The mitochondrion, at the center of aging research

A significant part of contemporary research on cellular aging focuses on mitochondrial function — the ability of cells to produce energy efficiently. Two compounds come up repeatedly in this literature: NAD+ and MOTS-c.

NAD+: the cellular fuel

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme essential to energy metabolism. It serves as a cofactor for two enzyme families that are particularly studied in the longevity field:

NAD+ levels decline with age in many studied models — a central observation that has driven research interest in this compound.

MOTS-c: the mitochondrial signal

Discovered in 2015, MOTS-c is a peptide derived from the mitochondrial genome itself — a discovery that renewed interest in the mitochondrion as a signaling organelle, not just an energy producer. It is studied for its role in activating the AMPK pathway, a central regulator of cellular energy metabolism.

A studied complementarity

The literature explores the mechanistic complementarity between the two compounds: MOTS-c signals the cell to produce more mitochondria, while NAD+ provides the fuel needed for them to function — a loop that comes up often in research guides on cellular longevity.

Level of evidence NAD+ has a larger and older body of research than MOTS-c, which was identified more recently. Both compounds remain primarily studied in preclinical models for these specific mechanisms.

Learn more

See our Cellular Regeneration Stack, which combines NAD+ and MOTS-c.