Metabolic
MOTS-c
A 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene.
Also known as MOTS-C · Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c · mitochondrial-derived peptide
ANIMAL DATA ONLY
The evidence is animal and cell-culture work. There are no controlled human dosing trials, so every number below is convention rather than a result.
The strong data are preclinical. Human work is observational, not interventional; there is no established human dosing trial.
At a glance
Dose summary
No reliable human half-life has been published for MOTS-c, so none is listed rather than guessed at.
No regulator and no trial set these numbers. They describe what people actually do, recorded so you can see the range rather than guess at it — which is not the same thing as a recommendation.
Reconstitution
What to draw, at the usual vial
A 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 5.00 mg/mL. A typical 2.5 mg dose is 0.500 mL — pull the plunger to 50 units on a U-100 syringe.
Same dose, other vial sizes
| Vial | Water | Concentration | Draw | Units | Doses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5.00 mg/mL | 0.500 mL | 50 units | 4 |
The highlighted row is the one quoted above: the smallest listed vial that holds at least four typical doses. Change any of it — a different vial, more or less water, a different dose — on the reconstitution calculator, which draws the syringe to true U-100 graduations.
Mechanism & evidence
What it is, and what is known
A 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Mechanistically it is linked to AMPK activation and the folate / one-carbon pathway. The strong data are preclinical: injected MOTS-c improved insulin sensitivity, reduced diet-induced obesity and improved physical capacity in mice, including in aged animals. Human data is limited and mostly observational rather than interventional — circulating MOTS-c levels have been measured in relation to exercise, age, insulin resistance and a longevity-associated mitochondrial variant, but there is no established human dosing trial and no approved product.
The figures here are compounding-pharmacy and community convention scaled off the 10 mg vial that is the usual market size, not trial-derived doses. The starting point is 2.5 mg twice a week; 5 mg once a week is the same weekly total and is run the same way. Vendor guides also describe a daily 0.5-1 mg microdose pattern, which reaches comparable weekly exposure by a different route. Human half-life has not been characterized, so it is left null rather than estimated.
Tolerability
Reported side effects
- Injection site redness or soreness
- Fatigue or flushing after a dose
- Headache
- Longer-term safety in humans is simply unknown
Hard stops
Do not use this if
- Pregnancy, possible pregnancy, or breastfeeding
- Under 18
These are flags, not a screening. They do not replace a conversation with a clinician who knows your history.
Handling
Storage
Keep it cold, keep it dark, and label the vial with the date you mixed it. Discard anything cloudy or past the window above.
Combinations
Commonly stacked with
Stacking multiplies the side-effect surface and makes it impossible to tell which compound did what. Add one thing at a time.
Where it shows up
Protocols using this compound
References
Sources
Educational information only, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, changing, or stopping anything.