MYOSTATIN & RAPAMYCIN

We are constantly discovering new ways to improve the health of our bodies and the way they look. So let’s consider, briefly and simply, the importance of RAPAMYCIN (also known as sirolimus) , THE PROTEIN mTOR and MYOSTATIN. A couple of geneticists discovered the myostatin gene more than 20 years ago. They found that mice that did not possess myostatin had almost twice as much muscle mass as other mice. Deficiencies of the same gene in other animals, including humans, were subsequently discovered. The visible consequences? Impressive increases in muscle size.

News of this spread through the fitness world like wildfire, raising hopes among strength athletes and bodybuilders. Ideas quickly circulated that the gene could be eliminated or drastically reduced, leading to improvements in muscle strength and volume.

It was discovered that cattle in which the myostatin gene had been modified grew in weight and size and became commercially more profitable. One important aspect of this mutation was that the much sought after HYPERPLASIA (an increase in the number of cells, as opposed to hypertrophy, which refers to an increase in the size of the cells) occurred without the need for any training. But not everything was found to be beneficial. Myostatin-deficient cattle were found to suffer various problems and required special care that could nullify the economic benefits of their extra size.

MYOSTATIN: A GENE THAT LIMITS MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT

LEARNING TO CONTROL MYOSTATIN WILL CREATE A NEW GENERATION OF HERCULES.

It is a protein produced and released by muscle cells, which inhibits or reduces the development of muscle. Its scientific name is Factor 8 of growth and differentiation (GDF-8). It appears in skeletal muscle cells and appears to play a role in the recovery of blood supply to an organ and possibly in abnormal enlargement of the heart, by reducing the growth of muscle fibres. Currently there are NO myostatin blockers in humans. The inhibitor created by an American pharmaceutical company did not produce significant results in terms of strength gains and muscle development.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY VERY FEW. WILL THE NUMBER INCREASE SOON?

As you may have heard, it is believed some (or many) of the greatest muscle and strength athletes were born without the myostatin gene or at least with a reduced amount of it. If this is true, are they able to pass on this positive characteristic to their children? It’s a key question in the fitness world because people with this kind of cell mutation have a significantly higher percentage of strength and muscle size.

Humans with a mutation of the myostatin gene are born every year. They are super-endowed with muscle and strength. A defect in the myostatin receptors, which prevents people from receiving it normally, can also have the same effect. Myostatin research opens the door to enabling us to increase muscular strength and development. Firstly, and most importantly, it will help the treatment of muscular dystrophy. An antibody made from identical cells of the immune system, cloned from a single cell (monoclonal), may be  the solution.

Controlling myostatin also paves the way for the growth of muscle fibres (hypertrophy – which is usually the result of weight training) and hyperplasia (the creation of new muscle cells). Bear in mind that the use of artificial inhibitors of this gene is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), not only because they go against the rules of fair play but also for the potentially dangerous effects of myostatin changes on disorders of the immune, bone and cardiac systems, many of which are still unknown. We soon expect to know more about this.

CREATINE ALSO DEVELOPS THE MUSCLES FIGHTING AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF MYOSTATIN

THE GOOD NEWS FOR US, lovers of the fitness lifestyle, is that creatine (the most studied supplement to date and one of the most effective for the body in general) is able to reduce the levels of myostatin, which can prevent muscle weakening and shrinkage, which besides helping gym-goers can also benefit people with cancer and older people who suffer from loss of muscle and strength. Research conducted by nine scientists showed that the use of leucine, HMB and creatine monohydrate down-regulated myostatin. The report appeared in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition on August 13, 2014 and predicted a possible revolution in the increase of strength and muscular development.

RAPAMYCIN: THE MOLECULE THAT FIGHTS AGAINST AGEING AND IS EXTREMELY USEFUL FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

RAPAMYCIN WAS DISCOVERED a little over half a century ago. Canadian researchers found it in bacteria on Easter Island (the island’s native name is Rapa Nui) in the Pacific. Initial studies discovered rapamycin could prevent cancer cell proliferation in mice and also recognised its usefulness in organ transplants. However, it should not be used immediately after treatment; it’s better to wait for a few weeks because it slows down wound healing and can produce other negative side effects.

The discovery in the 1990s of the mTOR route (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin-Dianabol of Rapamycin in Mammals, which is an enzyme responsible for the regulation of skeletal muscle hypertrophy) as a regulator of ageing in yeast, altered perspectives on rapamycin.

Rapamycin has already demonstrated its potential by increasing the lifespan of mice and delaying ageing, which has caused interest in whether it can eliminate or slow down the progress of age-related diseases in humans, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and the loss of intellectual capacity. Current research is looking at whether rapamycin could prolong life almost free of diseases and physical and mental deterioration as well as being a powerful agent against cancer.

THREE STEPS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF MYOSTATIN NATURALLY

  1. BE ACTIVE. You should be active at any age, whether you are a man or woman. Move more, walk faster, climbing stairs, go hiking… and use bodyweight to make tasks harder.
  2. TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS. If you are a gym member, you will already know it’s best to train with high intensity. If you want to maximise strength and muscle gains, you can accelerate your progress with proper nutrition.
  3. REGULARLY CONSUME CREATINE (or at least in cycles of two or three months followed by one or two months without it). Aim to supplement with 3 to 6 grams daily after an initial loading phase of 15 to 20 grams per day and, if you choose, accompany this with leucine and HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta methylbutyric acid). If you do then little by little, your levels of myostatin that limit muscular development will begin to reduce and you will achieve strength and muscle previously unknown.

WILL EXTENDING LIFE EXPECTANCY BE MADE POSSIBLE BY PUSHING THE LIMITS OF STRENGTH AND MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT, OR SIMPLY BY STAYING SKINNY?

RAPAMYCIN AND MTOR PROTEIN ARE TWO BROTHERS THAT SOMETIMES BEHAVE AS ENEMIES.
RAPAMYCIN is often used to prevent the body rejecting kidney transplants. Its ability to act as an immunosuppressant is very useful. One of the curious things about the mTOR protein (present in the cells of mammals), is that when it is used to upregulate the growth of muscles is that it can increase the risk of many types of cancer. To combat this danger, researchers have created a range of drugs that reduce the risk of this happening in the development of muscles.

THE PROTEIN mTOR, A SAFE ROAD TO MUSCLE
The mTOR ROUTE is easier to travel when you train intensely with weights. Training hard helps to break down muscle fibres. Supplementing your work in the gym with phosphatidic acid triggers the mTOR signalling pathway, which in turn speeds up muscle synthesis. The latest research has shown that phosphatidic acid produces greater benefits for muscle development than strength, which is particularly good news for athletes in physique sports (bodybuilding, fitness, bodyfitness, wellness, etc). Also supplementing with the essential amino acid leucine will further stimulate the mTOR pathway.