Compound family

Mitochondrial, antioxidant and longevity compounds

In one sentenceThe longevity market's compounds: mitochondrial peptides, a coenzyme, an enzyme inhibitor, an antioxidant. One approval for an ultra-rare disease; otherwise mouse data and observation.
Compounds11
Best gradeC SS-31 (elamipretide)
Approved medicines1 of 11
Prohibited in sport8 of 11

What this family is

What unites this family is the market, not a mechanism: everything here is sold for ageing, energy or metabolism. Two are peptides encoded in mitochondrial DNA itself — MOTS-c and humanin — with striking laboratory biology. SS-31 concentrates in mitochondria and binds cardiolipin. NAD+ is a coenzyme, and its precursors NMN and NR are supplements. 5-Amino-1MQ inhibits an enzyme raised in the fat of obese people. Adipotide kills the blood vessels that feed fat — dramatically in monkeys, with kidney damage in the same monkeys, and never reported in a human. Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide promoted on telomerase activation in cell culture, and pinealon and vilon a tripeptide and a dipeptide from the same St Petersburg school, sold for the brain and the immune system. Glutathione is the cell's main antioxidant, sold by injection for skin lightening. FOXO4-DRI is a senolytic peptide with one landmark mouse paper and no human study.

The human evidence sorts into three levels. SS-31 is a genuine, narrowly approved medicine — for Barth syndrome, an ultra-rare genetic disease, on the strength of an open-label extension after a decade of negative trials in larger conditions. NAD+ precursors reliably raise NAD+ levels in randomised trials without yet showing a clinical benefit; glutathione's trials for skin are small and inconclusive. MOTS-c, humanin, 5-Amino-1MQ, adipotide, epitalon, pinealon, vilon and FOXO4-DRI have no controlled human trial of administration at all — for the two mitochondrial peptides, every human study measures the levels people already have.

Most members are prohibited in sport under the non-approved-substances rule. None is approved for any anti-ageing use.

Grade counts across the family: 0 × A · 0 × B · 3 × C · 8 × D. The best grade here, C, means weak human evidence. How LYO grades →

The compounds, graded

Every member with its best-supported outcome grade, human-trial count and regulatory status. Each opens the full evidence page.

SS-31 (elamipretide)

C

Mitochondria-targeting tetrapeptide. Newly approved for one ultra-rare disease after a decade of failed trials in bigger ones.

Human trialsSeveral RCTs (mostly negative) + one approval
StatusApproved (Rx, US; Barth syndrome only)

NAD+ and precursors

C

Not a peptide, but sold in the same market — supplements that raise a coenzyme, with clinical benefit still unproven.

Human trialsSeveral RCTs of precursors
StatusSold as supplement (NR/NMN); IV NAD+ unlicensed

Glutathione

C

The body's main antioxidant, sold by injection for skin lightening on inconclusive evidence.

Human trialsSmall RCTs; systematic reviews inconclusive
StatusSupplement; injectable use unapproved

MOTS-c

D

Mitochondrial-derived peptide with striking mouse metabolic data and no human trial.

Human trials0 controlled
StatusNot approved

Humanin

D

A mitochondria-encoded peptide with striking lab biology and only observational human data.

Human trials0 controlled
StatusNot approved

Epitalon

D

Synthetic tetrapeptide from a Russian gerontology institute. The human studies mostly tested a different product.

Human trialsUncontrolled, single group
StatusNot approved

Pinealon

D

A three-amino-acid 'brain bioregulator' from the epitalon school. Cell and rat studies; the human reports are Russian, uncontrolled and unindexed.

Human trials0 controlled
StatusNot approved

Vilon

D

A two-amino-acid 'thymic bioregulator' from the epitalon school. Mouse lifespan and tumour studies; no human trial.

Human trials0
StatusNot approved

FOXO4-DRI

D

The senolytic peptide. One landmark mouse paper in Cell, no human study of any kind, and a grey market that sells it as an anti-ageing injection.

Human trials0
StatusNot approved (preclinical)

5-Amino-1MQ

D

A metabolic enzyme inhibitor with mouse fat-loss data and no human trial.

Human trials0 controlled
StatusNot approved

Adipotide

D

A peptide designed to kill the blood vessels that feed fat. Dramatic in obese monkeys, kidney-toxic in the same monkeys, and never reported in a human.

Human trials0 published; a phase 1 in prostate cancer was registered and never reported
StatusNot approved; investigational (stalled)

Questions

Which longevity compound has human evidence?
SS-31, for one ultra-rare disease. NAD+ precursors have randomised trials showing they raise NAD+ levels, which is a biomarker rather than a benefit. The rest have no controlled human trial.
Has MOTS-c been tested in people?
Not by giving it to anyone. The human studies measure natural MOTS-c in blood and relate it to age and fitness. That is observation, not a trial, and it is why the grade is D despite the mouse data.
Has FOXO4-DRI been tested in people?
No. Its evidence is a 2017 mouse study in Cell and cell-culture work. It is sold online regardless; it is unapproved everywhere.
Do NAD+ supplements work?
They raise NAD+ levels and are well tolerated. Trials looking for a clinical effect on metabolism, muscle or ageing are small, mixed and contested. Intravenous NAD+ has essentially no controlled evidence.

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 23 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only. Not medical advice. Correct this page →