MOTS-c

What MOTS-c has been studied for

The reasons people look it up, roughly in order of how often, and what research exists for each. Interest in a use is not evidence that it works; the evidence is stated under each one.

Metabolic health and insulin sensitivity

The most studied area. It activates AMPK, the switch cells throw when energy runs low, the same one exercise and metformin hit. Preclinical work shows better glucose handling and less fat accumulation; human trials have not reported outcomes.

Endurance and training capacity

In preclinical studies, endurance improved. Whether that translates to people is untested.

Ageing

Levels drop with age, and some observational studies link variation in the MOTS-c gene to longevity. That is a correlation, not evidence about taking it.

Mechanism of Action

How MOTS-c works

MOTS-c side effects: what studies reported

Very little documented, partly because it is the same molecule the body makes and partly because it has not been studied in many people.

Source: Mostly preclinical work plus early human safety observations and reports outside trials. This is a summary of published findings, not a complete safety profile and not medical advice. Questions about MOTS-c belong with a licensed clinician who knows your history.

The dots after each gene are where your own result goes. Your report fills them in with the two letters you carry at that position.

Often discussed alongside

Compounds that come up next to MOTS-c in research and discussion. Each has its own page. None of this is a suggestion to combine them.

SS-31

also studied for mitochondrial functionModerate Evidence

SS-31 (Elamipretide / Bendavia / MTP-131)

A peptide that goes to one specific place: the inner membrane of the mitochondria, where it binds a fat called cardiolipin. It is the rare compound here that is a genuine pharmaceutical, tested in real trials, and its honest record includes a large trial that failed. Also known as elamipretide.

4

Gene variants

50+

Studies

Humanin

another mitochondrial-derived peptidePreliminary Evidence

Humanin (Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide)

A small peptide encoded inside mitochondrial DNA, one of the first mitochondrial-derived peptides found. In laboratory and preclinical work it acts as a cell-protective and metabolic signal, and higher circulating levels have been associated with longevity in human observational studies. It has never been tested in a human trial.

3

Gene variants

25+

Studies

Access

Access and legal status

MOTS-c is not an FDA-approved drug. Products sold online as “research chemicals” are labelled not for human use, and FDA treats them as unapproved drugs when they are marketed for people. We don't link to any seller, and nothing on this page is a recommendation to obtain or use it.

Educational information only, not medical advice. Most peptides are not FDA-approved. Do not start, stop or change any medication or peptide because of this page; talk to a licensed clinician.

Worth knowing about MOTS-c

Interactions and situations where there is a specific reason to be careful. Where the honest answer is that nobody has studied something, it says so and says what that leaves open.

Almost all of the outcome data are preclinical

The endurance and lifespan results that get quoted come from preclinical studies. That makes them a reason for research interest, not evidence of an effect in people.

Not approved, and banned in sport

It is not an approved medicine, and WADA lists it as a prohibited metabolic modulator at all times.

Frequently Asked Questions