Super Strength Substance Approaching Human Trials

kkleiner writes "You may remember Liam Hoekstra, the baby apparently born without the myostatin gene, and consequently sporting 40% more skeletal muscle than his peers. Using gene therapy, NCH scientists have been able to get follistatin (a myostatin blocker) to promote phenomenal muscle growth in macaque monkeys. NCH is now working with the FDA to perform the preliminary steps necessary for a human clinical trial. Is this the prelude to a super-strength gene therapy for all of us?"

Classic Super Villain Birth

[eldavojohn]

Is this the prelude to a super-strength gene therapy for all of us?

No, the clinical trials will begin but one of the test subjects will realize that they are now stronger than his fellow man and the only thing keeping him a cut above the rest is the drug. So he (or she, both sexes are equally evil) will taint the other subjects' follistatin with cyanide, killing them all. Then the super villain transformation into The Sinister Strength will be complete and they will emerge from the carnage at the clinic to hoard all the remaining follistatin. We have only one hope, that our hero Liam Hoekstra arrives on the scene early enough to put an end to The Sinister Strength ... refresh Slashdot next week to find out.

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[HBoar]

Unless, of course, we manage to capture the super humans in time and send them all into space in suspended animation on a cargo ship.

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Maxo-Texas]

trying to muscle in with a star trek reference, eh?

I don't think you khannnnnnnnnnnn!

No

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

No, not all of us.

Just soldiers and government agents.

Fun at the Olympics in 20 years.

[sparkeyjames]

If you thought the German swimmers looked like men during the 80's and 90's just wait till this kicks for human use.

 

Re:Obvious (?) question

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

We would need to eat a lot more than the normal human needs to.

The diet of the average American should just about cover it.

Darn

[spyder-implee]

For some reason I was really hoping to see some pictures of buff Monkeys.

Funny, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

...why are all of these rated so Low? The Score dude doesn't appreciate good humor?

Re:Obvious (?) question

[Locke2005]

Pretty soon, you won't get laid without it. I think I speak for many slashdotters when I ask, "how is that any different from my current situation?"

Re:Obvious (?) question

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

And what would we do with this super strength?

The same thing we do every night Pinky; try to take over the World!

I was more thinking

[Cryacin]

Hoekstra SMASH!!!!

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Kratisto]

No, no, this will never happen. The scientists noted that one of the side effects of the treatment was green skin. I think we know where that leads.

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Ryvar]

If I refresh Slashdot next week the only thing I'm going to see is a dupe of this story.

I always wondered...

[Brad1138]

How the apes got the upper hand.

Re:Super Soldiers?

[Rogerborg]

Since the US adopted a policy of only fighting wars against tiny Orientals or half-starved Arabs, they're already 40% stronger than the opposition.

Re:Obvious (?) question

[Missing_dc]

And if this promotes muscle growth where it is used most, most of us Slashdotters will end up with just one Superhuman Arm.

"Hello, I am the Mega-Baiter!!"

Disclaimer: I am married, so my arms would remain the same, but my wife would (through associated absorption) develop some massive jaw and tongue muscles......

I love her....

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[ijakings]

I think you SPOOOOOOOOOOCK to soon.

Re:Obvious (?) question

[Totenglocke]

Funny? Yes, but it's actually insightful / informative. God, I think this post just made us aware that we need to improve the mod system to more accurately reflect a post's content......

Re:Super Soldiers?

[Xyrus]

But now we can have soldiers that go to eleven!

~X~

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Khan]

Did someone call me? ;-)

Re:Super Soldiers?

[Zordak]

The military has been working on what I'd call troop supplement vehicles. Basically, they are small cart vehicles able to carry a couple thousand pounds. They can follow a soldier around, or manually controlled to perform delivery tasks during a fire fight. Beats a 40% increase in strength by far.

They'll need those to carry all the food the new super soldiers will have to eat.

Re:Obvious (?) question

[sexybomber]

Bingo, this exactly. If this drug hit the mainstream, we'd end up with a couple billion ripped, status-obsessed douchebags. Some would begin spiking their hair and frosting the tips. It'd be like Jersey guidos, but worldwide. (In other words, it would be Hell on Earth.)

End result: Women stop liking big muscles. Slashdotters become the most desirable men on the planet. Cowboy Neal ends up on the cover of "Playgirl". Geeks begin outbreeding other social groups. They ultimately inherit the Earth.

I, for one, welcome the very brief reign of our muscly overlords.

Re:Obvious (?) question

[Anonymous Coward]

Yours never shuts up either, eh?

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Hoi Polloi]

Well at least all those spams I get saying "Make you stronger in bed!" may actually be true for once.

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[Sky Cry]

It's not a dupe, it's a rerun for those who missed it the first time.

Re:Classic Super Villain Birth

[fractoid]

You mean that really annoying "one simple secret" that they're talking about is "get gene therapy... you defective blob"?

Re:Fastest way to burn calories is to gain musclem

[chainsaw1]

The article also stated that Liam had to have a lot of protien, which makes sense if you are building excess muscle mass. Unfortunately your dream of converting Big Macs to bulging biceps is only 1/2 complete unless you can get extra beef rather than special sauce as part of your calorie intake. Empty calories alone probably aren't going to work.

Now then, your Whopper with a Protein Shake rather than that chocolate shake may do the trick.
Beefcake. BeefCake! BEEEEEEF CAKE!