 The good news keeps rolling along |
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We’re still at it, tracking good news stories throughout the Thanksgiving
weekend.
Item 7
Fountain
of Youth: Drug Restores Muscles
A daily dose of an investigational medication has been found to restore muscle
mass in the arms and legs of older adults and improve some of their biochemistry
to levels found in healthy young adults, suggesting an anti-frailty drug has
been found.The drug, called MK-677, was evaluated for its safety and effectiveness in
a study that showed the drug restored 20 percent of muscle mass loss associated
with normal aging. In fact, levels of growth hormone (GH) and of insulin-like
growth factor I (IGF- I) in healthy seniors who took the drug increased to
the levels found in healthy young adults, said Michael O. Thorner, a professor
of internal medicine and neurosurgery at the University of Virginia Health
System.
The Good News
As we often point out when the subject of life extension comes up, we aren’t
interested in extending human frailty, but rather human vitality. We want to
see people living longer so that they can continue to work, create, enjoy their
friends and families, and realize their dreams. To do that, we need sound minds
and bodies. Muscle mass is a key part of the "sound bodies" requirement.
Live to see it!