Muscle protection possible with natural hormone
When it comes to protecting muscle against atrophy, a natural hormone can prove its efficacy in the true sense.
Des-acyl ghrelin, the hormone, is effective in guarding muscles. Though its mechanism remains unknown but it is different from the action of anabolic steroids and IGF-1.
The finding was presented at The Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. and was led by study co-author Andrea Graziani, PhD., and a molecular biologist with the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and the Biotechnology Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
From Sciencedaily.com:
Muscular atrophy is a debilitating process that results in an extensive loss of muscle mass and function, which greatly worsens quality of life. It occurs in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, AIDS and heart failure, negatively affecting the patients’ prognosis. Also, muscular atrophy can occur with aging, inadequate food intake such as in anorexia nervosa, or disuse (in those who are bedridden or who must keep a limb immobile) or as a side effect of glucocorticoid steroid therapy. Nerve injury also triggers severe muscular atrophy.
Currently, there are few options to treat the problem. Some of the treatments, such as anabolic steroids (testosterone) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IFG-1), raise concerns about safety and effectiveness, said study co-author Andrea Graziani, PhD.
Des-acyl ghrelin is a form of ghrelin, appetite-stimulating hormone found in the body. It shares certain biological activities with ghrelin such as stimulating differentiation of other cells, including cells considered to be precursors to skeletal muscle cells.
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