People’s muscles before they start lifting weights already have different gene activity patterns, and those patterns seem to predict how much their muscles will grow after training.
Scientific Claim
Baseline gene expression patterns in skeletal muscle are associated with the magnitude of muscle hypertrophy following 14 weeks of resistance training in older adults, suggesting individual differences in resting transcriptional networks may predict responsiveness to exercise.
Original Statement
“Findings support that interindividual differences in baseline gene expression may contribute more than RT-induced changes in gene networks to muscle hypertrophic response heterogeneity.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The study design is observational and correlational; it identifies associations between baseline gene expression and hypertrophy outcomes without manipulation or randomization. The use of 'associated with' correctly reflects the evidence.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Muscle Transcriptional Networks Linked to Resistance Exercise Training Hypertrophic Response Heterogeneity.
Scientists found that before people started lifting weights, their muscle cells already had different activity patterns in their genes—and those differences helped predict who would gain more muscle after 14 weeks of training.