The Study
Activating HSP72 in Rodent Skeletal Muscle Increases Mitochondrial Number and Oxidative Capacity and Decreases Insulin Resistance
This study looked at mice and rats that were changed in a lab to make more of a special protein called HSP72. They found that these animals burned more fat and had better blood sugar control. But it doesn't prove that doing the same thing in people would work — it just shows what happened in these animals.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
A protein called HSP72 in muscles helps the body burn fat better and keeps sugar levels under control—even when eating lots of fatty food.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 513 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this means boosting HSP72 could help people burn more fat, avoid weight gain, and improve insulin sensitivity without needing to exercise more or eat less.
- 2Mice with extra HSP72 had 50% more mitochondria, burned 40–50% more fat during exercise, and stayed leaner despite eating the same high-fat food as normal mice.
- 3The drug BGP-15, which boosts HSP72, worked as well as diabetes drugs metformin and rosiglitazone.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Diabetes
Year
2014
Authors
D. Henstridge, C. Bruce, B. Drew, K. Tory, A. Kolonics, E. Estevez, Jason Chung, Nadine Watson, T. Gardner, R. Lee-Young, T. Connor, M. Watt, K. Carpenter, M. Hargreaves, S. McGee, A. Hevener, M. Febbraio
Related Content
Claims (6)
In individuals with insulin resistance, mitochondrial function is reduced, including lower mitochondrial numbers and decreased activity in the cellular energy production system.
Mice genetically modified to produce more HSP72 protein specifically in their skeletal muscle burn more energy and fat while eating the same amount of food, and they do not gain weight on a high-fat diet. These mice also show lower levels of fat molecules inside their muscle cells.
In mice, increasing the levels of the HSP72 protein in skeletal muscle leads to greater production of mitochondria through increased activity of Tfam, AMPK, and SIRT1, without involving PGC-1α.
In mice fed a high-fat diet, increasing the levels of the HSP72 protein in muscle tissue leads to higher mitochondrial density, greater fat burning throughout the body, less fat buildup in muscle, and better insulin response.
In diabetic rats, a drug called BGP-15 that activates HSP72 increases the size of mitochondria in skeletal muscle and improves insulin sensitivity to the same extent as the drugs metformin or rosiglitazone.
Mice with increased levels of the HSP72 protein in their skeletal muscles can run 40–50% longer than normal mice, even though their muscle fiber composition and mitochondrial efficiency per mitochondrion remain unchanged.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.