The road to big, strong muscles is long and requires a lot of work in a gym. But researchers may have found a shortcut where muscles grow on their own. Scientists have managed, through gene therapy, to increase the lean body mass and strength of macaque monkeys. The experiment was fairly simple, the researchers simply injected the follistatin gene (FS344) directly into the monkey’s right thigh muscles.
Folistatin has been shown to block myostatin, a molecule that negatively regulates muscle growth, but strengthens tendons. Eight weeks after the injection, the circumference of the monkey’s right thigh muscles had increased on average by 15 percent compared to the left thigh. A study in two of the monkeys showed that muscle strength in the right leg was increased by 12 and 36 percent respectively compared to the untreated leg!
Folistatin is injected through a viral vector, which is an adeno-associated virus that is used as a transport for the injected medicine.
It is a common method called gene therapy, and it has been used in humans with other drugs.
The monkey study showed no negative side best sarms for cutting.
This therapy is being developed for use in patients with severe muscular dystrophy and other muscle wasting disorders.
Human clinical trials will begin in 2011, and Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Ohio has already raised funding for the study. There are a number of studies and clinical trials underway or planned for the treatment of muscle wasting disorders, some of the most interesting substances are folistatin as myostatin antagonist
Ostarine, which is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) and is currently in human clinical trials with GTx Inc. and also another code-named BMS-564,929 SARM being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb.
The possibility that athletes abuse these substances has led the World Anti-Doping Agency to ban MRSA since 2008.
Until now, only the substance known as “SARMs S4” (Andarine) has hit the market and is being used by a limited number of professional and amateur bodybuilders.
Its anabolic effects are said to be moderate and it has been reported to have some temporary side effects, most notably decreased night vision.
The future of drugs developed for muscle wasting diseases will surely be of interest to athletes and others who want an added advantage.
The next 5-10 years will see a lot of substances come out and some could be good replacements for anabolic steroids.
These drugs will be available on the black market for professional athletes and amateurs alike, with unprecedented anabolic effects and almost no negative side effects.
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