According to research reviewed by Gram, a 2026 mouse study found that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) did not improve muscle repair after injury in mice with chronic liver disease. Liver disease itself left muscles with more damage at 12 days, and UDCA changed only a few markers. These results do not support using UDCA for muscle repair in people.
Chronic liver disease that blocks bile flow may make it harder for muscles to heal after injury, according to research reviewed by Gram. In a 2026 study, researchers injured the leg muscles of mice with this liver condition and tracked their recovery for 12 days. The mice showed more damaged tissue and more immature muscle fibers than healthy mice, suggesting the liver problem interfered with repair. The team also tested ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a bile acid medicine used for some liver conditions. UDCA shifted some repair cell and immune markers and increased one type of adult muscle protein, but it did not improve overall tissue repair scores. The authors concluded that the results do not support using UDCA to help muscles heal. Because the study used mice and very small groups, it cannot show what happens in people.
Key Statistics
A 2026 study in male mice published in Molecular Biology Reports found that chronic cholestatic liver disease increased the share of muscle stem cells to 18.55% at 12 days after injury, compared with 4.67% in healthy mice.
In the same 2026 mouse study, ursodeoxycholic acid lowered the muscle stem cell share to 4.63% in mice with liver disease, but it did not improve overall tissue repair scores.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Does chronic liver disease that blocks bile flow affect how muscles repair themselves after injury, and does the medicine UDCA change that process?
- Who participated: Male lab mice of one common strain. Each group had about 3 to 6 mice, so the total was likely around 24 or fewer. Some mice ate a normal diet, while others ate a diet that caused liver damage.
- Key finding: At 12 days after muscle injury, mice with liver disease had more damaged tissue and more immature muscle fibers than healthy mice. UDCA lowered one type of muscle stem cell share from 18.55% to 4.63%, but it did not improve overall repair scores.
- What it means for you: This is early animal research. It does not show that liver disease slows muscle healing in people, and it does not show that UDCA helps muscles heal. If you take UDCA for a liver condition, keep following your doctor’s advice and do not start or stop it based on this study.
The Research Details
The researchers used male mice and split them into groups. Some groups ate normal food, while others ate a special diet that caused chronic liver disease with poor bile flow. Within the liver disease groups, some mice got UDCA daily and others got a plain liquid with no medicine.
At six weeks, the team damaged one leg muscle in each mouse using extreme cold, a method that mimics a serious muscle injury. They then waited 12 days and examined the muscle under a microscope. They also measured immune cells and muscle stem cells using a lab method that counts cells by their markers, and they tested which forms of muscle protein were present.
Because the groups were small, and the number of mice varied by test (3 to 6 per group), the results are best seen as preliminary clues. The team looked at many measures, so some differences could appear by chance.
Using a controlled animal model lets researchers change one factor at a time, such as liver disease or a specific medicine, and see what happens. This helps show whether liver disease could plausibly affect muscle repair. Mouse studies, however, cannot confirm what happens in people, so they are a first step rather than a final answer.
The study used controls, a clear injury model, and several different ways of measuring repair, which are strengths. The group sizes were small, the study measured only one time point (day 12), and the authors state that one endpoint cannot tell apart slower healing, a different starting injury, or permanently incomplete repair. The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal, but they still need to be repeated by other teams.
What the Results Show
Mice with chronic liver disease had more damaged muscle tissue at day 12 than the other groups. They also had more centrally nucleated fibers, which are muscle fibers that have not yet fully matured and show signs of recent repair. The difference was statistically strong, meaning it was unlikely to be due to chance alone.
The liver disease group also had a larger share of muscle stem cells, the cells that help build new muscle. About 18.55% of cells in these mice were this type, compared with about 4.67% in healthy mice. This may reflect the body trying to rebuild muscle, or it may reflect a slower recovery process.
When mice with liver disease received UDCA, their stem cell share dropped to about 4.63%. However, the medicine did not reduce tissue damage or the number of immature fibers. In other words, UDCA changed some measurements but did not clearly help the muscle heal.
UDCA also raised one form of adult muscle protein, called MyHC-IIB, and increased a type of immune cell linked to inflammation. The researchers noted that these shifts do not add up to a clear benefit for repair.
Several immune and repair markers changed in the UDCA group, but most did not differ clearly from mice with liver disease that did not receive the drug. The increase in MyHC-IIB protein was small and only just met the threshold for statistical significance. Because the authors list many separate measurements, these smaller signals should be treated cautiously until they are confirmed by other studies.
Earlier research has linked chronic liver disease with muscle weakness and wasting in people, so the new mouse findings fit a broader pattern. Studies of UDCA in liver disease have mostly focused on the liver itself, such as itching and bile flow. This study is one of the first to ask whether UDCA affects muscle repair after injury, and its results do not show a benefit.
The study used male mice only, so the results may not apply to women or to people. The groups were small, which makes results less reliable and more sensitive to chance. The researchers looked at only one time point, so they could not see whether mice caught up later. The injury was a single, specific type, and real-world muscle injuries differ. The UDCA dose used in mice (15 mg per kg of body weight per day) cannot be directly translated to a human dose. Finally, the study tested mice, and the authors specifically said these data do not support a clinical recommendation.
The Bottom Line
Based on this study, there is no evidence that UDCA helps muscles heal, so it should not be used for this purpose. Confidence in this conclusion is moderate, because the study was clear on overall repair scores but small and limited to mice. Confidence that chronic liver disease can affect muscle repair is lower and needs human studies to confirm.
People with chronic liver or bile flow conditions, healthcare providers who treat them, and researchers studying muscle health in liver disease should pay attention. Athletes, older adults, and anyone looking for a supplement to speed muscle recovery should not rely on this research to choose UDCA. People already taking UDCA for a liver condition should talk with their doctor before making any changes.
This is early laboratory research, so no practical benefits or changes should be expected yet. Human trials typically take several years to design, run, and publish. Anyone with questions about muscle health in liver disease should expect answers only after larger studies are completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ursodeoxycholic acid help muscles heal after an injury?
A 2026 mouse study found that UDCA did not improve overall muscle tissue repair at 12 days after injury in mice with chronic liver disease. It changed a few cell and protein markers, but the researchers concluded the results do not support using UDCA for muscle repair.
Can chronic liver disease slow down muscle recovery?
In a 2026 study of mice, chronic liver disease that blocks bile flow was linked to more damaged tissue and more immature muscle fibers 12 days after injury. Researchers suggest liver problems may interfere with muscle repair, but studies in people are needed to confirm this.
Should I take UDCA to help my muscles recover?
Current evidence does not support this use. A 2026 mouse study with about 3 to 6 animals per group found UDCA did not improve muscle repair scores. If you take UDCA for a liver condition, keep following your doctor’s guidance rather than changing your plan.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Log your weekly muscle function, such as the number of push-ups or the time you can hold a plank, along with any liver-related symptoms your doctor has asked you to watch. Record your weight and any medicine doses in the same log so you can see patterns over time.
- If you have a liver condition, set a daily reminder to take your prescribed medicines as directed and to log them. Add two short strength sessions per week, and record how you feel afterward. Review the log with your doctor rather than changing medicine on your own.
- Track muscle strength and daily activity every week for several months, and review the trend monthly. Share the log with your healthcare team at regular visits so they can judge whether any changes need attention. Update your plan only after talking with your doctor, since research in this area is still early.
This article summarizes a 2026 laboratory study in mice and is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not show that ursodeoxycholic acid or any other treatment helps muscles heal in people. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping, or changing any medicine, especially if you have a liver condition.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.