Mitochondrially derived peptides as novel regulators of metabolism.
Kim. Su-Jeong SJ; Xiao. Jialin J; Wan. Junxiang J; Cohen. Pinchas P; Yen. Kelvin K
Key Findings
- Humanin has been shown to reduce weight gain and visceral fat in animal studies.
- Humanin can increase glucose‑stimulated insulin secretion.
- MOTS‑c dramatically decreases weight gain in mice on a high‑fat diet.
- A new family of mitochondrial peptides (SHLP1‑6) has been identified, expanding the potential metabolic regulators.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, the take‑away is that mitochondrial peptides like humanin and MOTS‑c appear promising for supporting weight management and metabolic health, but most evidence is still pre‑clinical. If you’re interested in experimenting, look for peptide supplements that claim to contain humanin or MOTS‑c, start with very low doses, and monitor body composition and blood glucose. Keep in mind that human data are limited, so safety and optimal dosing are not yet established.
Summary
Humanin and related mitochondrial peptides (like MOTS‑c and SHLPs) are tiny proteins that travel in the blood and can influence how our bodies handle weight, fat, and blood sugar. Early studies show humanin may curb weight gain, reduce belly fat, and boost insulin release after meals, while MOTS‑c can strongly limit weight gain in mice fed a high‑fat diet. This review pulls together what we know so far about these peptides and how they might affect overall metabolism.
Abstract
Mitochondrially derived peptides represent a new class of circulating signalling molecules. Humanin, the first member of this class, has been shown to have several metabolic effects such as reducing weight gain and visceral fat and increasing glucose-stimulated insulin release. The discovery of several other new members, such as MOTS-c and SHLP1-6, has further added to this group. These new peptides have also been found to affect metabolism with MOTS-c potently decreasing weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. This review covers the basic biology of this class of peptides and discusses the relevance to organismal metabolism.
Study Information
pubmed
2017
2017-07-18T00:00:00.000Z
10.1113/jp274472