The Study
Ribosome biogenesis may augment resistance training-induced myofiber hypertrophy and is required for myotube growth in vitro.
This study found that some older people got much stronger muscles after lifting weights, and those people also had more of a special cellular machine (ribosomes) in their muscles. But we can't say the machines caused the muscles to grow — they just happened together.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
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.
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 546 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — a 83% muscle gain is huge and rare; most people gain much less, so this explains why some people respond dramatically to workouts.
- 2Extreme responders: +83% muscle growth, +40% ribosomal RNA, +32% more nuclei in muscle fibers.
- 3Nonresponders: no change in ribosomal RNA.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
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.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.