What MOTS-c is
MOTS-c is a 16 amino acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, discovered at the University of Southern California in 2015. The body makes it, and levels in muscle rise during exercise.
That last fact drives a lot of its marketing as an "exercise in a vial." The body producing MOTS-c in response to exercise is not evidence that injecting it produces the benefits of exercise.
Regulatory status in 2026
MOTS-c is not an approved drug and is not on the list of substances pharmacies may compound from. It went through the same 2026 review as BPC-157.
WADA adds MOTS-c to its Prohibited List as a metabolic modulator.
MOTS-c is one of 12 peptides removed from FDA's Category 2 list after nominations are withdrawn. Removal does not make it legal to compound.
FDA's advisory committee votes 7 to 5, with two abstentions, to recommend adding MOTS-c to the compounding list for obesity and osteoporosis. FDA staff had proposed not adding it.
FDA has not added MOTS-c to the compounding list. It remains prohibited at all times under WADA class S4.4.
Regulatory status can change. Check the sources linked at the bottom of this page before relying on anything here.
Claims vs. what the research shows
MOTS-c has striking results in mice and almost nothing in people. A modified version was tested in early human trials by one company. That is not the compound sold as MOTS-c.
Improves insulin sensitivity and prevents weight gain.
Shown in mice on high-fat diets. No published human trial of injected MOTS-c.
Animal or limited evidenceWorks like exercise.
Exercise raises the body's own MOTS-c. Injected MOTS-c has not been shown to reproduce exercise benefits in people.
Insufficient dataStrengthens bones.
Early animal and cell data, and part of why osteoporosis was reviewed in 2026. No human evidence.
Animal or limited evidenceStorage and stability
Peptides break down with heat, light, moisture, and repeated freezing and thawing. Degraded product is one common reason two vials of the "same" peptide behave differently. These are general peptide handling practices. Your supplier's certificate of analysis or label takes priority.
Sealed powder (lyophilized)
- Refrigerate at 36 to 46°F (2 to 8°C) for routine storage.
- Freezer is generally used for long-term storage.
- Keep in its original sealed vial, away from light.
- Let a cold vial reach room temperature before opening to limit condensation.
After reconstitution
- Keep refrigerated. Do not freeze.
- Protect from light. Clear glass lets it through.
- Opened multi-dose bacteriostatic water is typically discarded 28 days after first puncture.
- Log the mix date so you know the vial's age at a glance.
Light exposure is easy to overlook in a fridge door that opens dozens of times a day. VIALTIGHT is building stackable cases that block light from every side. See vialtight.com for updates.
Reconstitution math
Concentration is just the amount of peptide divided by the volume of water added. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units equals 1 mL, so each unit is 0.01 mL. Enter what is on your vial label and what you added to see the concentration.
This shows concentration only. It is not a dosing recommendation. VialTracker runs this math for every vial you log and keeps it with the vial's history.
Safety flags
Product quality is unverified. Gray-market vials have been found underdosed, mislabeled, or contaminated. A certificate of analysis from the seller is not the same as independent testing.
Human safety is unknown. There is no published human safety data for injected MOTS-c.
Tested athletes. Prohibited at all times under WADA class S4.4. USADA has warned athletes about it specifically.
FAQ
Did the FDA approve MOTS-c?
No. An advisory committee voted to recommend adding it to the compounding list. FDA has not acted on that recommendation.
Is MOTS-c natural?
Your body makes it. The injectable version is synthetic, and "natural" says nothing about the safety of injecting it.
Does VialTracker tell me what to take?
No. VialTracker organizes the information you enter and runs the math. It does not recommend doses, products, or protocols.