MOTS-c
Mitochondrial-derived peptide that improves metabolic function and exercise capacity
Clinical Research Score: 3/5 — Backed by growing metabolic research including early human exercise studies, but still largely preclinical.
Categories: Weight Loss / Metabolic, Performance & Energy, Anti-Aging / Longevity
What is MOTS-c?
MOTS-c is what happens when scientists discover a natural molecule that your mitochondria make — and realize that supplementing it can supercharge your metabolism. It's like finding your body's own performance-enhancing compound and giving yourself more of it.
People report that exercise becomes more productive. Endurance improves. Fat is used more efficiently as fuel. Blood sugar stabilizes. Body composition shifts toward leaner, more metabolically active tissue. The effect isn't dramatic overnight, but it builds consistently — your metabolism simply runs better.
What makes MOTS-c particularly fascinating from a science perspective is that your natural levels decline significantly with age — mirroring the metabolic decline that most people experience as they get older. Supplementing it is essentially restoring a metabolic signal that your body used to produce abundantly. For anyone focused on metabolic health, exercise performance, or age-related metabolic decline, MOTS-c addresses the problem at a fundamental level.
How MOTS-c works
MOTS-c activates AMPK — your body's master metabolic switch — which triggers a cascade of metabolic improvements. It increases glucose uptake (helping cells absorb and use blood sugar), promotes fatty acid oxidation (burning fat for fuel), improves insulin sensitivity (making your cells more responsive to insulin), and enhances mitochondrial function overall. It's essentially flipping on the same metabolic pathways that exercise activates, making your cellular metabolism run more efficiently.
Scientific overview
MOTS-c (Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the Twelve S rRNA Type-c) is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that regulates metabolic homeostasis. It activates AMPK, promotes glucose uptake, improves insulin sensitivity, and has been shown to increase exercise capacity. MOTS-c levels naturally decline with age, suggesting its role in age-related metabolic decline.
Dosing
- Starting dose: 5 mg per week
- Common dosage range: 5-10 mg per week
- Administration: Subcutaneous
- Half-life: ~12 hours
- Frequency: 3-5x per week