Cardiogen is the heart peptide of the Khavinson bioregulator family: a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR), meant to support the heart muscle as it ages. It is popular in stacks for people on anabolic steroids, GH or heavy training who worry about their hearts.
The honest summary: Cardiogen has some tidy cell-culture results and one odd rat tumour study. There is no evidence in people, and no data on blood pressure, heart function or cardiac events.
For context on the whole class, read the peptide bioregulators overview.
At a Glance
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR), synthetic tetrapeptide |
| Origin | Khavinson group, St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology |
| Proposed mechanism | Gene-regulatory effects in heart cells and fibroblasts: more cytoskeletal proteins, less p53-driven apoptosis (cell data) |
| Marketed for | Heart-muscle support, cardiovascular aging, “cardioprotection” in performance users |
| Route | SC injection (research vials); the oral heart product in the family is the natural extract Chelohart (Cytomax) |
| Typical dose range | 200 µg–2 mg SC daily for 10–20 days (practice protocols) |
| Evidence level | Limited: cell, tissue-culture and rodent studies from the developer network only |
| Regulatory status | Not FDA- or EMA-approved; research chemical; not named by WADA, falls under S0 |
How it works
In the Khavinson model, AEDR enters the nucleus and switches on genes that aging cells have silenced. Their cell work supports a narrower claim. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts, AEDR increased the cytoskeletal proteins actin, tubulin and vimentin two- to fivefold and the nuclear-matrix lamins two- to threefold; the authors read this as the basis for “cardioprotective activity” [1]. In heart-tissue explants from 3- and 24-month-old rats, Cardiogen at 10⁻¹² M stimulated cell proliferation and lowered p53 expression [2]. A 2022 review from the same group lists heart-cell senescence signals as targets for vasoprotective peptides [3].
These are plausible signals in a dish. None of them shows that an injected tetrapeptide reaches the human heart or changes its function.
What the evidence shows
Human studies
None found on PubMed.
Animal and cell studies
| Study | Model | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Chalisova et al. 2009 [2] | Myocardial explants, young and old rats | More proliferation, less p53 in both age groups |
| Zakutskii et al. 2006 [4] | Heart, lung, prostate and pancreas explants | Cardiogen stimulated growth of heart explants at 0.05 ng/ml |
| Khavinson et al. 2012 [1] | Mouse embryonic fibroblasts | Higher cytoskeletal and nuclear-matrix protein expression |
| Levdik and Knyazkin 2009 [5] | Old rats with transplanted M-1 sarcoma | Dose-dependent inhibition of tumour growth through haemorrhagic necrosis and more tumour-cell apoptosis, apparently acting via the tumour’s blood vessels |
The sarcoma result is worth pausing on. A peptide that destroys tumour tissue by damaging its blood supply is not obviously the same thing as one that protects healthy heart muscle, and nobody has followed this up.
Dosing
For informational purposes only — this summarises doses used in research and practice; it is not a prescription or individual medical advice.
No human dose has ever been studied. Animal studies used microgram-per-kilogram amounts. Practice protocols are listed as found.
| Goal | Dose | Route | Frequency / timing | Cycle length | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard heart course | 1–2 mg | SC injection | Once daily | 10–20 days (one 20 mg vial), 1–3 courses a year | Practice protocol (r/peptidebioregulators, ZyraTrack forum) |
| Low-dose “intensive” course | 200 µg | SC injection, evening | Once daily; maintenance every other day | 10 days, 4–6 months off, 2–3 courses a year | Practice protocol (MyPeptideMatch; 100–200 µg also cited on ZyraTrack) |
| High-dose vendor protocol | 10–20 mg | Listed as oral or injectable | Once daily | 10–20 days | Practice protocol, vendor sites only (Peptide-DB; Pepdex lists 5–10 mg for the class) |
| Oral heart extract (Chelohart, Cytomax) | 1–2 capsules | Oral | 1–2 times daily | 30 days, twice a year | Label (supplement directions; PeptideDeck summary) |
| “Organ insurance” while on TRT or GH | Cardiogen plus a second organ peptide | SC injection | Daily | 10-day course every few months | Anecdotal (Steroidsgrabber forum) |
The 100-fold spread between the 200 µg and 20 mg protocols is the clearest sign that dosing is guesswork. Injection and reconstitution technique: peptide injection guide.
What people report: what works and what doesn’t
Reported to work
- Little that is specific. Cardiogen is usually one item in an “organ maintenance” rotation, so users rarely attribute an effect to it alone (r/Biohacking).
Mixed or unclear
- Users running several bioregulators report feeling well but cannot say which compound did what; some describe “cleaner” bloodwork after several cycles, without specifics (Steroidsgrabber forum).
Reported not to work / disappointing
- The common verdict in the same threads is that you do not feel it, and the cost is high for an effect nobody can measure. No consistent side effects are described beyond injection-site reactions.
A useful trial would measure something objective (echocardiographic function, NT-proBNP, blood pressure, arrhythmia burden) against placebo, ideally in people at real cardiac risk.
Safety and side effects
- No human safety data at all.
- Do not substitute for cardiac care. Anyone with heart symptoms, high blood pressure or heart disease needs proper assessment; proven drugs exist.
- Performance users: the heart risks of anabolic steroids and supraphysiological GH are real and dose-dependent. There is no evidence that Cardiogen offsets them.
- Tumour-vessel effect in rats [5]: unexplained, and another reason for caution with cancer.
- Product quality: unregulated vials vary in content and sterility.
Legal and regulatory status
- US: not FDA-approved; “research use only” products are not approved for human use.
- EU / Germany: not authorised as a medicine by the EMA or BfArM.
- Sport: not named on the WADA 2026 list; falls under S0 (non-approved substances).
How it fits
Cardiogen is the heart member of a family that includes Vesugen for blood vessels. For heart aging, exercise, blood pressure and lipid control, and possibly regular sauna use, have far better evidence.
Related Articles
- Peptide Bioregulators: The Khavinson Protocol and What the Evidence Shows
- The Hallmarks of Aging
- Inflammaging Guide
- How to Inject Peptides: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Peptide Safety: What You Need to Know
Frequently asked questions
What is Cardiogen?
Cardiogen is the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR) from Vladimir Khavinson's bioregulator programme, sold as a heart and cardiovascular bioregulator.
Is there human evidence for Cardiogen?
No. I found no PubMed-indexed human trial. The published work is cell culture, rat heart-tissue explants and a rat sarcoma study.
What dose of Cardiogen is used?
Vendor and practitioner protocols diverge widely: some list 200 µg SC daily for 10 days, others 1–2 mg daily for 10–20 days, and some 10–20 mg. None is based on a human study.
Can Cardiogen replace heart medication?
No. Statins, blood-pressure drugs, antiplatelet therapy and heart-failure medication have outcome trials; Cardiogen has none. Stopping proven treatment for it would be dangerous.
Is the heart Cytomax Chelohart the same as Cardiogen?
No. Chelohart is a natural heart-tissue peptide extract in capsules (Cytomax). Cardiogen is a single synthetic tetrapeptide, usually sold as an injectable research vial.
References
- Khavinson VKh, Lin’kova NS, Polyakova VO, et al. Tetrapeptide H-Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg-OH stimulates expression of cytoskeletal and nuclear matrix proteins. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22977870/
- Chalisova NI, Lesniak VV, Balykina NA, et al. The effect of the amino acids and cardiogen on the development of myocard tissue culture from young and old rats (in Russian). Adv Gerontol. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20210190/
- Khavinson V, Linkova N, Dyatlova A, et al. Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype of Cardiovascular System Cells and Inflammaging: Perspectives of Peptide Regulation. Cells. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36611900/
- Zakutskii AN, Chalisova NI, Ryzhak GA, et al. The tissue-specific effect of synthetic peptides-biologic regulators in organotypic tissues culture in young and old rats (in Russian). Adv Gerontol. 2006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17152728/
- Levdik NV, Knyazkin IV. Tumor-modifying effect of cardiogen peptide on M-1 sarcoma in senescent rats. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20396706/
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a prescription or individual medical advice. Cardiogen is not approved by the FDA or the EMA.
