New Delhi, April 5 -- Less sugar, please! While the high consumption of sugar may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, a recent study has revealed another benefit of keeping sugar at bay.

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that skeletal muscle satellite cells, key players in muscle repair, proliferate better in low glucose environments.

This is contrary to the conventional wisdom that says mammalian cells fare better when there is more sugar to fuel their activities. Because ultra-low glucose environments do not allow other cell types to proliferate, the team could produce pure cultures of satellite cells, potentially a significant boost for biomedical research.

Healthy muscles are an importa...