Comparison
Epitalon vs MOTS-c
Side-by-side of Epitalon 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.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
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
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
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 | Epitalon | MOTS-c |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) | Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the Twelve S rRNA-c, MOTSc |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 5 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily during cycle | 2-3x weekly |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 | 1880.18 |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | C82H132N22O25S2 |
| Mechanism | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. | 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; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; not currently on WADA Prohibited List |
| WADA status | unknown | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 | 1627580-64-6 |
| PubChem CID | 219042 | 139599184 |
| Wikidata | Q5384126 | Q24832108 |
Safety profile
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(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?
Epitalon and MOTS-c score evenly on the criteria we weight (goal breadth, legal accessibility, evidence depth). The conditionals below should drive the decision more than any aggregate score.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick MOTS-c.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick MOTS-c.
Default choice: either is defensible. Epitalon edges out on goal breadth + legal accessibility; MOTS-c is the right call if your priority sits in the goals listed 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 Epitalon and MOTS-c?
Epitalon 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, Epitalon or MOTS-c?
Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours; MOTS-c half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Epitalon 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