AICAR vs Elamipretide
Head-to-head comparison of AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide Ribonucleotide (Acadesine)) and Elamipretide (Elamipretide (MTP-131, SS-31)) — benefits, dosing, side effects, research data, and where to buy.
Research Score
| Property | AICAR | Elamipretide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Performance | Muscle & Performance |
| Full Name | 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide Ribonucleotide (Acadesine) | Elamipretide (MTP-131, SS-31) |
| Molecular Weight | 338.21 g/mol | 639.8 Da |
| Half-Life | ~2-3 hours | 1-4 hours |
| Amino Acids | Nucleoside analog | 4 |
| Typical Dose | — | 0.01-0.25 mg/kg/day |
| Route | — | Subcutaneous/Intravenous |
| Purity | >99% | ≥98% |
| Studies Count | 180 | 120 |
| Research Status | Active Research | Clinical |
AICAR Benefits
- ✓Increases endurance capacity, enhances fatty acid oxidation, promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, improves glucose uptake, cardioprotective effects
Elamipretide Benefits
- ✓mitochondrial protection
- ✓reduced oxidative stress
- ✓improved fatigue resistance
- ✓may support exercise tolerance
AICAR Dosing
Research doses: 50-150 mg subcutaneously. Typically administered 30-60 minutes before physical activity in research settings.
Elamipretide Dosing
0.01-0.25 mg/kg/day SC (clinical research)|daily dosing in trials|alternative IV protocols in some studies
AICAR Side Effects
- ⚠Potential hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis at high doses, injection site reactions. Banned by WADA as a metabolic modulator.
Elamipretide Side Effects
- ⚠nausea
- ⚠injection-site reactions
- ⚠diarrhea
- ⚠headache
Research Overview
AICAR
Salk Institute researchers demonstrated AICAR could increase endurance in sedentary mice by 44% without exercise training. Activates AMPK, triggering PGC-1α expression, mitochondrial biogenesis, and enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation.
Elamipretide
Clinical and translational studies show elamipretide can improve mitochondrial function and some functional endpoints in mitochondrial disorders. Skeletal muscle research suggests benefits are driven by energy metabolism rather than direct muscle-building effects.
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