We’re not sure if the soreness and tiny tears in your muscles after a tough workout actually help your muscles grow bigger—or if they’re just a side effect.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Hypertrophy: A Closer Look Reveals the Jury is Still Out

Editorial/Opinion

This study says scientists still don’t know for sure if muscle soreness or damage from lifting weights actually helps muscles grow bigger — so it agrees with the claim that we’re still figuring it out.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Hypertrophy: A Closer Look Reveals the Jury is Still Out

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DOI: 10.31236/osf.io/8a95z

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