Two peptides encoded in mitochondrial DNA rather than the nuclear genome, and the two compounds on this site with the most similar evidence profile: real human observational data about endogenous levels, and nothing at all about administering them.
Side by side
| Humanin | MOTS-c | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Mitochondrial-derived peptide | Mitochondrial-derived peptide |
| Status | Research compound | Research compound |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection | Subcutaneous injection |
| Typical vials | 10 mg | 5 mg, 10 mg |
| Dose range | 1 mg to 2 mg | 5 mg to 10 mg |
| Frequency | Daily or a few times weekly | Weekly, often split |
| Half-life | No human data | No human data |
| Dosing unit | milligrams | milligrams |
Pharmacokinetics
No curves are shown, on purpose.
No published human pharmacokinetics for Humanin or MOTS-c. Drawing one curve against an absent one would imply a comparison that cannot be made.
What the evidence supports
These grade how well each outcome has been studied in humans, never how well either compound works. A strong grade can sit on a negative result.
Both top out at the same tier of evidence: Human, observational. Where they differ is in which outcomes have been asked about, not in how well either has been studied overall.
Humanin
| Outcome | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Endogenous levels decline with age | Human, observational |
| Neuroprotection | Animal only |
| Cytoprotective signaling | Mechanistic only |
| Any outcome from administration in humans | No data |
MOTS-c
| Outcome | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Endogenous levels correlate with fitness | Human, observational |
| Exercise capacity | Animal only |
| Metabolic homeostasis | Animal only |
| Any outcome from administration in humans | No data |
How to choose
The distinction that matters is endogenous versus administered
Both have human data showing levels decline with age or associate with outcomes. Neither has a trial of anyone being dosed.
Humanin is cytoprotective, MOTS-c is metabolic
Humanin binds IGFBP-3 and formyl peptide receptors and was found in neurons surviving Alzheimer-affected tissue. MOTS-c acts on AMPK.
Observational levels are not a dosing rationale
That a molecule declines with age does not establish that supplying more of it helps, which is the untested step in both.
At the syringe
At the default setup on each compound's own page, a 10 mg vial in 2 mL puts 50 mcg on every insulin unit, while a 10 mg vial in 2 mL puts 50 mcg on every unit. That is the number that decides whether a dose lands on a readable mark, and it is set by how much water goes in, not by the compound.