The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
Volume 27, Issue 4 , Pages 457-461, April 2008

Clenbuterol Increases Lean Muscle Mass but Not Endurance in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

  • Gayathri Kamalakkannan, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
    • ,
  • Christopher M. Petrilli, BS

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
    • ,
  • Isaac George, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
    • ,
  • John LaManca, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health, Physical Education & Human Performance, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland.
    • ,
  • Brooke T. McLaughlin, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
    • ,
  • Elizabeth Shane, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
    • ,
  • Donna M. Mancini, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
    • ,
  • Simon Maybaum, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Simon Maybaum, MD, Center for Advanced Cardiac Therapy, Montefiore Medical Center, 3400 Bainbridge Ave, 7th Floor, Bronx, New York 10467. Telephone: 718-920-2626. Fax: 718-652-1822.

Received 19 October 2007; received in revised form 10 January 2008; accepted 12 January 2008.

Clenbuterol, a β2-agonist with potent anabolic properties, has been shown to improve skeletal muscle function in healthy subjects, and in high doses, promotes cardiac recovery in patients with left ventricular assist devices. In a small, randomized controlled study, we investigated the effect of clenbuterol on skeletal muscle function, cardiac function, and exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure. Clenbuterol was well tolerated and led to a significant increase in both lean mass and the lean/fat ratio. Maximal strength increased significantly with both clenbuterol (27%) and placebo (14%); however, endurance and exercise duration decreased after clenbuterol. Prior data support combining exercise training with clenbuterol to maximize performance, and on-going studies will evaluate this approach.

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 This work was supported in part through a grant from the Foundation for the Advancement of Cardiac Therapies (FACT) Jupiter, Florida, and from Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), Middletown, Ohio.

 Dr Maybaum is listed as coinventor on a patent held by Columbia University for the use of clenbuterol to improve cardiac and skeletal muscle function in patients with congestive heart failure.

PII: S1053-2498(08)00041-7

doi:10.1016/j.healun.2008.01.013

The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
Volume 27, Issue 4 , Pages 457-461, April 2008

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