Green Apples and Green Tomatoes May Help Prevent Age-Related Muscle Loss

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Iowa states that there may be a correlation between eating foods that contain ursolic acid or tomatidine and preventing muscle loss due to aging. Ursolic acid is found in green apples while tomatidine can be found in green tomatoes. The study states that the protein ATF4 is responsible for muscle aging. ATF4 is described as a “transcription factor" that influences the expression of certain genes in skeletal muscle”. The expression of these certain genes results in a decrease in strength, mass, and production of muscle protein. 

The study was conducted over a two month period using elderly mice. Half of the mice were given diets that contained the natural compounds, ursolic acid and tomatidine. While the other half of the mice were not given either of the natural compounds. After two months, researchers found out that the mice who had ursolic acid and tomatidine incorporated into their diets had almost a 10% increase in muscle mass and a 30% increase in muscle strength. These levels seen in the elderly mice  just about matched the levels seen in young adult mice. Researchers concluded that ursolic acid and tomatidine are natural compounds capable of deactivating a group of genes that are normally activated by the protein ATF4. The group of researchers then engineered mice that did not contain the ATF4 protein in their skeletal muscle. The researchers found that muscles in the mice that did not contain ATF4 were resistant to any age-related muscle loss.

The researchers stated that they have come together with a biotech company to further look into the idea of adding ursolic acid and tomatidine to various foods or creating supplements containing either of these natural compounds.

I was really surprised by the results that the researchers came across after adding urosolic acid or tomatidine to the diets of the mice. It is interesting to see that these natural compounds have the ability to resist muscle loss and even increase muscle mass and muscle strength. It will also be interesting to see if these same affects will be seen in humans as well.  

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