Metabolic · Dosing reference

MOTS-c dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyCPreclinical researchNone established

Full research page Cycle-length evidence Compare Prefer Amiravo on Google

Regulatory status: Not approved — research use only
Human amounts: None established in humans
Route studied: —
Frequency: Not established
Half-life: Not established
Evidence grade: Grade C · Preclinical research
Vial sizes on the market: 10 mg · 40 mg
Other forms seen: —

What MOTS-c is

MOTS-c is a short peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, studied in cellular and animal models of metabolism and stress response.

MOTS-c is translated from a short open reading frame within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, which makes it one of a small group of mitochondrial-encoded signalling peptides alongside humanin ^5. Folate cycle and AMPK In the originating report, MOTS-c's cellular actions inhibited the folate cycle and the purine biosynthesis tethered to it, and this led to activation of AMP-activated protein kinase; skeletal muscle… How it works →

Key evidence

Lee et al., Cell Metab · 2015 · Mice and cells
MOTS-c was identified as a 16-amino-acid mitochondrially encoded peptide whose actions inhibit the folate cycle and purine biosynthesis and activate AMPK; treatment prevented age-dependent and diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity in mice. ⁵
Reynolds et al., Nat Commun · 2021 · Mice (young, middle-aged and old) plus human skeletal muscle and plasma measurements
MOTS-c enhanced physical performance across mouse age groups and late-life intermittent treatment increased physical capacity; in humans, exercise induced endogenous MOTS-c in muscle and circulation, which is a measurement rather than an administration finding. ⁷
Zheng et al., Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · 2023 · Review of preclinical literature
Summarises MOTS-c biology, including nuclear translocation under metabolic stress and age-related decline in plasma levels, and states that MOTS-c has been used little in disease treatment and that no effective method of applying it in the clinic has been developed. ⁶

All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

Human studies of MOTS-c are listed below by design, population and duration. None was designed or powered to establish an amount, and Amiravo does not reproduce their amounts for a compound approved nowhere.

Separately, and as a different molecule, a phase 1a/1b study of CB4211 (an analogue, not MOTS-c itself) enrolled 88 participants: healthy non-obese subjects in single-ascending-dose and 7-day multiple-ascending-dose parts, and a 28-day part in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, all by subcutaneous injection with placebo controls (NCT03998514, completed, no posted results) ^9.
Observational human work measures endogenous MOTS-c, not administered MOTS-c: for example, a study reporting that MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis ^7.

How long did human studies run?

The CB4211 phase 1 study (a different molecule) used single administration in the first part, 7 days in the multiple-dose part and 28 days in the fatty liver disease part ^9.

Cycle-length evidence for MOTS-c

MOTS-c draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength

sizes on the market

2 · Water added

3 · Amount per draw

4 · Syringe

Your mix

10 mg + 2 mL water = 5 mg/mL

10 units holds 0.5 mg (500 mcg)

Draw toEnter an amount in step 3

U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Water	mg/mL	Draw
0.5 mL	20	—
1 mL	10	—
1.5 mL	6.667	—
2 mL	5	—
2.5 mL	4	—
3 mL	3.333	—
5 mL	2	—

Supplies and handling

Lyophilized vial
Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
Sterile diluent
The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
Graduated syringes
Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
Alcohol prep pads
For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
Nitrile gloves
Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
Sharps container
Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Step-by-step reconstitution guide Storage and transport accessories

Storage

General research-context handling only. Lyophilised peptide is normally kept cold, dry and protected from light, and methionine- and tryptophan-containing sequences are particularly prone to oxidative degradation once in solution. Defer to the storage temperature, retest date and solvent guidance in the supplier's documentation for the specific lot; nothing here is a preparation or handling instruction.

Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent: The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed: Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles: Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution: This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed: Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status: MOTS-c has no approved drug application in the United States; a Drugs@FDA / openFDA search returns no records ^1. MOTS-c-related bulk drug substances were on the agenda of FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting of July 23-24, 2026, where FDA proposed that MOTS-c (free base) and MOTS-c acetate NOT be included on the 503A bulk drug substances list ²^3. MOTS-c is also named in the WADA 2026 Prohibited List, section S4.4.1 ^4.
United States (FDA): Not approved. Drugs@FDA / openFDA returns no application for MOTS-c ^1. The substance was taken to the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee on July 23, 2026 (afternoon session) for a vote on inclusion on the 503A bulks list ^2, and FDA's briefing document states "FDA is proposing that MOTS-c (free base) NOT be included on the 503A Bulks List" and the same for MOTS-c acetate; the same document records in a footnote that the nomination (Wells Pharmacy Network) "was withdrawn by the nominator" and that FDA elected to proceed with the presentation anyway ^3.
Sport (WADA): Prohibited at all times. Section S4.4.1 (metabolic modulators) lists among activators of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) the "mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c (MOTS-c)" ^4. S4.4 substances are prohibited in- and out-of-competition and are non-Specified.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

MOTS-c compared with related compounds

Compound	Status	Evidence	Human amounts	Half-life
MOTS-c	Not approved — research use only	C	None established	—
PEA	Not approved — research use only	A	None established	—
Humanin	Not approved — research use only	C	None established	—
Tesofensine	Investigational	B	Trial doses	About 234 hours (M1 metabolite about 374
Mazdutide	Approved outside the US	A	Trial doses	150.9 to 403.5 hours (phase 1b in overwe
Cagrilintide	Investigational	A	Trial doses	159 to 195 hours (phase 1b, co-administe

Combinations that include MOTS-c

Retatrutide + MOTS-c

Frequently asked questions

What doses of MOTS-c have been studied in humans?

None that establish an amount. MOTS-c is not approved anywhere and the human studies that exist are small and were not designed to find a dose. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.

Is there an established MOTS-c cycle length?

No cycle length or break has been established. Human studies administered MOTS-c for the periods listed on this page; those are study durations, not a recommended course.

How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a MOTS-c vial?

There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.

How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?

On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.

Is MOTS-c FDA-approved?

Not approved — research use only. MOTS-c has no approved drug application in the United States; a Drugs@FDA / openFDA search returns no records ^1. MOTS-c-related bulk drug substances were on the agenda of FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting of July 23-24, 2026, where FDA proposed that MOTS-c (free base) and MOTS-c acetate NOT be included on the 503A bulk drug substances list ²^3. MOTS-c is also named in the WADA 2026 Prohibited List, section S4.4.1 ^4.

References

Drugs@FDA application data queried through openFDA for MOTS-c (no matching application record returned on 22 October 2026) openFDA / Drugs@FDA. 2026
July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (agenda, questions and briefing documents) FDA Advisory Committee Calendar. 2026
FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting, July 23-24, 2026 (covering BPC-157-, KPV-, TB-500-, MOTS-c-, Emideltide-, Epitalon- and Semax-related bulk drug substances) FDA. 2026
International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026
The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance Cell Metab. 2015
MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic exploitation Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023
MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis Nat Commun. 2021
PubChem compound record for MOTS-c (CID 146675088; CAS 1627580-64-6) PubChem. 2026
A Phase 1a/1b Study of CB4211 in Healthy Non-obese Subjects and Subjects With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NCT03998514), completed, no posted results ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021

Last reviewed October 23, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error