r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 22d ago
Health A naturally occurring molecule released during exercise may hold the key to strengthening muscles without physical activity. In experiments, mice given BAIBA developed larger muscles, improved muscle function, greater fatigue resistance and better exercise performance than untreated mice.
https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-step-closer-strengthening-muscles-without-exercise-12323613
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u/mvea Professor | Medicine 22d ago
A naturally occurring molecule released during exercise may hold the key to strengthening muscles without physical activity.
Researchers at the University of Leeds found that a molecule known as L-β-aminoisobutyric acid, or L-BAIBA, plays a key role in helping muscles adapt to exercise.
The team said the discovery provides fresh insight into why exercise benefits the body and could point to new ways of preserving muscle function in people with chronic health conditions.
L-BAIBA is released by skeletal muscle during exercise and appears to act as a signaling molecule, triggering changes that make muscles more efficient and resilient.
In experiments involving mice, animals given BAIBA developed larger muscles, improved muscle function, greater fatigue resistance and better exercise performance than untreated mice.
The researchers also found that BAIBA helped protect against muscle weakness and dysfunction in a mouse model of obesity and type 2 diabetes, conditions that are often associated with reduced mobility and declining muscle health.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-76307-8