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Treatment for liver diseases could also strengthen muscles to prevent sarcopenia



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With age, muscles start to weaken, which can lead to increased levels of disability.
A group of local researchers have found that a liver disease treatment could also increase muscle mass and help treat conditions like sarcopenia.
Lee Eun-jin has the details.

We often see the elderly take slower steps and also have a difficult time standing up from a sitting position.
While it is natural for the body to weaken with age, there are conditions that cause abnormal weakening of muscles, especially in the legs, which makes physical activity difficult.
This is one of the main symptoms of sarcopenia.
In South Korea, roughly 13 percent of the elderly over the age of 65 have been diagnosed with skeletal muscle atrophy.
And it's been reported that this condition increases the risk of death, yet there is currently no treatment.

"The biggest problem is that there is no treatment. We encourage sarcopenia patients to take supplements for protein and amino acids as well as do some physical activity. It may be difficult for them to gain muscle, but we help them maintain what they have."

Now, local researchers have found that a drug that's been used in studies for the treatment of liver diseases could play a key role in treating sarcopenia.
It's a clinically safe drug called malotilate that's shown to inhibit skeletal muscle atrophy.

Researchers conducted an experiment where a group of mice injected with malotilate showed a 46 percent increase in the diameter of muscle fibers, and also an increase of 21 percent in muscle mass specifically in the frontal thighs.
This study showed that malotilate inhibits the activity of enzymes linked to muscle atrophy, which in turn slows muscle loss.

"We've found that malotilate can improve strength and strength producing muscle fiber number.
These results indicate that malotilate can be a very good candidate therapeutic for treating sarcopenia."


Based on the latest findings, researchers say if malotilate can be developed as a treatment for sarcopenia, it can also be a great help for patients who suffer from discomfort when moving or difficulty controlling their diet.
And because malotilate has already been clinically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a safe treatment for liver diseases, this should shorten the time and cost involved in the next step of the drug's development.
Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

#liver_diseases #sarcopenia #Arirang_News

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