Side-by-side comparison of mechanisms, dosing, interactions, and stacking potential.
| CJC-1295 (with DAC) | SS-31 (Elamipretide) | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Peptides | Peptides |
| Standard Dose | Research indicates 2 mg administered once weekly via subcutaneous injection. | Research indicates 0.05-0.25 mg/kg daily via subcutaneous injection. Clinical trials used 4-40 mg/day IV or SC. |
| Timing | Evening administration preferred (aligns with natural GH pulsatility). Inject on an empty stomach — food (especially carbohydrates) blunts GH release. | Morning dosing preferred. No food timing restrictions. |
| Cycle Duration | 12-24 week cycles with 4-8 week breaks between cycles. | Clinical trials ranged from single dose to 48 weeks. Optimal cycle length not established. |
| Evidence Level | moderate_human | Emerging (Phase 2/3 trials) |
CJC-1295 with DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) is a synthetic 30-amino acid GHRH analog with four amino acid substitutions rendering it resistant to DPP-IV proteolytic inactivation. The DAC moiety covalently binds to endogenous serum albumin via a disulfide bond after injection, extending half-life to 5.8-8.1 days. It stimulates pulsatile GH release from anterior pituitary somatotrophs through GHRH receptor activation, producing dose-dependent 2-10 fold increases in plasma GH for 6+ days and 1.5-3 fold IGF-1 elevations for 9-11 days per injection.
Research indicates 2 mg administered once weekly via subcutaneous injection.
Evening administration preferred (aligns with natural GH pulsatility). Inject on an empty stomach — food (especially carbohydrates) blunts GH release.
12-24 week cycles with 4-8 week breaks between cycles.
SS-31 (D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH2, also known as elamipretide/Bendavia) is a cell-permeable tetrapeptide that localizes to the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds cardiolipin via electrostatic interactions. This stabilizes cardiolipin against oxidative damage, preserving cristae integrity, reducing ROS production, and maintaining mitochondrial ATP production. SS-31 interacts with proteins in two functional groups: oxidative phosphorylation complexes and 2-oxoglutarate metabolic enzymes — all known cardiolipin binders. It restores mitochondrial function without acting as a direct antioxidant.
Research indicates 0.05-0.25 mg/kg daily via subcutaneous injection. Clinical trials used 4-40 mg/day IV or SC.
Morning dosing preferred. No food timing restrictions.
Clinical trials ranged from single dose to 48 weeks. Optimal cycle length not established.
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