This Antioxidant May Be The Key To Keeping Ageing Muscles Strong

Scientists in Japan have identified a molecule that could help protect the body's natural muscle repair system and may one day lead to new treatments for age-related muscle loss. As people grow older, skeletal muscles gradually lose strength and mass. This can lead to weakness, reduced mobility, scarring within muscle tissue and a decline in fast-twitch muscle fibres that are essential for quick and powerful movements.

A research team led by Professor Ryuichi Tatsumi at Kyushu University's Faculty of Agriculture has now identified a molecule that may help protect and even strengthen one of the body's key muscle-repair signals. The findings were published on July 24, 2026, in Scientific Reports.

The study focused on hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a protein that plays a vital role in repairing damaged skeletal muscle. Under normal conditions, HGF remains inactive around muscle fibres. When muscles are injured or stimulated through movement, it activates muscle stem cells, helping repair and regenerate muscle tissue.

However, the researchers said ageing can interfere with this process. Their earlier work found that HGF undergoes a chemical change known as nitration, which weakens its ability to bind to muscle stem cells. As a result, the body's ability to repair muscle declines with age.

To address this, the team tested two sulphur-based antioxidant compounds, glutathione trisulphide (GSSSG) and lipoic acid trisulphide (LASSS), to see whether they could protect HGF from this damage.

Laboratory experiments showed that while both compounds reduced the harmful chemical changes, LASSS produced a much stronger effect. It more than doubled HGF's ability to bind to its receptor and also made the protein more resistant to age-related damage. The researchers described this enhanced form as "Super HGF".

"This exceeded our expectations," Professor Tatsumi said. He explained that LASSS appears to do more than simply act as an antioxidant and may directly alter HGF's structure, making it more effective at activating muscle repair.

The researchers also tested LASSS in mice with muscle wasting caused by reduced movement. Animals treated with the compound showed significantly lower levels of protein damage than untreated mice, suggesting the protective effect also works in living tissue.

Although further studies are needed to confirm its long-term safety and effectiveness, especially in older animals and eventually in humans, the researchers believe the findings could help develop new treatments for muscle loss caused by ageing or prolonged inactivity such as extended bed rest.

The team added that the approach may also benefit companion animals, including dogs and cats, by helping preserve mobility and quality of life as they age.