How it works
Concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane where it binds cardiolipin, stabilising cristae architecture, improving electron-transport efficiency and reducing reactive oxygen species leakage.
Structure: Tetrapeptide (D-Arg-dimethylTyr-Lys-Phe-NH2)
Reported benefits
- Improved mitochondrial ATP output
- Reduced oxidative stress markers
- Fatigue improvement in mitochondrial disease trials
Practical considerations
- Human evidence exists but for disease populations, not healthy performance
- Costly and typically injected daily
- Trial results have been mixed on primary endpoints
Side effects and risks
- Injection-site reactions are common and can be significant
- Headache
- Dizziness
Dosing overview
Trial dosing around 40 mg daily; community protocols use less
This describes doses reported in published literature and community protocols. It is not a recommendation, and it is not a substitute for clinical supervision.
Research references
- Karaa et al., 2018 — Elamipretide in primary mitochondrial myopathy