Reviews
Vol. 30 No. 3 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2020.9311
Muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: dependent or independent variables? A provocative review
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 17 August 2020
Accepted: 23 August 2020
Published: 9 September 2020
Accepted: 23 August 2020
Published: 9 September 2020
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The question whether the muscle hypertrophy induced by resistance training, hormone administration or genetic manipulation is accompanied by a proportional increase in muscle strength is still open. This review summarizes and analyses data obtained in human and rodent muscles in studies that have monitored in parallel changes in muscle size and changes in muscle force, measured in isometric contractions in vivo, in isolated muscles ex vivo (in rodents) and in single muscle fibers. Although a general positive relation exists among the two variables, a number of studies show a clear dissociation with increase of muscle size with no change or even decrease in strength and, vice versa, increase in strength without increase in size. The possible mechanisms of such dissociation, which involves neural motor control and/or cellular and molecular adaptations of muscle fibers, are briefly discussed.
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How to Cite
Muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: dependent or independent variables? A provocative review. (2020). European Journal of Translational Myology, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2020.9311
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