Nice Job! This is exactly why I was the first one (to my knowledge) to use it in a supplement for such purposes! You guys probably saw the study comparing genistein to selegiline (n terms of MAO-B inhibition).
Furthermore, most people don't realize that genistein also has significant growth promoting effects, as it has been shown (in multiple studies) to prevent protein degradation and increase myotube thickness. Here's a few.
Dietary Genistein Prevents Denervation-Induced Muscle Atrophy in Male Rodents via Effects on Estrogen Receptor-α
Shinya Aoyama 1,
Huijuan Jia 2,
Kyoko Nakazawa 2,
Junki Yamamura 1,
Kenji Saito 2,
Hisanori Kato 3
Affiliations expand
Free article
Abstract
Background: Genistein has high estrogenic activity. Previous studies have shown beneficial effects of estrogen or hormone replacement therapy on muscle mass and muscle atrophy.
Objective: We investigated the preventive effects and underlying mechanisms of genistein on muscle atrophy.
Methods: In Expt. 1, male Wistar rats were fed a diet containing no genistein [control (CON)] or 0.05% genistein (GEN; wt:wt diet) for 24 d. On day 14, the sciatic nerve in the left hind leg was severed, and the right hind leg was sham-treated. In Expt. 2, male C57BL6J mice were subcutaneously administered a vehicle (Veh group) or the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist ICI 182,780 (ICI group) via an osmotic pump for 27 d, and each group was subsequently fed CON or GEN diets from day 3 to day 27. Muscle atrophy was induced on day 17 as in Expt. 1. In Expt. 3, male C57BL6J mice were subcutaneously administered vehicle or a selective ER agonist-ER-α [4,4',4'-(4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl)trisphenol (PPT)] or ER-β [2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile (DPN)]-or genistein (GEN-sc-i) via an osmotic pump for 13 d, and muscle atrophy was induced on day 3 as in Expt. 1. The ratio of denervated soleus muscle weight to sham-operated soleus muscle weight (d/s ratio) was used as the index of muscle atrophy.
Results: Expt. 1: The d/s ratio in the GEN group was 20% higher than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). Expt. 2: The d/s ratio in the Veh-GEN group was 14% higher than that in the Veh-CON group (P < 0.05), although there was no significant difference between ICI-CON and ICI-GEN groups (P = 0.69). Expt. 3: The d/s ratio in the PPT-treated group was 20% greater than that in the Veh group (P < 0.05), but DPN and GEN-sc-i had no effect on the d/s ratio (P ≥ 0.05 compared with vehicle).
Conclusion: Genistein intake mitigated denervation-induced soleus muscle atrophy. ER-α was related to the preventive effect of genistein on muscle atrophy.
Genistein Promotes Skeletal Muscle Regeneration by Regulating miR-221/222
Linyuan Shen 1 2,
Tianci Liao 1 2,
Jingyun Chen 1 2,
Jianfeng Ma 1 2,
Jinyong Wang 3,
Lei Chen 1 2,
Shunhua Zhang 1 2,
Ye Zhao 1 2,
Lili Niu 1 2,
Changjun Zeng 1 2,
Mailin Gan 1 2,
Li Zhu 1 2
Affiliations expand
Free PMC article
Abstract
Genistein (GEN), a phytoestrogen, has been reported to regulate skeletal muscle endocrine factor expression and muscle fiber type switching, but its role in skeletal muscle regeneration is poorly understood. As a class of epigenetic regulators widely involved in skeletal muscle development, microRNAs (miRNAs) have the potential to treat skeletal muscle injury. In this study, we identified miR-221 and miR-222 and their target genes
MyoG and
Tnnc1 as key regulators during skeletal muscle regeneration, and both were regulated by GEN. C2C12 myoblasts and C2C12 myotubes were then used to simulate the proliferation and differentiation of muscle satellite cells during skeletal muscle regeneration. The results showed that GEN could inhibit the proliferation of satellite cells and promote the differentiation of satellite cells by inhibiting the expression of miR-221/222. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that GEN improved skeletal muscle regeneration mainly by promoting satellite cell differentiation in the middle and late stages, by regulating miR-221/222 expression. These results suggest that miR-221/222 and their natural regulator GEN have potential applications in skeletal muscle regeneration.