What it is
MOTS-c is a peptide made of 16 amino acids. The body makes it naturally, and it can also be made in a lab. It is coded in mitochondrial DNA, not in the main DNA in the cell's nucleus. Mitochondria are the parts of the cell that make energy. It was discovered in 2015. It turns on AMPK, a protein that senses how much energy a cell has. When AMPK is on, cells take in more sugar and burn more fat. Other names: Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA-c.
What researchers study it for
- Weight gain and insulin response in mice on high-fat diets
- MOTS-c levels in human muscle and blood during exercise
- Physical ability in old mice
- A MOTS-c gene variant and long life in people
What the studies found
1. Mice on a high-fat diet did not become obese or insulin resistant.
The 2015 study that discovered MOTS-c gave it to mice eating a high-fat diet. Treated mice did not gain the weight or lose the insulin response that untreated mice did. It worked by turning on AMPK and changing the folate cycle, a set of reactions cells use to make building blocks. Mouse data only.
2. Exercise raised MOTS-c in human muscle and blood.
In this 2021 study, young men did one exercise session. MOTS-c went up in their muscle and in their blood. The same study gave MOTS-c three times a week to very old mice. Their physical ability improved. The human part measured natural MOTS-c, not an injected dose.
3. A second human study found only a small rise.
This trial compared 45 minutes of cycling with weight training. A related peptide called humanin rose after exercise. MOTS-c only showed a trend toward rising. Resting levels of both peptides did not match fitness scores. Human data.
4. A MOTS-c gene variant was linked to long life in Japanese people.
Researchers found a small change in the MOTS-c gene, called K14Q, that was more common in Japanese people with exceptional long life. This was an observational study. It shows a link, not a cause. It does not test MOTS-c as a treatment.
5. How the body clears it has not been mapped.
This review covers peptides made from mitochondrial DNA, including MOTS-c. It states that how these peptides are released, where they act, and how they leave the body are only starting to be studied. No study has measured how long injected MOTS-c stays in the blood.
How much research exists
A small body of research that started in 2015. The treatment results are in animals. Human data is limited to exercise and genetic studies. No human trial of injected MOTS-c has been published.
Facts
- Formula: C101H152N28O22S2
- Weight: 2174.6 g/mol
- CAS number: 1627580-64-6
- Sequence: MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR
- Time in the blood: never measured
- Storage: freeze the dry powder. Keep mixed solution in the fridge.
Legal status
Not approved by the FDA or any other agency for human use.
For research use only. Not for human use. Nothing here is medical advice.