Comparison
AOD-9604 vs MOTS-c
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and MOTS-c. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
AOD-9604
AOD 9604 peptide: 16-amino-acid hGH fragment 176-191. Preclinical lipolytic activity, phase 2 obesity trial showed no weight loss vs placebo.
MOTS-c
MOTS-c peptide is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide. Preclinical signals for insulin sensitivity, exercise capacity, dosage notes.
Effects at a glance
AOD-9604
- •Modified 16-amino-acid synthetic fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191)
- •Preclinical models show lipolytic activity in adipose tissue without GH-axis growth effects
- •Phase 2 obesity trial (Heffernan 2001) showed no significant weight-loss difference versus placebo
- •Anecdotal protocols use 250 to 500 mcg subcutaneously daily on an empty stomach
- •No FDA approval; the obesity drug development program was discontinued in 2007
- •Granted GRAS status in some jurisdictions for compounded use; not validated for fat loss in humans
MOTS-c
- •16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA (12S rRNA region); discovered 2015
- •Activates AMPK in skeletal muscle and liver; improves insulin sensitivity in rodent models
- •Circulating endogenous levels decline with age, motivating the longevity-restoration hypothesis
- •CohBar's MOTS-c analog CB4211 discontinued after phase 1b NASH readout did not meet endpoints
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously 2 to 3 times weekly
- •Not on the WADA Prohibited List as of 2026; future scrutiny likely given exercise-mimetic mechanism
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | MOTS-c |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the Twelve S rRNA-c, MOTSc |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | 2-3x weekly |
| Routes | subcutaneous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 1880.18 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C82H132N22O25S2 |
| Mechanism | Modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone proposed to stimulate beta-3 adrenergic receptor signaling in adipocytes, increasing lipolysis and fatty-acid oxidation without engaging the GH receptor or activating IGF-1. | Mitochondrial-derived peptide that activates AMPK in skeletal muscle and liver, improves insulin sensitivity, and translocates to the nucleus under metabolic stress to modulate nuclear gene expression in retrograde mitochondrial signaling. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; not currently on WADA Prohibited List |
| WADA status | unknown | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 1627580-64-6 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 139599184 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q24832108 |
Safety profile
AOD-9604
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- transient mild headache (anecdotal)
- minimal in clinical trials
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- no established human safety profile for chronic use
Interactions
- beta-blockers: theoretical antagonism of beta-3 adrenergic lipolytic signaling(minor)
MOTS-c
Common side effects
- injection-site irritation
- transient fatigue
- headache (anecdotal)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical)
- severe hypoglycemia risk on concurrent insulin or sulfonylurea
Interactions
- insulin: additive insulin sensitization may increase hypoglycemia risk(moderate)
- metformin: both activate AMPK; theoretical additive metabolic effect, no controlled data(minor)
- sulfonylureas: increased hypoglycemia risk via additive insulin sensitization(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
MOTS-c comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, research-only / gray-market sourcing, with a Tier-C outcome catalogued. AOD-9604 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick AOD-9604.
- → If your priority is body composition, pick AOD-9604.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick MOTS-c.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick MOTS-c.
Default choice: MOTS-c. Wider use case, and broader goal coverage. Reach for AOD-9604 only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between AOD-9604 and MOTS-c?
AOD-9604 and MOTS-c differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, AOD-9604 or MOTS-c?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; MOTS-c half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with MOTS-c?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper