Article content
With advancing age many people face the unpleasant problem of muscle wasting. Scientists have now discovered a natural compound that can significantly slow this process. They published their findings in a recent issue of the influential journal Cell Metabolism, where they described their new discovery in detail – ursolic acid.
Scientists’ Discovery
Researchers found that ursolic acid is exceptionally suitable for therapies aimed at preventing and reversing signs of aging such as flaccid and sagging muscles. This compound is found in high amounts in apple peels.
As the researchers explain:
“Muscle weakening and loss of muscle mass is one of the most common signs of aging. This process prolongs hospital stays for older patients, slows recovery, and in some cases completely prevents patients from being discharged home from the hospital. The exact reason for these changes is not entirely clear, and therefore there has not yet been an effective drug.”
How Ursolic Acid Works
The researchers first set out to determine what happens in aging and weakening muscles. They discovered 63 genes that change during dieting, and another 29 genes that change their expression during fasting or spinal injuries. By comparing the expression of these genes when exposed to over 1300 bioactive compounds they eventually discovered ursolic acid, which can correct muscle loss.
“Ursolic acid is indeed an interesting compound,” the researchers claim. “The best thing about it is that we can obtain it in the diet simply by eating apples.”
Experiments on Mice
In the next phase the researchers gave ursolic acid to fasted mice. The experiment showed that this compound protected the mice from muscle weakening and wasting.
Effects in Humans
Encouraged by the positive results in mice, the researchers decided to test the effects of ursolic acid in humans. Over several weeks they began administering it to volunteers. The result was remarkable – the volunteers’ muscles grew!
The researchers explain that ursolic acid improves insulin signaling in muscles and corrects the expression of genes associated with muscle atrophy. Additionally, people taking ursolic acid were leaner and had lower levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Conclusion
Ursolic acid may be beneficial not only for preserving muscle mass but also for overall improvement of a person’s health. If one consumes a balanced diet, as our mothers taught us to eat, the body can reap many benefits, and maintaining muscle mass even at an advanced age is one of them.
The discovery of ursolic acid as an effective means against muscle wasting brings new hope for older people and for those seeking ways to stay healthy and active into old age.
