The claimEvidence B · meta-analysis
A bigger post-workout hormone spike builds more muscle
The evidence
One arm was trained with a leg session added to push hormones up, yet both arms grew about the same; growth comes from tension in the muscle.
Why the claim spreads
Growth hormone and testosterone really do rise briefly after a workout, and testosterone really can build muscle — drug-level doses enlarge muscle even without training. Join those two facts and you get the idea that a higher spike means more growth.
The mechanism, in brief
Why does muscle grow? Mainly because of three stimuli, and they are far from equal. Get these three straight and your training stops wasting effort.
Sources (2)
- Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857-2872.
- Morton, R. W., et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384.