Cardiogen: what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
Cardiogen is a synthetic tetrapeptide. The research group that made it gives its sequence as Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR) and labels it a cardioprotector.
At a glance
US Not approved
Canada Not authorized
Group Longevity
Sources 12
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is Cardiogen?
Cardiogen is a synthetic tetrapeptide. The research group that made it gives its sequence as Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR) and labels it a cardioprotector. [6]
Other names: AEDR, Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg.
How it has been given to people: no human use on record.
Looking for doses? Cardiogen dosage chart and vial math
Is Cardiogen approved in the US and Canada?
United States: Not FDA approved. No Cardiogen peptide product is in Drugs@FDA, and it is not on the FDA page of bulk substances reviewed for compounding. [8]
Canada: No Cardiogen product is in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada warns against all unauthorized injectable peptide drugs. [10]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain Cardiogen?
No approved medicine containing Cardiogen was found in the US or Canada. Anything sold under this name is not a regulated product, so there is no label to check a dose against.
What human studies of Cardiogen exist?
The 6 findings listed here: 6 from animal or lab work.
In old rats carrying a transplanted sarcoma, Cardiogen injections slowed tumour growth in a dose-dependent way. This is the only injection study found, it is in rats, and it is not a heart study. The abstract gives no dose. [3]
Added to pieces of heart muscle from 3-month-old and 24-month-old rats kept alive in culture, Cardiogen strongly increased cell growth in both. This is a tissue culture result. [1]
In the same heart tissue cultures, Cardiogen lowered the level of p53, a protein tied to programmed cell death. [1]
In an earlier culture study of heart, lung, prostate and pancreas tissue from young and old rats, Cardiogen and three related peptides each stimulated growth in their matching tissue at 0.05 ng per mL. [2]
In ageing cultures of human prostate fibroblasts, Cardiogen and two other short peptides raised the levels of three signalling markers that fall as the cells age. [4]
In a test tube, Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg and five other short peptides bound to wheat histone proteins. [5]
What are the side effects of Cardiogen?
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- No human side-effect report for Cardiogen was found. Health Canada lists these risks for unauthorized injectable peptide drugs in general: hormonal imbalance, mood swings, blood sugar imbalance, liver or kidney damage, blood clots and growth of cancerous tumours. [10]
How does Cardiogen compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under longevity. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTS-c | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Epitalon | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| NAD+ | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| SS-31 (elamipretide) | Approved for one use | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| Cardiogen | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Livagen | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
What could not be found
These were searched for and did not turn up. They are listed so a missing number is not mistaken for a hidden one.
- No published human study of Cardiogen of any kind. PubMed lists four records for the peptide under that name: three in cultured tissue or cells and one in rats with a transplanted tumour.
- No study in people or in live animals that measured heart function, blood pressure or any other cardiac outcome. The heart findings are from pieces of rat heart tissue in culture.
- No injected dose in any abstract read. The rat tumour study [3] says the effect was dose-dependent but its abstract states no dose.
- No PubMed abstract pairs the name Cardiogen with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg. The pairing comes from a table in the full text of [6].
- No human half-life or other pharmacokinetic figure.
- No trial of the peptide on ClinicalTrials.gov [12].
- No approved label in the US or Canadian sources searched, so no official dose, contraindications, interaction list or storage instructions.
- No human side-effect or safety data.
Cardiogen questions
Is Cardiogen approved in the US?
Not FDA approved. No Cardiogen peptide product is in Drugs@FDA, and it is not on the FDA page of bulk substances reviewed for compounding.
Is Cardiogen authorized in Canada?
No Cardiogen product is in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada warns against all unauthorized injectable peptide drugs.
Has Cardiogen been tested in a randomized human trial?
No randomized human trial was found. What exists is listed under the studies heading on this page.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Chalisova NI et al. [The effect of the amino acids and cardiogen on the development of myocard tissue culture from young and old rats]. Adv Gerontol 2009. PubMed 20210190.
- Zakutskii AN et al. [The tissue-specific effect of synthetic peptides-biologic regulators in organotypic tissues culture in young and old rats]. Adv Gerontol 2006. PubMed 17152728.
- Levdik NV et al. Tumor-modifying effect of cardiogen peptide on M-1 sarcoma in senescent rats. Bull Exp Biol Med 2009. PubMed 20396706.
- Kheifets OV et al. [Peptidergic regulation of the expression of signal factors of fibroblast differentiation in the human prostate gland in cell aging]. Adv Gerontol 2010. PubMed 20586252.
- Fedoreyeva LI et al. Interaction of short peptides with FITC-labeled wheat histones and their complexes with deoxyribooligonucleotides. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2013. PubMed 23581987.
- Khavinson V et al. Transport of Biologically Active Ultrashort Peptides Using POT and LAT Carriers. Int J Mol Sci 2022. PubMed 35887081.
- Khavinson V et al. Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype of Cardiovascular System Cells and Inflammaging: Perspectives of Peptide Regulation. Cells 2022. PubMed 36611900.
- US Food and Drug Administration openFDA search of Drugs@FDA: cardiogen 2026. api.fda.gov.
- US Food and Drug Administration Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks 2026. fda.gov.
- Health Canada Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
- Health Canada Health Canada Drug Product Database, active ingredient search: cardiogen 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- US National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov search, intervention: cardiogen 2026. clinicaltrials.gov.
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Cardiogen dosage20 mg vialLongevityStatus in Canada
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