Category
Longevity & Mitochondrial
Peptides studied for longevity, senolysis, and mitochondrial function.
AICAR
AICAR (Acadesine, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside, AICA riboside)
Purine nucleoside (Acadesine) that mimics AMP after intracellular phosphorylation, activating AMPK and triggering exercise-like metabolic effects. Endurance mimetic. WADA-banned at all times since 2009. Investigational in cardiovascular and oncology contexts. No FDA approval.
FOXO4-DRI
FOXO4 D-Retro-Inverso peptide
D-retro-inverso senolytic peptide disrupting FOXO4-p53 interaction; Baar et al. 2017 Cell paper, no completed human trials.
Glutathione
γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine (GSH)
The body's most abundant intracellular antioxidant tripeptide. Oral bioavailability is poor. IV forms are widely sold and widely warned against by regulators, particularly for cosmetic skin lightening.
Humanin
Humanin (mitochondrial-derived peptide)
24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded in 16S rRNA; cytoprotective and anti-amyloid effects in preclinical models.
Klotho
Klotho (alpha-Klotho protein, KL gene product)
An endogenous human protein produced in kidneys and brain that declines with age. Mouse overexpression extends lifespan 20-30 percent. Two Phase 1 human trials were initiated in 2025 and 2026. Not approved for any indication.
MOTS-c
Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA-c
16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide regulating metabolic homeostasis via AMPK; early-stage clinical research.
NAD+
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
A redox cofactor required by over 500 enzymes. Declines with age in some tissues. Sold as oral precursors (NR, NMN) and as IV infusions in clinics. Longevity claims outpace controlled human evidence.
NMN
β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
An NAD+ precursor that reliably raises blood NAD+ in human trials. Lived through three years of FDA regulatory uncertainty before being confirmed as a dietary supplement in September 2025.
NR
Nicotinamide Riboside (NR, Niagen)
A vitamin B3 form and oral NAD+ precursor with NDI/GRAS regulatory status in the US. Reliably raises blood NAD+ by 22 to 150 percent depending on dose. Clinical endpoint benefits remain mixed.
SS-31
Elamipretide
Cardiolipin-binding tetrapeptide that stabilizes the inner mitochondrial membrane. FDA-approved as Forzinity for Barth syndrome in September 2025.
Longevity and Mitochondrial Peptides
Longevity peptides and mitochondrial-targeted peptides are studied for effects on cellular aging, mitochondrial function, and senescent-cell clearance. The category includes compounds with very different mechanisms.
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded in the 12S rRNA region of mitochondrial DNA. It acts on AMPK signaling. Lee and colleagues at USC published the founding mechanism paper in 2015. Animal models cover exercise capacity, insulin sensitivity, metabolic aging, and obesity outcomes. Human trials remain small and early-stage.
SS-31 (elamipretide) is a tetrapeptide that binds cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane and protects against oxidative damage. It has completed Phase 2 trials in primary mitochondrial disease and is in Phase 3 development for Barth syndrome. The most clinically advanced compound in this category.
Humanin is another mitochondrial-derived peptide with cytoprotective and IGF-1 binding-protein activity. Studied preclinically across Alzheimer's models, atherosclerosis, ischemia, and diabetic complications.
FOXO4-DRI is a synthetic peptide that disrupts the FOXO4-p53 interaction in senescent cells and selectively induces apoptosis. The 2017 Baar paper in Cell drew significant attention. The compound has been studied across multiple tissues in animal models. No completed human clinical trial has been published.
Epitalon sits under Khavinson Bioregulators and is referenced here for completeness.
The evidence base ranges from Phase 3 (SS-31 for Barth syndrome) to early Phase 2 (MOTS-c) to preclinical-only (FOXO4-DRI, Humanin). Research Use Only labels apply to most entries outside the SS-31 trial program.