Quote:
Originally Posted by Tatyana  I have run into a few big brain biochemists etc and I have asked about this.
My thoughts were that it was true, and it set off some sort of memory pathway in my brain (I read New Scientist, Scientific American, British Medical Journal, New England Journal of Medicine like some women read HELLO) however, as I read so MUCH (+ uni) I don't always remember everything! Also, as I have no time to loads of extra medline searches.......................................... .....I took advantage of their knowledge base
Here are a few of their replies.
My own opinion is that it is more or less accurate in the absence of AAS. Most people can get fit and healthy with the correct diet and workout regimen but the vast majority do not have genetics that lend themselves to the bulky BB physique. In fact, most people are glad they can't get that look. The freakish BB look doesn't appeal to the majority of people.
Now, chemicals like AAS, growth hormone, insulin, and even creatine make that goal attainable by a larger percentage of the population but if they stop using those drugs, they will eventually lose much of the mass they attained while using them. It may take a long time for some if they continue to pay attention to their diet and workout correctly; years even. But eventually, they will lose it. The genetics to support that physique just aren't there. With proper diet and exercise, some of the added mass can be kept but that is highly variable between individuals. Some are able to keep more than others
And another
This is 100% true, and the reason is myostatin. Which basically the genetic regulator of how big you can be. it does this by basically regulating the myoD level in your stem cells. This directly effects their ability to reproduce and join existing muscle cells.
there are methods through training to reduce myostatin experssion though. The whole manipulation of the physiological pathways for hypertrophy is the whole basis of my new research based training method GTP for those who havent read about it yet.
So the answer is this is about 99% true. But there a few that can/will find a way to get beyond this factor by using GTP type training and supps/drugs |
I've read more than a fair share of information on this subject. I first heard about this back when I was 19 ish, 4 years ago. I had just got back into lifting after a 2 year layoff (military) ... I then found an article in a bodybuilding magazine ( Flex september 2006 ) that got me thinking about it again.
There is SO MUCH information out there about Myostatin. Even today, everything is not clear, due to the need of more testing to be done.
I'm not going to go into too much detail, but Myostatin definitely plays a role in the amount of skeletal muscle muscle one can attain (There's uncertainty as to whether or not the gene exists in internal organs).
Back in the 1800s, European farmers noticed some of their cattle were more heavily muscled than others. Naturally, they decided to breed these "super" cattle ... Today, we have the Belgain Blue and Piedmontese cattle. Turns out, these cattle have a defective myostatin gene. This translates into them being 30 % bigger than their cousins who don't possess the mutated gene.
Here's a picture of a Belgain Blue
Here's a picture of Piedmontese
Here's a picture of your normal, everyday cow.
Now, scientists have already expiremented with mice. In mice, they completely "knock-out" the gene. Mice end up being 200-300 % larger than normal mice.
Here is a diagram showcasing the differences between the two. If you couldn't guess ... the normal mouse is up top, the myostatin-less mouse, is on bottom.
Another Diagram
I apologize for those of you a little squemish :P
Here is a Wikki that gives a decent breakdown of myostatin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myostatin
Here is a much more in depth article on it.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...lr%3D%26sa%3DG
Now, what does all of this mean ? Well, only time will tell really :P There's a ton of speculation out there, obviously. One medical doctor and author of several weight training articles asserts that over-expression of myostatin is to blame for weight lifters that have trouble gaining muscle mass. Another says that the rarest of defects, are what you see in the top bodybuilders of today. Hardgainers vs Mesomorphs (or ecto-mesomorphs and endo-mesomorphs) The important aspect being that all top bodybuilders are some form of mesomorph. The lack of myostatin expression, does make sense to me. Would explain why the top bodbuilders have a MUCH easier time gaining muscle than your average joe. It also falls in line with the whole "Genetics are god" thing in bodybuilding.
If myostatin does indeed live up to all of what is being said today ... We're going to see some really &*#ing huge BBers out there.