New Pill Replicates Exercise and Strengthens Muscle

Fitness Man Upper Body Strength Energy

Researchers discovered that the drug induces similar effects to exercise.

A drug has been identified by researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) that replicates the benefits of exercise on mice’s bones and muscles.

You can look and feel better by keeping up a regular exercise schedule, but did you know that exercise also supports bone and muscle health? Locomotor fragility, which affects people who are unable to exercise, causes the muscles and bones to deteriorate. Recently, Japanese researchers discovered a new drug that, by producing effects comparable to those of exercise, may help treat locomotor frailty.

Physical inactivity can result in a weakening of the muscles (known as sarcopenia) and bones (known as osteoporosis). Exercise dispels this frailty by boosting muscular strength and suppressing bone resorption while simultaneously promoting bone formation. Exercise therapy, however, cannot be used in every clinical situation. When patients have dementia, cerebrovascular disease, or are already bedridden, drug therapy may be very helpful for treating sarcopenia and osteoporosis. However, there is no one drug that targets both tissues at the same time.

LAMZ Locomomimetic Drug

Exercise induces calcium signaling in the muscle and bones. Under this signaling, PGC-1α is activated, resulting in the augmentation of these tissues. LAMZ, a newly identified locomomimetic drug was found to facilitate the calcium signaling pathway and restores locomotor fitness. Credit: Department of Cell Signaling, TMDU

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) used a novel drug screening system in a recent study that was published in the journal Bone Research to identify a compound that replicates the changes in muscle and bone that arise from exercise. Using the screening system, the researchers discovered the aminoindazole derivative locamidazole (LAMZ). LAMZ has the ability to stimulate the growth of bone-forming osteoblasts and muscle cells while inhibiting the formation of osteoclasts, which break down bone.

LAMZ was successfully transmitted into the bloodstream of mice when administered orally, with no evident side effects. Takehito Ono, the study’s lead author, stated, “We were pleased to find that LAMZ-treated mice exhibited larger muscle fiber width, greater maximal muscle strength, a higher rate of bone formation, and lower bone resorption activity.”

The research team further addressed the mode of function of LAMZ and found that LAMZ mimics calcium and PGC-1α signaling pathways. These pathways are activated during exercise and stimulate the expression of downstream molecules that are involved in the maintenance of muscle and bone.

To investigate whether LAMZ can treat locomotor frailty, LAMZ was administrated to an animal model of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. “Both oral and subcutaneous administration of the drug improved the muscle and bone of mice with locomotor frailty,” says senior author Tomoki Nakashima.

Taken together, the research team’s findings show that LAMZ represents a potential therapeutic method for the treatment of locomotor frailty by mimicking exercise.

Reference: “Simultaneous augmentation of muscle and bone by locomomimetism through calcium-PGC-1α signaling” by Takehito Ono, Ryosuke Denda, Yuta Tsukahara, Takashi Nakamura, Kazuo Okamoto, Hiroshi Takayanagi, and Tomoki Nakashima, 3 August 2022, Bone Research.
DOI: 10.1038/s41413-022-00225-w

The study was funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JAPAN, the Daiichi Sankyo Foundation of Life Science, the Takeda Science Foundation, and the Secom Science and Technology Foundation. 

61 Comments on "New Pill Replicates Exercise and Strengthens Muscle"

  1. So for a person who body builds this would probably work just as good as roids if not better. You just need the oral and the injection. Interesting. Good to know

    • No, Aaron both methods of administration aren’t needed. The researchers testing both methods because some patients might not to able to swallow due to health reasons or some may be unconscious. I went to the full published article to learn more. Both methods worked equally well.

  2. William Townsend | October 20, 2022 at 1:18 pm | Reply

    I had muscle paralysis as a child and was given an experimental drug that obviously helped but my parents had to promise they would never tell what it was or where it came from. They never would tell me. After years I am getting weaker fast and would take the experimental drug again if I could. I would be interested in any possibility to try this new drug. Are there any clinical trials? The more I exercise the weaker I get. This sounds like my type of muscle weakness is just right for your type of drug. There are a lot of us out here that possibly could be helped. 🙏 Thank you for any consideration/help
    Will

    • Hi Will, would recommend contacting the authors of the research, keep in mind that they are Japanese. You can find their contact information by going to the DOI link at the bottom of the article, and then clicking on “Tomoki Nakashima” and then selecting “contact Tomoki Nakashima.” Best of luck!

      • I have attempted to contact the author 3 times and a good friend in Washington DC has attempted to make contact on my behalf with no luck so far (it’s been about 40 days). I am going down hill fast and would volunteer for the next trial of this drug.

  3. Donna Culpepper | October 20, 2022 at 5:10 pm | Reply

    Id love to receive updates and be able to get more information. Do you need test subjects?

  4. Sarcopenia is loss of muscle.
    Osteoporosis is loss of bone density. Both are not the same thing. Just saying.

    • The researchers are aware that sarcopenia and osteoporosis are not the same. They were looking for a single drug that could increase both muscle and bone formation, and they found this single drug, locamidazole that has a beneficial effect on both.

  5. Stephanie Grant | October 20, 2022 at 5:47 pm | Reply

    Sarcopenia is not synonymous with osteoporosis. Sarcopenia is muscle weakness and osteoporosis is bone density loss.

  6. What does this do to heart muscles and the thickness of its walls? Making all muscles larger indescrimenantly isn’t what you want.

    • The researchers were looking to find a drug for patients that would replicate the effects of exercise only. Since exercise has an equally beneficial effect on heart muscle as it does on muscle and bone formation, this drug, locamidazole would too.

  7. Thank you for the info. 👍 Interested in learning more. With this said, will reach out to the Japanese team, and also contact the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics, to see if these clinics are tracking the Japanese work.Semper Fidelis. 🇺🇸

  8. ….then you wake up with a 4th arm growing out of your back, so you can always have your own back lol. Don’t want it, nothing wrong with old fashioned exercise!!!

    • Joshua Matthew Giese | October 21, 2022 at 9:41 am | Reply

      Speak for yourself attorney also why is it that every single darn good wierd sick idea I present you with you always say one thing “That Ain’t Gonna Happen” sorry to say this Ricardo you seem to need a removing of the Grinch that stole Xmas from your family tree (Hint Hint) so on my whole part stop that #NoNo things cause crap bra it’s annoying.

  9. Could this possibly help with fibromyalgia? Interested in being part of a trial project.

  10. send it!!! I will be a human test trial for sure

  11. What would this do for older people 67 yes of age and up.
    Would be interesting to find out….

  12. Joshua Matthew Giese | October 21, 2022 at 9:36 am | Reply

    I can do this for free and the results happen only in flesh by sharing my unique blood that bears no rDNA and that DOC here in the United States of America has taken a sample of Slavia for DNA testing and 18 months later of testing it and they have been unable to get a DNA reading and when they get it to show my blood type once they test again and the blood type has changed I guess I am that 1 with that gene known only as anonymous and artificial intelligence is going to owe me everything I’d not paid AI shuts off.
    #717PVEv
    #NOSTOPOST

  13. And what happens when this is abused and the muscle tissue becomes stronger than the tendons and ligaments? You end up with a tear and in severe pain for months. Don’t get me wrong, this will be great with proper supervision, but it’s not a miracle supplement for the masses.

  14. Exercise is great . . But as the article says . . if you read it . . some people CANT exercise. . . Now IF comprehension is your problem then maybe you can explore other articles in scientific magazines that can help you retain what you read.

  15. I understand that Sarcopenia is the case studied for muscle loss, however has this treatment been studied for muscle loss due to genetics such as muscular dystrophy?

    • William, I read the full article from the link posted below the SciTech one. Locamidazole, the drug tested is just at the beginning of the preliminary testing level. In vitro testing was done first using mouse tissue and then progressed to three separate tests on specially selected mice with hind leg weakness. Each test lasted only two weeks before the mice were killed and their tissue studied.

      Drug testing has a LONG way to go as initially, they were only testing out a variety of drugs that might work. Their findings are basically letting other researchers know that one has been found. I don’t doubt that it would be years before this was even available for select patients.

  16. Some comments posted seem to miss key points of topic. The article is clear about its trial and the distinction between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Likewise, it explicitly mentions that such a drug could benefit individuals who CAN’T exercise feasibly or at all due to health constraints. Someone like me who has experienced both sarcopenia and osteoporosis due to a rare and agressive cancer-leiomyosarcoma might greatly benefit from such a drug.

  17. Food high in leucine does the same thing.

  18. Please I need help my muscle mass is gone due to taking care of 380 lb.mom,I’m 120lbs. I have bad osteoporosis also please human trials, please.

  19. Hey this looks a whole lot more beneficial to mankind than gain-of-function research to create deadly pathogens, or getting sandflys to eat away the faces of live beagles! Who would have thought medical science could be so useful and positive!

  20. Could this be a treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

  21. Is there any signs of this treatment having an impact on tendons and or ligaments?

  22. I’d REALLY LOVE to try this since my accident and I’m not able to exercise like I use to do!!!

  23. It sounds good but it does what steroids do which it does not discriminate as to which muscles it makes larger so it will make your heart muscles larger and possibly kill you. You will have brain tumors and all kind of crap. All you need is arms sarms, they are selective they make the skeletal muscles larger and there are sarms that even enhanced bone. Peptides are amazing also. I’m taking both.

  24. Could this be useful for people with ME/CFS to keep from deconditioning due to the post-exertional malaise that comes from even normal activity?

  25. SWEET JEBUS!! I Volunteer!

  26. Earlier the Better | October 22, 2022 at 4:50 am | Reply

    An Easy way? This is what Science is; Divert funds from other areas of human activity to Science ASAP. Humans are for Brain. Use Brain to the Max. Social activity is needed…Particularly, for growing kids, yes. Muscles are for Health. This Study certainly has to be continued in those Mice.

  27. I Would love to try the new product.
    I’m a personal trainer so I will give you good feed back.
    Please let me know

  28. Earlier the Better | October 22, 2022 at 5:13 am | Reply

    Don’t use it on Tigers & Lions. They will kill you in a single strike. From time to time, I came across news of Zoo Cleaners getting Killed by those Wild Creatures. And Deaths by Canines is Very common news. People still Continue. Business activities make them prolong.

  29. Earlier the Better | October 22, 2022 at 5:26 am | Reply

    My question is, Has the Research team tried locamidazole already on themselves too? Future Nobel Laureates !

  30. Earlier the Better | October 22, 2022 at 5:32 am | Reply

    I came across this Info. “PGC-1α is the master transcription regulator that stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis, by upregulating nuclear respiratory factors (NRF-1, 2) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam), which leads to increased mitochondrial DNA replication and gene transcription”.

  31. I have osteoporosis and Ricketts.
    Would love to be a test subject!

  32. Causes lesser brain cells and a smaller penis.

  33. Interested in being in the experiment. Can you send me a link to get a hold of them please , I have a lot of muscle and bone problems

  34. I would like to try this as i seem that my body is not getting stronger with exersize

  35. I would to try it

  36. I would love to try it very interested

  37. Wonder if it could help with carple tunnel or artritis. Whats the chance this is just another “miracle drug bs”

  38. I’d be a willing test subject! Not only for osteoarthritis but for the weight loss benefit too!

  39. Just waiting for the “Captain America brought to you by the Japanese” banter to begin. You really should wait until Hunan tested before even mentioning this exists.

  40. That was supposed to say “human” testing… Should make these editable.

  41. I myself would like to know if this would be good for someone with fibromyalgia and thyroid issues

  42. Would be interested in being test subject

  43. Please consider me for studies related to government licensing

  44. Wow, does anyone know that the number one benefit of exercise is linear growth hormone production!! Yes the hormone that helps your body rebuild and renew and optimizes your immune system! I laugh when I read these health stories written by people who are clueless!!!

  45. What about patients with auto immune disease such as myasthenia gravis , we have few options on symptoms from this cuz it’s so rare could I benefit from this drug

  46. I will be a trial tester

  47. margie E meschede | October 23, 2022 at 11:27 am | Reply

    I would definitely be a test subject at 84 have no time to waste Alex.

  48. I’d buy some right now

  49. George Edmund Jordan | October 25, 2022 at 1:52 pm | Reply

    Great research results. How many years till its available for sale?

  50. As a patient with exercise intolerance from Mitochondrial Disease and a nurse myself, this could be very interesting research. Those who “assume” all people can exercise are simply ignorant and don’t understand medical conditions, hence the need for medical breakthroughs. I look forward to hearing more about this in the future!

  51. If this would be in “Clinical Trials”, & be available for both genders, I would sign up due to J.R.A @ 10 years old.
    I’ve been on so many meds that decrease M.B.D. over the years, this would be worth trying.

  52. Sounds Great

  53. I am interested in getting some of this medication if it is for the doctor to prescribe or so we can buy either way please let me know the outcome of this please.

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