
A protein called Sestrin might be responsible for many benefits of a workout - macinjosh
https://phys.org/news/2020-01-protein-sestrin-responsible-benefits-good.html
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keenmaster
If Sestrin administration truly prevents muscle atrophy, it could commoditize
fitness. People would train intensively for a year or two and then take
Sestrin for the rest of their life. Everyone would look like an Olympian. That
would also single-handedly solve obesity, since baseline caloric requirements
would shoot up. Perhaps Sestrin would even negate the need for cardio, by
maintaining a strong heart. Quality-adjusted life years and overall lifespan
would improve. Lastly, it would be interesting to see how people modulate
their musculature just like how they choose their clothes. People would self-
select into a conspicuously identifiable group of similarly-shaped people.

Of course, I’m skeptical that Sestrin might fully prevent muscle atrophy on
its own. At the same time, there’s no evolutionary reason for us to lose
muscle anymore, since calories are essentially guaranteed. Intuitively, muscle
atrophy seems like a puzzle that can be solved. If the muscle is already
there, find whatever phenomenon makes it wither and stop it.

