MOTS-c
Effects of giving MOTS-c come from animal studies. Human data only measure the body's own MOTS-c.
At a glance. A small peptide produced by the body's own mitochondria, studied in mice for metabolism and physical capacity. Sold by AVERON as MTS-C.
Written and maintained by the AVERON Research Desk · Last reviewed September 2026
What it is
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide. What makes it unusual is where it comes from: it is encoded not in the DNA of the cell's nucleus, like almost every other peptide, but in the small separate genome of the mitochondria, the structures that produce most of a cell's energy. It belongs to a family called mitochondrial-derived peptides.
MOTS-c acts mainly through a pathway called AMPK, a central energy sensor inside cells that is also switched on by exercise. That connection is the reason MOTS-c is often described as an "exercise mimetic".
What researchers study it for
Insulin sensitivity, obesity, age-related decline in physical capacity, and metabolic health.
What the research shows
MOTS-c was first described by Changhan Lee and colleagues in Cell Metabolism in 2015. In mice fed a high-fat diet, giving MOTS-c prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.
A later study by Joseph Reynolds and colleagues, published in Nature Communications in 2021, found that exercise increases MOTS-c levels in human muscle and blood. In mice, giving MOTS-c improved physical capacity in young, middle-aged and old animals.
In people, studies have measured naturally occurring MOTS-c levels, which change with age, exercise and some metabolic conditions. These are observations of the body's own peptide. They do not show what happens when MOTS-c is given.
What it does not do, and what is not known
- There is no published controlled trial of giving MOTS-c to people. Every finding about its effects comes from animals.
- The "exercise mimetic" label describes a mechanism, not a proven result in humans. It is not a substitute for exercise.
- Finding that the body makes more MOTS-c during exercise does not mean that adding more produces the benefits of exercise.
- There is no established human safety profile.
- The doses used in mice cannot be translated reliably into people.
Adverse effects reported in research
No human trials of administered MOTS-c have been published, so there is no systematic adverse-effect data in people. Because MOTS-c acts on the same energy pathway as some diabetes medicines, researchers have raised the theoretical possibility of additive effects on blood sugar, but this has not been studied.
Regulatory and anti-doping status
Regulatory: Not approved as a medicine anywhere.
Anti-doping: With no approval for human therapeutic use, MOTS-c falls under WADA's category S0 (non-approved substances). Prohibited at all times in tested sport.
At AVERON
Supplied as research-grade material under the name MTS-C, 10 mg.
Independent lab report: 99326_ULGB9TD5FEAN
Frequently asked questions
Doses mentioned on this page are the arms of published trials, given to describe their results. They are not guidance.
Sources
- Lee C, Zeng J, Drew BG, et al.. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance. Cell Metabolism, 2015;21:443–454. Link
- Reynolds JC, Lai RW, Woodhead JST, et al.. MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis. Nature Communications, 2021;12:470. Link
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. WADA. Link