When mice ate a high-fat diet, daily MOTS-c injections helped them stay lighter than untreated mice, even though they ate the same amount of food.
Scientific Claim
In mice fed a high-fat diet, daily intraperitoneal injection of MOTS-c (0.5 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks was associated with reduced body weight gain compared to controls, despite identical caloric intake.
Original Statement
“MOTS-c treatment remarkably prevented obesity when administrated to mice fed a HFD (Figure 6A). This difference in body weight was not attributed to food intake, as caloric intake was identical between the groups (Figure 6B-C).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The study uses causal language ('prevented obesity') but the design is limited to mice and cell lines, which cannot establish causation in humans. The claim should reflect association only.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance
Scientists gave mice a fatty diet and injected them with a special molecule called MOTS-c; even though they ate the same amount as other mice, the ones with MOTS-c gained less weight.