MOTS-c

Metabolic Research only Animal studies

Also called Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c

A 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA. It acts like a hormone, activating the energy sensor AMPK and improving how muscle uses glucose. In mice it countered diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and improved exercise capacity, and levels rise with exercise in people.

Why people take it

Metabolic rate and fat lossExercise capacity and ATP productionInsulin sensitivityLongevityMetabolic health and insulin sensitivityExercise capacity

What studies report

Prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice
Improved exercise capacity and muscle glucose use in rodents
Natural levels rise with exercise and fall with age in people

How it works

Encoded inside mitochondrial DNA. Acts on metabolism — reported to raise ATP production during exercise and shift white fat toward brown fat.

In practice Unapproved use

Run in cycles timed around training blocks rather than continuously
Often stacked with NAD+ and 5-Amino-1MQ as a metabolic combination
Popular with endurance athletes for perceived aerobic capacity

Reported real-world use, not evidence and not a recommendation.

Worth knowing: The human side is observational. No trials of giving MOTS-c to people.

Status: Mostly animal research. Not approved.

Route: Subcutaneous injection, from reconstituted lyophilised powder
Sequence: Met-Arg-Trp-Gln-Glu-Met-Gly-Tyr-Ile-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Arg-Lys-Leu-Arg
Formula: C101H152N28O22S2
Molecular weight: 2174.6 g/mol
CAS: 1627580-64-6
Available as: 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg

Educational information only. Nothing here is medical advice, a dosing protocol, or a recommendation to use any compound. Most entries describe substances not approved for human use. Talk to a licensed clinician before acting on anything you read here. How to read these entries.