Protocolsβ€ΊMitochondrial Optimization Protocol (MOTS-c + SS-31)
AdvancedLongevity12 weeks

Mitochondrial Optimization Protocol (MOTS-c + SS-31)

Restore mitochondrial biogenesis, improve cellular energy production, reduce oxidative damage, and address age-related metabolic decline through targeted mitochondrial peptides.

Patient profile: Adults 45+ with unexplained fatigue, exercise intolerance, metabolic slowdown, or documented mitochondrial dysfunction. Also used by high-performance athletes seeking recovery optimization.

Want a personalised protocol?

Our AI generator builds a protocol tailored to your profile and goals.

Generate protocol β†’
⚠️

This protocol is an educational example only. It does not apply to your specific health situation. Medical supervision is required. Peptide therapy is not approved by regulatory bodies for many of the described indications.

Protocol Stack

MOTS-c

Primary

Dose

5 mg

Frequency

3Γ— per week

Timing

30–60 min before exercise or morning on non-training days

Duration

12 weeks, then 4-week off-cycle

SS-31 (Elamipretide)

Primary

Dose

2 mg

Frequency

Daily

Timing

Morning SC injection

Duration

12 weeks continuous

Humanin

Supporting

Dose

2 mg

Frequency

3Γ— per week

Timing

Evening, alternating days with MOTS-c

Duration

12 weeks, then assess

CoQ10 (adjunct supplement)

Optional

Dose

400 mg

Frequency

Daily

Timing

With largest meal

Duration

Ongoing

Monitoring Parameters

  • βœ“Baseline: fasting glucose, HbA1c, lactate, VO2max or 6-minute walk test, subjective fatigue score (VAS)
  • βœ“Week 6: repeat fasting glucose, HbA1c, subjective fatigue reassessment
  • βœ“Week 12: full repeat panel + VO2max/6MWT, consider GrimAge methylation clock if available
  • βœ“Ongoing: resting heart rate (indicator of mitochondrial efficiency), sleep quality tracking
  • βœ“Safety: liver enzymes (ALT/AST) at baseline and week 6 β€” MOTS-c influences hepatic metabolism

Expected Outcomes

1

Weeks 1–3: improved sleep quality and morning energy; reduced post-exercise recovery time

2

Weeks 4–6: measurable reduction in fasting glucose (typically 5–12%); subjective fatigue score improvement β‰₯30%

3

Weeks 8–12: improved exercise tolerance (VO2max or 6MWT); body composition changes (reduced visceral fat without caloric restriction)

4

Post-cycle: effects of SS-31 on cardiac and mitochondrial function persist beyond the active protocol

Contraindications

  • βœ—Insulin-dependent diabetes β€” MOTS-c activates GLUT4/AMPK; hypoglycaemia risk requiring close glucose monitoring
  • βœ—Active cardiac arrhythmia β€” SS-31 influences mitochondrial membrane dynamics; cardiac clearance advised
  • βœ—Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • βœ—Current treatment with immunosuppressants β€” Humanin modulates apoptotic pathways

Clinical Notes

This is a research-grade protocol β€” MOTS-c and Humanin have no established human clinical dosing guidelines; SS-31 has Phase 2 human data in cardiac settings. All three are available only as research peptides. Introduce sequentially: start SS-31 alone week 1–2, add MOTS-c week 3, add Humanin week 5 if well tolerated. This staged introduction allows attribution of any side effects to individual agents. Compounding quality is critical β€” request COA for each batch.

Case Study

Clinical Practice Example

Male, 52, endurance athlete (marathon runner), presenting with progressive exercise intolerance, elevated resting lactate (2.4 mmol/L), and HbA1c creeping to 5.8%. VO2max measured at 44 ml/kg/min β€” low for his training volume. Started protocol with SS-31 2 mg daily + MOTS-c 5 mg 3Γ—/week before training. Humanin added at week 5. Week 12 results: resting lactate normalised to 1.1 mmol/L, HbA1c 5.4%, VO2max improved to 51 ml/kg/min. Subjective recovery time between training sessions reduced from ~72h to ~36h. No adverse events.

← Back to all protocols