- Physical activity is known to promote bone and muscle health.
- Aging, lifestyle, and chronic disease can lead to physical inactivity associated with bone and muscle loss.
- A new study has identified a drug that can mimic locomotion in mice.
- A new drug called rocamidazole can increase bone formation, mineral density, muscle thickness, and muscle strength in mice.
When we are physically active, our bones and muscles work together to make them stronger. To maintain bone health, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a combination of 3-5 weight-bearing exercises per week and 2-3 resistance exercises per week.
According to research
Despite its benefits, modern life is associated with a lack of physical activity.
Physical inactivity is also associated with an increased risk of chronic disease. The British Heart Foundation believes that worldwide he attributes more than 5 million deaths to lack of exercise, which is her 1 in 9 overall.
Chronic conditions, injuries, and aging can mean that it becomes more difficult to perform physical activity, which can lead to muscle weakness (
A new study conducted at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) has identified a new drug that can mimic exercise and promote similar changes in muscle and bone.
The study, led by Professor Tomoki Nakashima, bone research.
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To test new compounds, researchers gave male mice 10 mg/kg LAMZ orally once daily, 6 mg/kg LAMZ twice daily by injection, or a control solution for 14 days. .
Oral and injected LAMZ administration showed changes in both muscle and bone. The researchers noted that mice that received LAMZ had wider muscle fibers and increased muscle strength compared to mice that did not.
Endurance was studied using a treadmill device.
in an interview with medical news today Dr. Joseph Watso, assistant professor at Florida State University, who was not involved in the study, explains:
“Although the animals had only modest changes in distance traveled (about 2%), it is compelling that after 14 days of LAMZ administration, the increases in adjusted maximal muscle strength and muscle fiber width were very large..“
Using genetic analysis, researchers have shown that LAMZ increases the number of mitochondria (cell powerhouses) in muscle and bone cells. They noted increased expression of the gene for PGC-1 alpha, a protein known to maintain muscle and bone cells and increase mitochondrial production.
“PCG1a is a known transcriptional co-activator that increases mitochondrial biogenesis. This is an interesting feature of the agent they identified, where mitochondrial biogenesis is a distinctive physiological adaptation to exercise training,” Watson said. explained Dr. MNT.
To further understand the pathway, researchers orally administered LAMZ to mice while blocking PGC-1α. No increase in muscle strength was seen, indicating a PGC-1 alpha-mediated effect of her LAMZ on muscle and bone.
3D images of bone samples generated using micro-CT showed increased bone thickness, density, and bone mineral content, confirming cellular studies results of increased formation and decreased bone loss. .
“We are pleased to find that mice treated with LAMZ have wider muscle fibers, higher maximal muscle strength, higher rates of bone formation and lower bone resorption activity,” said Takehito Ono, lead author of the study. is commenting.
This study suggests that LAMZ strengthens bone and muscle without adversely affecting surrounding tissues, and acts as a therapeutic by mimicking physical exercise and reactivating muscle and bone through PGC-1α. I showed you what you can do.
Dr. Watso summarized the findings as follows:
“This article provides compelling evidence in animals for a drug that likely improves bone and muscle health. As with most agents evaluated in animals, the key question is: The question is whether those findings translate to humans, and of course there are no adverse side effects that were not observed in animal studies.”
He said, “Developing a single health elixir to replace the myriad benefits of regular physical activity and exercise would be a daunting task. Reducing the burden associated with it will require continued efforts.”
In some cases, medication may be a safer option than exercise, but when possible, “exercise should be the first consideration for people who have the ability to be physically active,” Watson said. said Dr.
Nevertheless, “it is certainly worthwhile to continue investigating population-specific risk factors and pathophysiology for potential therapeutic targets,” he added.
