Comparison
Glutathione vs MOTS-c
Side-by-side of Glutathione 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.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
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
Glutathione
- •Body's primary intracellular antioxidant; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, glycine
- •Oral bioavailability poor; sublingual, liposomal, IV more reliable
- •Richie 2014 trial showed body GSH store increases at 250-1000 mg/day for 6 months
- •NAC supplementation often more cost-effective indirect strategy
- •Modest signals in NAFLD, skin aging, immune support; weak in cardiovascular
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 | Glutathione | MOTS-c |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | peptide |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the Twelve S rRNA-c, MOTSc |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | 2-3x weekly |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 1880.18 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C82H132N22O25S2 |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | 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 | OTC dietary supplement | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; not currently on WADA Prohibited List |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 1627580-64-6 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 139599184 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q24832108 |
Safety profile
Glutathione
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
Contraindications
- asthma (IV / inhaled forms specifically)
- active chemotherapy without oncologist guidance
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interference with GSH-depletion-dependent agents(moderate)
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?
Glutathione comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. MOTS-c is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is immune support, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick MOTS-c.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick MOTS-c.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Glutathione is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for MOTS-c 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 Glutathione and MOTS-c?
Glutathione and MOTS-c differ in category (supplement vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Glutathione or MOTS-c?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; MOTS-c half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione 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