Muscle Wasting News and Research

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Researchers suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for muscle loss associated with obesity

Obesity has been linked to skeletal muscle loss and deterioration. While M2 macrophages may play a role in regulating muscle function, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

4 Aug 2026

Researchers discover molecule to fight age-related muscle decline

Skeletal muscle is one of the first tissues to decline with age. This decline can lead to weakness, scarring, fat accumulation inside muscle, and the loss of fast-twitch muscle fibers that are important for quick and powerful movements.

24 Jul 2026

New study links specific microRNAs to cancer-associated cachexia

Cachexia-a syndrome characterized by progressive muscle wasting-affects both humans and dogs with chronic diseases such as cancer.

22 Jul 2026

Myotonia may play a much larger role in driving muscle damage than previously recognized

For decades, researchers studying myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) have focused on the disease's underlying genetic cause: a mutation that produces a toxic form of RNA, disrupting the normal processing of thousands of genetic messages inside cells.

13 Jul 2026

Harvard University hosts the world's largest conference dedicated to longevity biotechnology

The 13th Aging Research & Drug Discovery (ARDD) Meeting, the world's largest conference dedicated to longevity biotechnology, will take place from October 1-3, 2026, at the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University.

11 Jul 2026

Blocking nerve signaling may reduce cancer-associated cachexia

Researchers have uncovered a previously unrecognized pathway linking lung tumor genetics, diet, and the nervous system that drives cancer-associated cachexia, according to a new study in mice.

2 Jul 2026

Scientists target NOX4 protein in skeletal muscle to combat aging

The powerful role of exercise in maintaining skeletal muscle could be the key to improving health and resilience in older age, according to new research from Monash University.

11 Jun 2026

$2 million NIH funding supports wearable knee exoskeleton research

Building on the success of projects to boost strength by adding motors to conventional knee, hip and ankle braces, a University of Michigan team is exploring how well this approach could work for relieving knee pain from osteoarthritis.

1 Jun 2026

Phase two clinical trial demonstrates dramatic mobility gains in children with severe fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare skeletal disorder in which normal bone is gradually replaced by weak fibro-osseous tissue, leading to fractures, pain, deformities, and severe mobility impairment. In many patients, diseased bone tissue produces excessive amounts of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), a hormone that causes phosphate loss through the kidneys.

21 May 2026

Olive waste extract may help lower fat and improve muscle markers

A polyphenol-rich olive oil byproduct may enhance muscle health, reducing fat mass and improving antioxidant markers in adults with metabolic risk factors.

18 May 2026

GLP-1 obesity drugs mainly reduce fat while preserving muscle mass

New research to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12–15 May) shows that following treatment with GLP-1 drugs for obesity, most weight loss is fat mass (80–85%) and relative muscle mass is preserved.

13 May 2026

Study finds GLP-1 medicines cut fat while preserving muscle function

Researchers found that GLP-1 medicines caused weight loss mainly through fat reduction, with only modest decreases in absolute muscle mass and no disproportionate loss of muscle function. In mice, physical performance improved, while in a small 12-week human pilot trial, strength was preserved despite reduced thigh muscle size.

18 Mar 2026

New study identifies specific brain cells most vulnerable to ALS and dementia

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) belong to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases with overlapping symptoms, characterized by muscle wasting, paralysis, dementia, and other serious impairments.

12 Mar 2026

Specific gut microbe may boost muscle strength and performance

A species of gut bacteria called Roseburia inulinivorans is specifically associated with human muscle strength and improved muscular performance in mice, finds research published online in the journal Gut.

10 Mar 2026

Game-changing discovery reveals how viruses may trigger ALS development

A large, multidisciplinary team led by researchers from Texas A&M University has made a potentially game-changing discovery about the development of devastating motor neuron diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

27 Jan 2026

Viral DNA elements help control early embryonic development

Transposable elements are stretches of DNA that can move around the genome. Many of these DNA sequences originate from long ago, when viruses inserted their genetic material into our ancestors' genomes during infection.

19 Dec 2025

Blocking a key cell pathway reduces muscle wasting in pancreatic cancer

Researchers at the University of Houston are pushing the boundaries of biomedical innovation with a discovery that could transform treatment for one of cancer's most devastating complications.

16 Dec 2025

Discovery of unexpected mechanism may help improve healing across muscle injuries

At the cellular level, the mechanics of how muscle tissue repair occurs gets complicated. There are significant differences between, say, tearing a muscle in a sports injury versus muscle tissue wasting away from diseases like muscular dystrophy.

21 Nov 2025

Clinical trial reveals encouraging results for apitegromab in spinal muscular atrophy

A new clinical trial has revealed encouraging results for a muscle-targeting therapy aimed at improving motor function in children and adolescents with spinal muscular atrophy, according to a study published in The Lancet Neurology.

18 Sep 2025

Charity funding boosts research into inclusion body myopathy at Aston University

Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity working on behalf of 110,000 children and adults living with more than 60 muscle-wasting conditions, has awarded £140,944 in funding to Dr. Rebecca Jones at Aston University for a project to understand the cause of a condition called inclusion body myopathy.

13 Sep 2025