MOTS-c vs 5-Amino-1MQ

Both metabolic, both missing the same thing

They are often stacked and marketed interchangeably for fat loss, and they share a weakness. MOTS-c is a peptide encoded inside mitochondrial DNA that acts like a hormone, activating AMPK and improving how muscle handles glucose. 5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide at all, but a small molecule that blocks NNMT so fat cells stop draining their nicotinamide. Both produced striking results in mice. Neither has a published human administration trial, so every dose either is sold at comes from practice rather than evidence.

A single mitochondrion cutaway showing its double membrane and folded cristae, surrounded by a few softly out-of-focus cellular structures. No energy symbols.

MOTS-c Metabolic Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c Full entry →

A cutaway of a human fat cell with a large pale lipid droplet and a few mitochondria in the surrounding cytoplasm. Show neutral cellular anatomy without treatment effects.

5-Amino-1MQ Metabolic 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, NNMTi Full entry →

MOTS-c compared with 5-Amino-1MQ
	MOTS-c	5-Amino-1MQ
Evidence behind it	Animal studies	Animal studies
Worth knowing	The human side is observational. No trials of giving MOTS-c to people.	Mouse and cell-culture data only, and no human trial has been published. Oral bioavailability in people is unestablished.
Approval	Research only	Research only
Category	Metabolic	Metabolic
What it is	A 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA. It acts like a hormone, activating the energy sensor AMPK and improving how muscle uses glucose. In mice it countered diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and improved exercise capacity, and levels rise with exercise in people.	Not a peptide — a small molecule that blocks NNMT, an enzyme fat cells use to burn through their nicotinamide supply. Blocking it raises cellular NAD+ and, in mice, made fat cells shed stored fat without any change in diet.
How it works	Encoded inside mitochondrial DNA. Acts on metabolism — reported to raise ATP production during exercise and shift white fat toward brown fat.	Blocks NNMT, the enzyme fat cells use to consume nicotinamide. With that drain closed, cellular NAD+ and SAM rise, which is the proposed route to increased fat metabolism.
What studies report	Prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice Improved exercise capacity and muscle glucose use in rodents Natural levels rise with exercise and fall with age in people	Reduced fat mass in diet-induced obese mice while food intake stayed the same Higher NAD+ and SAM levels in cultured fat cells Promoted muscle stem cell proliferation in culture
Dosing	Reported, not evidence 5–10 mg weekly is commonly cited Cycled around training blocks rather than taken continuously	Reported, not evidence 50–150 mg daily, oral, in 4–8 week blocks
Why people take it	Metabolic rate and fat lossExercise capacity and ATP productionInsulin sensitivityLongevityMetabolic health and insulin sensitivityExercise capacity	Fat loss without appetite suppressionRaising NAD+ at the cellular levelMuscle cell growth and repair
In practice	Run in cycles timed around training blocks rather than continuously Often stacked with NAD+ and 5-Amino-1MQ as a metabolic combination Popular with endurance athletes for perceived aerobic capacity	Taken orally in capsules, usually in 4–8 week blocks Marketed and used for fat loss without appetite suppression Often stacked with MOTS-c and NAD+ precursors
Route	Subcutaneous injection, from reconstituted lyophilised powder	Oral capsule — a small molecule, so digestion is not a barrier; also sold as a ready-made intranasal spray

Rows describing reported use say what people do, not what has been shown to work. Evidence strength is graded the same way across the whole library, so the two columns are directly comparable.

Read the full entries

MOTS-c → 5-Amino-1MQ → Open this in the compare tool →

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Educational information only. Nothing here is medical advice, a dosing protocol, or a recommendation to use any compound. Comparing two compounds is not a suggestion to take either one. Talk to a licensed clinician before acting on anything you read here. How to read these entries.