Peptide research profile

MOTS-c

Also known as Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA-c

A 16-amino-acid peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA. Most intervention evidence is preclinical; human research has largely measured endogenous MOTS-c or early investigational analogues.

  • Metabolic research
  • Longevity & mitochondria
Preclinical-heavy2 referencesEducational use

Dosing literacy

Dosing & scaling, explained

The 10–15 mg entries are recorded research presets, not human trial-established doses for native MOTS-c. This is educational source context—not a protocol or recommendation.

Scaling framework

How sourced amounts are organized

  1. Starting pointNot clinically established
    No validated titration window

    There is no regulator-approved starting dose for this research use. A low-looking number is not automatically safe.

  2. Recorded preset10–15 mg / day
    Calculator library reference

    This is the range represented in the in-app protocol library. It describes the source record; it does not validate the regimen.

  3. Higher exposureAbove 15 mg / day is not characterized
    Risk and uncertainty increase

    Higher exposure is not established as more effective. Human pharmacokinetic and long-term safety data may be absent.

Drug amount and device markings are different quantities. The calculator converts mass into volume, syringe units, or pen clicks.

Schedule literacy

Patterns described in source material

  • Daily in recorded presets

    The cadence represented by the recorded calculator presets.

  • Exercise-timed in some source records

    Published experiments may use a different route, formulation, timing, or population and should not be treated as interchangeable.

  • No universal schedule

    No single schedule has been validated across products or research contexts.

Clinical context

No completed peer-reviewed dose-ranging efficacy trial establishes a native MOTS-c regimen.

Research best practices

Storage, handling and interpretation

Lyophilized material

Keep cold, dry, and protected from light according to the manufacturer certificate or validated lab SOP.

After reconstitution

Use sterile technique, refrigerate as validated, and avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.

Traceability

Record lot, concentration, preparation date, and the identity/purity documentation used by the lab.

Research orientation

What researchers are exploring

These themes describe recurring questions in published research. They are not claims of effectiveness or recommendations for use.

  • 01

    Metabolic homeostasis

    Cell and mouse studies examine glucose handling, insulin sensitivity, and AMPK-linked signaling.

  • 02

    Exercise response

    Human observational work studies circulating MOTS-c and exercise-related physiology.

  • 03

    Stress adaptation

    Laboratory studies describe nuclear translocation during metabolic stress.

  • 04

    Healthy aging

    Age-associated expression and physical function remain exploratory research areas.

Evidence map

What the current evidence can support

Study models remain visible so laboratory and animal findings are not mistaken for established human outcomes.

  • Animal

    Discovery and metabolic mouse models

    The foundational Cell Metabolism study reported effects in diet- and age-related mouse models.

  • In vitro

    Folate–purine–AMPK pathway

    Mechanistic work links MOTS-c to cellular metabolic stress responses.

  • Review

    Human intervention gap

    Reviews emphasize that therapeutic human evidence remains limited and clinical development is ongoing.

Recorded protocol library

Amounts recorded for MOTS-c

These amount records are independent from vial strength, reconstitution volume and measuring device. A recorded source is not the same as study backing, and these values are not recommendations.

  • 01

    Dose

    500 mcg

    Sign in for schedule, duration and source context.

  • 02

    Dose

    5 mg

    Sign in for schedule, duration and source context.

  • 03

    Usable recorded reference

    10 mg

    Sign in for schedule, duration and source context.

Technical reference

Identity, limitations and unknowns

Molecular profile

Class
Mitochondria-derived peptide
Sequence
MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR
Amino acids
16
Approx. MW
2174.6 Da
Origin / design
Encoded by a short open reading frame in mitochondrial 12S rRNA

Important limitations

  • Associations between endogenous MOTS-c levels and human traits do not establish effects of administered peptide.
  • Completed, peer-reviewed human efficacy trials of native MOTS-c are not yet available.
  • A calculator preset is a recorded research convention, not a recommendation or evidence of clinical benefit.
  • Identity, purity, sterility, and stability can vary substantially outside regulated manufacturing.
  • Route, formulation, and population can make results from one study inapplicable to another use.

Curated sources

2 curated references

  1. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistanceCell Metabolism · 2015 · Animal
  2. Mitochondria-derived peptide MOTS-c: effects and mechanisms related to stress, metabolism and agingJournal of Translational Medicine · 2023 · Review