Follistatin and myostatin inhibition — is any of the muscle hype supported yet?

Your skepticism is well-calibrated. Several pharma programs targeting the myostatin pathway (monoclonal antibodies, receptor decoys, follistatin-based approaches) have run human trials in muscle-wasting and dystrophy populations. A recurring theme in the results has been measurable increases in lean mass or muscle volume on imaging that did NOT translate into the hoped-for functional or strength endpoints. That disconnect has sunk or stalled multiple programs.

That's in disease populations under clinical supervision. The follistatin peptides discussed in forums are a different animal again — largely preclinical, purity and identity are unknowns, and there's essentially no controlled human data on the material people actually talk about. Cool biology, very thin translation.

The 'lean mass went up but function didn't' pattern is exactly the nuance I was missing. That reframes the whole thing from 'suppressed drug' to 'the endpoint that matters kept failing.' Thank you.