A group of scientists from China has made a big discovery about how our muscles age and how we might be able to slow it down.
The research was led by Professor Liu Guanghui from the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr. Wang Si from Xuanwu Hospital at Capital Medical University.
Their study, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, focused on a special protein called SIRT5.
As we get older, our muscles naturally lose strength and size. This can make walking harder, increase the chance of falling, and lead to other health problems. Muscles are not just for moving—they also help our bodies use energy properly. So, keeping muscles healthy is very important for staying active and independent in old age.
The scientists studied aging muscles in primates and found some clear signs of aging: the muscle fibers were smaller, there were changes in the kinds of fibers, more inflammation, and fewer muscle stem cells that are needed to repair damage.
One of the most important findings was that levels of the protein SIRT5 were much lower in older muscle tissue.
SIRT5 is sometimes called a “longevity protein” because it helps protect the body as it ages. In this study, the researchers found that SIRT5 helps control another protein called TBK1.
TBK1 can cause inflammation in the body, which speeds up aging in muscles. SIRT5 works by removing a chemical marker from TBK1, which keeps it from starting inflammation. When SIRT5 levels drop, TBK1 becomes too active, leading to more inflammation and muscle damage.
To see if they could fix this, the researchers used a type of gene therapy. They used a virus to carry extra copies of the SIRT5 gene into the muscles of older mice.
After five weeks, the treated mice had stronger muscles, bigger muscle fibers, less inflammation, and more youthful activity in their genes. This shows that boosting SIRT5 levels could actually reverse some effects of muscle aging.
This discovery helps explain why muscles get weaker with age and suggests that one day we might be able to treat or even prevent this problem. By increasing the amount of SIRT5, it may be possible to reduce harmful inflammation and keep muscles strong as people get older.
Of course, this treatment has only been tested in mice so far. More studies are needed to see if it would work safely in humans. Scientists also need to learn more about how SIRT5 works in different parts of the body and whether there are any side effects to increasing it.
Still, this research is an exciting step forward. If future studies confirm the results, we may one day have new ways to help people stay strong and healthy well into old age.
If you care about health, please read studies that vitamin D can help reduce inflammation, and vitamin K could lower your heart disease risk by a third.
For more health information, please see recent studies about common exercises that could protect against cognitive decline, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
