Dosage protocol · Longevity & Mitochondrial Health
MOTS-C 5 mg
Typical daily range: 500–1500 mcg once daily (gradual titration from 500 mcg).
- Reconstitute: Add 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water → ~1.67 mg/mL concentration.
- Typical daily range: 500–1500 mcg once daily (gradual titration from 500 mcg).
- Easy measuring: At 1.67 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL ≈ 16.7 mcg on a U‑100 insulin syringe.
- Storage: Lyophilized: freeze at −20 °C (−4 °F); after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within 2–4 weeks.
Reconstitution
MOTS-C dosage chart
| Week | Dose | Draw |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | 500 mcg0.5 mg | 30 units0.30 mL |
| Weeks 3–4 | 1000 mcg1.0 mg | 60 units0.60 mL |
| Weeks 5–6 | 1500 mcg1.5 mg | 90 units0.90 mL |
| Weeks 7–8 | 2000 mcg2.0 mg | 120 units* |
How much to draw
The Draw column shows exactly where to stop on a U-100 insulin syringe. Different vial size or dose? The calculator below recomputes it live.
Supplies needed
Supplies needed
Peptide vial
The lyophilized compound
Bacteriostatic water
For reconstitution
U-100 insulin syringes
One per injection
Alcohol swabs
Stopper + site each time
How it works
MOTS-c is an unusually short, 16-amino-acid peptide notable for where it comes from: it is encoded by mitochondrial DNA itself, within a region called MT-RNR1 that was previously thought to only produce ribosomal RNA. It belongs to a small, newly described class called mitochondrial-derived peptides, alongside a related molecule called humanin.[1]
It was first described in a 2015 study as a regulator of metabolic homeostasis in mice, and research interest since has focused on metabolism, exercise physiology, and cellular energy signaling rather than any established medical use.
Benefits & side effects
Nearly all detailed findings come from mouse and cell studies. In diet-induced-obesity mouse models, MOTS-c administration improved insulin-sensitivity measures and reduced weight gain.[1] A later study described MOTS-c as an exercise-induced regulator linked to age-related physical decline and muscle function in mice, with supporting human observations correlating blood MOTS-c levels with age and exercise.[3]
Human data are essentially limited to observational plasma-level measurements, not interventional trials of injected MOTS-c. No registered clinical trials currently establish the efficacy or safety of exogenous MOTS-c in people.
Calculator
Plan your own dose
Reconstituting a different vial size or targeting a different dose? Run the numbers.