Background
Lactic acid is responsible for muscle fatigue and soreness... or so it was once believed. Dr. George Brooks disproved this theory, and Dr. Andrew Marks presented a new one. Dr. Marks of Columbia University believes that muscle fatigue is actually caused by "leaky" calcium channels in cells. This discovery is important not only for atheletes but for heart failure patients as well. These patients experience muscle fatigue and a decrease in muscle contractility resulting in reduced stroke volume of the heart. Such a condition renders them incapable of strenuous and some basic activity. Dr. Marks has created a drug which reverses the affects of these leaky channels in mice and is hopeful for an eventual drug for humans. By repairing these leaky channels there is much potential for curing heart problems.