Fitness Series Season 01 Episode 03
Muscle growth, also known as hypertrophy, is triggered by a combination of exercise and proper nutrition. Here's a breakdown of the process:
Exercise Stimulus:
Microtears: When you challenge your muscles with weight training, you create tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This is a good thing! It's the body's signal to start repairs.
Repair and Growth:
Satellite Cells: These are stem cells that lie dormant on muscle fibers. When exercise triggers muscle damage, these cells become active and help repair the tears.
Protein Synthesis: To repair the damage and build up muscle, your body ramps up protein synthesis. This process uses amino acids, the building blocks of protein, from your diet.
Hormonal Influence: Hormones like testosterone and growth hormone play a role in muscle growth and repair by increasing protein synthesis and inhibiting protein breakdown.
Importance of Diet:
Protein Intake: Consuming enough protein provides the amino acids your body needs for muscle building.
Overall Calories: You need to be in a calorie surplus, meaning you consume more calories than you burn, to provide the energy for muscle growth.
Additional Factors:
Rest and Recovery: After a workout, your muscles need time to repair and rebuild. Make sure you get enough sleep and schedule rest days.
Detailed information and scientific backing:
Muscle Hypertrophy:
- Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. (https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2010/10000/The_Mechanisms_of_Muscle_Hypertrophy_and_Their.40.aspx)
References
- [1] Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Arterial Stiffening: Relevance in Development, Aging, and Disease.
- [2] Muscle Stem Cells and Aging.
- [3] Proliferation of the Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells and Aging.
- [4] Dynamic Crosstalk between Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and the Aged Extracellular Matrix.
- [5] Mitochondrial Dynamics and Mitophagy in Skeletal Muscle Health and Aging.
Citations:
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28954852/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29305003/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1859128/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8468233/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8348122/