Topline

Researchers at Kyushu University in Japan have identified a molecule that shields the body's key muscle-repair protein from age-related chemical damage and more than doubles its strength—a finding that could change how scientists tackle age-related muscle loss.

Key Facts

Researchers publishing Friday in Scientific Reports found that a sulfur-based molecule called lipoic acid trisulfide (which is created in a lab and not naturally found in foods or plants) more than doubled the ability of the body's main muscle-repair protein to do its job.

That repair protein, called HGF, becomes less functional as the body ages due to chemical damage but researchers found that the new molecule made HGF twice as effective and more resistant to the age-related chemical changes.

Mice treated with lipoic acid trisulfide showed significantly less chemical corruption of HGF than peers treated with another sulfur compound, which scientists say confirms the molecule's lasting effect in living tissue.

Professor Ryuichi Tatsumi, who led the research, said in a statement the result "exceeded our expectations," adding that the compound appears to do "more than simply neutralize reactive molecules" and may instead reshape HGF into what the team calls a "Super HGF" form.

Key background

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the key molecules responsible for skeletal muscle repair and regeneration. In healthy muscle, HGF is stored in the extracellular matrix surrounding muscle fibers and is released when the muscle is damaged by injury or exercise. It is responsible for ultimately forming new muscle fibers and repairing damaged ones—an essential process for recovering from injury, maintaining muscle mass and adapting to strength training. As people age, HGF signaling and satellite cell responsiveness decline, contributing to slower muscle repair, reduced regenerative capacity and the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength.

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How the discovery can be implemented. Further studies in aging animals are needed to confirm lipoic acid trisulfide's effectiveness and safety before any human trials can be done, but researchers believe it could help promote independence, quality of life and healthy lifespan in later years.