Why mitochondria became the energy conversation
When people search for "peptides for energy," what they are usually circling is mitochondrial function. Your mitochondria are the part of each cell that turns fuel into usable energy, and a small group of peptides has become the focus of energy and metabolism research because they appear to act at that level rather than acting like a stimulant.
Two of the four below are what researchers call mitochondrial-derived peptides, meaning they are encoded inside mitochondrial DNA itself: MOTS-c and Humanin. SS-31 is a synthetic peptide designed to target the mitochondrial membrane, and NAD+ is a coenzyme, not a peptide, that sits at the center of cellular energy production. We are grouping them together because they all live in the same energy and metabolism research conversation.
Quick reminder before we go further: everything here is sold for research use only. Clearly Peptides does not sell anything. We compare prices and surface lab data so you are not guessing. Nothing below is medical advice, and we keep dosing qualitative on purpose.
The four compounds, and where each one lands on price
MOTS-c
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that researchers study for its role in metabolic regulation and how cells respond to exercise. It is the one most often framed as an "exercise-mimetic" in the literature, which is why it shows up in energy and metabolism discussions. The best verified price we track is $120/40mg = $3/mg (Onyx Biolabs), and the top purity on record for it is 99.76 percent. See vendors and lab data on the MOTS-c page.
SS-31
SS-31, sometimes referred to as elamipretide in clinical research, is a synthetic peptide designed to bind the inner mitochondrial membrane and is studied for how mitochondria handle oxidative stress. It is the most "engineered" of the group. The best verified price we track is $59.99/10.0mg = $6.0/mg (Midwest Peptide), with a top purity of 99.95 percent, the highest on this list. Details on the SS-31 page.
NAD+
NAD+ is a coenzyme rather than a peptide, but it belongs in any cellular-energy roundup because it is directly involved in how cells generate energy. It is dosed in much larger milligram amounts than the peptides here, which is why its per-mg cost looks dramatically lower. The best verified price we track is $30/500mg = $0.06/mg (Penguin Peptides), with a top purity of 99.82 percent. More on the NAD+ page.
Humanin
Humanin is the other mitochondrial-derived peptide on this list and is studied mainly for cytoprotection, the idea of helping cells survive stress. It is the most expensive per milligram of the group and is dosed in small amounts. The best verified price we track is $75.99/5mg = $15.2/mg (Limitless Life). We do not currently have a verified top-purity figure on file for it, so treat that as a gap to confirm via the COA. See the Humanin page.
| Compound | What it is / mechanism | Best $/mg |
|---|---|---|
| MOTS-c | Mitochondrial-derived peptide; metabolic and exercise-response research | $3/mg (Onyx Biolabs) |
| SS-31 | Synthetic mitochondrial-membrane-targeting peptide | $6.0/mg (Midwest Peptide) |
| NAD+ | Coenzyme central to cellular energy production | $0.06/mg (Penguin Peptides) |
| Humanin | Mitochondrial-derived peptide; cytoprotection research | $15.2/mg (Limitless Life) |
How to choose and not overpay
The single most useful habit is comparing cost per milligram, not sticker price. A bigger vial almost always looks more expensive up front while costing less per mg. That is exactly why NAD+ at $0.06/mg looks like it is in a different universe from Humanin at $15.2/mg. It is not a better deal in any meaningful sense; it is simply dosed in much larger milligram amounts, so the same dollar buys far more raw material. Compare peptides against peptides, not a coenzyme against a peptide.
- Normalize to per-mg. Use the calculator so a 20mg vial and a 40mg vial are on the same footing.
- Read the COA before the price. A low price on an unverified vial is not a deal. Our lab data page shows the purity figures we have on file, like 99.95 percent for SS-31 and 99.76 percent for MOTS-c.
- Mind the gaps. Where we do not have a verified purity figure, such as Humanin, ask the vendor for a current third-party COA rather than assuming.
- Do not let per-mg alone decide. NAD+ being cheapest per mg does not make it the right compound for a given research question; the mechanisms above are different.
Research use only. None of this is medical advice, and we keep dosing qualitative because the right amount depends on the protocol you are studying, not on what a blog tells you.
Frequently asked.
Which of these is actually a peptide?
MOTS-c, SS-31 and Humanin are peptides. NAD+ is a coenzyme, not a peptide, but it sits at the center of cellular energy production, so it is grouped here. MOTS-c and Humanin are specifically mitochondrial-derived peptides, encoded in mitochondrial DNA.
Why is NAD+ so much cheaper per mg than the others?
Because it is dosed in much larger milligram amounts. The best verified price we track is $30/500mg = $0.06/mg (Penguin Peptides), versus $15.2/mg for Humanin. The low per-mg number reflects vial size and dosing scale, not that it is a superior compound.
What is the cheapest mitochondrial peptide per mg?
Among the true peptides here, MOTS-c is the lowest we track at $3/mg (Onyx Biolabs), followed by SS-31 at $6.0/mg (Midwest Peptide). Humanin is the most expensive at $15.2/mg (Limitless Life).
Which has the highest verified purity?
SS-31 has the highest top purity on record at 99.95 percent, followed by NAD+ at 99.82 percent and MOTS-c at 99.76 percent. We do not currently have a verified top-purity figure on file for Humanin.
Does Clearly Peptides sell any of these?
No. We are a price-comparison and lab-data aggregator. We do not sell peptides. We surface verified vendor prices and COAs so you can compare, and everything we cover is research use only.