“Light weight, light weight!” Grandma is screaming as she tries to push out that last rep. I don’t think so. Senior citizens have been searching for ways to build muscles. Seniors want to rebuild shrinking muscles and prevent broken bones to help fight injury. In recent years, doctors told seniors to hit the weight room. With the aging bodies of these seniors it is tough for them to be able to “pump iron” and not become injured.
This is where Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) and Mechano Growth Factor (MGF) come in. IGF is a gene that makes proteins. The gene can be produced by a runner running long distance. MGF is a gene produced when a weight lifter has a muscle used intensely. Both activate muscle growth.
In “The Zero-Minute Workout” by David Plotz, scientists are looking for alternatives to help athletes gain muscle and endurance. The genes Insulin- like Growth Factor and Mechano Growth Factor may have unreal results as shown in Plotz article: “When Goldspink injected a gene for MGF into mouse muscles, he recorded a 20 percent increase in muscle mass in two weeks and a 25 percent increase in muscle strength—without apparent side effects.” The results were similar for IGF. This created supermice; however, these genes have not been tested on humans. The side effects are unknown. There is no way to tell the long lasting results without testing and observing on human life for long periods of time. These genes could be abused and used for the wrong reasons. In order for the use of these genes to be successful, tests on humans must be taken and the genes must be difficult to receive. This would prevent the abuse of the genes.
Seniors are looking for a resolution to broken bones and shrinking muscles mass. This is affecting their quality of life and these genes are not the answer. These genes are not the answer. Seniors already have enough problems trying to get through days. Why add more? There is no way to tell at this point what effects these genes have on humans. The genes could even kill the elderly. At this point, the genes are not the answer to the problems they seniors have with shrinking muscles.
As technology increases and research deepens, the resolution may change. The gene injections may become the answer. If it does there would have to be an age limit or medical excuse to be injected by the genes. The game limit would be 65 and older. These genes would only be used to reconstruct and not build. This helps the seniors get through the day without difficulty. This doesn’t allow others to have an unfair advantage of muscle strength. The doctor would have to approve these genes so that everybody can’t take it. New cures and new drugs are being inventing as we speak. The genes, Insulin-like Growth Factor and Mechano Growth Factor, are powerful. They could come to help human kind with their strength, but for now they are too unknowing to be used. Scientist must put more studies and foundations on research for these genes; so maybe grandma can get out of the weight room.