Vial Guide

MOTS-c 40 mg vial

How much bacteriostatic water to add to a 40 mg vial of MOTS-c, the syringe units for each common dose, and how many doses the vial holds.

Water
4 mL
Strength
10 mg/mL
Common dose
5 mg
Draw
50 units0.50 mL
Doses per vial
8

The short answer

Mixed with 4 mL of bacteriostatic water, a 40 mg vial of MOTS-c holds 10 mg/mL. A 5 mg dose is then 50 units (0.50 mL) on a U-100 insulin syringe, and the vial holds about 8 doses of that size. Taken 2× per week, it lasts about 4 weeks.

Preclinical. Animal studies only for native MOTS-c. A modified analog (CB4211) completed a small Phase 1b.
MOTS-c page

How much water

The water only sets the strength; the dose and the number of doses in the vial stay the same. Draws are on a U-100 insulin syringe, where 1 unit is 0.01 mL.

Water addedStrengthPer syringe unitDraw for 5 mg
2 mL20 mg/mL200 mcg25 units (0.25 mL)
3 mL13.33 mg/mL133 mcg37.5 units (0.38 mL)
4 mL10 mg/mL100 mcg50 units (0.50 mL)

Dose chart

Syringe units for each common dose at each water volume. Select a cell to open it in the calculator.

DoseWater added
2 mL3 mL4 mL
1 mg
2 mg
2.5 mg
4 mg
5 mg
7.5 mg
10 mg

Draws over 100 units show in mL. Faded values are under 2 units, which is hard to measure. Check that your vial holds the larger volumes.

Where the doses come from

  • Community 5 mg 1–3× per week is most common, up to 10 mg per injection.
  • Community Alternative: about 1 mg daily, 5 days on and 2 off.

Doses are what labels, trials or community reports reference, not recommendations. MOTS-c’s page has the cycle, side effects, cautions and sources.

Mixing and storage

  1. PrepareLet a refrigerated vial come to room temperature, and wipe both stoppers with an alcohol swab.
  2. Add 4 mLDraw 4 mL of bacteriostatic water and let it run slowly down the inside wall of the vial.
  3. Swirl, don’t shakeSwirl gently until the powder dissolves and the liquid is clear.
  4. Label itWrite the date and the strength, 10 mg/mL, on the vial.

Storage: Powder: −20 °C. Mixed: 2–8 °C, about 2–4 weeks.

The reconstitution guide covers each step, and the units page explains syringe markings.

Questions

How much water do I add to a 40 mg vial of MOTS-c?

There’s no single right amount: the water only sets the strength. With 4 mL of bacteriostatic water, a 40 mg vial holds 10 mg/mL. With 2 mL it’s 20 mg/mL; with 3 mL it’s 13.33 mg/mL. Less liquid makes each dose a smaller draw; more makes small doses easier to measure.

How many units is 5 mg of MOTS-c?

With 4 mL in a 40 mg vial, 5 mg is 50 units (0.50 mL) on a U-100 insulin syringe. With 2 mL, 25 units (0.25 mL); with 3 mL, 37.5 units (0.38 mL).

How many doses are in a 40 mg vial of MOTS-c?

About 8 doses of 5 mg, or 5 of 7.5 mg or 4 of 10 mg. Taken 2× per week at 5 mg, it lasts about 4 weeks.

How long does a mixed vial of MOTS-c keep?

Powder: −20 °C. Mixed: 2–8 °C, about 2–4 weeks.

Other vial sizes

Sources

  • Lee et al., MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis (Cell Metab 2015)
  • FDA advisory committee backs 6 peptides for compounding (AJMC, July 2026)

The math on this page uses the doses and storage on MOTS-c’s page.