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Hormones & metabolism
What benefits of MOTS-c are under study?
MOTS-c benefits under study include insulin sensitivity, weight, exercise, and aging. See what mouse research has found and where human trials stand.
Quick answer
Researchers are studying MOTS-c for insulin sensitivity, weight, exercise performance, and aging. Most findings come from mouse studies. In high-fat-fed mice, one week of MOTS-c raised a lab measure of insulin sensitivity by about 30%. In untrained mice, a single dose lengthened running time by 12%. MOTS-c is not FDA-approved and has no established labeled route. WADA prohibits it at all times.
- Published
- November 4, 2026
- Last updated
- November 4, 2026
Benefits and uses researchers are exploring
Researchers are studying MOTS-c benefits in four areas: insulin sensitivity, weight, exercise performance, and aging. Most of the published evidence comes from laboratory and mouse studies.
MOTS-c, short for mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c, is a 16-amino-acid peptide1 encoded in the DNA of mitochondria, the cell's energy-producing structures. It is best known for metabolism research. Early mouse studies linked MOTS-c to how muscle handles blood sugar.
What studies show about MOTS-c and insulin sensitivity
MOTS-c injections were linked to less insulin resistance, a weaker cell response to insulin, in high-fat-fed and middle-aged mice.
In high-fat-fed C57BL/6 mice, one week of MOTS-c raised the glucose infusion rate by about 30%1, a lab measure of insulin sensitivity. Muscle from 12-month-old male mice regained young-level insulin response on MOTS-c.
MOTS-c and body weight
In two mouse models, MOTS-c was linked to less weight gain.
- High-fat diet: In high-fat-fed male CD-1 mice, MOTS-c was linked to less diet-induced weight gain1 without changing food intake. On a normal diet, MOTS-c had no effect on body weight.
- Loss of ovarian hormones: In mice with ovaries removed, a model of the estrogen loss of menopause, MOTS-c was linked to less ovariectomy-induced weight gain and insulin resistance2.
Mouse studies of MOTS-c have also measured physical performance.
MOTS-c and exercise performance
In mice, MOTS-c dosing lengthened treadmill runs. In people, exercise raises the body's own MOTS-c.
MOTS-c dosing was linked to better physical performance in mice3 aged 2, 12, and 22 months. In untrained mice, a single dose lengthened running time by 12%4 and distance by 15%.
In 10 sedentary young men who cycled, muscle MOTS-c rose 11.9-fold after exercise3. Blood levels rose about 1.5-fold.
Mouse research has also followed animals first given MOTS-c late in life.
MOTS-c, aging, and longevity
In mice first given MOTS-c late in life, it was linked to better physical capacity and healthspan. Lifespan did not change significantly.
Male C57BL/6N mice given MOTS-c three times a week from 23.5 months old3 showed better grip strength, stride length, and walking than control mice.
What has human research found on MOTS-c benefits?
Human research on MOTS-c has moved from measuring the body's own levels to a dosing trial of a related molecule. A completed 88-person Phase 1 trial5 tested CB4211, a MOTS-c analog6, and has not posted results. FDA has identified no human exposure data7 on MOTS-c drug products.
| Research area | Laboratory and animal findings | Human research |
| Insulin sensitivity | Less diet- and age-related insulin resistance in mice | No human dosing studies yet |
| Weight | Less weight gain in 2 mouse models | No human dosing studies yet |
| Exercise performance | Longer treadmill runs in mice | Exercise raises the body's own MOTS-c levels |
| Aging and longevity | Better late-life physical capacity in mice | No human dosing studies yet |
| Safety | Dosing studied in mice | Analog Phase 1 safety trial completed, results not yet posted |
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits MOTS-c at all times8 as a metabolic modulator on its 2026 Prohibited List. Athletes subject to drug testing can face sanctions for using MOTS-c and should check current WADA and league rules.
Getting MOTS-c in 2026
Superpower will offer MOTS-c formulated in FDA-registered facilities in the US, backed by third-party lab testing, and distributed from US-licensed pharmacies. Licensed clinicians will decide whether MOTS-c fits each person's health care. The Superpower peptide waitlist is open now.
MOTS-c is not an FDA-approved drug. In October 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services stated that it does not intend to take enforcement action9 against state-licensed pharmacies compounding MOTS-c and certain other peptides while the 503A Bulks List, the list of ingredients pharmacies may use in compounding, is finalized. This interim policy covers MOTS-c and five other peptides10, and its conditions include ingredients from FDA-registered facilities and a patient-specific prescription. A July 2026 FDA advisory committee recommendation to add MOTS-c to the list11 preceded it, and rulemaking is still underway.