The Study
Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Parallel Groups Design
This study is like a fair test where people were randomly put into different diet groups to see how eating more affects muscle and strength. Because it was randomized, it can give good clues about cause and effect, but since only 17 people finished, the results aren’t super strong or certain.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Some people eat extra food to build muscle. This study checked if eating a little or a lot more helps gain more muscle and strength in trained lifters.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 548 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Gaining weight quickly made people stronger in bench press and added some muscle, but mostly added fat.
- 2For lean gains, slow and controlled weight gain may be better.
- 3The group eating 15% more gained more bench press strength.
- 4Everyone gained similar muscle in legs and arms.
- 5The more weight people gained, the more fat they gained (nearly half the change was fat).
- 6Biceps grew slightly more in those who gained more weight.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Sports Medicine - Open
Year
2023
Authors
Eric R. Helms, Alyssa-Joy Spence, Colby A Sousa, James Kreiger, Steve Taylor, D. Oranchuk, Brad P. Dieter, Casey M Watkins
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.