Tag Archives: myostatin

The Science Behind Strength and Muscle Growth

We all have a fascination with muscles and strength – whether we want to be stronger, feel better, or look like superman; and there are many proposed strategies and exercise regimens to get this done. I personally like doing my muscle training with music and so I have an earphone that I bought through the help of EarbudsAddict. 

In this post, I am going to talk about growing muscles and genetics. What if I told you that it was out of your control, and that your genetics may be entirely holding you back? Conversely, what if there was a secret out there that could lead you to super human strength?

Does Genetics Highly Contribute to Strength and Muscle Growth?

Muscle Size Has A Limit

The truth is, your muscle size has a limit. Sure it may seem obvious when you hear it, but your muscles are under the strict control of a protein called Myostatin, which determines exactly how large a muscle can become. And this limit is different for everyone depending on their myostatin levels.

As a muscle reaches this limit, myostatin prevents any further growth. But if the myostatin itself is limited or absent, this muscle limit suddenly goes away. This phenomenon was first noticed in Belgian Blue Cattle. These cows developed 2-3 times more muscle mass than a normal cow, and it was later discovered that they had a deletion of the gene GDF-8, which just so happens to create myostatin. As a result, without any exercise or special diet, these cows have incredible muscles mass.

Similar cases have been documented in dogs, mice, and even a few cases of human babies lacking the GDF-8 gene. These finding have helped scientists understand why some people bulk up easily, while others struggle to. Lower levels of myostatin = more muscle mass. In fact some studies have even shown that many champion  bodybuilders have naturally lower levels, or even entire deletions of the myostatin gene.

Lower levels of myostatin = more muscle mass.

If you look at somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger, as a teen, he just looks naturally muscular. As such, perhaps many champion bodybuilders owe their success more to genetics than their training or drug use.

Blocking Myostatin

Eventually, it may be possible to develop drugs which deplete or block myostatin. Of course, it’s a double edged sword; On the one hand, patients with muscular dystrophy, or muscle loss from aging could regrow and restore muscle. On the other hand, the potential for abuse as performance enhancers seems…inevitable.

But, the prospect of seeing a real-life human Hulk…seems kind of cool. Besides, should those who already have low levels of myostatin be considered to have an unfair advantage? It’s hard to say. Regardless, be weary of anybody selling or promoting this unproven and unregulated treatment.

At the end of the day, whether you have naturally low or high myostatin levels, remember – this is the level that is optimal for your mechanical and metabolic efficiency. With proper exercise and general health, you’ll reach your own unique physiological peak.

And while you may not be destined to pack a punch like Superman, you can push your own limits through training and hard work. And if you want to know how much myostatin you have…there’s only one real way to find out. Get working!