Source comparison
MOTS-c Insulin Sensitivity Research: Model Comparison
Diet-induced obesity mice (Nature Medicine, 2021) 15 mg/kg, 3×/week, 8 weeks Glucose tolerance test AUC 35% improvement vs control Strongest evidence for dose-dependent glucose disposal improvement independent of weight loss Aged mice (Aging Cell, 2020) 5 mg/k
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- Diet-induced obesity mice (Nature Medicine, 2021)
- 15 mg/kg, 3×/week, 8 weeks
- Glucose tolerance test AUC
- 35% improvement vs control
- Strongest evidence for dose-dependent glucose disposal improvement independent of weight loss
- Aged mice (Aging Cell, 2020)
- 5 mg/kg, daily, 4 weeks
- Fasting glucose, IPGTT
- 23% improvement in glucose tolerance
- Demonstrates efficacy in age-related insulin resistance; effect size smaller than DIO models
- Cultured myotubes (Cell Metabolism, 2020)
- 10 µM, 6-hour exposure
- GLUT4 membrane translocation
- 47% increase in membrane GLUT4
- In vitro confirmation of AMPK-dependent mechanism; effect abolished with AMPK inhibitors
- Human observational (Metabolites, 2022)
- Endogenous levels measured
- HOMA-IR correlation
- 2.3× higher HOMA-IR in low MOTS-c group
- Correlational only; suggests deficiency is associated with resistance but causation unproven
- The comparison clarifies where the research stands: animal models show consistent, dose-dependent improvements in insulin sensitivity through validated pathways. Human data is correlational but directionally supportive. The gap is controlled intervention trials in humans. Those are the studies that would move MOTS-c from 'mechanistically interesting' to 'clinically actionable.'