SS-31 for Heart Health: What the Evidence Shows
What human and animal studies show about SS-31 for heart health, how strong that evidence is, and what is still unproven.
- Strongest evidence
- Human RCT
- Human studies
- 1
- with an outcome for heart health, in our evidence file (PubMed search, 11 Oct 2026)
- Animal studies
- 1
- with an outcome for heart health, in our evidence file (PubMed search, 11 Oct 2026)
- Studies we summarised
- 3
- with an outcome for heart health
Evidence for heart health
Each row is an outcome related to heart health from a published study, strongest design first. Animal and cell results are labelled and are not human results. User reports are not counted as evidence here.
| Outcome | Result | Study type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left ventricular volumes | Highest dose reduced LV end-diastolic volume by 18 mL and end-systolic volume by 14 mL versus placebo at end of infusion. | Human RCTn = 36 | Circulation. Heart failure 2017, PMID 29217757 |
| Cardiac function after MI | Ejection fraction was 55.3% with Bendavia versus 49.3% with water six weeks after infarction. | Animal · rat (not a human result)n = 54 | Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology 2014, PMID 25165999 |
| Mitochondrial function | Elamipretide improved mitochondrial function in explanted failing human heart tissue. | In vitro (not a human result) | JACC. Basic to translational science 2019, PMID 31061916 |
SS-31 and heart health are not in our PubMed count ledger yet; the rows above come from our evidence file (PubMed search, 11 Oct 2026). Grades follow our .
How strong is it?
A human randomized trial outweighs any number of animal studies. Animal and cell results show a mechanism worth testing, not that it works in people.
What heart disease means
MedlinePlus says heart disease is a general term that includes many types of heart problems.[4]
Human heart data
The heart failure trial randomised patients with reduced ejection fraction to a single infusion of elamipretide in ascending-dose cohorts or placebo, and reported no serious adverse events.[1]
Failing human heart tissue removed at transplant and tested outside the body showed improved mitochondrial oxygen flux when treated with elamipretide. This is tissue work, not a treatment trial.[3]
The authors of the heart failure trial say only that further study is needed to determine long-term safety and efficacy.[1]
Animal heart data
In rats, treatment after coronary ligation reduced scar circumference and left ventricular volume. This is animal data.[2]
The rat study also reports less apoptosis in the infarct border zone with Bendavia (an earlier name for the same peptide).[2]
Other peptides people research for heart health
All peptides for heart health, comparedCommon questions
Does SS-31 help with heart health?
The strongest study we summarise for heart health is human rct evidence, across 3 studies with an outcome for heart health. A trial result is not an approval; see the legal status.
Is SS-31 approved for heart health?
SS-31 is FDA accelerated approval for Barth syndrome (Sep 2025). Which conditions that approval covers is set by the label; use for anything else is off-label.
What is the best peptide for heart health?
There is no single answer. Our heart health overview compares each candidate by evidence grade and legal status rather than by popularity.
More on SS-31
Sources
- 1Novel Mitochondria-Targeting Peptide in Heart Failure Treatment: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Elamipretide.Circulation. Heart failure · 2017PMID 29217757Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 2Bendavia, a mitochondria-targeting peptide, improves postinfarction cardiac function, prevents adverse left ventricular remodeling, and restores mitochondria-related gene expression in rats.Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology · 2014PMID 25165999Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 3Elamipretide Improves Mitochondrial Function in the Failing Human Heart.JACC. Basic to translational science · 2019PMID 31061916Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 4Official web pageOfficial web page · web page
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