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How do you like these apples: A natural compound found in apple skins might help you grow bigger muscles, according to a new University of Iowa study.
To see if they could ward off the gene changes that accompany age-related muscle deterioration, the Iowa team tested more than 1,300 molecules on human cells in a lab. Their goal: to find compounds that alter gene function in a way that would prevent muscle breakdown. Ursolic acid—a waxy substance also found in the skins of blueberries, pears, cranberries, and some plants and herbs—came out on top in the lab tests.
But how might it work outside of the lab? To find out, the researchers gave ursolic acid to underfed mice. They found that the compound prevented the normal breakdown of muscle due to poor diet, which is similar to age-related muscle deterioration.
Furthermore, when fed to healthy mice, ursolic acid helped muscles grow. The mice fed the compound also had lower body fat and better glucose levels than mice not given ursolic acid.
Ursolic acid promotes the activity of two types of hormones that build muscle, explains Chris Adams, Ph.D., a molecular biophysicist at the University of Iowa and one of the study’s lead researchers. It also counteracts genetic changes that cause muscles to weaken, he says.
So should you start bonging apple-blueberry-basil shakes? No, at least not until human studies show similar results, Adams says. But since his team first identified ursolic acid by looking at the genetics of human muscles, he’s optimistic the findings will apply to people in the future.
So if you didn’t have enough proof already, here’s another reason to eat more fruit.
To see if they could ward off the gene changes that accompany age-related muscle deterioration, the Iowa team tested more than 1,300 molecules on human cells in a lab. Their goal: to find compounds that alter gene function in a way that would prevent muscle breakdown. Ursolic acid—a waxy substance also found in the skins of blueberries, pears, cranberries, and some plants and herbs—came out on top in the lab tests.
But how might it work outside of the lab? To find out, the researchers gave ursolic acid to underfed mice. They found that the compound prevented the normal breakdown of muscle due to poor diet, which is similar to age-related muscle deterioration.
Furthermore, when fed to healthy mice, ursolic acid helped muscles grow. The mice fed the compound also had lower body fat and better glucose levels than mice not given ursolic acid.
Ursolic acid promotes the activity of two types of hormones that build muscle, explains Chris Adams, Ph.D., a molecular biophysicist at the University of Iowa and one of the study’s lead researchers. It also counteracts genetic changes that cause muscles to weaken, he says.
So should you start bonging apple-blueberry-basil shakes? No, at least not until human studies show similar results, Adams says. But since his team first identified ursolic acid by looking at the genetics of human muscles, he’s optimistic the findings will apply to people in the future.
So if you didn’t have enough proof already, here’s another reason to eat more fruit.