The Peptide Directory

Not approved (research only)Mitochondrial-derived peptideLongevityMetabolic

MOTS-c

Not FDA-approved. FDA advisers voted 7–5 (2 abstentions) in July 2026 to recommend 503A compounding; FDA has not acted.

Last reviewed by The Peptide Directory Editorial Team

What is MOTS-c?

MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA (within the 12S rRNA gene) that has been studied in animals for effects on metabolism and exercise capacity; it is not FDA-approved.

Key takeaways

  1. Discovered in the mid-2010s; research is mostly preclinical.
  2. July 2026 advisory vote: 7–5 with 2 abstentions to recommend compounding.
  3. No approved human use.

What makes MOTS-c different?

It is encoded by mitochondrial rather than nuclear DNA — a newer class of signaling peptides.

How does MOTS-c work?

Animal studies link MOTS-c to AMPK activation and improved insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle.

What the clinical evidence actually shows

  • Reviews (Front Endocrinol 2023; Int J Mol Sci 2022) summarize mainly animal and cell data.
  • Free Radic Biol Med 2016: regulation of muscle and fat metabolism in models.

How much research exists on MOTS-c?

PubMed indexes 259 papers mentioning MOTS-c in the title or abstract, 207 of them from the last five years and 5 tagged as clinical trials (search run October 19, 2026; repeat the search).

Most relevant recent papers

Registered clinical studies

ClinicalTrials.gov lists 5 studies with MOTS-c as an intervention (see all). Most recent:

Side effects

Human safety data are minimal.

Regulatory & access status

  • Not FDA-approved. Included in the July 2026 advisory votes; FDA has not adopted them.

Sourcing & safety

Sold online as a research chemical, not for human use.

Doses in labels and trials

Reference only — copied from published research. Not a recommendation.

SourceWhat it says
Human doseNo established or approved human dose exists.

What the evidence does not show

  • Any proven human health benefit.
  • Long-term safety.

MOTS-c FAQ

Is MOTS-c FDA-approved?

No. FDA advisers voted 7–5 in July 2026 to recommend allowing compounding, but the FDA has not acted.

Where does MOTS-c come from?

It is encoded in mitochondrial DNA, within the 12S rRNA gene.

Related peptides & comparisons

BPC-157GHK-Cu Longevity

References

  1. MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic exploitation, Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) (2023), PMID 36761202
  2. MOTS-c, the Most Recent Mitochondrial Derived Peptide in Human Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Int J Mol Sci (2022), PMID 36233287
  3. MOTS-c: A novel mitochondrial-derived peptide regulating muscle and fat metabolism, Free Radic Biol Med (2016), PMID 27216708
  4. FDA Panel Backs 6 Peptides for Compounding, AJMC (2026)

MOTS-c calculators

Lab arithmetic only: convert a mass to a volume or syringe units at a known concentration with the units converter, or work out a concentration with the reconstitution calculator.

There is no FDA-approved MOTS-c product. Compounded versions depend on FDA's compounding rules, and "research use only" products are not for human use.

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Research suppliers that list MOTS-c

44 vendors in our directory listed a product matching MOTS-c in their public catalog on October 19, 2026. Listed alphabetically; a listing is not an endorsement. Research use only.

Prices per mg, where we could verify them, are on our price comparison.

MOTS-c dosing protocol

There is no FDA-label or published-trial dosing schedule we can reproduce for MOTS-c, so we don't publish one.

Find clinics offering MOTS-c

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