SS-31 Dosage Chart: 500mcg/Day, 5-On/2-Off

SS-31 (Elamipretide) is a synthetic mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide that stabilizes cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane, restoring electron transport chain efficiency and ATP production. It's one of the few mitochondrial peptides with human clinical trial data.

Research-context information only. SS-31 is a research peptide. Protocols, doses, and reactions reported below come from published research and self-reported community sources. This article reports what has been documented, not what should be done. Consult a licensed physician for personal medical decisions.

SS-31 is not FDA-approved. Everything below reflects published clinical trial and community protocols. This is not medical advice.

Quick Reference: Standard Protocol

Protocol parameters documented in clinical trials and community sources:

Cycling Details

Community protocols describe 500 mcg daily for 5 consecutive days, then 2 days off, continuing this pattern for 8 weeks, then 8 weeks off before repeating.

SS-31's rapid mitochondrial uptake (>1,000-fold concentration within minutes) means no loading phase is necessary. The 5on/2off pattern within the 8-week cycle prevents potential desensitization, and the 8-week off period allows assessment of sustained effects.

Morning injection is most common — may support daytime energy levels. Some users dose 30-60 minutes pre-workout.

Routes of Administration

Subcutaneous injection is the standard community route. Protocols describe injecting into abdomen, thigh, or anywhere with SC fat. Volume is 0.1 mL with insulin syringe (29-31 gauge).

Intravenous is used only in clinical trials — provides rapid peak plasma levels but shorter tissue exposure than SC. Not practical for self-administration.

Reconstitution Quick Reference

Math: 10 mg / 2 mL = 5 mg/mL = 5,000 mcg/mL. For 500 mcg: 500 / 5,000 = 0.1 mL = 10 units.

Swirl gently — do not shake. Refrigerate at 2-8 C, use within 28 days. For step-by-step instructions, see the full SS-31 Reconstitution Guide.

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Where These Numbers Come From

Community doses are dramatically different from clinical trial doses — for good reason.

TAZPOWER Trial (Barth Syndrome): 40 mg SC daily for 12 weeks in patients with genetic cardiolipin deficiency causing heart failure (Thompson et al., 2021).

PROGRESS-HF Trial: 4 mg SC daily for 4 weeks in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction.

Phase I Safety: IV doses up to 250 mcg/kg (~17.5 mg for a 70 kg adult) showed no dose-limiting toxicity (Szeto, 2014).

Why community doses are much lower: Clinical trials targeted severe genetic/cardiac conditions requiring aggressive intervention. Community protocols use 500 mcg for general longevity/mitochondrial support. SS-31 binds cardiolipin with high affinity — there's a finite amount to stabilize. Lower daily dose with cycling provides sustained benefits with wide safety margin.

Preclinical speed: SS-31 improves mitochondrial ADP sensitivity within 1 hour in aged human muscle (Siegel et al., 2023) — one of the fastest-acting peptides documented.

Stacking Protocols

Community-documented stacking protocols (self-reported sources):

SS-31 stabilizes mitochondrial structure; MOTS-c activates metabolic signaling. Different mechanisms, complementary effects. For the full comparison, see our SS-31 vs MOTS-c.

Side Effects & Safety

• Excellent safety profile — 40 mg daily was well-tolerated for 12+ weeks in TAZPOWER
• No dose-limiting toxicity up to 0.25 mg/kg IV in Phase I
• Occasional mild injection site irritation at community doses
• Rare initial energy fluctuations — first few days only
• No significant adverse events in any clinical trial
• Community sources describe 500 mcg daily as generally well-tolerated, consistent with the absence of adverse events reported in clinical trials at significantly higher doses

mg to Units Conversion

On a standard 100-unit insulin syringe, each "unit" equals 0.01 mL (so 100 units = 1 mL). Once SS-31 is reconstituted, the conversion from a target dose to syringe units depends on the chosen dilution.

The two reconstitution ratios most often described in community protocols are below.

Reconstitution A: 10 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water (5 mg/mL) — the standard dilution from the Quick Reference above.

Reconstitution B: 10 mg vial + 3 mL BAC water (3.33 mg/mL) — more BAC water for larger, easier-to-measure draws.

These conversions reflect the dilutions documented in community reconstitution protocols. They report how the math is described, not a recommended dosing schedule.