Diabetic rats had weaker heart mitochondria energy production, but MOTS-c treatment helped improve it back to normal levels.

When oxygen was low, MOTS-c treated diabetic rat hearts used less ATP, which may help protect the heart during low-oxygen events like heart attacks.

Heart cells from diabetic rats have weaker power plants that leak more harmful molecules than those from healthy rats, which matches what scientists expect in diabetes-related heart damage.

For people with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes, sufficient oxygen in their muscles is linked to better energy recovery after exercise.