Folli or For Real? Follistatin gene doping. The story so far.
“Should I be on that Follistatin gene therapy thing Dave Asprey and Bryan Johnson are on.” Even though they’ve got great muscle mass? Lots of folk asking right now…
Why care? It’s a very interesting molecule for muscle!
But? It’s too early to know for healthy young people.
1. Should I get on a trial? We don’t know but…
- If you’re a pro body builder and hulking up… Yes, maybe.
- If you’re absolutely maxed out on lifestyle gains and wanting to contribute to science… Yes, maybe.
- If you’ve got muscular dystrophy, ageing / losing strength / muscle to be independent and fit and strong enough… Yes, probably.
- If you’re not yet optimally fit, sleeping well and otherwise young… Drop the burger, sleep (well) one night, and go to the gym!
2. Who’s on Follistatin gene therapy? We don’t fully know but…
- Dave Asprey - the gentleman who holds claim to be the creator of bio-hacking. Arguably bodybuilders and illegally doped athletes were. But nonetheless here’s a paper on the modern history of DIY Biology. https://lnkd.in/dJQ8--TX. Dave Asprey has published that he’s taken. It also seems like my ‘End of Ageing’ event at The Science Museum was found in the historical research too on review too.
- Bryan Johnson - a gentleman who holds claim to be the most studied biohacker today. Intriguing transparency on protocol and results though his UK doctor’s website is now password protected and seems Dr Oliver, his is not licensed anymore or didn’t get his license to practice medicine anymore. This is a shame good things come out of working with and learning from others. And ‘Doctor of Medicine’ is a protected title in the UK so good note that too when sourcing medical advice
3. What is Follistatin? we don’t fully know but…
It’s a statin. Follistatin has a set of actions to limit FSH (344 less so), Myostatin (that limits muscle mass), and Activin (a fibroblast activator). It’s not a statin that helps lower cholesterol. In fact minicircle.io say it increases LDL… but they say that’s okay with a little more diet and exercise?!?
Head blown up yet?
The gene therapy is just another (expensive) way of getting your fat cells at the injection site to produce the peptide vs injecting it every day. Bodybuilders using have been jab themselves for 10-30 days. Less expensive.
4. Who’s Minicircle.io? We don’t fully know but…
They have a biotech / trials site and a clinic of sorts. I will speak to them during downtime. There are pic’s of two folk top right but no names. Couldn’t find anything on clinical trials.gov. There a Canadian surgeon and LA based health and performance physician cited. Otherwise black box.
If dead set on trialling such investigational avenues like Follistatin early we ask:-
1. What kind of function and adaptogenic response will that excess muscle have, in super fit, max-muscly people?
2. What is the dependence on the gene therapy to maintain that possibly improved function?
3. Negative side effects like myocardial hypertrophy and does it downregulate other good things, including ultimate healthy longevity.
Looking forward to seeing the long term effects on the first 100 folk with similar genes to me personally for over next 10 years.
Be well. Don’t just inject it.