What is the typical MOTS-c dose?
Preclinical MOTS-c research protocols typically use 5-10 mg per dose, administered subcutaneously 2-3 times weekly across 4-8 week protocols. The dose range reflects the published Lee-group characterisation and subsequent investigator-driven studies in metabolic and exercise-physiology research contexts.
What the research literature says
The MOTS-c dose framework is anchored in the Lee characterisation papers — the original metabolic-homeostasis work (PMID 25738459) and the follow-up muscle and fat metabolism work (PMID 27216708). The Kim nuclear-translocation work (PMID 29983246) and the Yang exercise-synergy work (PMID 33722744) used dose tiers consistent with the 5-10 mg per dose subcutaneous range.
The dose range is larger than receptor-targeted peptides because the compound’s mechanism — AMPK-axis activation across multiple tissues — operates at higher effective concentrations. The 2-3 times weekly cadence aligns with the functional response time scale of the AMPK-axis effects rather than with the short plasma half-life of the compound itself.
The Jiang neuropathic-pain work (PMID 37285113) extended the dose framework into pain-research contexts using similar weekly dosing patterns. The 10 mg per-vial loading in the Ronin catalog supports many doses at the typical 5 mg per dose tier across the typical 4-8 week protocol.
Why this matters in research context
The 5-10 mg per dose tier is the operational anchor for most MOTS-c research protocols. The cadence (2-3 times weekly) is set by the functional response time scale rather than by plasma-clearance considerations — researchers running daily-dosing protocols typically don’t see proportionately larger effects given the saturating downstream AMPK-axis pharmacology.
Related compounds
- MOTS-c 10mg — the compound covered by this answer
Related research questions
References
- Lee C et al. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance. Cell Metab 2015;21(3):443-454. [PMID 25738459]
- Lee C et al. MOTS-c: A novel mitochondrial-derived peptide regulating muscle and fat metabolism. Free Radic Biol Med 2016;100:182-187. [PMID 27216708]
- Kim KH et al. The Mitochondrial-Encoded Peptide MOTS-c Translocates to the Nucleus to Regulate Nuclear Gene Expression in Response to Metabolic Stress. Cell Metab 2018;28(3):516-524. [PMID 29983246]
- Yang B et al. MOTS-c interacts synergistically with exercise intervention to regulate PGC-1α expression, attenuate insulin resistance and enhance glucose metabolism in mice via AMPK signaling pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021;1867(6):166126. [PMID 33722744]
Research-questions pages describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. MOTS-c is sold strictly as a research-grade reagent for laboratory and bench research applications.