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MOTS-c

Mitochondrial Support

MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide with potential therapeutic applications in metabolic and age-related diseases. It is involved in metabolic regulation, showing promise in conditions like insulin resistance and obesity. It has been evaluated in rodent models and cell culture for potential applications in aging and metabolic disorders.

Reconstitute
3 mL BAC + 20mg vial
67 mcg/unit
Daily Range
5–15 mg Subcutaneous (SQ)
3 times per week
Standard Dose
10 mg
Cycle
4–8 weeks
then reassess
mitochondrial-derivedmetabolic regulationinsulin resistanceobesity

Dosing & Reconstitution Guide

Rodent studies typically administer MOTS-c at 5–15 mg/kg intraperitoneally. No clinical or approved dosing exists for human use.

Standard / Gradual Approach

20mg Vialstandard
PhaseDoseVolume
Weeks 1–25 mg (5000 mcg)25 units (0.25 mL)
Weeks 3–47.5 mg (7500 mcg)37.5 units (0.375 mL)
Weeks 5–810 mg (10,000 mcg)50 units (0.50 mL)

Standard / Gradual Approach

20mg Vialadvanced
PhaseDoseVolume
Weeks 1–25 mg (5000 mcg)25 units (0.25 mL)
Weeks 3–410 mg (10,000 mcg)50 units (0.50 mL)
Weeks 5–815 mg (15,000 mcg)75 units (0.75 mL)

Standard / Gradual Approach

5mg Vialstandard
PhaseDoseVolume
Weeks 1–25 mg (5000 mcg)100 units (1.0 mL)

Protocol Summary

Subcutaneous (SQ): 3 times per week · Dose range 5–15 mg with gradual titration
Cycle Length: 4–8 weeks typical; reassess before extending

Frequency & Cycling

SubQ Injection

Standard Protocol: 10 mg subQ injection, 3 times per week. Alternative Protocol: 5 mg daily subQ injections for 4 weeks, then reassess.

🧪 Quick Start

Vial Size
20 mg
BAC Water
3 mL
Concentration
6.67 mcg/unit
Starting Dose
200 mcg (0.2 mg) (3 units (0.03 mL))
Maintenance Dose
1,000 mcg (1.0 mg) (15 units (0.15 mL))

Potential Benefits & Use Cases

MOTS-c is a research-use-only peptide not authorized for human administration.
Improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, prevents diet-induced insulin resistance (preclinical)
Prevents obesity and reduces visceral fat through increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation (preclinical)
Mitigates post-menopausal metabolic decline — prevents menopause-related fat gain and insulin resistance (preclinical)
Enhances exercise capacity — old mice ran 2× longer on treadmill tests (preclinical)
Promotes osteoblast activity, inhibits osteoclast formation; modulates immune aging (preclinical)
Demonstrates anti-cancer effects in ovarian cancer models through USP7-LARS1 pathway (preclinical)
Modified analog (CB4211) showed good tolerability in Phase 1 trial (Phase 1)
Clinical data Strong preclinical Limited data

Mechanism of Action

→Regulates nuclear gene expression, promoting cellular homeostasis.
→Activates AMPK pathway, enhancing glucose uptake and fatty acid oxidation.
→Translocates to the nucleus during metabolic stress, influencing gene expression.
→Inhibits folate-dependent de novo purine biosynthesis, increasing AICAR levels to activate AMPK.
→Upregulates mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1α, NRF-1/2, and TFAM.
→Enhances thermogenesis through UCP1 and cAMP-mediated pathways.

Lifestyle & Optimization

timing

Consistent dosing. Consider pairing with intermittent fasting.

diet

Balanced protein-forward diet.

exercise

Combine resistance and aerobic activity for AMPK synergy.

sleep

Sleep 7–9 hours.

Peptide Research & Preclinical Studies

Evidence-Based Research Findings

Study TitleType
Cell Metabolism — Lee C et al. (2015) MOTS-c: A Mitochondria-Derived Peptide Regulator of Insulin SensitivityReference
Nature Communications — Reynolds JC et al. (2021) MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical declineReference
Aging Cell — Kim SJ et al. (2023) Mitochondrial peptide MOTS-c mediates a unique adaptive stress responseReference
Frontiers in Endocrinology — D'Souza RF et al. (2020) MOTS-c and exerciseReference
PMC — Mitochondrial-derived peptides in metabolism and cellular signalingReference
PubMed — Ramanjaneya M et al. MOTS-c research and metabolic regulationReference

Side Effects & Safety

Common Side Effects

• Fatigue/lethargy during adjustment period (user-reported)
• Appetite fluctuation, nausea/bloating, headache, flushing (user-reported)

Contraindications & Warnings

• Increased heart rate/palpitations, insomnia at higher doses (user-reported)
• Research-grade purity often only 60%, confounding reports (sourcing concern)

🧮 Dose Calculator

Concentration
66.7
mcg/unit
Draw Volume
7
units (0.070 mL)
For a 500 mcg dose, draw 7 units on a U-100 insulin syringe
🧬

Bioavailability & Absorption

SubQ Injection
Moderate to high systemic availability; best administered immediately after reconstitution.
Oral Administration
Oral bioavailability is not well-documented.
Half-Life
Estimated short half-life (2–4 hours); rapidly cleared.
Degradation
Metabolized within cellular environments, subject to enzymatic degradation.
Tissue Specificity
Affects skeletal muscle and metabolically active tissues; regulates glucose and mitochondrial homeostasis.
⚗️

Peptide Details

Molecular Weight
1951.2
Formula
C85H136N20O20S2
Sequence
MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR
⚖️

Legal Status & Regulatory

RegionStatus
FDANot Approved
EUNot Approved
AustraliaNot Approved
CanadaNot Approved

Storage Instructions

Lyophilized (Powder)
freeze at −20 °C (−4 °F) or below; after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within 7 days for best potency
Reconstituted (Mixed)
Refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F); peptide degrades rapidly at room temperature (~25% activity loss after 24 hours at 4 °C). Use within 7 days for best potency