NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Researchers in Italy have discovered a potential association between the common erectile dysfunction drug Cialis (tadalafil) and muscle regeneration. The study, published in the journal Molecular Biology Reports, tested the drug on mouse muscle cells in a laboratory. Over a seven-day period, the researchers observed how the drug affected the growth, survival, and development of muscle cells. to increase the number of muscle precursor cells, which are involved in the early stages of muscle formation, and helped more of them survive. The drug also showed signs of helping muscles repair themselves by stimulating growth and reducing cell death. Researchers in Italy have discovered a possible association between the common erectile dysfunction drug Cialis (tadalafil) and muscle regeneration. (iStock) Despite these positive results, research found that tadalafil delayed the development of fully mature muscle cells. This suggests that the drug could create and maintain more cells involved in muscle regeneration, but does not indicate an increase in muscle size and function in humans. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES Because the study was conducted in mouse models, the results may differ when applied to humans, which is a limitation to the study’s findings. The study lasted only seven days, so more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of the drug, the researchers acknowledged. “This research opens up new and interesting possibilities for future therapeutic strategies in muscle recovery,” commented one researcher. (iStock) Study co-author Dr Cristina Antinozzi, a researcher at the Endocrinology Unit of the Foro Italico at the University of Rome, said these findings represent an “encouraging look at how tadalafil could be repurposed to support muscle tissue repair and regeneration.” “That’s a fascinating biological signal, but it’s far from proving that Cialis builds muscle or improves recovery in people.” “While more work is needed, this research opens up interesting new possibilities for future therapeutic strategies in muscle recovery, although it also highlights the need to monitor how such mechanisms might be viewed or misused in sporting and performance contexts,” he told Fox News Digital. Kien Vuu, a radiologist and founder of VuuMD Performance and Longevity in Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study, agreed that this is an “intriguing initial finding.” fascinating biological signal, but it’s far from proving that Cialis builds muscle or improves recovery in people.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ “Successful regeneration ultimately requires those cells to mature and form functional muscle tissue. This experiment did not establish that result.” Vuu said this is “worth studying” from a longevity perspective because age-related muscle loss contributes “significantly” to frailty, metabolic dysfunction and loss of independence. Resistance training, adequate protein and quality sleep remain the “most reliable ways” to protect muscles as you age, says one expert. (iStock) “However, this was a laboratory cell study, not a clinical trial,” he said. “We need animal studies and eventually human trials that examine actual muscle mass, strength, physical function and safety before drawing conclusions about clinical use.” Lifestyle practices like resistance training, adequate protein, and quality sleep remain the “most reliable ways” to protect muscles as you age, Vuu added. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The expert noted that tadalafil also carries “significant risks,” including dangerous reductions in blood pressure when combined with nitrates. “Therefore, people should not take it to build muscle based on these findings,” he said. Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
