Superpower peptides available for pre-order. Get first access.
Not FDA-approved
Hormones & metabolism
What should I know about MOTS-c dosage?
MOTS-c dosage research spans 0.5-15 mg/kg doses in mice and rats. See the doses tested and what 5 mg and 10 mg vials mean.
Quick answer
No standard MOTS-c dosage has been established for people. MOTS-c is not part of any FDA-approved drug and has no established labeled route. FDA's 2026 evaluation found no human exposure data, so published doses come from animal studies. The mouse and rat studies FDA summarized used 0.5 to 15 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection (into the abdominal cavity), for 3 days to 12 weeks of daily dosing. WADA bans MOTS-c at all times.
- Published
- November 4, 2026
- Last updated
- November 4, 2026
Is there a standard MOTS-c dose?
No standard MOTS-c dosage has been established for people, because FDA's 2026 evaluation found no clinical studies or human exposure data1 for MOTS-c by any route. Most published findings on MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c) come from laboratory and animal research2, and human evidence remains limited.
In a laboratory study of human blood samples, MOTS-c was rapidly broken into shorter fragments1. FDA states it remains to be determined whether giving MOTS-c to people can produce active concentrations.
MOTS-c is not part of any FDA-approved drug1, so people seeking a dose figure look to reported use.
What MOTS-c doses are reported?
Published reports do not yet document a standard, typical, or sex-specific human MOTS-c dose. Diabetes reviews note MOTS-c's therapeutic potential and the need for human dosing trials2.
MOTS-c products appear in FDA's records by route, without amounts. Compounded MOTS-c was marketed as injectable formulations1, alone and combined with other ingredients. FDA also found a wellness clinic promoting an intravenous mixture that contains MOTS-c.
Where a licensed clinician prescribes MOTS-c, the clinician sets the dose. Published MOTS-c dosing details come from animal studies.
What doses have MOTS-c studies tested?
Published MOTS-c doses come from animal studies, mainly in mice and rats1, and the studies FDA summarized used 0.5 to 15 mg per kilogram1 of body weight. Those doses were given by intraperitoneal injection, into the abdominal cavity, for anything from 3 days to 12 weeks of daily dosing1. A mouse pain study used 50 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection3.
Preclinical MOTS-c studies used varying doses and dosing schedules4. FDA found the studies it reviewed had not evaluated how effects change with dose1.
| Study | Species or population | Route | Dose and unit | Duration |
| Diet study, 2015 | Male CD-1 mice on a high-fat or control diet | Intraperitoneal | 0.5 mg/kg per day5 | 8 weeks |
| Short-course study, 2015 | Male C57BL/6 mice, including 12-month-old mice | Intraperitoneal | 5 mg/kg per day5 | 7 days |
| High-fat-diet study, 2019 | Male C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet | Intraperitoneal | 2.5 mg/kg twice daily6 | 3 days |
| Aging study, 2021 | Male CD-1 and C57BL/6N mice, young to 22 months old | Intraperitoneal | 5 or 15 mg/kg per day7; 15 mg/kg 3 times weekly7 in the late-life arm | 2 weeks for daily arms; late-life arm started at 23.5 months of age |
| Exercise-test study, 2022 | Adult female C57BL/6J mice (6, crossover design) | Intraperitoneal | 15 mg/kg, single dose8 | 1 dose before a treadmill test |
| Ovariectomy study | Ovariectomized female mice | Intraperitoneal | 5 mg/kg per day1 | 12 weeks |
CB4211, a MOTS-c analog9 and a different molecule, was injected under the skin in a completed Phase 1 trial10. The CB4211 registry lists no dose amounts. A dose of an analog does not carry over to MOTS-c itself.
Per-kilogram rodent doses do not convert into a human MOTS-c dose chart. MOTS-c products themselves vary by form and vial strength.
What forms does MOTS-c come in?
MOTS-c is supplied mainly as a freeze-dried powder in vials for subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection. A compounding pharmacy's nomination to FDA proposed 5 mg and 10 mg vials1. Those figures are vial strengths, not doses. MOTS-c free base and MOTS-c acetate are also different active ingredients1.
In an animal colitis study, injected MOTS-c eased colitis. Given by mouth, MOTS-c produced no significant improvement11, while an engineered analog did. Research or experience with one MOTS-c route does not automatically describe another.
The checks that matter on a MOTS-c product change with its form.
| Form | What to check |
| Injection (freeze-dried vial) | Vial strength and concentration; free base or acetate form; sterility, bacterial endotoxins, and particles1; peptide impurities and ingredient characterization12; storage; and who prepared the product |
| Oral product | Whether the product holds MOTS-c itself or an engineered analog, and what supports its stability and absorption |
Reconstituting MOTS-c means adding a specified volume of bacteriostatic water to the freeze-dried powder in its vial. The prescribing clinician sets the target dose, and the vial strength and water volume turn that dose into syringe units. Competitive athletes face a separate limit, since anti-doping rules cover MOTS-c at any dose.
WADA's 2026 Prohibited List bans MOTS-c at all times, in and out of competition13. MOTS-c falls under class S4, hormone and metabolic modulators. Athletes subject to drug testing can face sanctions for MOTS-c use 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. A licensed clinician will assess whether it suits each person's health care. Anyone interested can join the Superpower peptide waitlist now.
MOTS-c is not an FDA-approved drug. In October 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it does not intend to take enforcement action14 against state-licensed pharmacies compounding MOTS-c and certain other peptides while the 503A Bulks List, which names the ingredients pharmacies may use in compounding, is finalized. The interim policy names MOTS-c among six peptides15 and sets conditions, including ingredients sourced from FDA-registered facilities and a patient-specific prescription. It followed an FDA advisory committee's July 2026 recommendation to add MOTS-c to the list16, and rulemaking is still underway.