Two-thirds of the fibre and antioxidants on an apple are found in the peel. Image: Shutterstock.
Your mother was right: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. After testing different substances, researchers at the University of Iowa, US, demonstrated that ursolic acid, a waxy substance found in apple peel, can protect against muscle weakening. Aging, illnesses such as polio and neuropathy, as well as spinal cord injuries can lead to muscle wasting.
The researchers gave this substance to fasted mice; and their results demonstrated that ursolic acid promoted muscle growth in the animals. But when the nutrient was added to the food of normal mice their muscles also became leaner and had lower levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides.
According to Christopher Adams, UI endocrinologist and senior author of the study: “It (ursolic acid) did this by helping two hormones that build muscle: insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and insulin. Because ursolic acid increased muscle, it reduced muscle atrophy. Surprisingly, it had some other beneficial effects on mice: for example, it reduced body fat, and lowered blood glucose and cholesterol.”
Published in the journal Cell Metabolism, these findings suggest that a new treatment for metabolic diseases such as diabetes might be on its way. Adams and his team might start human trials within the next few months.
Source: University of Iowa
