A recent study investigates the relationship between exercise and the expression of MYC in skeletal muscles over time, revealing that even minimal doses can promote muscle growth without physical activity.
Researchers have long known that there is a relationship between the cancer-associated gene MYC (pronounced “Mick”) and exercise adaptation. When human muscles are exercised, MYC is found to increase transiently in abundance over 24 hours. But as we age, the MYC response to exercise is blunted, perhaps explaining a reduced ability to recover from exercise and maintain or gain muscle.
Knowing the precise mechanisms by which MYC drives muscle growth could prove instrumental in creating therapies that reduce muscle loss from aging, potentially improving independence, mobility, and health.
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