Recently, the Meat Science and Nutrition Engineering Innovation Team at the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, reported that a high-molecular-weight chondroitin sulfate with a specific structure can effectively restore muscle vitality by modulating gut microbiota metabolism. The related findings were published in iMeta （IF=33.2）.

The use of dietary nutrition to delay muscle decline has become a global research hotspot in nutritional science. Previous international studies have indicated that chondroitin sulfate may promote muscle cell proliferation and alleviate inflammation; however, its underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated.

Animal model experiments conducted by the researchers showed that, after administration, a high-molecular-weight chondroitin sulfate with a specific structure could specifically stimulate the growth of the beneficial gut bacterium Lactobacillus johnsonii. This bacterium enhanced muscle cell vitality by optimizing intestinal carbohydrate utilization and bile acid metabolism, thereby ultimately ameliorating muscle decline.

The study established a complete mechanistic framework linking chondroitin sulfate, Lactobacillus johnsonii, bile acid metabolic remodeling, and muscle homeostasis regulation. It revealed a novel pathway through which structurally specific high-molecular-weight chondroitin sulfate indirectly regulates host muscle health via beneficial gut bacteria and their metabolic network, thereby providing important theoretical support for the development of related functional foods. The key bacterial strain used in this study has now been deposited for patent protection.

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Science and Technology Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

 Original link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/imt2.70118