“MOTS-c improves exercise performance in people.”
MOTS-c injections have not been tested for exercise performance in people.
MOTS-c is an untested injection with unknown risks, not a proven performance booster. It is not worth the risk for better workouts.
Skip MOTS-c and keep your focus on regular training, sleep and food.
Safety note: MOTS-c has no safety data in people, so its risks are unknown. FDA has warned that injected peptides like MOTS-c may trigger immune reactions. MOTS-c is banned in sport at all times.
Talk to a healthcare professional if: you are thinking about injecting MOTS-c or another experimental peptide.
No published study has given MOTS-c to people to test exercise performance. FDA's 2026 review found no human studies of administered MOTS-c at all.
MOTS-c injections have not been tested for exercise performance in people. The excitement comes from lab and animal studies and from measuring the small amount of MOTS-c the body makes on its own.
MOTS-c is a small protein made by the body's mitochondria, the energy centers in cells. FDA found no studies in people of MOTS-c given as a treatment, no data on how the body handles it, and no animal safety studies. In a lab test, MOTS-c broke down quickly in human blood, and FDA said it is unclear whether an injection under the skin can even reach useful levels.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting, July 23, 2026: FDA presentations on BPC-157, KPV, TB-500 and MOTS-c related bulk drug substances. FDA document 193773
- World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026. In effect January 1, 2026