30 Seconds SummaryBody-Fat and P-Ratios: A Rebuttal To The Rebuttal
- The author critically examines the hypothesis that higher body-fat levels impair hypertrophy, arguing that it lacks scientific evidence and is too reliant on mechanistic speculation.
- Published rebuttals shifting between insulin sensitivity and inflammation as causes for impaired hypertrophy with high body-fat are assessed, but both are found lacking in direct evidence and consistency.
- Discussions extend to the Forbes and Hall models, which are argued to be inapplicable to resistance-trained individuals undergoing longitudinal training due to their limitations.
- The author scrutinizes studies used in rebuttals, highlighting issues such as sample relevance, particularly concerning older, untrained, or sedentary individuals which do not correlate well with resistance-trained populations.
- Arguments that higher body-fat might negatively impact muscle recovery and anabolic hormone levels are deemed to lack convincing evidence when considering the positive effects resistance training has on these factors.
- A combined analysis of subject-level data from various studies shows no significant relationship between baseline body-fat percentage and muscle hypertrophy, suggesting that initial body-fat levels do not impede gains from resistance training.
- The critique engages with topics like protein balance and recovery, often referencing specific studies, to debate the lack of robust proof linking high body-fat with worse hypertrophy outcomes.
- Overall, the article positions the well-supported benefits of resistance training as crucial factors that negate the purported negative impacts of higher body-fat percentages on muscle growth and recovery.
Stronger By Science
Eric Trexler and Greg Nuckols
