The Claim
In elite male weightlifters, 8 weeks of either low-load or high-load resistance training does not significantly alter the phosphorylation status of mTOR or AKT proteins.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
In elite male weightlifters, 8 weeks of either light or heavy weight training does not change the activity levels of mTOR or AKT proteins, which are involved in muscle growth signaling.
See the scientific wording
In elite male weightlifters, neither low-load nor high-load resistance training significantly alters phosphorylation of mTOR or AKT proteins after 8 weeks, suggesting these canonical anabolic pathways are not the primary drivers of hypertrophy in this population.
When elite weightlifters perform high-repetition lifting, their muscles experience sustained stress that triggers a protein-building process without using the usual mTOR and AKT signals. Instead, a different pathway turns on p70S6K1, which speeds up the assembly of new muscle proteins, while another step deactivates a brake on protein production called eEF2, allowing proteins to be built faster. This combination increases muscle size and strength even when the classic growth signals remain unchanged.
What the research says
1 studyEven though the weightlifters got bigger muscles from both heavy and light training, the main muscle-growth switch (mTOR) didn’t turn on or off — meaning something else must be making their muscles grow.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.