Why some people get much stronger than others when they lift weights
Ribosome biogenesis may augment resistance training-induced myofiber hypertrophy and is required for myotube growth in vitro.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When older people lift weights, some grow much bigger muscles than others. This study found that the people who grew the most had more of a special cellular machine (ribosomes) that helps build muscle proteins.
Surprising Findings
Ribosomal protein levels didn’t change at all — only ribosomal RNA (rRNA) increased in extreme responders.
Everyone assumed more muscle meant more ribosomal proteins. But this study shows it’s the *production capacity* (rRNA) that matters — not the proteins themselves. The cell isn’t building more machines — it’s building more blueprints.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re not seeing muscle gains after 4–6 weeks of consistent training, don’t blame yourself — your body may have a lower ribosome response capacity. Try longer training cycles, protein timing, or consult a specialist.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When older people lift weights, some grow much bigger muscles than others. This study found that the people who grew the most had more of a special cellular machine (ribosomes) that helps build muscle proteins.
Surprising Findings
Ribosomal protein levels didn’t change at all — only ribosomal RNA (rRNA) increased in extreme responders.
Everyone assumed more muscle meant more ribosomal proteins. But this study shows it’s the *production capacity* (rRNA) that matters — not the proteins themselves. The cell isn’t building more machines — it’s building more blueprints.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re not seeing muscle gains after 4–6 weeks of consistent training, don’t blame yourself — your body may have a lower ribosome response capacity. Try longer training cycles, protein timing, or consult a specialist.
Publication
Journal
American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism
Year
2016
Authors
Michael J Stec, N. Kelly, Gina M. Many, S. Windham, S. Tuggle, M. Bamman
Related Content
Claims (5)
When older people do strength training and their muscles grow a lot, the muscle cells add more nuclei—and those who grow the most gain about 32% more nuclei than those who don’t grow much.
Some people’s muscles grow way more than others when they lift weights, and this might be because their muscle cells make more of the tiny machines (ribosomes) that help build muscle protein.
When older people do strength training for four weeks, those who get much bigger muscles also see a big jump in the cellular machinery that helps build muscle, while people who don’t gain muscle don’t see this change—so it seems like making more of this machinery is tied to getting stronger and bigger.
When older people do strength training, those who get the biggest muscle gains also tend to have a much bigger rise in a protein called c-Myc—some see it jump 250%, while others only see a 50% rise.
When scientists block the production of ribosomes in human muscle cells grown in a dish, the cells can't get bigger even when given signals that normally make them grow—suggesting that making ribosomes is essential for muscle cells to enlarge.