MOTS-c (10mg)

MOTS-c (Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA Type-c) is a naturally occurring, 16-amino acid peptide. Unlike most proteins which are encoded by the DNA in your cell's nucleus, MOTS-c is encoded directly by the DNA inside your mitochondria—the energy-producing powerhouses of your cells.

Discovered in 2015 by researchers at USC, it functions as a mitochondrial hormone (or "mitokine") that travels throughout the body to regulate systemic metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and longevity.

How It Works in the Body

When a cell experiences metabolic stress (like during exercise), MOTS-c moves from the mitochondria to the cell's nucleus. Once there, it changes the expression of specific genes to help the body adapt. Its primary molecular mechanism is the activation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), which acts as the body's master energy sensor.

Key Benefits under Investigation

• Exercise Mimetic: MOTS-c is often called an "exercise mimetic" because it tricks the body into turning on many of the same metabolic and fat-burning pathways that are normally triggered by intense physical workouts.

• Metabolic and Insulin Regulation: By activating AMPK, it clears glucose out of the bloodstream and boosts insulin sensitivity, showing promise in mouse models for combating obesity and type 2 diabetes.

• Physical Endurance & Longevity: In animal studies, older mice treated with MOTS-c demonstrated a major reversal in age-dependent muscle decline and significantly outperformed control groups in treadmill endurance tests.

• Cellular Protection: It works to inhibit systemic inflammation, supports healthy synapses in the brain, and blocks cellular apoptosis (programmed cell death) brought on by metabolic stress.