Age-Related Muscle Loss No More? It Could Come Down To This Newly Discovered Molecule - Forbes

What the report says

Forbes reported that researchers at Kyushu University in Japan have identified a lab-created sulfur-based molecule that may help protect a key muscle-repair protein from chemical damage linked to aging. The study, published Friday in Scientific Reports, focused on lipoic acid trisulfide, a compound the article says is not naturally found in foods or plants.

According to Forbes, the molecule strengthened the function of hepatocyte growth factor, or HGF, a protein central to skeletal muscle repair and regeneration. HGF normally helps activate repair processes after muscle injury or exercise, but its signaling becomes less effective with age. The researchers found that lipoic acid trisulfide made HGF more than twice as effective in performing its repair-related role and helped it resist age-related chemical changes.

The article also said mice treated with lipoic acid trisulfide showed markedly less chemical damage to HGF than mice given another sulfur compound, suggesting the effect can persist in living tissue. Lead researcher Professor Ryuichi Tatsumi said in a statement, as summarized by Forbes, that the results went beyond what the team expected and may reflect a change in HGF itself rather than only a neutralizing effect against reactive molecules.

The finding could matter because age-related muscle loss can reduce mobility, independence and recovery from injury. However, Forbes noted that the work remains early-stage: more studies in aging animals are needed to assess effectiveness and safety before any human trials could begin.