Energy balance
Variability in resting skeletal muscle metabolism is a major determinant of interindividual differences in resting energy expenditure (BMR and SMR), independent of body composition.
Your resting metabolic rate isn't just about how much muscle you have, but how metabolically active that muscle is. People with 'low' metabolic rates may be predisposed to weight gain. While you cannot easily change your genetics, understanding that muscle metabolism varies among individuals highlights why standard calorie predictions often fail for some people.
These findings suggest that differences in resting muscle metabolism account for part of the variance in metabolic rate among individuals and may play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity.
Why this rating
Small sample size (n=14) and observational design limit generalizability, but the methodology (indirect calorimetry, forearm catheterization) is rigorous for the era.
Source
Skeletal muscle metabolism is a major determinant of resting energy expenditure.
F. Zurlo et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 1990
DOI 10.1172/jci114857
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