Follistatin
Muscle & PerformancetherapeuticMusculoskeletalHormonalResearch use only
Educational use only. Not medical advice. Verify all information with primary sources and a licensed clinician before use.
Body Map
Muscles
Overview
A naturally occurring protein that binds and sequesters myostatin (GDF-8) and related TGF-beta family members (including certain activins), preventing them from docking on activin type II receptors. This effectively releases the brake on muscle growth, allowing muscle fibers to enlarge. By neutralizing several TGF-beta family members at once, follistatin can drive more muscle hypertrophy than narrower myostatin blockers. Studied primarily as a gene therapy (AAV1.CMV.FS344) for muscle-wasting diseases including Becker muscular dystrophy and sporadic inclusion body myositis.
Primary Uses
Muscle growth via myostatin inhibition
Muscular dystrophy treatment (Becker muscular dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy models)
Anti-aging (inhibition of GDF-11 and activin, both implicated in age-related tissue decline)
Muscle wasting conditions
TGF-β signaling research
Muscle growth
Investigated for muscle wasting conditions
Becker muscular dystrophy
Sporadic inclusion body myositis
Muscle wasting diseases
Muscle hypertrophy
Reducing muscle fibrosis
Protocol Reference
Dose
100–300 mcg/day
Frequency
Daily
Route
Gene therapy · Injectable peptide
Evidence
Phase 1/2a human clinical trial (AAV1-FS344 gene therapy) / B / Investigational - Gene therapy trials (Phase 1/2a) (disputed)
Research References· 7
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25322757/
PubMedPMID 25322757- [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2717722/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2717722/)
Research Models
HumanMouseanimal modelsnon-human primates
Also in Muscle & Performance