Effect of Goat Meat on Alleviating Muscle Atrophy Induced by Dexamethasone in Mice

This study investigated if the intake of goat meat affects muscle atrophy and changes gut microbiota in animal models. Muscle atrophy-induced mice (C57BL/6N; 5-week-old) by dexamethasone were treated with a standard chow diet (DEX) and goat meat (DEX+G) for 18 days. Muscle atrophy-uninduced mice were treated with the standard chow diet (CON). The relative muscle mass (gastrocnemius, soleus, and quadriceps femoris) to the body weight of the mice, levels of serum biochemical markers, expression levels of muscle atrophy-related proteins, and cross-sectional area (CSA) of muscle fibers were measured in the mice. The gut microbiota was also analyzed. The relative mass of the gastrocnemius muscle was higher in the DEX+G than in the DEX. However, improvement related to muscle mass was not observed in serum biochemical markers. Of the three examined proteins in gastrocnemius muscle, MuRF1 and GDF-8 expression levels were lower in the DEX+G than in the DEX group. The average CSA of gastrocnemius muscle fiber was higher in the DEX+G group than in the DEX group, but it was lower in the DEX+G group than in the CON group. The goat meat treatment changed the composition of some gut bacteria in muscle atrophy-induced mice. In summary, goat meat intake might have a mild effect on improving gastrocnemius muscle mass and CSA, potentially related to lowered MuRF1 and GDF-8 expression and changes in gut microbiota. The current findings from a mouse model indicate that goat meat treatment has only a mild effect on limited factors. Therefore, further research is necessary.