Reference protocol: MOTS-c
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial peptide considered an exercise mimetic. Our guideline fixes the weekly total —10 mg— and splits it across two or three doses: a more stable signal than one isolated large dose, and syringe marks that read effortlessly.
Our reference for MOTS-c is 10 mg weekly split into two doses of 5 mg or three of 3.33 mg —37.5 or 25 units at 13.3 mg/ml—, fasted in the morning or 30 to 60 minutes before training, for 8 to 10 weeks. The 40 mg vial covers exactly 4 weeks.
First time? Follow the step-by-step guide
View product & buy →First time? Start here
Your MOTS-c vial arrives as a dry powder: you mix it with a special water — that step is called reconstituting — and measure each dose with an insulin syringe. Follow the steps with the numbers for your case.
Which case is yours?
5 mg per dose (37.5 U), e.g. Monday and Thursday.
Step 1 of 6 Get what you need
Your vial, a vial of bacteriostatic water (sold separately), a 1 ml U-100 insulin syringe — ask for it exactly like that at the pharmacy — and alcohol wipes.
Step 2 of 6 Measure the water
The 40 mg vial takes 3 ml of water: 3 full draws to 100. Flip off the plastic cap (the rubber stopper stays on), wipe it with alcohol and let the water run down the inside wall.
Step 3 of 6 Swirl gently, never shake
Swirl the vial slowly until it turns clear — never shake it; some take a few minutes. Then it goes in the fridge (2–8 °C) and is used within 12 weeks — the limit is mainly to keep bacteria out each time the stopper is pierced. Unmixed, keep it refrigerated from the day it arrives too.
Step 4 of 6 Fill to the 37.5 mark
The numbers printed on the syringe are units (U): 100 U = 1 ml. Your dose of 5 mg is 0.38 ml — draw up to the 37.5 mark.
Step 5 of 6 Inject under the skin
Belly area, two fingers away from the navel: alcohol, pinch the skin, insert the full needle and inject slowly. Switch sides each time and use a new syringe.
Step 6 of 6 Your schedule
Used in the morning on an empty stomach, on 2 or 3 fixed days per week.
- Cycle
- 8–10 weeks · 4–5 week washout
Summary Done — you have the essentials
Your 40 mg vial yields 8 complete doses of 5 mg (≈ 4 weeks).
Order or ask on WhatsApp (opens WhatsApp in a new tab)Quick dictionary — the words that stop beginners
- Reconstitute: mixing the vial's powder with the special water so it becomes a liquid you can measure.
- Bacteriostatic water: the special water for that mix (regular water will not do); sold separately — one vial covers several mixes.
- Unit (U): the insulin syringe's measure: 100 units = 1 ml. Go by the printed numbers, not by counting lines (on a 1 ml syringe each line is usually 2 U).
- U-100 syringe: the standard 1 ml insulin syringe, numbered from 0 to 100 units; sold at any pharmacy.
- mg and mcg: milligrams and micrograms: 1 mg = 1,000 mcg. Mind the factor of one thousand when reading a dose.
- Subcutaneous: an injection under the skin (not into muscle or vein), usually in the belly area.
- Cycle and washout: using the product for a period and then stopping completely for some weeks; when resuming you start again from the starting dose.
Quick facts
| Parameter | Reference |
|---|---|
| Weekly total | 10 mg (house guideline) |
| Split | 2 doses of 5 mg, or 3 doses of 3.33 mg |
| Time of day | Morning fasted, or 30–60 min before training (fasted) |
| Cycle | 8–10 weeks · 4–5 week washout |
| Documented route | Subcutaneous injection |
Why split it instead of one weekly dose
MOTS-c has a short half-life: a single weekly dose concentrates the stimulus on one day and leaves six without signal. Splitting the same 10 mg across two or three doses keeps the metabolic stimulus distributed through the week, which is how its use is documented in research.
Choose the split by convenience: two doses of 5 mg if you prefer fewer injections, three of 3.33 mg if you want the most even signal. Fixed days —Monday and Thursday, or Monday, Wednesday and Friday— make the protocol easy to sustain.
Reconstitution and syringe units
Our 40 mg vial is reconstituted with 3 ml of bacteriostatic water: it sits at 13.3 mg/ml.
The buttons follow the protocol's dose steps; the starting dose comes pre-selected.
Fill the syringe up to the 37.5 mark
The syringe: a 1 ml U-100 insulin syringe (numbered 0 to 100 U = 1 ml), sold at any pharmacy. Go by the printed numbers, not by counting lines.
It does not fit in a 1 ml syringe: split the draw in two or reconstitute with less water.
Open this calculation in the calculatorThe protocol week
Documented precautions
- Do not exceed the weekly total: very high doses or prolonged use are associated in the documentation with oxidative stress and tissue fatigue.
- Reported effects: injection-site reaction, headache, mild digestive discomfort, transient fatigue during the adaptation phase, cramps.
- Not for use in pregnancy, breastfeeding, girls, boys or adolescents.
- Respect the 4–5 week washout between cycles.
In our catalog
The 40 mg vial is on the MOTS-c product page. In documented research practice it is combined with NAD+ for mitochondrial support and with BPC-157 + TB-500 in performance and recovery lines.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the 40 mg vial last?
Exactly 4 weeks of protocol: 8 doses of 5 mg or 12 doses of 3.33 mg. Two vials cover an 8-week cycle exactly; if you extend it to 9 or 10, you will need to start a third.
Two or three doses per week: which one do I choose?
The total is the same, 10 mg. Two doses of 5 mg mean fewer injections; three of 3.33 mg spread the signal more evenly. Both variants sit within the reference; choose the one you can sustain without missing days.
Why fasted?
The MOTS-c documentation places it first thing in the morning fasted, or before training without having eaten: its effect on glucose metabolism in muscle is studied precisely in that state, and recent food masks it.
How many units do I draw on the syringe?
With the 40 mg vial reconstituted with 3 ml (13.3 mg/ml), 5 mg is 37.5 units and 3.33 mg is 25 units on a U-100 syringe. The table on this page and the calculator have the math done.
Reference protocols compiled from documented research practice and adapted to our formats. Research-context documentation (RUO): not medical advice, not a prescription, and no substitute for professional evaluation.