Injection
Sermorelin Injection
A growth hormone-releasing peptide that supports deeper sleep, faster recovery and lean muscle by working with your body's own rhythm.
Starting at $179/mo
MetabolismMitochondria
MOTS-c
RxPrescription onlyInjected under the skin · 5 days a week · 0.4 mg · Metabolism · Mitochondria
Starting at $209/mo
A mitochondrial-derived peptide studied for metabolic health, insulin sensitivity and exercise capacity, used to support energy and body composition.
Choose your plan
Real prices from our pharmacy. Longer plans cost less per month and are billed up front. Pause or cancel anytime.
- Studied for insulin sensitivity and metabolic balance
- Acts through AMPK, the same energy sensor exercise activates
- Subcutaneous injection, usually a few times a week, dosed by your physician
Every plan includes
- Personalized, physician-guided plan
- Monthly, 3-month and 6-month plans
- Dispensed by a US-licensed compounding pharmacy
- Unlimited protocol adjustments and messaging
- Ongoing support and check-ins
- Pause or cancel anytime
- Reviewed by our in-house physicians
- Physician-guided care
- Ongoing, expert support
- 100% online
- Free, discreet shipping
What is MOTS-c?
(mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c)
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, the small genome inside the energy-producing parts of your cells. It acts as a signal between mitochondria and the rest of the cell, activating AMPK, the energy sensor that exercise also switches on. Levels fall with age and with metabolic disease.
- How it is taken
- Injected under the skin
- How often
- 5 days a week
- Dose range
- 0.4 mg
- Form
- Metabolism · Mitochondria
16 aa
the peptide your mitochondria make to signal the cell about energy balance
MOTS-c improved insulin sensitivity and prevented diet-induced obesity in preclinical studies; human data are early. Prescribed off-label at your physician's discretion.
How it works,
week by week.
Day 1
A US-licensed physician reviews your goals, history and, when needed, IGF-1 and metabolic labs, and sets your dose. The kit includes everything you need.
Week 1–2
A small subcutaneous injection, usually at night so it lines up with your body's own growth-hormone pulse. Deeper sleep is often the first thing people notice.
Month 1–2
Energy and recovery from training tend to improve next. Your physician checks in and adjusts the dose if needed.
Month 3–6
Body-composition changes take longer: less abdominal fat and more lean mass with consistent training and nutrition.
Beyond
Your physician decides with you how to continue, cycle or pause, guided by labs and how you feel.
What you may notice,
and when.
Deeper sleep
usually the first change people report
Steadier energy
through the day, without stimulants
Recovery and lean mass
with training, over months
Body composition
gradual, and strongest with tesamorelin for abdominal fat
Individual results vary. Benefits reflect what Zepym Health members commonly report to their physician at check-ins; they are not the results of a clinical trial.
Safety first:
what to know before you start.
Important safety information and common side effects
Growth hormone-releasing peptides are generally well tolerated. Common, mild effects include redness or a small bump at the injection site, headache, flushing, water retention, tingling in the hands or joint aches in the first weeks, and vivid dreams as sleep deepens. They are not prescribed with an active cancer, a cancer under evaluation, uncontrolled diabetes, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and they are used with care in people with a history of pituitary disease. MOTS-c may change blood sugar responses: tell your physician if you take diabetes medication. Stop and seek care for hives, swelling of the face or lips or trouble breathing. Tell your physician about every medication you take.
The research behind
MOTS-c.
A 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA. The main evidence is from mice; no published human trial of MOTS-c itself was found.
- Obese miceless weight gain
In male mice on a high-fat diet, daily injections of 0.5 mg/kg for eight weeks prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.
Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015 - Muscleinsulin sensitivity in mice
The paper names skeletal muscle as the main target organ. Clamp studies in the same mouse work showed better whole-body insulin sensitivity after treatment. The effect was shown in mice, not people.
Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015 - Human datano MOTS-c trial found
The only human data come from CB4211, an analogue of MOTS-c, in a 2021 company-announced Phase 1a/1b study. It was well tolerated, injection-site reactions were the most common side effect, and liver enzymes fell in an exploratory analysis. It is not MOTS-c.
CohBar, CB4211 Phase 1a/1b topline results, August 10, 2021
What the studies found
- Prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet (Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015). This is animal work, unproven in people.
- Improved insulin sensitivity in mice, with skeletal muscle as the main target organ (Lee et al., Cell Metabolism 2015). This is animal work, unproven in people.
- Lower ALT and AST liver enzymes in an exploratory analysis of CB4211, an analogue of MOTS-c, in people with fatty liver (CohBar, Phase 1a/1b, 2021). The result is company-announced and not peer-reviewed.
- No trial has tested MOTS-c itself in people, so its benefit in people is unproven.
The mouse studies used injected peptide at doses that do not translate directly to people. The human results above are for an analogue and come from a company release; we did not find a peer-reviewed publication of that trial.
What this does not say
- We found no human trial of MOTS-c itself.
- Most mouse data come from one research group.
- The blend also contains tesamorelin, which has its own evidence (see its page); We found no trial of the two together.
The research
behind it.
In the founding study, MOTS-c targeted skeletal muscle, activated AMPK and improved metabolic homeostasis, reducing obesity and insulin resistance in animals on a high-fat diet.
Human evidence is still emerging, and MOTS-c is not a substitute for a GLP-1 when weight loss is the goal. Your physician places it in context with your labs and history.
Getting started
takes a few minutes.
- 1
Connect with a physician
Answer a few questions online and a US-licensed physician reviews your health, history and goals to make sure treatment is right for you. 100% online. No in-person visit required.
- 2
Get your discreet shipment
If approved, your treatment is compounded by a US-licensed, LegitScript-certified pharmacy, inspected for quality, and shipped discreetly to your door.
- 3
Receive continuous support
Start with one goal, then keep building over time. Unlimited physician messaging, easy refills and dose adjustments, all from the Zepym Health app.
Frequently asked questions
Contact supportHow do I use MOTS-c?
Injected under the skin, 5 days a week, in the morning. The starting prescription is 20 units (0.4 mg) each time. Your physician sets your own dose and it is printed on your label.
How much arrives in each shipment?
1 vial at the starting strength, shipped to your door from a licensed US pharmacy.
Is MOTS-c a growth hormone peptide?
No. MOTS-c works on cellular energy metabolism through AMPK, not on the pituitary. It is grouped with our metabolic peptides because it is often used alongside growth hormone-releasing peptides for body composition and energy. Your physician decides whether it fits your goals.
How do I take it?
A small subcutaneous injection with an insulin-style needle, most often at night before bed, on an empty stomach. Your physician sets the dose and schedule; MOTS-c is often a few times a week rather than nightly. The kit includes everything.
Is this the same as HGH?
No. These peptides prompt your pituitary to release your own growth hormone in its natural pulses, so the body's feedback loops stay in control. Synthetic HGH bypasses those loops. That difference is why the side-effect profile is milder.
What are the side effects?
Mild for most people: injection-site redness, headache, flushing, water retention, tingling or joint aches in the first weeks, and vivid dreams. Not prescribed with an active or suspected cancer or in pregnancy. Read the safety information above.
MOTS-c educational content reviewed by our physician
Scott Nass, MD Doctor of Medicine, board-certified in Family Medicine
Charles R. Drew University and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Family Medicine residency at Ventura County Medical Center.
More options
in this area.
Injection
Tesamorelin
A peptide that targets stubborn abdominal fat and supports a leaner body composition, prescribed and monitored by a licensed clinician.
Starting at $179/mo
Troche
Sermorelin Troches
The same growth hormone-releasing peptide as a dissolving troche, for people who would rather skip injections.
30 troches per month
Starting at $209/mo
Injection
CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin
Two peptides that prompt your pituitary to release your own growth hormone, used for deeper sleep, recovery and body composition. Prescribed and dosed by a licensed physician.
Starting at $229/mo
References
- 1.Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue: release of growth hormone without cortisol or prolactin. Eur J Endocrinol, 1998
- 2.Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone and IGF-1 secretion by CJC-1295 in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006
- 3.Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency? Clin Interv Aging, 2006
- 4.The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance. Cell Metab, 2015
- 5.Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor (tesamorelin): randomized trial showing reduced visceral fat. N Engl J Med, 2007
- 6.Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial. Lancet HIV, 2019
Prescription products require an online evaluation with a licensed medical professional who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. Products are compounded by a licensed pharmacy. The FDA has not reviewed or approved compounded products for any use for safety, efficacy, or quality. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved brand-name products.