Quick answer: SS-31, also known as elamipretide, is a short synthetic peptide designed to associate with the inner mitochondrial membrane, making it a mitochondrial-targeted research peptide studied in laboratory and animal models.
SS-31 shows up on longevity and mitochondrial research lists with a big claim attached and very little about the compound itself. If you are sourcing it for laboratory work, the claims are the part to ignore. What you want is a plain description of what it is and a way to confirm the vial matches the label.
Here is the grounded version. SS-31 is a mitochondrial-targeted research peptide, and that targeting is what defines it.
What SS-31 actually is
SS-31 is a short synthetic peptide, also known as elamipretide. The defining feature is where it goes inside the cell. It is designed to associate with the inner mitochondrial membrane, which is the source of the mitochondrial-targeted label attached to it. So it belongs to the small group of mitochondrial-targeted research peptides.
The two names refer to the same molecule. SS-31 is the research designation and elamipretide is the assigned generic name, so you will see them used interchangeably on spec sheets and in the literature.
According to the published literature, SS-31 has been studied in laboratory and animal models of mitochondrial function. Those findings describe activity observed in that setting. They have not been confirmed as human effects. For sourcing, the useful facts are the mitochondrial-targeting structure and the documentation on the vial.
Why the mitochondrial targeting matters in research
Where a peptide acts shapes how it gets studied. Because SS-31 is built to associate with the inner mitochondrial membrane, it sits at the center of research into mitochondrial function in cell and animal models.
That targeting property is the defining feature of the compound and the reason it appears across mitochondrial and longevity literature. If you are sourcing it, that identity is what a Certificate of Analysis should confirm on your lot.
Where SS-31 sits in the research
SS-31 is grouped with the other mitochondrial research peptides, most notably MOTS-c, which is studied in the same broad area of mitochondrial and metabolic research. The two are structurally different, yet they share that research neighborhood.
Grouping compounds this way is a map of where they get studied, not a claim about what any of them do. It is useful for understanding what the literature covers before you source anything.
Sourcing SS-31 the careful way
Here is where a lot of buyers get burned. A short peptide is easy to put in a vial and impossible to verify by eye. Documentation is what protects you.
Look for a per batch Certificate of Analysis you can see before you buy, HPLC verified purity on the specific lot, mass spectrometry confirmation of identity, and a lot number tied to your vial. You can see a live Certificate of Analysis so you know what real documentation looks like. If a source cannot show you that, walk away.
The 2026 vendor shakeout made this the whole ballgame. Several large suppliers closed, some without refunds, and mislabeled product filled some of the gaps. A COA tied to your specific lot is what separates a compound you can study from a mystery vial.
The short version
Peptide Hackers carries SS-31, also listed as elamipretide, with a Certificate of Analysis on every batch, HPLC verified purity of ninety nine percent or higher, and mass spectrometry confirmation. Researchers in Los Angeles and Orange County can order online and pick up the same day in person, with shipping available if you prefer delivery. The full catalog is at peptidehackers.com.
Confirm the paperwork, then the peptide.
All products are for laboratory research only. Not for human or veterinary use.
Research Use Only
This article is provided for educational purposes. All peptides discussed are sold for research use only and are not intended for human consumption or therapeutic use.