PeptideCalculations
mitochondrial-derived peptide · studied for insulin sensitivity, fat gain on a high-fat diet, exercise capacity and aging (mouse studies)

MOTS-c dosage

MOTS-c is a 16 amino acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA. In the 2015 Cell Metabolism paper, mice given 0.5 mg/kg a day for 8 weeks were protected from diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, and 5 mg/kg for a week improved glucose handling. The only human data is a phase 1 trial of an analog, CB4211, which was paused for injection site reactions. Users commonly inject 5 to 10 mg under the skin two to three times a week in 4 to 6 week cycles.

By the Peptide Calculations editors · Updated 2026-10-19

0.5 mg/kg to 5 mg/kgper day, intraperitoneal

Basis: animal study (Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015, mice). 0.5 mg/kg daily for 8 weeks in the obesity study, 5 mg/kg daily for 7 days in the glucose studies; mouse doses do not scale directly to people

How often
two to three times weekly
When
morning or before exercise, by user report
How long
4 to 6 weeks, repeated 2 to 4 times a year, with breaks
Route
subcutaneous, abdomen
Storage
lyophilized: fridge or freezer; reconstituted: fridge, commonly used within 4 weeks (commonly reported)

Dose ranges by source

RangePerBasisNote
0.5 mg/kg to 5 mg/kgday, intraperitonealanimal study (Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015, mice)0.5 mg/kg daily for 8 weeks in the obesity study, 5 mg/kg daily for 7 days in the glucose studies; mouse doses do not scale directly to people
5 mg to 10 mgdose, 2 to 3 times weeklycommonly reportedsome report 10 mg once weekly or 5 mg every 5 days; 4 to 6 week cycles

Titration schedule

Step up on this schedule; stay a step longer if side effects are rough.

WeeksDose
12.5 to 5 mg once
2-65 to 10 mg, 2 to 3 times weekly

MOTS-c dose to units chart

10 mg vial + 1 mL bacteriostatic water = 10 mg/mL (100 mcg per unit on a U-100 insulin syringe). 10 mg + 1 mL = 10 mg/mL, so 5 mg = 0.5 mL = 50 units; 2.5 mg = 25 units, 10 mg = 100 units (a full syringe). With 2 mL of water, 5 mg becomes 100 units.

DosemLUnits (U-100)Doses per vial
1 mcg0.00010.0120000
1 mcg0.00010.0110000
2 mcg0.00020.025000
3 mcg0.00030.034000
5 mcg0.00050.052000

Different vial or water? Full 10 mg + 1 mL table or set your own numbers below.

mL
Draw to
—units
— mL on a U-100, 1 mL barrel
Concentration
—mg/mL
— mcg per unit
Doses in the vial
—
of

Side effects

  • injection site redness, lumps or persistent irritation
  • fatigue in the first days
  • flushing
  • headache
  • insomnia if injected late
Before you start. Human dosing is not established; MOTS-c itself has no completed human trial, and the analog's phase 1 was paused because injection site reactions persisted. The 5 to 10 mg community doses are far above any body-weight scaling of the mouse data. It is banned in sport as a metabolic modulator. Not medical advice; start low and talk to a clinician.

MOTS-c dosage questions

How much MOTS-c should I take?

There is no human dose. The commonly reported protocol is 5 to 10 mg under the skin two to three times a week for 4 to 6 weeks, with some people doing 10 mg once a week. On a 10 mg vial in 1 mL, 5 mg is 50 units.

How do you reconstitute 10 mg of MOTS-c?

Add 1 mL of bacteriostatic water for 10 mg/mL, so 5 mg is 50 units and 10 mg is a full 100 unit syringe. With 2 mL, 5 mg becomes a full syringe. Because the doses are large, a 1 mL reconstitution keeps the injection volume manageable.

Does MOTS-c help with weight loss?

In mice on a high-fat diet, 0.5 mg/kg a day for 8 weeks prevented fat gain and insulin resistance. No human trial has tested MOTS-c for weight, and the one human study of an analog reported tolerability data, not weight results. Treat user reports as reports.

Is MOTS-c banned in sport?

Yes, WADA lists it under metabolic modulators as an AMPK activator. If you are tested, it is a positive.

Sources

  1. Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015, The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance (PMC4350682)
  2. CohBar press release, completion of the CB4211 phase 1a stage and start of phase 1b
  3. Peptide Protocol Wiki, MOTS-c overview and protocol quick reference

Brands we recommend for MOTS-c. We are independent and have no affiliation with any brand: no affiliate links, no referral codes, no paid placements. These are the suppliers whose testing and certificates hold up when we check them.

This page is an educational summary of published labels, trials and commonly reported use. It is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician.