Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs) activated by physical exercise as therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders: a systematic review.

PRISMA systematic review of mitochondrial-derived peptides MOTS-c and humanin in the context of exercise. 435 records identified across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect; 9 studies included, spanning 2016-2025. The exposure studied was physical exercise, not exogenous peptide administration. Most included studies showed a directional increase in circulating MOTS-c and humanin after exercise. No pooled effect size, participant N across studies, or dosing data were reported. The authors state human evidence remains limited and call for controlled clinical trials of MDP-based interventions.

Human evidence for exercise-induced MDP changes remains limited; controlled clinical trials are needed.