Top 3 Things You Can Do to Decrease Myostatin and Avoid Losing Muscle Mass

3 Supplements Clinically Proven to Reduce Myostatin: Creatine, HMB and Leucine

by: Robbie Durand

There has been a lot of hype in the supplement industry regarding supplements that reduce myostatin. There have been several supplements to hit the market, with strange herbs and amino acids, but there is no research to validate this. Myostatin, for those that don’t know, is a protein that suppresses muscle growth. When most people hear the word “statin,” they think of cholesterol statins which block the production of cholesterol and lowers cholesterol in the blood. Myostatin is a protein that puts the breaks on muscle growth, and has been shown to reduce muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle proteolytic mechanisms, which break down muscle tissue. Furthermore, several studies have implicated physical inactivity increases myostatin, and there is supporting evidence suggesting that serum and skeletal muscle myostatin are elevated with aging, which may be part of the reason there is muscle mass loss with aging.

If your body produces too much myostatin, muscle mass will decrease. An examples are burn victims and cancer patients. They lose significant amounts of muscle mass due to increased amounts of this protein. On the other hand, some animals are born with a deficiency, and they grew freakish muscles. One of the best ways to suppress myostatin is by hitting the weights. One study reported that the protein is depressed within hours following either endurance or resistance exercise. Another study indicated that resistance exercise decreased skeletal muscle myostatin mRNA levels up to 6 hours post-exercise.

Are there any legit supplements to reduce myostatin? The answer is YES!! Three supplements have clinically been shown to reduce your levels of this chemical. Researchers reported in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that three supplements reduced myostatin:

1.) Creatine
2.) Leucine
3.) HMB

Researchers injected muscle cells fibers with myostatin, but all three supplements, creatine, HMB, and Leucine reduced its effects. Interestingly, while muscle cell fibers treated with myostatin showed a significant decrease in muscle fiber diameter, this effect was reversed in all three treatment groups (Leucine, HMB, and creatine).

Key Points: Although many supplements are claiming to reduce myostatin, the only ones clinically proven to reduce it are leucine, HMB, and creatine. If a lifter is looking to maximize gains, one may consider taking all three supplements for maximal gains.

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