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MOTS-c peptide: what it is and what it is used for

MOTS-c explained in plain English: what it is, what the research shows, side effects, legal status and dosage, plus a calculator for syringe units. There is no validated human dose, and this page doesn't invent one. Also called MOTS c, Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c.

MOTS-c is not approved for human use by the FDA or any other regulator. This page is educational; talk with a qualified healthcare professional before using any substance.

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Vial unit

= 10,000 mcg

mL
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–units

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Syringe, no result yetU-100, 1 mL syringe holding up to 100 units. Enter your dose.0102030405060708090100

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What is the MOTS-c peptide?

MOTS-c is a small peptide, 16 amino acids long, that the body makes from instructions stored in its mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside cells. It was first described in 2015.

That makes it unusual: almost all peptides come from the main DNA in the cell’s nucleus. Lab-made MOTS-c is sold online as a research peptide.

What is MOTS-c used for?

MOTS-c is studied for metabolism. In mice it improved how the body handles sugar, prevented insulin resistance caused by a high-fat diet and by aging, and limited weight gain.

Levels of MOTS-c fall with age, and exercise raises them in human muscle. That has led to interest in it as an “exercise in a bottle” or anti-aging peptide, but that idea hasn’t been tested in people.

What does the research on MOTS-c show?

Almost all of the research is in cells and mice. No completed trial has shown that taking MOTS-c helps any disease or improves fitness in people, and the only human safety data comes from a short early study of a related compound.

So the benefits people describe online, like fat loss, energy or better endurance, come from animal results and personal reports, not from human trials.

MOTS-c side effects and risks

The side effects of MOTS-c in people are unknown, because it hasn’t been properly tested. Reported problems from users, like injection-site reactions, can’t be separated from problems with the products themselves.

Products sold online are research chemicals that nobody checks for purity or strength.

MOTS-c is not approved for human use by the FDA or any other regulator. In April 2026 the nominations for it were withdrawn, so it moved off the FDA’s list of compounding substances with safety concerns (Category 2), and in July 2026 an FDA advisory committee recommended allowing it in pharmacy compounding.

Those steps are not an approval, and the FDA still has to decide.

The World Anti-Doping Agency bans MOTS-c at all times, so tested athletes can’t use it.

How do you reconstitute MOTS-c?

MOTS-c comes as a powder that is mixed with bacteriostatic water. The calculator above turns the vial size, the water and a dose into syringe units, and the reconstitution guide explains each step.

See the dosage section below for what is known about doses, with sources.

MOTS-c dosage

MOTS-c has no completed human trials of its effects, so there is no validated human dose. Published doses come from mouse studies, which don't translate directly to people.

There is no approved or validated human dose. This site does not repeat doses from forums, sellers or animal studies.

Medical disclaimer: this dosage information is for education only and comes from the source shown for each row. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for you. Only a licensed prescriber who knows your health can decide whether MOTS-c is right for you and at what dose. Don't start, change or stop a medicine based on this page, and don't use research peptides or unapproved drugs based on trial doses.

MOTS-c concentration chart

The concentration of a MOTS-c vial depends only on its size and the water you add. Each unit on a U-100 syringe holds one hundredth of a mL.

MOTS-c concentration by vial size and water
Vial + waterConcentrationPer unit (U-100)
5 mg + 1 mL5,000 mcg/mL (5 mg/mL)50 mcg per unit (0.05 mg per unit)
5 mg + 2 mL2,500 mcg/mL (2.5 mg/mL)25 mcg per unit (0.025 mg per unit)
5 mg + 3 mL1,666.67 mcg/mL (1.66667 mg/mL)16.67 mcg per unit (0.01667 mg per unit)
10 mg + 1 mL10,000 mcg/mL (10 mg/mL)100 mcg per unit (0.1 mg per unit)
10 mg + 2 mL5,000 mcg/mL (5 mg/mL)50 mcg per unit (0.05 mg per unit)
10 mg + 3 mL3,333.33 mcg/mL (3.33333 mg/mL)33.33 mcg per unit (0.03333 mg per unit)

Frequently asked questions

What is MOTS c peptide used for?

It is studied for metabolism: blood sugar control, insulin resistance, weight and exercise capacity, mostly in mice. People who use it hope for those effects, but there are no human trials showing it works.

Is MOTS-c natural?

Yes. MOTS-c is made naturally in the body from instructions in mitochondrial DNA, and exercise raises its level in muscle. Products sold online are lab-made copies.

Is MOTS-c banned in sport?

Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists MOTS-c as a prohibited metabolic modulator, banned at all times.

Sources

  1. Lee et al. (2015), The Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Promotes Metabolic Homeostasis and Reduces Obesity and Insulin Resistance, Cell Metabolism
  2. BSCG, MOTS-c Peptide: Benefits, Safety, Legal Status, and Research
  3. FDA, Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks
  4. NCPA (2026), FDA advisory committee nominates six peptides for pharmacies to compound

Last updated .

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