesis of new mitochondria. Together they pair preservation with renewal — anecdotally favoured in healthspan and post-cardio-event recovery protocols.

SS-31: 5–10 mg SQ · daily morning
MOTS-c: 5 mg SQ · 2× per week pre-workout
Primary benefit: Mitochondrial preservation + biogenesis