German Toddler Has Huge Muscles Due To Genetic Mutation

[matcom]

<snip>

DNA tests conducted on a German toddler with bulging arm and leg muscles have allowed scientists to narrow their search for cures for muscle-wasting diseases.

Dr. Markus Schuelke, a German neurologist, and an international research team found that the child's extra-large muscles are due to an inherited mutation that blocks the myostatin protein, which limits muscle production. The findings are published in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

An unusual opportunity to examine myostatin's role in humans arose when Schuelke examined a newborn baby boy almost five years ago and was struck by the visible muscles on the infant's upper legs and upper arms. Ultrasound proved that the muscles were roughly twice as large as other infants', but otherwise normal.

Sequencing the myostatin gene from the boy and his mother, who had been a professional athlete, revealed a single change in the building blocks of the gene's DNA.

"Both copies of the child's myostatin gene have this mutation, so little if any of the myostatin protein is made," Schuelke said. "As a result, he has about twice the muscle mass of other children."

So far, the boy has no problems with his heart, Schuelke said. But he added that it's impossible to know whether the lack of myostatin might lead to heart trouble as the boy gets older.

http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3452790/detail.html

[Doug Decker]

1. No picture? Yaaaahhh! n/t

[JVS]

8. I want a picture too

I want to see the Ripped baby

[Kellanved]

9. I have looked,

but no luck. The thing went through the German media in April, the archived articles do not include pictures - sorry.

[tandot]

2. breeding more Ahhnulds to take over Calllifonnia

...and yes, I know that Ahhnuld is actually from Austria

[terrya]

3. This story reminds me of a kid I saw on Howard Stern's television show..

The kid was maybe 9 or 10 years old. And he had huge muscles. And six-pack abs. I swear I'm not making it up...the kid was in posing trunks and it was like he was a minature bodybuilder. It was the damnest thing I'd ever seen. :-)

Terry

[Bombtrack]

5. That was little Hercules. He didn't have huge muscles, that is to say

he wasn't just a miniturized or scale version of Lou Ferrigno. But he was ripped as hell and super strong for his age. He wasn't a genetic freak though he just spent a ton of time working out and doing martial arts. His parents were like world champion martial artists.

Men can't really have "huge muscles" until you reach a certain physical maturity. Somewhere from 17-21.

[Endangered Specie]

4. Breeding another master race again huh?...

Those Germans never give up.

[DrWeird]

6. German supertoddlers are our superiors.

nt

[TlalocW]

7. I for one...

Welcome our new German toddler overlords."

Paraphrasing Kent Brockman from the Simpsons.

TlalocW