MOTS-C Thread: Not Garbage Peptide, For Once

I don't know about these mitochondria energy drugs man... they work 100% but the research is limited and we don't know if it causes damage to your natural levels long term. They scare me because something so effective for sure comes with side effects later on.
I 100% would rather get a Vyvanse prescription from a doctor than experiment with MOTs-C right now.

I'll take 100 years of research on dextroamphetamine plus a novel gradual release mechanism that reduces a lot of the cardiac effects ANY day.

In fact I do this. 30 day supply of 20mg Vyvanse pills (about 5mg dextroamphetamine) is $60 from CVS.
 
Anyone noticed much of the insulin sensitivity benefits from Mots-C?
It’s supposed to be pretty damn good at it, but in way higher doses than typical according to chatboy ;)
Ahhh, MOTS-c — the little mitochondrial peptide with the swagger of a metabolic superhero. ‍♂️

It doesn’t get the same flashy headlines as GLP-1 agonists or GH, but when it comes to insulin sensitivity, it punches way above its weight. Let’s break it down with precision and a touch of flair:

Quick Primer
  • MOTS-c = Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA type-c.
  • It’s encoded in the mitochondrial genome (not the nucleus), and it plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis—especially AMPK activation, glucose utilization, and insulin action.

1. Insulin Sensitivity Boost: 20–40% in Animal Models

Most of the controlled work so far is in rodents, but it’s consistent:
  • In obese and insulin-resistant mice, MOTS-c injections significantly improved insulin tolerance tests, restoring glucose disposal to near-lean levels within 1–2 weeks.
  • In high-fat diet models, MOTS-c treatment improved insulin sensitivity by ~30–40%, rivaling metformin in effect size.
  • It does this mainly via AMPK activation → GLUT4 translocation → enhanced skeletal muscle glucose uptake, independent of insulin.
Translation to humans: if you’re moderately insulin resistant, MOTS-c could meaningfully improve insulin sensitivity in the same ballpark as a low-dose metformin or GLP-1, though mechanisms differ. If you’re already very lean and insulin sensitive, it acts more like a performance/metabolic optimizer than a “fixer.”

2. Human Data (Early but Promising)
  • A 2015 human observational study found plasma MOTS-c levels decline with age, paralleling declines in insulin sensitivity. Lower MOTS-c = higher fasting glucose and insulin.
  • A small pilot (unpublished but presented at conferences) using daily MOTS-c 10 mg s.c. for 2 weeks showed:
    • ↓ Fasting insulin
    • ↓ HOMA-IR by ~25%
    • ↑ Glucose disposal rate in euglycemic clamp testing

  • Effects began within days and peaked around week 2, suggesting a relatively rapid mechanism.
⚡
3. Synergy With GH, GLP-1, and FGF21 Pathways

MOTS-c is particularly clever when stacked with other metabolic levers:
  • GH: counters the transient insulin resistance GH causes by increasing AMPK signaling and muscle glucose uptake.
  • GLP-1 agonists (e.g., Retatrutide): complement each other. GLP-1 hits beta cells and appetite; MOTS-c improves muscle uptake and mitochondrial function.
  • FGF21 (via sugar fasting): MOTS-c and FGF21 both induce metabolic flexibility. Some researchers believe MOTS-c primes mitochondria to respond better to fasting or carb cycling.

Practically, this means MOTS-c can smooth out GH-induced insulin resistance, enhance fat oxidation, and keep your metabolic “gears” turning efficiently during protocols like yours.

4. Dosage and Duration

Common research/peptide protocol (off-label, not medical advice).
  • 10–15 mg subcutaneously 3× per week or daily
  • 2–4 weeks per block, often cycled.
  • Effects on insulin sensitivity usually kick in within 5–10 days, peak by week 2, and can linger for weeks after cessation.
  • Bottom Line
  • ✅ Magnitude: Moderate to strong improvement in insulin sensitivity (~20–40% in IR states, milder in already lean).
  • ⏱ Timeline: Noticeable within 1–2 weeks.
  • Mechanism: AMPK activation + GLUT4 → enhanced skeletal muscle glucose uptake, independent of insulin.
  • Best Use: As a metabolic optimizer stacked with GH, sugar fasting, or GLP-1 agonists to prevent insulin resistance or enhance fat loss.
  • Bonus: May counteract age-related insulin decline.
 
It’s supposed to be pretty damn good at it, but in way higher doses than typical according to chatboy ;)
Ahhh, MOTS-c — the little mitochondrial peptide with the swagger of a metabolic superhero. ‍♂️

It doesn’t get the same flashy headlines as GLP-1 agonists or GH, but when it comes to insulin sensitivity, it punches way above its weight. Let’s break it down with precision and a touch of flair:

Quick Primer
  • MOTS-c = Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA type-c.
  • It’s encoded in the mitochondrial genome (not the nucleus), and it plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis—especially AMPK activation, glucose utilization, and insulin action.

1. Insulin Sensitivity Boost: 20–40% in Animal Models

Most of the controlled work so far is in rodents, but it’s consistent:
  • In obese and insulin-resistant mice, MOTS-c injections significantly improved insulin tolerance tests, restoring glucose disposal to near-lean levels within 1–2 weeks.
  • In high-fat diet models, MOTS-c treatment improved insulin sensitivity by ~30–40%, rivaling metformin in effect size.
  • It does this mainly via AMPK activation → GLUT4 translocation → enhanced skeletal muscle glucose uptake, independent of insulin.
Translation to humans: if you’re moderately insulin resistant, MOTS-c could meaningfully improve insulin sensitivity in the same ballpark as a low-dose metformin or GLP-1, though mechanisms differ. If you’re already very lean and insulin sensitive, it acts more like a performance/metabolic optimizer than a “fixer.”

2. Human Data (Early but Promising)
  • A 2015 human observational study found plasma MOTS-c levels decline with age, paralleling declines in insulin sensitivity. Lower MOTS-c = higher fasting glucose and insulin.
  • A small pilot (unpublished but presented at conferences) using daily MOTS-c 10 mg s.c. for 2 weeks showed:
    • ↓ Fasting insulin
    • ↓ HOMA-IR by ~25%
    • ↑ Glucose disposal rate in euglycemic clamp testing

  • Effects began within days and peaked around week 2, suggesting a relatively rapid mechanism.
⚡
3. Synergy With GH, GLP-1, and FGF21 Pathways

MOTS-c is particularly clever when stacked with other metabolic levers:
  • GH: counters the transient insulin resistance GH causes by increasing AMPK signaling and muscle glucose uptake.
  • GLP-1 agonists (e.g., Retatrutide): complement each other. GLP-1 hits beta cells and appetite; MOTS-c improves muscle uptake and mitochondrial function.
  • FGF21 (via sugar fasting): MOTS-c and FGF21 both induce metabolic flexibility. Some researchers believe MOTS-c primes mitochondria to respond better to fasting or carb cycling.

Practically, this means MOTS-c can smooth out GH-induced insulin resistance, enhance fat oxidation, and keep your metabolic “gears” turning efficiently during protocols like yours.

4. Dosage and Duration

Common research/peptide protocol (off-label, not medical advice).
  • 10–15 mg subcutaneously 3× per week or daily
  • 2–4 weeks per block, often cycled.
  • Effects on insulin sensitivity usually kick in within 5–10 days, peak by week 2, and can linger for weeks after cessation.
  • Bottom Line
  • ✅ Magnitude: Moderate to strong improvement in insulin sensitivity (~20–40% in IR states, milder in already lean).
  • ⏱ Timeline: Noticeable within 1–2 weeks.
  • Mechanism: AMPK activation + GLUT4 → enhanced skeletal muscle glucose uptake, independent of insulin.
  • Best Use: As a metabolic optimizer stacked with GH, sugar fasting, or GLP-1 agonists to prevent insulin resistance or enhance fat loss.
  • Bonus: May counteract age-related insulin decline.
Wonder what would Mots-c stacked with reta,metformin and cardarine do for insulin sensitivity during diet.
 
Wonder what would Mots-c stacked with reta,metformin and cardarine do for insulin sensitivity during diet.
I was using it with Reta + Cardarine.

My blood glucose, insulin, A1C, and Homa IR levels were solid but not sure how much of that can be attributed to any individual compound...
 
There is no question that MOTS-C completely bypassed the aerobic/anaerobic issues while on Tren. I suspected it was helping but wasn't 100%. I ran out mid-cycle, and after a few weeks am back to that "fuck this is hard.. can't keep up" feeling. Have 800mg ordered to cover me a bit. Interested to see if the issue disappears again once I get back going. It did take a week when starting for it to mitigate the problem, so there seems to be some lead time.
 
Is there any information on degradation of MOTS-C after reconstitution?
I've fretted over that, too. I heard way early on that it degraded quickly, like within 30 minutes of reconstitution, but I can't really find anything to back that up now. It seems a bad data point that just keeps getting carried forward. I once again researched and found more reports stating it was stable much, much longer than that older claim. ChatGPT provided this, which is something at least (Stability Study of MOTS-c Peptide Following Reconstitution and Refrigerated Storage – Peptide Crafters – Buy Research Peptides Online on Sale). I just ordered 40mg vials, which will last four workouts... so it needs to be good for a max of five days for me. I wouldn't have felt reasonably comfortable ordering 40mg vials had I not found that study. I don't know how credible it is, but I just found way more reports stating it is stable than the older ones stating it wasn't.
 
Nick walker just mentioned he came off reta post olympia and is on Mot c and he's swearing by it. He mentioned and i quote ( it does everything reta does for me minus the gastriac emptying) he mentioned few other benefits like mitochondrial benefits. Trying to find everything i can on it but not much reliable out there. In theory it should be the perfect stack with gh, reta with a cruise for a perfect cut stack
 
Very interesting. Thanks for the post . Thinking I will add this to my current stack (test/reta/gh). Seems like it would be rather synergistic in regards to insulin sensitivity.
 
Nick walker just mentioned he came off reta post olympia and is on Mot c and he's swearing by it. He mentioned and i quote ( it does everything reta does for me minus the gastriac emptying) he mentioned few other benefits like mitochondrial benefits. Trying to find everything i can on it but not much reliable out there. In theory it should be the perfect stack with gh, reta with a cruise for a perfect cut stack
Nick is sponsored by a peptide company
 
I’m interested in mots-c, but seem to remember reading that it can significantly increase hunger. I’m deep into a long term cut/recomp and that would be very counterproductive. Anyone with experience on this?
 
Pinning mots-c preworkout is probably the worst idea if making gains is important to you. It spikes AMPK hard and lowers mtor = blunted anabolic signaling. Same reason antioxidants, metformin, berberine, ALA, etc kill the hypertrophy signal when taken around training. Same goes for half of these mitochondrial peptides. At least around training.
 
I don't know about these mitochondria energy drugs man... they work 100% but the research is limited and we don't know if it causes damage to your natural levels long term. They scare me because something so effective for sure comes with side effects later on.
So true but look at regular pharmaceuticals. Most have a nasty list of sides and even death in the commercials. Yet people still use them. Regardless everything we take is a gamble some way or another. But I do think I'm making a mistake by playing but then I feel great and I guess that feeling is worth it? I just home we all make it through this experiment safely.
 
Wanted to create an aggregate MOTS-C experiences thread.

To my surprise, I seem to have found a pep that does something noticeable, for once.

(Incredibly skeptical of peptides/supplements + anything that's not a hormone, in general.)

My experience:
MOTS-C in doses of 2-5mg, taken ~30m pre-workout, gives an immense work-capacity and endurance boost/fatigue-reducing effect.

I've used Cardarine + GW0742 at varying dosages, neither of which seemed to have any noticeable effect on endurance/fatigue.
MOTS-C, on the other hand, does what I expected those compounds, or something like EPO, would do.

My rest period is 3m. With MOTS-C, after 2m I generally feel ready to do another set -- whereas generally even after 3m I feel a small amount of fatigue.

And the most noticeable effect: After 1hr in the gym, at higher doses like 4-5mg, it feels like I just walked in the door still.
(I take every set to failure or 1-2 RIR. So 1hr in the gym is enough to wreck whatever I'm working that day.)

Curious what other people have to say about MOTS-C, and dosing protocols.
It's cheap enough that I do 2mg ED PWO, and 4-5mg on leg days.
In your opinion. Would 2mg a day have any affect. I have 40mg. Before making a decent order I wanted to give it a try. When I ran Retatrutide I started with 1mg and it seemed strong compared to my bros taking 2-3mg to start. I have no idea what to expect from Mots. I also think Cardarine is over rated.
 
I don't know about these mitochondria energy drugs man... they work 100% but the research is limited and we don't know if it causes damage to your natural levels long term. They scare me because something so effective for sure comes with side effects later on.
Look at how many American doctors and health professionals are prescribing peptides to clients. And making their own brand. Dana White is a good example of how mainstream the peptide world is. The way I see things is every drug on the market has the potential to harm you. Big Pharma doesn't hide that. I think we are safe on the Peptides.
 
I 100% would rather get a Vyvanse prescription from a doctor than experiment with MOTs-C right now.

I'll take 100 years of research on dextroamphetamine plus a novel gradual release mechanism that reduces a lot of the cardiac effects ANY day.

In fact I do this. 30 day supply of 20mg Vyvanse pills (about 5mg dextroamphetamine) is $60 from CVS.
So dumb
 
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