If I Only Take Pills, Can I Get a Fit Body Too?… US Researchers Develop Pills That Increase Muscle Mass

Activation of Protein Promoting Muscle Growth
"May Help Patients with Geunwichukjeung"

Will there be a pill that replaces exercise following diet pills? A research team in the United States has attracted attention by developing a pill that enhances 'exercise ability.'

A research team at Washington University in St. Louis announced on the 18th (local time) at the 'American Chemical Society Spring Meeting' held in New Orleans, Los Angeles, a pill that shows effects such as increased muscle mass and improved physical ability just by taking it.

However, Professor Baha Elgendy of Washington University, who led the research, emphasized, "The importance of actual exercise is greater than that of the pill." The pill was developed not as a general exercise aid for the public but for patients suffering from serious diseases involving muscle degeneration.

The mechanism of the pill works as follows. The research team found a substance that regulates the protein 'Estrogen-Related Receptor' (ERR), which is activated in our body during exercise. Normally, ERR is activated during strength training, but the team discovered a chemical method to stimulate ERR secretion even without physically moving the body.

Testing the pill's effects through animal experiments confirmed that mice given the pill showed higher endurance than normal mice. Moreover, it reportedly demonstrated preventive effects against diseases such as obesity, heart failure, and kidney function decline.

Professor Baha Elgendy from Washington University in St. Louis, who led this research
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The pill is expected to help patients suffering from diseases where physical ability gradually declines, such as muscular atrophy. Professor Elgendy stated, "Artificially activating ERR may be more beneficial for maintaining health in some patients," adding, "We expect the drug to be useful for patients experiencing such conditions."

If a pill that enhances exercise ability becomes commercialized, it is expected to have an impact comparable to diet pills. Last year, the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, headquartered in Denmark, made headlines by developing a diet pill that helps with weight loss.

Since then, major pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca have entered the race to develop diet pills. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has predicted that the diet pill market could grow to a scale of 130 trillion won within a few years.