Study Identifies Compound That Could Improve Muscle Regeneration in Older Adults - Video

Scientists may have discovered a new way to help the body repair aging muscles naturally.

As we grow older, our muscles gradually lose strength and become harder to repair after injury or inactivity. This can lead to muscle loss, weakness, and reduced mobility. Now, a new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that a sulfur-based compound called lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS) may help protect one of the body's natural muscle-repair systems.

Researchers from Kyushu University focused on a protein called hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which plays an important role in repairing damaged muscles. Normally, HGF activates muscle stem cells, allowing them to repair and rebuild injured muscle tissue.

However, as people age, HGF can become damaged through a chemical process called nitration. When this happens, the protein can no longer attach properly to muscle stem cells, reducing the body's ability to repair muscles.

To see if this damage could be prevented, researchers tested two antioxidant compounds: glutathione trisulfide (GSSSG) and lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS).

The results showed that both compounds reduced damage to HGF. But only LASSS did something extra—it made HGF bind much more strongly to muscle stem cells. In fact, HGF treated with LASSS became more than twice as effective at attaching to its target and was also more resistant to age-related damage.

The researchers believe LASSS may slightly change the structure of HGF, creating a stronger version that they describe as a "Super HGF."

The team also tested LASSS in mice with muscle loss caused by inactivity. Mice given LASSS showed less damage to HGF than untreated mice, suggesting the compound may also work in living tissues.

Although these findings are promising, the research is still at an early stage. More studies, especially in aging animals and humans, are needed to confirm whether LASSS is safe and effective. If successful, it could one day help protect muscle health during aging, prolonged bed rest, or other conditions that cause muscle loss.

REFERENCE: Kahona Zushi, Miyumi Seki, et al.; Enhanced HGF with increased receptor affinity and nitration-dysfunction resistance through interaction with lipoic acid trisulfide. Scientific Reports, 2026; 16 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-60835-w