MOTS-c

A 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA; it improved metabolism and fitness in mice, but no human dosing trial has been published.

Also known as: mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c, mitochondrial-derived peptide
Area: Metabolic
Status: Not an approved medicine in the UK or US; banned in sport (WADA S4.4)

Articles on MOTS-c

MetabolicPreclinical

MOTS-c: what the evidence shows and what the first trial will test

The body makes MOTS-c and exercise raises it; injected into mice it improved insulin sensitivity and fitness. A placebo-controlled human trial began recruiting in February 2026.

HPR Editorial · 13 Sept 2026 · 9 min read