Longevity & cellular · Metabolic and exercise-mimetic research

MOTS-c

Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c

A 16-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide. It acts on AMPK and nuclear gene expression during metabolic stress. Literature score 60/100, human safety unestablished, WADA banned at all times.

Library entry →

AMPK
Metabolic homeostasis
Exercise-mimetic models

Catalog fill: 10 mg
Typical water: 2 mL
Route: Subcutaneous
Cycle: 4 weeks on, then a pause.
Approval: Research chemical only. No human licence.
Status: Research chemical. WADA prohibited at all times.
Evidence: Broad preclinical 2020–2025 file; no clinical approval.
Research score: 60 / 100

Mechanism

AMPK activation and nuclear translocation under metabolic stress to change gene expression. Framed as an exercise mimetic in rodent work.

Safety file

Human safety unestablished. Theoretical hypoglycaemia and mitochondrial over-activation. Injection-site reactions. WADA prohibited.

Injection-site reactions
Temporary fatigue
Mild headache

Reconstitution

2 mL bacteriostatic water yields 5 mg/mL. A 5 mg amount is 100 units (1 mL). Prefer 2 mL water so a 10 mg amount is not two syringes.

Research amounts

2–3 times weekly.

Step	Amount	Frequency	Notes
Common research amount	5 mg	2–3× weekly	100 units at 5 mg/mL
Upper cited amount	10 mg	2× weekly	Reconstitute with 4 mL if you want 10 mg to equal 1 mL

Storage

Lyophilized: −20 °C freezer preferred; a refrigerator is also acceptable. Do not open a cold vial — wait 15–30 minutes so it does not sweat. Avoid freeze–thaw cycling.
After water: 2–8 °C, dark, up to 45 days when mixed with bacteriostatic water. Mixed vials stay in their box. Sterile water (no preservative) is single-use.

Worksheet notes

Filed here under cellular health, not GLP-1. It is not an incretin analog.
Bacteriostatic water: 20–25 °C. Do not refrigerate the diluent.
Amounts on this sheet are reconstitution math for the vial, not a recommendation.

Full protocol

Titration, schedule, and handling

The complete protocol for MOTS-c. Where it differs from the worksheet amounts above, the worksheet reflects the NovaEvum vial.

Reconstitution

Concentration by vial size and water volume
Vial	1 mL water	2 mL water	4 mL water
10 mg	10 mg/mL	5 mg/mL	2.5 mg/mL
40 mg	40 mg/mL	20 mg/mL	10 mg/mL

The 10 mg vial at 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL: a 1 mg dose is 0.2 mL (20 units) and a 5 mg dose fills a 1 mL syringe (100 units), so the 10 mg vial suits the 1 mg daily protocol. For 5 mg two or three times weekly, the 40 mg vial is easier: at 4 mL it gives 10 mg/mL, so 5 mg is a 0.5 mL draw (50 units).

Use bacteriostatic water as the diluent.
Add the water slowly, letting it run down the inside wall of the vial rather than onto the powder.
Swirl gently to mix, then leave it to dissolve. Do not shake.
Give it a few minutes. The finished solution should be clear and colourless.

Protocol

Route: Subcutaneous

Standard protocol (subcutaneous)

5 mg per dose, 2 to 3 times per week (for example Monday, Wednesday, Friday) is the common range
Beginners often start at 5 mg twice weekly and titrate up
A lower daily option is 1 mg per day
On the 10 mg vial at 2 mL (5 mg/mL), 1 mg is a 0.2 mL draw (20 units) and a 5 mg dose fills a full 1 mL syringe (100 units)
On the 40 mg vial at 4 mL (10 mg/mL), 5 mg is a tidier 0.5 mL draw (50 units)

Timing

Inject fasted in the morning, ideally 30 to 60 minutes before fasted cardio or training
It mimics the metabolic signal the body produces during fasting, so an empty stomach lines up with how it works
On rest days, dose in the morning all the same

Duration and stacking

Run 4 to 8 week blocks, then a break of similar length
Commonly stacked with NAD+ and 5-Amino-1MQ as a metabolic combination, hitting mitochondrial function and fat oxidation from different angles
Effects are cumulative, so judge it over weeks rather than per dose

Dosing detail

Common dosing is 5 mg, 2 to 3 times per week. Beginners start at 5 mg twice weekly. A lower daily option is 1 mg per day.
Inject fasted in the morning, often before cardio or training. Subcutaneous, rotate sites.
A mitochondrial-derived peptide that activates AMPK, studied for fat oxidation, insulin sensitivity and endurance.

Duration

Run 4 to 8 week blocks, then a break of similar length. Effects build over the cycle rather than from any single dose.

Notes

Non-hormonal, so no PCT, and it does not disrupt other hormones.
Well tolerated by most; the main reports are mild fatigue or injection-site reactions at higher doses.
More is not better here: the lower signalling-style doses work fine. Inject subcutaneously and rotate sites.

Storage and handling

Keep the powdered (lyophilized) vial in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate it for longer-term storage before mixing.
Once reconstituted and refrigerated at 2–8 °C away from light, use the vial within 90 days.
Do not freeze a reconstituted vial, and keep it away from heat and sunlight.
If the solution turns cloudy, develops floating particles, or shows any other sign of degradation, stop using that vial.