Comparison

Hexarelin vs MOTS-c

Function

While Hexarelin is investigated for effects on GH secretion, cardiac protection, and muscle metabolism, with higher GH secretory potency than earlier GHRPs1929, MOTS-c improves insulin sensitivity, enhances glycolysis, reduces oxidative stress, and shows protective effects in models of metabolic syndrome, aging, and ischemia-reperfusion injury8135146.

Mechanism

While Hexarelin works as a potent synthetic hexapeptide (examorelin) that agonizes GHSR-1a to stimulate GH release and also binds CD36, influencing cardiovascular and metabolic pathways19212996, MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide that translocates to the nucleus under metabolic stress and regulates glucose and lipid metabolism largely via activation of AMPK and modulation of mTOR and folate-cycle–linked pathways854140146.

Length and Sequence

Hexarelin is 6 amino acids long, whereas MOTS-c is longer as it has a length of 16 amino acids. Hexarelin is made up of a sequence of Histidine, Tryptophan, Alanine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Lysine. MOTS-c is made up of a sequence of Methionine, Arginine, Tryptophan, Glutamine, Glutamic acid, Methionine, Glycine, Tyrosine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Proline, Arginine, Lysine, Leucine, Arginine.

Receptor

Hexarelin

Primary: GHSR-1a (ghrelin receptor); also binds the scavenger receptor CD36 in vascular and macrophage tissues192129

MOTS-c

No dedicated cell-surface receptor has been definitively identified; signaling is primarily described via intracellular AMPK and related metabolic pathways8135146

Organism or Origin

Hexarelin

Fully synthetic growth hormone secretagogue29

MOTS-c

Human mitochondrial peptide encoded in the 12S rRNA gene region54146

Gene

Hexarelin

GHSR

MOTS-c

MT-RNR1

Related articles

No related articles are linked to these peptides yet.

Sources

19Identification of the growth hormone-releasing peptide binding site ..., https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1133797/
21Hexarelin Peptide | Strength & Recovery - Paragon Sports Medicine, https://www.paragonsportsmedicine.com/peptides/hexarelin
29Examorelin - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Examorelin
96Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor - ScienceDirect.com, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/growth-hormone-secretagogue-receptor
8Mitochondrial-encoded peptide MOTS-c prevents pancreatic islet ..., https://www.nature.com/articles/s12276-025-01521-1
54MOTS-c - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOTS-c
135MOTS-c Promotes Glycolysis via AMPK-HIF-1α-PFKFB3 ... - PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40035775/
146MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic ..., https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9905433/