The Study
Differential effects of resistance and endurance exercise in the fed state on signalling molecule phosphorylation and protein synthesis in human muscle
We don't know how the experiment was done — maybe they picked people randomly, maybe not. So we can't say one kind of exercise definitely causes muscle changes. All we see are some numbers from a few guys, but we don't know if it's fair or reliable.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study looked at how two types of exercise—lifting weights and running—affect different parts of muscle cells in young men.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 530 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this shows your muscles adapt to what you train for: lifting makes you stronger, running makes you more endurance-capable, and your body fine-tunes which proteins it builds based on your routine.
- 2Before training, lifting weights boosted muscle-building proteins by 67% and energy-making proteins by 69%.
- 3Running boosted energy-making proteins by 154% but didn’t touch muscle-building proteins.
- 4After 10 weeks of training, lifting only boosted muscle-building proteins by 36%, and running only boosted energy-making proteins by 105%.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Journal of Physiology
Year
2008
Authors
S. B. Wilkinson, Stuart M Phillips, P. Atherton, Rekha C. Patel, K. Yarasheski, M. Tarnopolsky, M. Rennie
Related Content
Claims (4)
When muscles contract under tension, the mTOR pathway is activated, leading to greater production of muscle proteins and an increase in muscle size.
In untrained young men, one session of weight lifting raises the production of muscle structural proteins by 67% and energy-producing mitochondrial proteins by 69%, while one session of running raises mitochondrial protein production by 154% but does not change muscle structural protein production.
Long-term resistance or endurance training changes how muscle proteins are synthesized in a way that matches the type of exercise performed, but these changes happen without changes in the phosphorylation of Akt–mTOR–p70S6K signaling proteins.
After 10 weeks of resistance training, acute exercise increases myofibrillar protein synthesis by 36%. After 10 weeks of endurance training, mitochondrial protein synthesis remains elevated at 105% and myofibrillar protein synthesis does not increase.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.