Peptide Graded

MOTS-c

Does MOTS-c work?

Not properly: animal or lab studies, or small uncontrolled human reports. No trial has given it to people.

CAnimal and cell studiesNot approvedas of 2026-10-26

The efficacy data are in mice: the 2015 discovery paper showing protection from diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, and a 2021 paper showing better physical performance in young and old mice. The only human data measure the body's own MOTS-c rising in muscle and blood after exercise. No human has received MOTS-c in a published trial, so C. 36

Humans have been studied only as makers of their own MOTS-c. A 2021 paper in Nature Communications looked at healthy volunteers. A bout of exercise raised MOTS-c in skeletal muscle and in blood plasma. Levels fell during recovery. No published trial has given MOTS-c to humans. Claims about fat loss, endurance or insulin sensitivity in people rest entirely on mouse studies. 36

Evidence checklist

  • Randomised controlled trial No trial has given it to people
  • Human study over 100 people No human dosing study
  • More than one research group Mouse work from one lab group
  • Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Mouse outcomes; human data are natural levels
  • Human safety data beyond case reports No human safety data

Read the full MOTS-c page

More on MOTS-c

Citations

  1. Front Endocrinol 2023: Review of MOTS-c in metabolism and disease doi.org
  2. Biochim Biophys Acta 2021: Mitochondrial-derived peptides and exercise doi.org
  3. Lee 2015, Cell Metab: The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. FDA: Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding may present significant safety risks fda.gov
  5. WADA: 2026 Prohibited List wada-ama.org
  6. Reynolds 2021, Nat Commun: MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. Miller 2022, J Clin Invest: Mitochondria-derived peptides in aging and healthspan pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the MOTS-c article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.