SupplementsFolic Acid Protects Muscle in Mice Exposed to Alcohol by Changing Gut Microbes
Folic acid may help protect muscles from alcohol damage, according to experiments in mice and mouse muscle cells. Researchers fed young male mice an alcohol-containing diet for 12 weeks and tested folic acid supplementation. Treated mice showed better muscle mass and strength, healthier energy production inside muscle cells, and lower levels of homocysteine, a substance involved in folate metabolism. Folic acid also reduced signals that promote muscle breakdown. Transferring gut microbes from mice receiving the higher supplement dose reproduced protective effects, suggesting that changes in gut bacteria contributed to the benefits. These findings identify a potential connection between nutrition, gut microbes, and muscle preservation. However, this was not a human trial, and the summary is based only on the abstract. The results do not establish a safe or effective supplement dose for humans.
